Your Bad VR4 Story?

[matt92vr4]

In regards to my current vr4, I bought it online and had it shipped from cali to Florida. The semitruck could not fit into my neighborhood so I met him at the local Target about one mile from the house. I was so excited! He unloaded the car and I drove it straight home (not yet licensed). My wife and I were sitting in it in the driveway like two little kids on Christmas morning. Engine idling..."thunk" crank pulley separated and the outer portion flew off lol

Then 5 months later the radiator started leaking all over my driveway. 2 weeks after that the timing belt stripped the teeth off and bent 8 valves.

Next I'm going to predict that something in my retrain is going to break. The output shaft isn't the greatest and I'm getting a thumping sound at Wot from the rear. If those font break I know my axles will soon /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

I have an exact opposite story.....replied to an ad on DSMTRADER (RIP) about a GVR4 in the bay that didnt run. He wanted 1000, i offered 500 to pick up that night and he took it. When i showed up, he started telling me his story. I tried to start the car, it turned over and over and over.. less than a minute goes by, i start smelling this fish smell (ECU!) "ILL TAKE IT!".....

No sh*t, i got home, pulled the ECU from my 1g, started right up, put it on ebay, sold it for $5200.....

 

[matt92vr4]

Well that didn't take long! My clutch slave took a crap on the way to work this morning. Made it to work, not sure how I'm getting home yet lol.

 

[James]

My story? Haha. Ill keep it simple.

Instead of building the motor with gaskets, the PO built it all with RTV.

Ironically the oil pan was the only part I took off that he used a gasket with.

 

[DynastyLCD]

^ LOL. the one thing that should have been RTV'ed!!!

my GVR4 nightmare.... 881 went to emissions wednesday, failed at idle, then on the way home chewed through a 14b, and developed rod knock, less than a mile from home. ugh. at least i made it back without a tow bill.

i blame it on the car knowing i was trying to do a budget, budget, budget, build. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rofl.gif so much for that plan!

or when i finally got 73 running, i had to fix all sorts of dumb sh*t before i could even leave the driveway. fuel line began leaking after the first start, fuel filler neck, brake line to the rear let go while bleeding them, CAS wouldn't let the car rev past 4k... then i get it driving for the first time, rippin down the street, and the battery light comes on... alternator sh*t the bed in the neighborhood. had to get my father to help me, and jumped it about 6 times before i got into the garage.

i've had more DSM nightmares... then again, i've owned more DSM's than GVR4's! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif such as....

- stripping all the teeth off of center diff, intermediate shaft, and input during a 3rd gear pull
- breaking 3 different crown shafts resulting in RWD experiences
- snapping off multiple front axles where they go through the hub
- transmission out, and apart to gear stacks for repair 8 times in 700 miles
- rods through blocks (happened three times, two were 2g 7 bolts, the 6 bolt was from pure negligance)
- cracking pistons apart and having the ring lands fall off of all 4
- burning through valves
- alternators dying from leaky PS pumps
- thrust bearings and cranks walked damaged from misadjusting the clutch master
- broken shift forks.... over and over and over.
- finding a turbine wheel stuck in the muffler.... yes this really happened.
- broken pedal assemblies
- broken throw out bearing retaining clip. that was an interesting one for sure.
- clutches ground PAST the rivets and 1/8" into the flywheel. particular car didn't move til revved to 5k.
- wierd, dumb, f**ked up failures caused by idiots who think they have 9 sec streetcars and drive them as such.

it doesn't help when all your friends come to you with their DSM problems. though it did add quite a bit to the above list!

 

[mikus]

Quote:
finding a turbine wheel stuck in the muffler.... yes this really happened.


that's awesome. Shoulda ran a fartcan, they can pass more parts

 

[Dark_Horse]

The GVR4 has been pretty uneventful so far - at least compared to my old 2G


2G...OMG! 6 years and damn near $20,000 and the POS spun a bearing.
Went through 3 mechanics, 2 engine builds, 1 engine fire, 3 turbos...All within 200 miles.
After the 2G problems, I learned to never, ever pay a mechanic to do anything. Also learned that it's wise to run a restrictor on a turbo fed from the OFH regardless of what the manufacturer or mechanic says.

