Igor's 2002 Montero gen 3 build

[Igorskiy86]

Igor's 2002 gen 3

This is my first post on this awesome forum. I have been able to find lots of info about the montero and builds on here motivated me to buy my own.

The car I found is a 2002 montero limited with 140k miles. I had it for about two weeks now and really like how it drives and feels. The power of the 3.5 seems to be perfectly sufficient for daily driving and I believe it will be enough to get me out to the trails, but will have to find out how it does towing my track car with trailer in a few months. Originally I wanted to find 2003+ with under 100k miles, but after looking at a few cars I started to realize that mostly everything available had issues with traction control warnings, rough running engines, oil leaks and problems with transfer case lights. With that in mind I started looking for 01 or 02 limited because I don't have to worry about traction control and with cheaper price I can just buy arb lockers when needed. I was not opposed to doing some work to the car myself so I was not against buying a car needing tlc. The car I ended up with is in a good condition on the body and interior is really good, just need to soften up leather of front seats but it has a common issue of valve seals leaking, and it seems to need a new cat converters.

My plans for the montero is to first repair valve seals, I plan to remove both heads and re machine valves and seats, replace head gaskets and rest of gaskets on the top, change water pump, timing belt, rollers, belt tensioner, spark plugs, wires and what ever else I find wrong. After that deal with cat converter issues. The good thing is after work is done I will now that I should not have much to worry about the engine for 60-100k, which is especially comforting when you are in remote areas.

After the car is healthy once again I want to start hitting up trails around LA area and do mods to it as needed.

My modification/service plans are:
- Change transmission, transfer case and diff fluids
- Tow hitch
- - Done - Tires, went with Cooper ST MAXX 265-75-16 on stock rims.
- - Done - Lift kit OME HD front and rear both springs and struts
- - Done - Rock sliders
- Fabricate protection for under side components
- Arb front bumper
- Dual battery
- Arb compressor
- Winch
- Arb front locker
- Arb rear locker
- Roof rack
- Fabricate rear bumper, probably when I damage original one
- Possibly re gear it and go to 33 inch tires

As it sits today!



When I bought it!

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[billygoats]

Welcome fellow so cal montero owner! That stock montero doesn't know what's coming!!!

 

[jhill15]

Good looking rig! Welcome!

 

[Dolomiti]

Looks nice. Exciting plans.

 

[nckwltn]

on the gen 2.5, 3.5L engine, you don't have to pull the heads to do the valve seals. That makes it easier, but isn't necessary on the 2.5. I would suspect that the same is true on the early gen 3, because I'm pretty sure it is the same engine.

 

[Igorskiy86]

I know that I don't have to pull the heads to do the seals, but I am just doing it for a piece of mind so that I know all the parts in top end have been inspected and are in a good shape, plus I am doing the dis-assembly myself, so I will only have to pay for machine service.

I finally got the parts in to get the rebuild going, so will hopefully be starting on that tomorrow before work.

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I got my hands on the holding tools for a tb tensioner and crankshaft pulley, but not sure crankshaft holder will work.

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[jlocster]

Welcome to the forum Igor, nice to have another LA based Montero aficionado on board. It'd be great if you could document the head/seals work you plan on doing to add to the knowledge base. That's an interesting crankshaft spanner wrench...where'd you find it?

 

[nckwltn]

if you're doing the seals, you might want to replace the hydraulic lash adjusters. not too expensive to do them all, and you have to remove the rocker arms anyway to get to the valve seals.

something like this should also work for holding the crank. I built it for just a few bucks and a trip to home depot for the flat metal

 

[Igorskiy86]

That spanner wrench is something that I found on ebay. It has a right part number, but is listed as a tool for 3000gt. After looking at 3000gt manual it looks like they require same tool as montero, they just have different pins listed, so fingers crossed it will fit. Will find out tomorrow once fan shroud and fan are out of the way. If it does not fit, then I will be making a tool to fit it. Nckwltn I like your design, and will probably try to copy it.
Here is a link for that wrench: http://www.ebay.com/itm/161406972540?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

[nckwltn]

Nckwltn I like your design, and will probably try to copy it.

I also copied it from someone else

 

[Igorskiy86]

I spent some time over the last couple of days working on the car, and now I am at a half way mark on the motor refresh project. The heads are off to the machine shop, should have them back in a few days, motor is cleaned up a bit, some new parts are bolted on, carbon build up is somewhat removed. It feels like this project is more involved then I was expecting, and not looking forward to reassembly, but should see how it goes next couple of days after I get the heads back. Did not get a chance to document everything for a complete diy, but here are a few pics that I got so far (did not want to be constantly touching my phone with oily hands).

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After some cleaning

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[PetitFrereArmada]

Nice rig.

 

[Jay Ayala]

Yes very nice rig.


1989 Dodge Raider 3.0L
1997 Mitsubishi Montero 3.5L

 

[Igorskiy86]

Thank you for the complements on my rig.

A little update. The motor is back together and so far looks like there is no more oil smoke. It feels like the transmission now is a little more rough on shifts, but that might be just because it needs to relearn my driving. I had to replace the accessory belt tensioner and two rollers as well, those things are pretty expensive, because my friend could only get the original parts for me, but checking online I would not have saved much on going with aftermarket replacements. The car sounds really good now, and doesn't seem to have any lifter tick, so I guess that I refilled the lifters correctly. Had to change about a third of them because of the broken plastic rings, but now everything is good.

Before I do any more work on it I want to take it out on one of the local trails to see what is capable of, so any suggestions of trails around SFV area would be appreciated, just keep in mind that I have p tires on it now.

I was looking over tires and wheels last couple of weeks, and think that I am sold on a set of 265 75 16 cooper discoverer st maxx. For the rims I want to try and get level 8 from discount tire but not sure weather to get 18 offset or -6 offset. They are also 8.5 wide, but I think it should still work since from my research cooper tires are pretty wide. For the offset at stock ride height 18 offset will be almost perfect, but with a lift kit I don't know if the wheels will get sucked in a little to where -6 would be better choice. I would prefer the -6 offset since it is available in a bronze color which looks great, but black isn't bad either just everyone has black wheels.

If any one had experience with changing offsets let me know what you ended up with, what tire you are running, how you like the fit and finish, and if you are lifted.

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[billygoats]

Awesome. Glad you got it back together! As for trails, cleghorn off the 15 offers a variety of difficulty levels with bypasses if you don't feel up to the obstacle. It is less than an hour from pasadena, so it'd be a little longer drive from the sfv. Depending on when you plan to go, I'd go with you.