2015 Mitsubishi Mirage high mileage 1.2 Ltr. engine tear down
- Thread starter odie
- Start date
. Wonder what oils were used for the engine . 
I have a Mitsubishi vehicle and they are very underrated. Herd mentality stampedes to Toyona.
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I just stumbled onto this post. That's my video. Delivery car used in Alberta. Used Mobil 1 0w20 for the first 100k km, then klondike 0w20 up until around 430k km. Used motosel 0w20 since. The engine was getting noisy around 420-430k(before switching oil brands) I finally replaced it at 458k kms in December. Cvt is original but I did replace the valve body a few years ago when it was acting up.
They are pretty reliable cars, and easy to keep going! There are a few in the fleet still running the original engine with over 500k kms, one has the original cvt still. And a pile with 300-400k kms/186-250k miles.
I have one for a beater commuter car and I can't kill the thing!
They are pretty reliable cars, and easy to keep going! There are a few in the fleet still running the original engine with over 500k kms, one has the original cvt still. And a pile with 300-400k kms/186-250k miles.
I have one for a beater commuter car and I can't kill the thing!
dnewton3
Staff member
Overall, impressive. It helps that the engine is fairly low in power-density. It's not really under much stress.
dnewton3
Staff member
The valve train set-up is called "mechanical bucket". Very common in some OHC motorcycle engines. Also used in the Ford n/a Cyclone engines (3.3L, 3.5L, 3.7L). Ford called it "DAMB" (dual acting mechanical bucket; they were 4 valves per cyl). Also can be called "shim in bucket" or "shim and bucket". There are small pucks (shims) with very accurate thicknesses under the bucket. You can change them out to alter the valve clearance.
Honda uses them on the GL1800 Goldwings. It's common knowledge that you check them the first time; you may or may not have to change shims for the first clearance checks. After that, they pretty much never change once the valves seat and wear in after the first check. On my 2006 'Wing, I had to change just 2 of the 12 shims on the first check. 50,000 miles later, they were still in spec. It's super reliable and accurate, assuming the clearances were done properly at engine build time.
Also, because the cam rides directly over the bucket, which is directly over the valve, there is no rocker arm or finger follower (which add complexity and weight). Because the valvetrain weighs less, the spring pressures can be lower. These shim-and-bucket are also very good at high rpm; because of the lower mass from less components.
There is a downside to buckets ...
- if you have to change a shim, the cams have to come out (that's a lotta work)
- if you aren't lucky (and few are), you end up having to source the right shims because they are not adjustable; only replacable
Honda uses them on the GL1800 Goldwings. It's common knowledge that you check them the first time; you may or may not have to change shims for the first clearance checks. After that, they pretty much never change once the valves seat and wear in after the first check. On my 2006 'Wing, I had to change just 2 of the 12 shims on the first check. 50,000 miles later, they were still in spec. It's super reliable and accurate, assuming the clearances were done properly at engine build time.
Also, because the cam rides directly over the bucket, which is directly over the valve, there is no rocker arm or finger follower (which add complexity and weight). Because the valvetrain weighs less, the spring pressures can be lower. These shim-and-bucket are also very good at high rpm; because of the lower mass from less components.
There is a downside to buckets ...
- if you have to change a shim, the cams have to come out (that's a lotta work)
- if you aren't lucky (and few are), you end up having to source the right shims because they are not adjustable; only replacable
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True, they're just over 2000lbs. The Nissan Versa and Chevy Spark used the same model cvt but had much more power. We had a 14' Spark for a short time. It was sold after the second cvt was replaced under warranty. There's a few 12-13 Sonics here with the 1.8L, they have tons more power and handle better than the Mirage but they all leak oil, have timing belts that need to be replaced, leak coolant from all over, don't have a transmission dipstick. The Mirage is a lame car but it doesn't have any issues that the gm's, nissans or fords that I deal with do.
I've never opened up one of these engines except for this one and one that I replaced in my own car(bought used-poor previous maintenance). Use of a timing chain instead of a belt is nice too. And...They don't leak oil. 550k on the one 2015 and never had an oil leak other than the odd transmission output seal.
The 2017+ engine have rollers on the lobes of the camshafts. I figured that'd be a weak point but there's a 2017 here with over 530k kms and it's still going.
When I was a Mitsubishi dealer mechanic, these cars were the pinnacle of reliability. Don't ask us how to take it apart, none of us ever did it. The other mitsubishis are good too, but you can't beat a perfect score like the mirage has.
The problem w/ current line up seems to be the CVT trans,
We sold all manuals I think
I like base cars and I would gladly have bought a mirage in manual fashion if I needed to. I like the latest facelift
I don’t know about the other Mitsubishj models but the mirage cvt is basically the same one used since 2014. 2012 in other markets. Change the fluid once in a while and they can last. I’ve had a bunch fail between 200-300k km early on but changing the fluid at 30k miles seemed to help.
Afaik they changed some programming over the years a little to try and improve how the cvt shifted. The early ones used to downshift when almost at a stop and the car would jerk forward awkwardly. They don’t have fake shifts like some cvts.
The car is basically a modern Metro(or firefly/swift/sprint). A tin box that gets 40mpg without trying.
The mirage is a good car that people hate for no reason
There are a ton of them in South Texas. Me personally I don't think they are big enough to be safe with the jacked up trucks and maniac drivers.
@Fleetmech81 Thanks for making that video and posting here.
You don't see a lot in regards to the Mirage or those 3cyl engines for sure. I was surprised to see how clean that engine was overall. No valve cover leaks. The spark plug boots came out w/out oil on them. Just that little bit of oil sweat that you mentioned from the top corner of the timing chain cover. That's amazing to me.
Apparently 3cyls don't even need a balance shaft which is cool.
Nissan VQ engines use the same shim/bucket setup as far as I know. I've seen some of them torn apart high mileage and the buckets rarely have wear on them. I like that setup. It's too bad GDI is messing everything up. You won't tear apart a GDI engine and have it be so clean and wear free.
You don't see a lot in regards to the Mirage or those 3cyl engines for sure. I was surprised to see how clean that engine was overall. No valve cover leaks. The spark plug boots came out w/out oil on them. Just that little bit of oil sweat that you mentioned from the top corner of the timing chain cover. That's amazing to me.
Apparently 3cyls don't even need a balance shaft which is cool.
Nissan VQ engines use the same shim/bucket setup as far as I know. I've seen some of them torn apart high mileage and the buckets rarely have wear on them. I like that setup. It's too bad GDI is messing everything up. You won't tear apart a GDI engine and have it be so clean and wear free.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
# 1 Mitsubishi fan right here
I love the " no resale value" bunk too.
I always did great on trade ins or outright sales...
I didn't buy one this year because the prices were getting high these days...
I love the " no resale value" bunk too.
I always did great on trade ins or outright sales...
I didn't buy one this year because the prices were getting high these days...
I feel the same white-knuckler way when I use my 2015 Versa sedan and all the tractor-trailers and bro-dozers fly around me.
It was a different world years ago pre SUV and pickup craze, or when truck drivers were truck drivers.
Corolla is no better. Couple months ago I got stuck in traffic and had a big rig behind me who thought about reenacting Duel. For 15 minutes / 2 miles, I could not see the top of his grille. Apparently Jake brakes are necessary at 2mph too.
Then there's the NVH for when the road opens up and you can actually move.
I still like the idea of the car though.
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