Im looking at buying a '83 Turbo Starion, one of the early ones with no intercooler and carburettor/turbo setup.
Was wandering if anyone else has owned these or know of any common problems with them that I should look for!
Cheers
mantagsi,
Mar 20, 3:15am
Phillip Weston would be the man to tell you whats what with these. If it is the same motor as the very first cordia turbos, I had one, and for some reason it had a bad habit of blocking its cat converter up, not sure why! I chopped it out in the end, and it seemed to go like a charm! I like the old starions, quite an iconic 80's car. good to hear there are still people out there who have an interest in them.
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 3:21am
I don't know why people think it's a carburettor turbo - they all have the ECI turbo setup which stands for Electronically Controlled Injection. It still has a high pressure fuel pump, ECU, two injectors, an air flow meter, map sensor etc etc.
If it's a Jap spec GSR-II, GSR-III etc it'll have the smaller TC05 turbo and a cat converter intergrated into the turbo downpipe, and usually accompanied by a gastly maroon or light grey interior scheme. If going for an early model I would at least get an NZ-new one which is a Euro-spec clone, they have the larger TC06 turbo, LSD, no cat converter and generally better interior and exterior trim, and 85 onwards NZ-new models will have 5 stud wheels with larger brakes too.
Common problems would be smoke at high milage/old age, seat belts getting jammed (they are in the doors rather than the pillar), pop up headlight mechanism etc.
unbeatabull,
Mar 20, 3:22am
The one Im looking at is LSD model, so presume its a NZ New. I presumed it was a carb cause it damn well looked like a carby!
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 3:24am
you could of course buy my '82 Galant GT Turbo coupe which is essentially a Starion wearing older clothes, that way I can then buy this Starion :D
some early Jap specs are equipped with LSDs, but not all of them. Is the one you are looking at on trademe, if so can you show me the listing!
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 3:27am
it seems you are getting throttlebody injection mixed up with carburetion, because to me they are completely different :D
unbeatabull,
Mar 20, 3:28am
Yeah it is, its pretty rough but looking at it as a bit of a project car since Ive finished my last one and need something to keep me busy in the weekends! haha
359849358
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 3:44am
I would keep looking. That one is quite rough for the money he's asking. Good condition ones occasionally pop up for as low as $2500-3000. The only other Starion under $5k for sale on trademe at the moment is another Jap spec GSR-X with digital dash and supposedly a TC06. Keep looking, I would push for a Eurospec 5 stud model (or just get my Galant GT which is much tidier, already has a TC06, front mount, exhaust, walbro pump, LSD etc) for not a great deal more considering the condition it is in.
unbeatabull,
Mar 20, 3:48am
Your galant is on the wrong side of the ocean though :P
Ive already been to have a look at it and hes happy to let me have it for quite a bit less then advertised. So is that one a Jap Spec model!
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 4:11am
it came from down your ways so I don't see why it can't go back in that direction!
Yes that red one is a Jap model, unsure which spec exactly though. That VR badge on that guard definitely isn't original though - the GSR-VR is a widebody with the 2.6L engine.
unbeatabull,
Mar 20, 5:10am
Ok cool, thanks for that.
Is there anything in particular to look for as far as structural rust, engine problems etc go!
phillip.weston,
Mar 20, 11:40pm
I'm doubting it's a TC06 turbo also, maybe the owner is a bit of a bullshitter.
I think it's fairly untidy and the wrong spec to be commanding that kind of money. A guy in Chch picked up a silver '87 NZ-new Euro-spec Starion EX with LSD, TC06, 5 stud wheels etc etc for about $3500-4000. It was originally in Tauranga and had been advertised for a good 6 months starting at $7000 then kept dropping in price every month until it got down to $4500 which was supposedly his bottom dollar, evidently it wasn't.
To me a relatively stock standard Starion isn't worth spending more than $5k on to purchase unless it's a widebody model.
phillip.weston,
Mar 23, 8:24am
unbeatabull a mate of mine in auckland is selling his Euro-spec NZ-new flatbody for $5500 ono (he's only just put it on the market to test the waters and would probably take less). It's red done 112,000 miles and in generally good condition with a service history. It has a TD05 16g turbo fitted, and also comes with some spares. You willing to stretch your budget for a decent example such as this!
unbeatabull,
Mar 23, 8:40am
I Would if I had the money . would take me a month or so to get the extra $$ :) The joys of being paid fortnightly :(
phillip.weston,
Mar 23, 9:00am
I don't think this guy is in a rush, I don't think he has put it on trademe yet either.
rotormotor7,
Mar 23, 9:31am
any truth to the rumour the japs called it a starion because they can't saystallion!
1ollie,
Mar 23, 12:47pm
Its says TC06 yet ive never seen one with that bov or pcv or what ever the hell that thing is on the compressor housing! also he says its intercooled when clearly its not and he says it has a custom exhaust manifold yet it looks to be in stock position but then again that turbo pipe isint factory so ya never know and im no expert either though lol
phillip.weston,
Mar 23, 8:47pm
I think he means it's an intercooled turbo housing, the intercooled models have the compressor outlet positioned differently. I've never seen an intercooled housing with the factory BOV either, my 1980 non-intercooled TC05 has that same built in BOV and I thought it was specific to the 4th gen pre-facelift Galant/Eterna turbos only and not on Starions, let alone on intercooled TC05 and TC06 housings.
mike107,
Mar 23, 11:16pm
Problems I had with my Starion Back in the day were. TPS Problem, Cracked exhaust manifold, Boost problems from air leaks. Knock sensor problems, rust in doors near seat belt anchor points, other than that it was a good car.
phillip.weston,
Aug 19, 1:48pm
If that's the case, why are the other Mitsubishi models spelt Galant, Lancer, Delica as opposed to Garant, Rancer, Derica!
There is some evidence of the Stallion connection on the Japanese Starion advert showing a horse at the end here - http://www.youtube.com/watch!v=8zs2uyjnPeE - but that could be a reference to their previous 'Colt' marque.
At the time Mitsubishi named their engines on planets and moons, ie Sirius, Neptune, Orion, Saturn - hence it makes sense that the name Starion is an amalgamation of the words 'Star of Orion', just like how Cordia comes from cordorite and diamond.
Just a bit of useless Mitsubishi information for you.
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