Is my car a DSM?
No, not if it’s a 3000GT, GTO or Stealth.
DSMs were build at the Diamond Star Motors factory in Normal, Illinois. All 3000GTs, GTOs and Stealths were build at the Nagoya plant in Japan. While our cars emerged from the same partnership between Mitsubishi and Dodge as DMSs, they are not DSMs themselves.
What type of oil should I use?
As per the factory service manual (3000GT Service Manual, 1992-1996 Volume 1, Page 00-39, Oil Viscosity), see below.
Since you’ll have a heck of a time finding 20W-40, feel free to substitute the more common 15W-40 which is much closer than 10W-30.
Do I really have to do the 60k service on time?
Yes, these cars are not 2002 Toyota Camrys, and you cannot neglect scheduled maintenance. With the DOHC motors used in our platform, a timing failure event will likely cause irreparable damage to your intake and/or exhaust valves (and sometimes pistons). To replace these components, the engine must be disassembled.
Timing failure events are also sometimes caused by using cheap replica components during service, which can drastically reduce the lifespan of the system. With timing, you often don’t know it’s going bad until it’s too late. Do it right the first time. Even if you somehow don’t destroy your engine, do you really want to do the service again?
What wheels will fit my car?
Our bolt pattern is 5×114.3mm. Our hub bore is 67.1mm.
Spoke design and offset are important on these cars, especially second gen twin turbo models as their calipers are massive. Do NOT shave your calipers to make your wheels fit as it can compromise the structural integrity of the calipers.
Generally 17″-19″x9″ is what looks and works best on our platform, 20″ tends to look too big according to many people, but if you like the massive wheel look, you do you.
This is general advice but applies here; if you must use a spacer, use a hub centric one with a 114.3mm bolt pattern. That means the inner hole is 67.1mm in diameter and the stud holes line up perfectly. Do not use a generic one as it can damage studs and can pose a hazard while driving.
Can I turbocharge my naturally aspirated car?
Yes, anything is possible by throwing enough money at it.
Is it practical? Not usually. Is it cheaper to buy a twin turbo model? Usually.
That said, if you’re in love with your car, you can go about it a couple ways. You can either do a full twin turbo swap including the all wheel drive drivetrain, or you can turbo your front wheel drive drivetrain.
If you turbo your front wheel drive, it’s typically better to go with a single turbo as it’s less work to install and can produce similar results, just be advised that you will struggle for traction if you stab the throttle.
Naturally aspirated motors have higher compression than their twin turbo brothers and lack the oil squirters, so some people will advise against turboing them. However, many people have done so and have had success, the setup lasting tens of thousands of miles. I won’t advise for or against this, but do your research before committing and be able to live with it if you blow up your engine.
If I don’t turbocharge my naturally aspirated car, can I still get some more power out of it?
Absolutely. There’s a fantastic write-up on 3SI which I will be rewriting and expanding upon for this site in the future. In the meantime, check that out.
Does the tube from the coolant reservoir go to the black canister underneath it?
No. It goes to open air. It’s a relief for excess coolant. Most people don’t want to send coolant into their fuel evaporative control system, but if you do for some reason then sure, run the hose to that black canister.