 

[Steve885]

I have a great one..you'll love this ... I bought 885 from a person on here.. I got tons of vids and pics the car itself was in great condition and seemed to be sound( I really should of went out and looked at it ) I also did a lot of research on the on the guy that sold it to the guy I bought it from who is on here as we'll.. Any way had it shipped it arrived.. Well right off the truck something seemed wrong.. Every time you push the brake I hear a loud screeching grinding sound ..weird .
I remember someone mentioning the rear brake sticks every once in awhile, well after taking of the rear wheels I find there's no inner pads just using the caliper piston as a brake shoes GREAT ..so I bought 2 new rear calipers,rotors, shoes, installed them and now I can drive.
So I drive the car in my neighborhood a couple times.. Sometimes dies at stop signs..has crazy lag and after a couple days starts a idle surge.
I went through the car cleand everything tightend and retightend.. And cleaned some more..I even coned keydiver to burn me a new chip. Thank u (MONEY TALKS).
Ok I think I got it under control..time to drive to the DMV and to work 20 miles round trip.. I go to the DMV then to work...no problems then on my may home I loose control of the RPM I don't know what to think and the car stars running time a pile of sh*t..I pull over to inspect don't see any weirdness I restart still shitty..I drive it home. Next morn check the timing belt. WOW what's this so loose I can lift it off the gears..I'm not a mechanic so I had it towed to a shop
It's been ther for six weeks..turns out every single bolt was hand tight or almost.. The timing tensioner almost fell off when he took off the cover.. nothig was clearenced so i had a oil pan full of squiters..the fly wheel was loose..ok so we got it back together. Did a compression check was getting 175 150 150 175. Did a leak down was loosing 30 % in the two middle cyclinders.. I had them jerk the head and strange no bent valves.. I took the the head to the machine shop they said all the stems were bent and the head was milled 20mm under spec so there was nothing they could do.
I found this nice guy at SIM in Michigan that had a old stock 1g brand new head that he would sell me for a reasonable price and he is doing a stage 2 valve package..SS valves ,duel springs, 3 grifters.5 angle seats..
I really hope this is the end......I JUST WANT TO DRIVE THE F%^#en thing. I'm pretty sure this car is going to break the bank or the marriage...lol will se what comes first

 

[veganbutcher]

Quote:
I JUST WANT TO DRIVE THE F%^#en thing.



This pretty much sums up owning a VR4.

 

[Hondasi88]

Lets see....Trans blew, drive shaft blew, rear end blew, timming jump "belt valves". Getting all that stuff fixed broke my pockets something terrible!

 

[matt92vr4]

Sorry to hear that Steve001, I just searched your threads and the car history. Major bummer. Hey, at least it's Summit White /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[nemovr4]

Emissions...Six times, Not as exciting as most of these stories but /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/banghead.gif

 

[BpuVR4]

^ one of the reasons I like to stay in the past...haven't gone to the emissions test place in forever.

 

[DR1665]

Where to begin? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif I could go on and on, but I'll try to keep this short.

Prescott Flatbed Adventures 2009 | roached the tcase, flatbed came, broke down, driver sent me this picture hours later

The Check is in the Mail 2012
No picture of this one, but ktmrider bought 464/1000 from me. I was done, replacing a sketchy motor, and sold it. He sent the money before the engine was complete. I used it to buy a Pajero. Days turned into weeks. Nickels and dimes. Nickels and dimes. It was the night before I was supposed to finally deliver the car to Mike on the far side of town. The clutch wasn't engaging right. I bled it over and over again. Finally had to replace the slave cylinder. And it was running like a sewing machine. I mean, it felt like a Porsche 959. I sh*t you not. And then, around 11pm, some two miles from home, on the night before I'm going to hand over the keys and title to the new owner - who has been more than understanding about the delays - and who will be driving the car across state lines two days later, I might add - and on the first night I forgot my cell phone in about eight years, it just dies.

I walked home, called a buddy with a Powerstroke, and drug it home. Bet it was ECU problems, because it's been running pretty good for Mike ever since!

Oh, and speaking of "Bad VR4 Stories..."

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[BpuVR4]

^ i dont know the inside story but that looks pretty sharp to me!

 

[matt92vr4]

Oh man, the galant AND the towtruck broke down lol that's classic.

 

[BpuVR4]

that's how awesome these cars are...when they die, they'll suck the life out of the tow truck too.

 

[ktmrider]

Quoting BpuVR4:
^ i dont know the inside story but that looks pretty sharp to me!

That would be 3/1000. Long and distinguished history.

 

[Steve885]

TO add to my story(sitting here with a look of disgust) I got the brand new 1200 head today so I rushed it down to the mechanic. I had to make it quick I was on lunch. So I get a call about a hour later my guy is saying he can't use this head because the surface is really scratched up and there seems to be a wavy pattern across the surface.. I'm so bummed I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DRIVING IT THIS WEEKEND...

 

[Steve885]

These scratches may not look that bad in pics but u can catch your fingernail on them.. My guy is a perfectionist and doesn't want to take the chance on a blown head gasket...