Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Hey guys, I just bought that 1991 Eagle Talon AWD Tsi that was for sale on here by twack, Well needless to say, he straight up lied to me about what was wrong with the car. My biggest concern is how HOT and I mean HOT my car is running, I have a bad temp senser he told me about (supposidly the only problem with the car) I belive because of how HOT my car is running thats why I'm having an antifreeze leak. It's coming through my overflow tube, and when I pop the resevour cap, it's bubbling. Now I also have an oil leak on my VC where the oil is sitting right under the spark plugs, Im guessing that will just be an oring to fix that. When I jumped under the car to look ariund to see what else is going on I noticed a substantial amount of oil dripping off the oil pan. I'm really new to this DSM world, but I'm eager and willing to learn. Any help will be greatly appreciated, and I'll pay someone to help me work and show me how to do things if they are in the area of lakeville apple valley burnsville. Heck even if your somewhat close I'll drive out to meet you. Thanks for all your guys' help!

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I am guessing bad head gasket and it is pressurizing the coolant system or at least thats what happened to me last summer.

Possibly a cracked valve cover where the bolts are on the right side in the plug area caused by overtight valve cover bolts.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

How did Twack lie about it... The car was not even his?

Sounds like you got a cheap car that needs some work. Start with testing the radiator cap, make sure it is good and/or replace it. Valve cover gaskets are easy to replace, those are quite common to leak. Find where the leak is coming from on the oil pan. If I remember right, the oil pan gasket is cheaper than $10 at Napa, or just use RTV like most people do.

You bought a car that needs work. Get use to it.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

LOL considering its a DSM consider yourself lucky to have only these issues. These all probably come down to the car needing some routine maintenance; do all maintenance items before modding the car at all.

Sounds like it could use some fresh coolant (50/50 mix of water and antifreeze), a new thermostat, a new radiator cap, a new valve cover gasket with spark plug donuts, and possibly some new sealant on the oil pan. Clean up the oil seepage on the pan though to make sure you can pin point exactly where its coming from to make sure it really is the pan. All of this stuff really won't cost you that much and won't take more than a few hours to do.

After you take care of those issues, you should do the general stuff like drivetrain fluids, spark plugs, belts, spark plug wires, etc. unless you have documented proof from the previous owner that they were done recently. Hopefully Twack gets in here and can lend some some additional insight to what the car needs and what has been recently done.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I'm sorry I made my post sound like twack sold the car to me, he DID NOT sell it to me, but he DID sell it for his buddy. I'm not mad at a single soul in this forum. Thanks a lot for all the help already. Are there some good sites I can look at so I can somewhat learn what to do?

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Thanks a lot, do any of you know anyone who lives in the area?

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Almost everyone on this site...

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

It's a decent inexpensive car. You'll have to do what other's have stated. Do the usual maintenance. Such as change all the fluids, misc. gaskets that may be leaking, change plugs, wires, etc. Check for broken vacuum lines, kinks, etc.
Make sure it is 100% or at least 99% good, before starting any mods. That way you won't be confused later on.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

sounds like some matinence issues which is normal for a dsm, I would expect that from a 1g. car has been daily driven with no issues, any issues that came up were fixed along the way. You ever around rochester id be more then happy to help you. The only thing the seller and im assuming the buyer hasnt done that should always been done, is a compression test. im more then willing to help out if you need anything

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Your correct I haven't done a compression test yet, I'm about to go read up right now on how to do it. Twack, I might take ya up on that offer lol.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

It's really easy if you got a tester.

I'd do a leakdown, too, if you've got a compression test kit and a compressor.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Not sure why a compression test came up, but worry about that after you get the issues fixed to keep things as simple as possible.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Sounds like a classic dsm to me. Since you're new, here's a fitting phrase to sum up owning a dsm, "shit happens." Less "shit" will happen if you keep up preventitive maintenence, and fix problems when they happen, not when you feel like it. All the stuff you got going on is easy to fix, the boiling coolant happened to me to when my temp sensor went out, car just overheats. Simple fixes, which everyone has pretty much covered.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

The only reason i bring up the sompression tester is because something i always check before i buy is the compression. It will answer many questions in my mind. I dont thijnk i would want to get into a sale where i knew little about the engine, then certain major problems can be addressed. But any badmouthing of the original seller is not needed like Constant said Shit happens with DSMs all the time Mike didnt try and and sneak anything on you. How much did you end up getting the price down to? Now if you want help doing your matinence were more then willing to help you out

