Heya fellers.

Just picked up an 87 Raider for $1,600.

It's red, sports a 5 speed, 2.6L and the grey interior. I'm just getting started on cleaning it up into a daily driver project. My plans are modest. It needs some bodywork on the front end and has a massive oil leak which the seller said was caused by the fuel pump??

It runs and drives. Takes a second to fire up, but I noticing no oil burning and it uses no water. Brought it home from Castle Rock, CO to Westminster, CO which is 40 miles. No issues.

The interior is a 7/10. I plan on cleaning all of the carpet and giving it a thorough bath. It's missing it's mega huge grab bar, which I need to find a replacement for.

I plan on a mild lift, painting the stock wheels black, getting the body work taken care of or replacing the fenders and front grill. I need to find a nice aftermarket rear bumper. The front will be replaced with an ARB bull bar for the montero SWB. I may add a rack on top too. I'm gonna find someone to do a nice coat of Viper Red.

The drivetrain is where the money is going. I plan on a MPI Turbo/Intercooler swap and a fresh non-jet head, built Conquest motor with a T3/T4. I know little about the Raider/Montero but a bit about the Conquest/Starion after having two.

I'm a cop in Colorado and enjoy tinkering with cars, motorcycles and guns. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for the space.

Here he is...

Fuel pump is mechanical, not electric. It is bolted to your motor somewhere. Maybe leaking where it bolts up. I would tell you exactly where, but I dont know. I have always had v6s.

And welcome.

Welcome to the wire! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cheers.gif" alt="" /> I'm just down the interstate from you (Colorado Springs).

Looks like you got a good turbo-project going there. If you need any parts help, suggestions/howtos for mods, or mechanical expertise this is the premier spot on the internet to come for Raiders/Monteros. I can get you pointed in the right direction as well for some stuff (I'm not an engine guy, though).

Oh, and if you're not already on there, I'd suggest joining www.coloradocarry.com (guns <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />)and www.colorado4x4.org also (although I'm one of the very VERY few people on there who wheels a Mitsu).

By the way, as Sparky said, your fuel pump is mechanical. It is bolted into the left side of the cylinder head at about the mid-point back from the front of the engine. In order to remove it to deal with that leak, you'll need to make sure your engine is set to TDC on the compression stroke, otherwise it'll be difficult to negotiate its internal arm with the cam lobe on which it rides. Your StarQuest engines likely have a blank-off plate in that same place.

I augmented mine with an electrical pump. Since you're looking to turbo, you're going to want to switch to electrical anyway.

Fuel pump is on the carb side of the head, between #2&3. Set engine at tdc to unload the lever on the cam to ease removal. there's a phenolic spacer which needs a gasket on both sides, between spacer and head and spacer and pump. A torn lever boot will let oil leak out thru the pump lower housing. Mitsu starions have a block off plate for the head hole, and then you can go to an electric pump and a pressure regulator. You need the flow dumped by the regulator to feed the Mikuni carb accel pump and the normal supply to the fuel bowl.

I'd car wash the engine, let it dry, and then run it hard for a short time, then dust the motor with baby powder to find the oil leak path.

Old mitsus need the radiator rodded out, or you'll need a new head gasket soon. Trust me on this one.

Check the shifter for fore-aft flop as you get on and off the gas. Excessive flop means you need to rebuild the tranny pretty soon. Neither hard nor expensive to do.

You WILL need to replace the idler arm bushing, and maybe tie rod ends on the steering. Try to buy just the idler bushing kit instead of the whole arm assy.

That should handle the obvious gotcha's.

Note that head oil leaks are most often (1) valve cover gasket. (2) fuel pump. (3) rear cam plug. (4) distributor housing oring. (5) front half circle cam plug.

Valve cover can be warped by overtightening. Check for flatness.

One other sneaky leak is from the point at the back of the head where the upper and lower rear cam bearing halves mate. On engine assembly, you have to smear rtv on that metal to metal joint to get an oil seal. Possible to fix with engine in car.

Turbo that baby for one fine little sleeper...

A cop building a high boost MPI swap? If I ever make it to CO in my measly TB turbo, and get caught speeding, I'll tell the trooper:

"Hey, I'm just looking for Cochese!" <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />


Oh yeah, welcome... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

What an awesome place.

You guys are rad. I'm not a major gear head (knowledge wise) but I work on stuff and learn what and when I can.

Monty, <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

You guys are a wealth of knowledge. The seller said she took it to their service shop and the tech said the fuel pump "was leaking and causing the oil leak."

I figured it was a mechanical issue and a seal somewhere. You guys pretty much figured that out for me. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Well, I think I'd like to go to an electric fuel pump since I'll eventually be pulling this motor. The question is, do I try and fix the seals for now or go with a block off plate, regulator and electric pump?

In the immediate future, I want to get it to not leak a single fluid and get it into daily driver status for the winter. I have a 2008 Ninja 250R on order that will be my summer DD and I'm trying to sell my Ranger that I owe money on. My woman and I also have her paid off 2000 TRD Tacoma and she has a take home unmarked police car. If I can manage to sell off my Ranger in this ***** used car market, the Raider will be my new cold weather need to haul stuff DD, the bike will be ridden the rest of the time and her Taco will get us to places far.

The Raider will eventually be fully restored and my only four wheel vehicle (the Taco is hers).

To get it into DD status ASAP, should I fix the mechanical pumps leak, or go electric?

What all do I need to replace the seals if that is the cause of the oil leak? Do they stock these at the stealership?

Here is a dumbass question... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> ...how do I manually set the motor to top dead center when I go to yank the fuel pump off the side?

You guys are right about that block off plate on the starquest G54B's. I always wondered what those were for.

What components would I need for the electric pump swap?

Sorry for all of the questions, and thanks for the support. I won't be going anywhere. This looks like a badass forum. I'm a regular on Glock Talk, Officer Resource, AR15.com and a few other places. I think I've found a new home. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Pay the shipping and I've got the dash grab handle for you from another red 87 Mitsu.

Welcome! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

I just saw the mitsubishilinks.com link 10 minutes after I bought a friggen copy of the 1987 FSM's on eBay. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

Don't have any good advice on what direction to take. I am like you in that my experience is modest, and all gained from dealing/doing whatever "it" may be.

One thing you'll want to do, if you haven't already, is get the FSMs for the SWB. You no doubt have them for the Quest, based on you past travails there. You can follow the link in my sig line for a bunch more FSMs to add to you garage shelves.

HTH,