DSMers!
Let me introduce my pride, Eagle Talon 1996 TSi AWD.
She came into my world early spring of 2006. Back then I was still doing school and had part time weekend job. TSi was my dream machine but I didn't have enough money to buy one. Finding TSi AWD back than was easier. I found mine on autotrader for sale in Whitby. It was over my budget but I decided to go anyway; just for test drive.

Original photo from autotrader


It was a private sale and girl owned it. It was priced for quick sale. She explained her boyfriend drove it because she couldn't drive manual. They broke up so now it's up for sale...blah blah. I only had short test drive (unplated car) with her dad in the passenger seat. Car was overheating, coolant was pouring down from the engine bay. After we got back she spoke more about her boyfriend...while i was trying to figure out a polite way out of the conversation and leave.

The car was all stock with 130k on the clock. It was idling perfect and everything worked fine. So i told things i liked and things I didn't (overheating). So i turn my back and started leaving and I heard.....will you take it for $$$$ (it was a nice 40% price drop)...so I turned back and said....Did you say $$$ . And that was it....TSi AWD was mine.

Pics of my DSM parked at her house.





Present time...
Goal for next year! Get her ready for track, DSM cruises, DSM meets.
This year so far is good one for me. I met more DSMers than I ever did before. For me it's always a good thing.
New experiences and lots of new ideas.

Behind any successful project always comes organized workplace and right tools.
Mine was nowhere near ready for that so I decided to work on it first.

This is what my workplace looked like this summer.


Started by clearing the area.


30 year old drywall teardown





New dedicated electrical line was added so I could run electrical heater and power tools together . Also I ran network line in case wireless will let me down one day.


Vapor barrier to keep things dry


New drywall is on

Meanwhile outside ...waiting


New workbench build. Special thanks to Terry Sikora for design and idea. Saved money by making my own












Winter build has begun ...more to come soon

I envy your workshop... Or garage for that matter.

Thanks Johnny,
At first, i thought it would be impossible to do. I worked on it little by little day after day. Now that it's cold outside I can enjoy my own workplace

One of the things to do on my list is clutch. I am still running same clutch that girl had in this car before me.
It was doing well until I raised boost to 20psi. ACT PP 2100 with 6 puck sprung mated to ACT flywheel is my weapon of choice.

Here are some pics I took during my tranny removal. (my first tranny job)





While I had things removed I sprayed it with degreaser, gave it good power wash, and sprayed fresh caliper paint on top.
Nothing will be done to the tranny this season. Except making it look fresh outside.













I bought 6 puck ACT Sprung from Reza over year ago and flywheel came back with me from California (I lived there for a year). I've been collecting parts over long period of time Before I can start bolting things back I still need pressure plate. This last missing piece will have to come from Ziggy.

Tranny looks great

Thanks Kyle,
I hope this tranny will propel me into 12s.
Maybe next build season I can do something to it. I don't want to jump to far in my uprgade path. Enjoying one step at the time

Wanna rent me a spot in your garage? lol

12's should be no prob. I've run high 11's on my stock rebuilt tranny.

Very nice work area!

haha we'll talk about it



Thanks Gents!
planning on doing the following stuff:
New front axels
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18181&cat=1249&page=1
Yoke kit
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=17176&cat=1761&page=1
OEM Propeller Shaft Support Bearings
https://www.rtmracing.com/xcart/product.php?productid=18016&cat=1761&page=1
And new seals and fluids everywhere.
Do you guys recommend Rear Diff Bushing Kit also? or is overkill for my goal?
Anything else I should do (tranny to rear diff) to prepare her for 12s?

+1 On the garage job. Can't to see your TSi AWD come next spring at the meets

Maybe day my talon will be like yours

Yeah, no kidding, nothing like a brand new shop to work in. Good call with the hardline, I hope you did run CAT6.

Did you figure out the overheating?

Likely by now the rear diff bushings aren't in the best of shape, I'd install a urethane bushing kit while you're at it, certainly won't hurt to do it.

I did this recently and took a few photos. I'll be throwing some sort of a writeup in the RTM forum at some point. But as Jason says, it's a big enough pain in the butt to drop the subframe, you kinda want to do everything you can while it's down. On that note, urethane rear subframe bushings kits are also in the works at RTM. They might be a month or so off.

You will see it but sadly probably will not see Spyder anymore. The most important thing is that you have turbo DSM. We'll keep our eyes open on pieces you need to get AWD gears turning again



It's cat 5e ...should be good enough for google and DSM board
Overheating is an issue for me. This season I need to take it seriously because I want my DSM to withstand hot summers with AC in traffic. The following issues identified so far:
-Small coolant leak from banjo bolt on the block. The one that drains coolant from turbo.
It only leaks at high coolant pressure. This maybe the source of air getting into my cooling system.
-Long ago I bough used RAD from the board member. Ever since (before my front mount) I started having heat issues.
The brand of this rad is unknown, probably just a knock off.

