Maintenance advice for '98 Montero with unknown history

[twocommas]

Hello there! :victory:

After weeks and months of research, I acquired the ultimate adventure vehicle: my "new to me" 1998 Montero (white/grey) with Winter Package, 145,000 miles. I got her for next to nothing, but unfortunately there are no records of any maintenance. An old lady drove it around for about 10 years, and before that it was a lease in SoCal. California car all the way!

I want to start by doing everything to get the car baselined and ready for the road. So far I have changed the oil and flushed the radiator and noticed a valve cover leak that completely covered everything below including the alternator.

Here's the parts list I am planning on acquiring. First one is from Rock Auto, second is from oemmitsubishiparts.com. Please let me know if I am missing anything that you think I should fix, or if you suggest a different part manufacturer from the one I have selected. Since the timing belt and valve cover gaskets are big projects, I will have my mechanic replace anything else while he has it torn apart.


EDIT
Added final purchased items to this thread: http://www.expeditionportal.com/for...-5-(NL)-Part-Numbers-and-Specialty-Tools-List

 

[jlocster]

I would do the front crank seal as well while everything is apart. Don't forget rear cam seals either, they are notorious leakers. I decided to go with oem mitsubishi parts for valve cover gaskets and seals...more $ but the quality is better. Id also recommend ngk or denso plug wires for the same reason. Also the timing belt/water pump kit you selected does not come with a water pump housing gasket that is needed as well as an o-ring that goes from the rear of the water pump housing to the coolant crossover pipe beneath the intake plenum. I know this because I bought that kit and had to go to the dealer to get those missing parts. You'll also need an egr tube gasket that goes between the egr tube and the exhaust manifold. Change your thermostat too, the Stant replacement will need a bypass hole drilled to match the hole in the oem part. Change you heater hoses, radiator hoses and pcv valve.

 

[twocommas]

Really appreciate the advice jlocster! :wings:

Added Front Crankshaft Seal from RockAuto.
I have front/and rear cam seals on there already.
Changed valve gasket cover + seals to OEM.
Upgraded to NGK wires.
I can't seem to find the right water pump housing gasket and o-ring to add to that timing belt kit. Can you point me in the right direction?
Added EGR gasket.
The thermostat I am getting is OEM, so hopefully it fits just right without any adjustments.
Can you help me find the right part # for the heater hoses and radiator hoses?
Added a FRAM pcv valve.


Anything else? I want this thing to purr like a kitten when I am done!

 

[jlocster]

You'll also want an intake plenum gasket which needs to be replaced for the spark plug job, forgot to mention that earlier. For clarification, I'd recommend oem crank and cam seals front and rear. The oem rear cam seals I believe were revised, I don't know if aftermarket manufacturers use the revised design or not. I compared felpro front cam seals to the oem front seals and there was no comparison, oem was better quality...I don't know how timken seals stack up though.

Also recommend replacing the rubber coolant crossover pipe at the rear of the engine while the intake plenum is removed as well as the 2 or 3 small rubber coolant/fuel lines at the front of the engine.

The egr tube gasket is oval shaped with two holes...that's the one you need. There is a different egr gasket that is squarish iirc, make sure you order the right one. The water pump housing o ring, egr tube gasket, and water pump housing gasket I was only able to find at the dealer.

Upper/lower radiator hoses should be available aftermarket...for heater hoses I used L-shaped universal heater hose and cut to fit, dealer should have proper pre bent hose...cross over pipe can be replaced with a straight section of heater hose or dealer for pre bent.
Hopefully someone else will chime in with part #s as I don't have those available.

 

[jlocster]

You may already be aware that common with these mitsubishi engines at 150k+, is that the valve stem seals harden and start to leak and then the engine will burn oil. Hopefully yours do not leak but replacement should be a consideration while your mechanic has the top of the engine apart. An added expense for sure, but quite possibly worth the preventative maintenance if you're going to keep the truck for awhile. Just throwing that out there.

 

[twocommas]

I think I got all that except for the hoses that my mechanic should help me with. I was way under my budget when I picked up this Montero, so I want to spare no expense to get it cleaned up. If any of you Monty pros have any other advice on what should be taken care of, please let me know! :smiley_drive:

 

[off-roader]

Have the transmission fluid flushed. Used 100% mitsu compatible fluid or you'll be 100% sorry. Transmissions do not tolerate the wrong fluids very well.

 

[twocommas]

Have the transmission fluid flushed. Used 100% mitsu compatible fluid or you'll be 100% sorry. Transmissions do not tolerate the wrong fluids very well.

Thanks off-roader! I will get Mitsubishi ATF SP-III for the transmission, but it looks like I need to pump every bit of it out so maybe I will leave this to the mechanic for the labor.

I already did engine oil and radiator flush. What else should I do? Brake fluid?

 

[off-roader]

Did you check for calcification when you flushed the radiator?

Have the diff and x-case fluid checked, but you should be ok with them.

 

[Clem]

What else should I do? Brake fluid?

Brake fluid, yes, and power steering fluid.

HTH,

Clem

 

[MontyMcV]

With all that work, I'd replace the injector o-rings and grommets, and also the four o-rings on the fuel rail. New fuel filter as well.

Also, since they will be easily accessible, the heater core hoses that go through the firewall, and the gasket for the cross-over pipe at the back of the heads.