| Subject: | Mechanical Problems with '91 Eclipse |
| Question: |
I have a '91 Eclipse and when pulling out it is going slow and the valves rattle. What could be the problem? |
| Answer: | Josh, The worst case scenario would be that your timing belt has slipped and your valves are hitting your pistons. This would be quite noisy and severely decrease performance. But if the sound goes away or gets much quieter after driving, then you may just have clogged valve lifters (Mitsu. sometimes refers to them as Hydraulic Lash Adjusters). Make sure your oil level is at the max line. If so, if you haven't gotten an oil change in the last 5000 miles, you may want use a thicker oil such as a 10W-40. Or if you live in a climate that gets really warm in the summer, you can try 20W-50. But that should be changed if your winter months get cold. To be safe, be sure to have your timing belt checked. If you haven't had it replaced in the last 60,000 miles, you may want to get it changed. Good luck! |