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I wouldnt assume this is a minor problem. I would verify your headgasket isn't bad before you go doing all this other maintenance. Hit the big problems first, and knock out the secondary smaller problems later.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

For the Overflow bubbling Im guessing its a radiator cap. Alot of people will tell you its a headgasket but in my experience its probably the radiator cap(plust that alot cheaper and quicker to replace)

For the Oil in the valve cover Id say its either a cracked valve cover, valve cover gasket or the gasket on the oil cap.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

If you need help I would be game to come and help

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Just my opinion, but a compression test is a great thing to do right off the bat. It's free to do (as long as your or someone you know has a tester). I'd like to know up front if there is a bigger issue. I personally wouldn't want to swap out all the antifreeze and oil with new stuff, then do a compression test and find out the head has to come off and I have to drain out all the new stuff I put in.


I'm not sure where Lakeville is, but if you're ever up around Blaine, stop by I have a couple compression testers.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

define big issue, to some of us a head gasket or a timing belt is nothing to deal with. But its definitly something i want to know going into a new car.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I said bigger issue. I consider a headgasket, worn rings, bent valves, hole in the piston, or a bad timing belt to be a bigger issue then replacing a radiator cap or flushing coolant.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I can help you out too, if you're ever near crystal. I've got a compression tester, no leakdown tester though.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

J'sGSX12- where you live bro? You in the area? My clutch went on me today, so I'm going to need a helping hand with that too!

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

snap, a lot of people buying used DSMs on this board are getting lemons!

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

If you're expecting a 15+ year old DSM priced under $2000 to be some kind of gem, then 99% of time you are just kidding yourself.

Don't give up on it, just work through it. It'll take time, but that's the fun of it!

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

If it's a two part compression tester, chances are high that the part the screws into the spark plug threads has an air hose fitting. You just hook up a compressor to that and listen. ;)

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

THey usually have a check valve though that lets the compression into the gauge, but not back out. So you'd have to modify that end to allow you to pass air the opposite way as was intended for that fitting.

At least that's how it is on both of my testers, I know because I've tried that :)

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Even if you could do it that way, relying only on your ear is not the best. You want to be able to know the % loss of your cylinders, and having a proper leakdown gauge will be able to tell you that. It probably isn't a good idea to overpressurize them either, idk. You'd want to regulate that.

It seems that people are not only not getting gems, they're getting cars with potential moderate to serious internal engine issues. Not blaming it on the seller or the buyer, its just unfortunate that these surprise problems come up, and certainly not fun to deal with if you've just purchased the car.

I bought my car for cheap, and while it certainly was not a gem, the engine is sound. Lots of little problems though.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

You're right, now that I think about it, mine's that way too. I swear to god that's how I was told to do it, though.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

It's amazing nobody notices leaks or over-heating before they throw the money on a car. Why not be as thorough as possible when taking a look at it?

A test drive for like 10 mins would show you the coolant over-flowing along with little leaks.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

I drove it for 30 minutes, no problems. Then I drove it 1 hr 30 minutes no problems home that night. But the next day i drive it for 10 minutes it over heats, but nice try abc123.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

ok well its been a few days any new updates or just waiting on the clutch

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Updates: Dropped the tranny (going to need help from someone to put her back up) Bought an ACT 2600 clutch. So I'm good to go AFTER I fix what I have no discovered. Turbo has a leak in her that drips down to the oil pan, making it look like it was an oil pan leak. Went to drain the tranny, and I think maybe 3 drops of oil came out (not an exageration). Now do I have to resurface my flywheel, or can I just clean it really well with brake cleaner and put her on? I'm really going to need a helping hand tonight when I put her back in, please, anyone in the area willing to help?

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

You should really resurface the flywheel, usually about $25 and most Napa's do it. Be sure to tell them the correct height to resurface it to, as ACT's are different than stock.

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

What height do I tell them to resurface it too?

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Re: Just bought my first DSM and having a bunch of problems
 

Thanks for the help guys, I ended up buying a new flywheel off a guy on craigslist. So I now have a ACT Light flywheel with a ACT 2600 PP with a ACT prostreet disc for a clutch set up. Put the tranny in last night but got to be to late to finish. This would go a million times faster if I actually knew what I was doing rather then looking it up and bugging this shit out for 15 people on here lol. After I bolt the rest of the tranny in, I'll be fixing the turbo leak. I'm in the business for a 3" exhaust system if anyone has one for sale, and a fuel pump (Looking for something around 255lph)