If i dont run out of budget for this season I may replace it for known quality one. On top of that I will keep AC fan as slim but use stocker for main fan. Wired both together of course. Radiator insulation foil and bumper ducting will be done also.





If subbrame need to be dropped i would need ot wait until next season. So much stuff to do this season already.
Looking forward to that writeup Paul.

Thanks for advice guys.

Aww I loved your spyder have you decided what you are going to do with it?

Yeah, I try and stay positive but maintaining the Talon can be a real headache sometime since I am still in school and working part time plus I have no garage

On a positive note I'll be picking up a drive shaft this weekend so I am one step closer. I was sooo close to getting a pair of rear axles for an awesome price but the deal fell threw

Good luck with over heating issue I am really looking forward to seeing your Talon since I have yet to meet some one with 2ga

Alex, I don't think your going to notice a huge difference between a name brand rad and the one you have, other than in your wallet . If you are going to upgrade I would stick with slim fans (maybe go brand name there) and get a three row (yours is two) but you will see from Mike's picture the thing is big.

Not sure. Part out or possibly another home.



It looks like mine has thin core. The rad that came with my Spyder appears to be thicker (bigger core) and does not suffer overheating as much my Talon did. Both use identical fans.

Yeah that should fix it, the core in your red one doesn't look that much smaller than mine.

I have bad news boys. I installed new flywheel...and I can literally pull my flywheel in and out and hear click (yes bolts are tight). The move is visible (about 1-2 mm) I think my 230k 7 bolt walked.

Weird, it ran fine and didn't have shifting/clutch issues.
I guess I can't do 12s passes with this block

Do 2g's have a rad cap on the rad? If so you can pull the cap drain therad a wee bit till cores are showing and count them.

As for Block I think Rob C was volunteering his expertise and beautiful workmanship in another tread.

Also nice work on the garage.

No, they are in the same place as a 1g.



Sure you can, throw on a 1g cas, crank the boost and run her till she blows

My original 2g block probably had the same amount of play as well, ran great until it grenaded, took it to the track every Friday.

Part out the spyder and keep the engine? That's terrible news none the less I feel for you brother but like Jason said maybe you should run it till the very end. I'm sure that's how any 4g would wanna go out....

Yeah I have to agree with Pedro, you already have a spare block that is ready to go in.

Thanks Stephen.



haha very brave I'll keep that option open for now.

I wonder if my phantom knock was directly related to crankwalk. It was pretty bad between 2000-3000rpms

On the good side I have running revised 1999 7 bolt in my Spyder with 98000 miles on it. If compression test is good I will pull it out for crankwalk test. If all is good I will swap in my talon. I hope all wiring connector/sensors compatibility wont be a big issue for me. Visually I can see CAS sensor is different but I know there an option to enable it in ECMLink.





Thanks Pedro/Bryan,
It seems like the way to go right now. Any of you have compression test tool?

I got one. Send me a PM whenever you need it.

Thanks Deep! PM sent

The phantom knock very well could be the crank trigger plate grinding against the sensor.

Just swap out the intake cam from the 96 into the 99 head, so you retain the proper cas.

White Spyder rolled in for health check...compression test
98000 miles on the clock. About 157000 km.


First left


Second left


Third left


Forth left


Thanks Deep for the tool. I really like this tool


What do you guys think of my compression test results?

Looks good. How many cars you got in that garage?

two car garage

Its a beautiful tool until it tells you something you really dont want to hear! Great numbers though

LOL well I half agree with you Jason, if it wasn't for that tool and my friend I would still be rolling around with a head with a bent valve.

I think I over diagnosed crankwalk.
Is it normal for flywheel to travel in and out slightly? Terry Sikora was visiting my place and he said mine travels just as much as his. I expected anything more than zero movement is crankwalk but it appears some movement is normal.

Can someone confirm this?

You walked, no doubt.

If you can see it, it's out of spec.

I would say I can hear it...a click in and out.

Probably best to measure it.

My other revised 7 bolt will be on engine stand shortly so I will have a chance to compare. Still hoping to use Jason's advice by running my old 7 bolt as is for another season

Toys for the big boys:
My JDM Galant knuckles and ABS sensors finally arrived. These knuckles is what makes front Evo8/9 Brembo brakes possible on 2G without the use of adapters. I got them from the guy on DSM tunners (mitsumissle) shipped from overseas for a fair price.

There is only one question remains...are they Chinese Knock-Offs or original Mitsu parts?
Here are some detailed pics: