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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
A V.I.N. is a Vehicle Identification Number, a unique identifier which is assigned to every automobile at the factory. It is essentially a serial number for your car, and contains a lot of information about the vehicle.
First-generation (1990-1994) VIN numbers are formatted as follows:
| Digit(s) | Meaning | Value(s) |
| 1 | Country code |
4 = USA
? = Canada |
| 2 | Make |
E = Eagle
P = Plymouth A = Mitsubishi |
| 3 | Vehicle type | 3 = Passenger car |
| 4 | Seatbelt type |
B = Manual (1G)
C = Automatic (1G) A = Driver & passenger airbags (2G) |
| 5 | Line code |
S = FWD (1G)
T = AWD (1G) K = Eclipse FWD (2G) L = Eclipse AWD (2G) X = Eclipse Spyder (2G) |
| 6 | Price code |
2 = Low
3 = Medium 4 = High 5 = Premium 6 = Special |
| 7 | Body code |
4 = 3-door hatchback
5 = 2-door convertible |
| 8 | Engine |
T = 1.8 NT (1G)
R = 2.0L NT (1G) U = 2.0L T (1G) Y = 2.0L NT (1G) F = 2.0L T (2G) G = 2.4L NT (2G) |
| 9 | Check digit | 1-9, A-Z |
| 10 | Model year |
N = 1992
V = 1997 |
| 11 | Plant code | E = Diamond-Star Motors (1G) / Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America (2G) |
| 12-17 | Serial number | 000001 to 999999 |
Other DSMs have similar VIN encoding. Check the shop manual of a particular year for more information.
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
All 1G cars have a 16 gallon (60 liter) tank. All 2G cars have a 17 gallon (64 liter) tank.
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The following table is a generalization of factory oil specifications for DSMs. Requirements vary with driving conditions and exact year of vehicle. NT is non-turbo, T is turbo.
| Specification |
1G 1.8L |
1G 2.0L NT |
1G 2.0L T |
2G 2.0L NT |
2G 2.0L T |
Spyder 2.4L NT |
GVR4 |
| Oil weight | 10W-30 | 10W-30 | 10W-30 | 10W-30 | 10W-30 | 10W-30 | 10W-30 |
| Engine capacity | 3.5 L | 4.0 L | 4.1 L | 3.8 L | 4.1 L | 4.0 L | 4.0 L |
| Oil filter capacity | 0.4 L | 0.4 L | 0.4 L | 0.5L | 0.3 L | 0.3 L | 0.3 L |
| Oil cooler capacity | ---- | ---- | 0.1 L | ---- | 0.1 L | ---- | 0.3 L |
| Total capacity | 3.9 L | 4.4 L | 4.5 L | 4.3 L | 4.4 L | 4.3 L | 4.6 L |
For more information on engine oil, see the oils, filters and additives section of this FAQ.
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The factory recommends a mixture of water and antifreeze, with the coolant comprising 30%-60% of the total mix. Higher concentrations of coolant are more suitable for low-temperature operation, since the "coolant" is actually antifreeze and anti-corrosion agents. Straight water usually cools the best, but doesn't provide protection against rust or freezing.
If in doubt, run a 50-50 mix of antifreeze and coolant. This is suitable for most driving conditions in the United States and Canada.
The following table lists the factory coolant capacities for DSMs. NT is non-turbo, T is turbo.
| Specification |
1G 1.8L |
1G 2.0L NT |
1G 2.0L T |
2G 2.0L NT |
2G 2.0L T |
Spyder 2.4L NT |
GVR4 |
| Coolant capacity | 6.2 L | 7.2 L | 7.2 L | 7.0 L | 7.0 L | 7.0 L | 7.2 L |
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1G cars have a stock boost pressure of 8-12 psi. 2G cars have 10-15 psi. The service manual allows lower pressures, but those are rarely seen in actual vehicles.
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
| Specification |
1G 1.8L |
1G 2.0L NT |
1G 2.0L T |
2G 2.0L NT |
2G 2.0L T |
Spyder 2.4L NT |
GVR4 |
| Injector size | 250? | ? | 450 (manual) / 380 (auto) | 235 | 450 cc | ? | ? |
The Last Word: People once thought the 2G 2L NT had 190 cc injectors, but according to Nathan Cross (moderator of 2GNT.com) they're actually 235 cc. Also, 2G autos were incorrectly listed as 390cc, while in actuality all turbo 2Gs have 450cc injectors regardless of drivetrain. [Thanks, Nathan!]
