Eclipse Tuning

"It's a total Eclipse "

The Mistubishi eclipse is a stunning car from both an appearance and performance point of view ever since its debut in 1990. It is argueably one of the nicest looking cars to come out of Mitsubishi.

There were only a few engine choices initially ranging from a 1.8 to a stunning turbo charged 2.0 engine making jut under 200bhp. in 1995 the model range was revised and you could choose between a 2.0 and 2.4l engine with a turbocharged 2.0 which had power hiked to 210bhp. The mk3 eclipse hit the streets in 2000 and engine options were wider with  options based on 2 blocks a 2.4 litre displacement the 4G64 16v SOHC and the larger capacity 6G72 a 24v SOHC 3.0 V6 (power on the latter of these was hiked in 2003 where the MVIM variable induction manager was introduced.)

In 2006 we saw the introduction of the 4th generation Eclipse with the same blocks but the introduction of the MIVEC system raising power on the engines to new heights. If you are doing an engine swap on a previous series Eclipse these new engines and the older turbo unit are the best of the breed. If you were power mad then you should look at inserting a Lancer EVO engine.

Many Eclipse owners uprate the handling of their cars as a priority, this will certainly increase your enjoyment of the car. We would go to a maximum drop of 35mm on most models. You risk rubbing on the arches if you go lower than this although in reality it depends on wheel size and tyre profile.

Our aim in Eclipse engine tuning should be to increase peak power and Torque at the top end.

The best power gains come from larger engine sizes. The more you start with the bigger the return on investment so engine swaps are good value mods for small engined cars.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Tuning modifications.

You really need to keep as much low end power as you can and aim for a wide power band rather than a top end spike. Fast road cams offer one of the biggest performance gains as far as a bolt on part goes to the Eclipse engines. When pushing up the power you will need to pay attention to the fuelling, for most modifications the standard eclipse fuelling issufficient. More power needs more fuel and as long as this is in the correct ration you will have a smooth running Eclipse.

An aftermarket fuel pressure regulator will almost certainly give a snappier throttle response than the standard Mitsubishi one, especially if yours is old and getting worn! Uprated injectors will enable you to supply sufficient fuel to the engine but in most cases a set of new. Uprate the fuel pump to cope with the extra fuel requirements of your tuned Eclipses uprated injectors.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Intake and Exhaust Tuning.

Now we move on to the intake and exhaust and ensure proper flow through the engine. Maximum power gains, (most eclipse owners will insist) comes from a full induction kit with a cold air feed, this can be sited within an air box but a panel filter should suffice for most applications. In most engines we note that you will actually lose low down power so TorqueCars suggest you use a high flow panel air filter instead, unless you really want the induction roar. A good stainless steel full sports exhaust will balance the flow of air throughout the engine. But if your exhaust is too large, ie it is over 2.5 inches bore, you will lose a lot of the flow rate and consequently lose power on most engines.

Gas flowing the Eclipse head will allow you to maximise your air/fuel charge entering each cylinder. Leave this to a professional though with a proper flow bench and machine tools.

Fit an uprated clutch to avoid power losses through the transmission. NASP engines do not achieve big power gains if you remap them, unless you have done extensive modifications. With turbocharged engines this is another story.

We have heard of some Eclipse owners adding a supercharger kit. Superchargers, unlike a turbo, will give a boost which is proportional to engine speed so is easier to map. To cope with forced induction you will usually need to decrease the compression ratio of the engine and the engine would need to have a carefully designed map to cope with this major alteration.

Mitsubishi Eclipse Wheel modifications.

The benefits of alloy wheels include a lower unsprung weight and more efficient brake cooling. It is worth noting that although they can look cool on the Eclipse Big alloy wheels will actually decrease your performance. The larger you go the lower your acceleration will be - this to the change in your effective final drive ratio. Aim to keep the overall rolling diameter of the wheel the same as supplied from the factory. In all cases we do not recommend going above 18 inches.

For more information on Tuning your car please join us in our friendly forum where you can discuss Eclipse options in more detail with our Eclipse owners. It would also be worth reading our unbiased Mitsubishi tuning articles to get a full grasp of the benefits and drawbacks of each modification.

This article was written by Waynne Smith on TorqueCars, and I appreciate your feedback and suggestions. This entry was filed under Mitsubishi. You can leave a response below or join TorqueCars forum to discuss this article and car modification in detail with our members.

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