In order to gain daily driveability, I decided to get a replacement Mikuni carb for $210. The ordering process was a nightmare, so this will be interesting to see if I get the part that I ordered, should have it in about a week, with a 30-day guarantee if it's the wrong part or doesn't work properly.

I have a couple of sources for the turbo downpipe, with and without a cat. What are the pros and cons of a downpipe with or without a cat? I'm working on finding a place to mount the FMIC today, just to have it figured out once I decide to go forward with the turbo install.

Trial and error, should fit nicely with the mesh top skid plate, which should have a nice air flow right into the fins of the FMIC. I'll need two 90-degree fittings for the turbo inlet to the FMIC, but I think that's doable. For the FMIC outlet, I think I'm going to cut a hole just under where the FMIC inlet hose will go, and route it thru there up to the intake.

Slowly but surely, I'm getting there with the turbo conversion. But being to drive it every day is priority one, and with this replacement Mikuni carb on the way, I hope to be at that stage in another week or two...

That's a heck of a price for a replacement Mikuni. Hope it works well, and if/when it does, please post your source for others.

The "pre-cat" downpipe exists for emissions reasons. Its purpose was to get exhaust gasses up to temp as quickly as possible at start-up so the main cat would function more quickly. You can do without it, and gain a good bit by using the flange that bolts to the turbo housing to have a serious downpipe made from some fat pipe, making sure the oxygen sensor is still mountable in about the same position. There are most likely some good examples on the Star-Quest board.

I mounted my intercooler in a weird position, but I haven't piped it in yet. It sits at about the same angle as the front section of the front skid plate, tucked up as tight as possible. I probably won't get great airflow over it, so we'll see how it works out.

John B.

Here's my post in another thread about how I mounted my FMIC:

http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showt...mber=1213071&page=0&vc=1

sent via PM.

Sent you back a PM. The ASA system doesn't like Raiders. Now on the hunt for a '88 Montero VIN.

John B.

Yikes! List is $133.27, P/N MD612713. *Note* The VIN I used is from a '88 Montero with an automatic transmission, not a 5-speed. Don't know if the part number is the same. The VIN for the Montero 5 speed in the VIN repository is non-functional in the ASA system.

Also note that through Mitsubishiparts.net, the part is about $119.00, shipped.

John B.

The wonders of google...

4x4wire Tech

Looks like they are the same '87 to '89

The replacement Mikuni is on the way, and I should have it by Jun 14th. I'm going to use the old one to try and figure out how to make/buy/modify some kind of "bonnet" for the carb top that I can attach the FMIC outlet hose to. I know everyone says EFI is the way to go, but I'm going to try and see if I can get the stock Mikuni to work on 7 psi of boost from the StarQuest turbo system.

On a related note, while I'm waiting on the replacement Mikuni and modded downpipe, I decided to paint the lower panels and side steps with some roll-on bedliner coating. I cleaned the surfaces, wiped them down with alcohol, let them air dry, masked the area off with blue painter's tape, and painted them with the bedliner coating. Didn't turn out too bad:

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" /> looks nice! I'm considering this stuff on my rockers.

I bought a gallon of the stuff from a local auto parts store for $50 or there abouts. I've gotten a LOT of use out of it, using it on a Jeep Comanche pickup I used to have; painted the wiper arms on my '94 Taurus SHO; painted the front and rear bumpers on the Monty, along with the wiper arms, hitch plate, and two front skid plates.

Whenever I'm going to paint with that stuff, I make sure I wear disposable gloves, have some acetone for cleanup, blue painter's tape for masking, and I use disposable paint trays, brushes, and rollers (no cleanup on those things).

For what I used that $50 worth of bedliner coating, I think I've more than gotten my money's worth...