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
| Specification |
1G 1.8L |
1G 2.0L NT |
1G 2.0L T |
2G 2.0L NT |
2G 2.0L T |
Spyder 2.4L NT |
GVR4 |
| Compression ratio | 9.0 | 9.0 | 7.8 | 9.6 | 8.5 | 9.5 | 7.8 |
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
Fuel pressures given below are at curb idle. 1G numbers are as follows: the first number is stock; the second number is with the fuel pressure regulator vacuum hose disconnected and plugged. 2G numbers are with everything connected.
| Specification |
1G 1.8L |
1G 2.0L NT |
1G 2.0L T |
2G 2.0L NT |
2G 2.0L T |
Spyder 2.4L NT |
GVR4 |
| Fuel pressure | 38 / 47-53 psi | 37 / 47-53 psi | 27 / 36-38 psi | 47-50 psi / n/a | 33 / 42-45 psi | 38 / 47-50 psi | 27 / 36-38 psi |
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
The following table lists approximate weights for the various wheels.
| Specification |
1G 16" steel |
1G 16" alloy |
1G 16" mesh |
2G 16" alloy |
2G 17" alloy |
Spyder | GVR4 |
| Weight | 28 lbs | 19 lbs | 19 lbs | 22 lbs | 25 lbs | Spyder | GVR4 |
These weights have not been verified and may be incorrect. Some wheel weights are also given at wheelweights.net.
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What are the paint codes and color names for a [DSM]? |
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
For color names, refer to the factory brochures. Paint codes can be found on the vehicle information code plate in the engine compartment. It is located on the firewall (underneath the windshield). The body color code is the bottom number on the plate.
Comparing the car to another car with a known paint code might not be a good idea - there have been reports that the paint codes differ across the years. However, for 1990, the paint codes were as follows:
| Body color | Exterior code |
| Light Gray | H18 |
| Red | R11 |
| Dark red | R16 |
| Turquoise blue | T13 |
| Dark blue | T81 |
| White | W12 |
| Black | X13 |
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
The coefficient of drag for most DSMs is reportedly around 0.29-0.30. This applies to both 1G and 2G.
For more information on drag, read Mike Lester's post on the subject.
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
Table 1: 1990-1994 Talon/Eclipse/Laser/Galant
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Table 2: 1995-1999 Talon, Eclipse and Eclipse Spyder
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Table 3: 1996-1999 Eclipse Spyder
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Different transmissions are not interchangeable. Note that 2G transmissions are interchangeable with 1G transmissions of the same model number, but 2G transmissions have different internals and are generally considered to operate much better. Usually only minor modifications are required to fit a 2G transmission to a 1G engine.
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
You would already have the answer to this question (hint, hint) if you had checked the FAQ Locator, since it has a FAQ listed that has every gear ratio for every model of DSM. There is also some information on how one might change the final gear ratios of the AWD models.
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Many questions of this type can be answered by the following references:
The following table lists the approximate weights. Weights vary from year to year and according to which options are present on the car. Where two numbers are given, the first is for manual transmission cars, and the second is for automatic transmission cars.
Table 1: Approximate curb weight of DSM models (pounds)
| Vehicle | Base model | Mid model | Upper model (FWD) | Upper model (AWD) |
| 1G Talon / Eclipse | 2550 | 2712 | 2791 | 3108 |
| 1G Laser | 2530 | 2690 | 2745 | 3073 |
| 2G Talon/Eclipse | - | 2842 / 2906 | 2921 / 2998 | 3157 / 3234 |
| Galant VR-4 | - | - | - | 3295 |
| Eclipse Spyder | - | 2888 / 2943 | 3053 / 3142 | - |
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1G DSMs have a recommended torque of 90-110 ft/lbs.
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Maintained by Sean Costall. Changes and suggestions are welcomed! If you have any information on the answers to any of these questions or wish additional questions, please mail me.
This page is an extension of Club DSM .