My lovely eagle talon has never really worked right… here we go.
Let’s see, I got the car about 6 years ago. It worked originally but then the timing belt went out. I also found that the Head Gasket needed to be replaced. So replaced those as well as the Throttle Position Sensor, Idle Control Motor, Mass Airflow Sensor. After all this it was running, but it still had some minor starting issues. I also replaced the Power Steering Coolant Line, Battery, Spark Plugs, Plug Wires, Fuel Filter, Distributor Cap, Oil, Oil Pan Gasket, and Muffler.
However after this it sat for awhile waiting for the brakes and brake lines to be done, since I didn’t have the money or time to work on it. So I tried to start it up awhile ago, but the car refused to start. It cranked normally but it didn’t start up. So I tested it and found it wasn’t getting spark, so I replaced the entire distributor (which includes the coil and ignition module). More recently I noticed that the fuel line is now broken, so that’s lovely, but despite that, there is still no spark, so it’s mostly moot.
But to this day it has not been driven more then 60 miles. So I was trying to finally get it on the road, but have had nothing but problems since I got it. I have since pulled out some of the electrical components, such as the driving lights and the stereo to track down a power drain issue. Which is unfortunate, since it feels like those were the only bits that actually worked on the car.
I have the smaller SOHC version of the engine, which might be part of the problem, but I am not sure I want to pour more funds into this bottomless money pit by swapping in a new engine.
Sounds like a bad string of luck! and you might have gotten a lemon, (Eagles are pretty well built from what I understand).
I had similar luck with a 98 GMC Jimmy, rear brakes went, tranny went twice (mechanic sold us a ‘used’ one that lasted 5000km), AWD went off and on, needed struts and wheel bearings (all 4 corners, driver front side needed wheel bearings 2x) all within 18 months of owning the damn thing. The previous owner failed to mention it sat idle for 4 years without being started.
I kind of figured it was just bad luck. But I don’t want to just get rid of it for someone else to find that one part I missed and suddenly it runs a dream.
please do not take anything I am about to say as offensive, I have owned many eagle talons, lasers, and eclipses ranging from 1st gen to 2nd gen turbo and non turbo and I have rebuilt well over 25 dsm engines and have a very extensive knowledge of these cars and even own 3 as of today and will have a fourth sometime next month ( red awd turbo 1st gen ).
no this is not bad luck, you need to figure out what is causing the no start issue before you waste money on parts it may never have needed in the first place.
you say you replaced the head gasket and changed the timing belt, right there I believe is your no start issue, Mitsubishi is very notorious for being very finicky with its timing components.while you may have installed the head gasket correctly the timing belt even though a sohc can actually be a challenge to do right. while everything may look 100% even half a tooth out can and WILL cause these issues I have been there many times.
next you say you replaced a ton of sensors, did you just plug them in and bolt them down? Or did you use an Ohms metre and actually check to make sure its getting the right continuity? if they arent seeing proper voltage the car will act like its in a limp mode.
you go on to say you changed the distributor, now did you just buy a new one and pop it in, of did you make sure to set the timing gear at the bottom of the distributor to the proper spot, then once that was done was the cars crank shaft sitting at TDC and afterwards did you set the mechanical timing with a timing light?
I am in no way saying you do not know what you are doing I am just trying to get a better understanding of how these parts were replaced so I can further help you get it going again
also unless swaping in another sohc, motor swaps for these cars are almost entirely out of the question unless you have mad fab skills ( I am referring to the SOHC models only as engine bays are actually different from the dohc na and turbo )
After I replaced all those things at first, it did start, and it did run. It was a bit hard at starting, but it did run. I personally didn’t replace most of the parts, I had someone who knew more of what they were doing (a ASE certified parts professional, with good 20-30 years in) helping me (or more like me helping them, but I digress). I can pass on your questions to him. But I am pretty sure there was limited testing and mostly just replacing of parts (except where needed, I know he spent a long time on the timing belt, and a good bit on making sure the distributor was in).
He has a timing light, but he didn’t want to use it (for some reason). He just put a piece of metal in the wire and placed it near the head, and says a jumping spark will tell him just as easily if it is sparking.
Anyway I was told, that a no spark issue isn’t something that anything else I have replaced can cause (aside from the distributor, which was replaced trying to fix it). He thinks it might be a computer issue now, which is so far outside my price range I am not even considering it. So I am not sure.
