Ok some more feedback:
I pulled the motor & stripped this weekend and found a few issues.
1. The motor has been opened sometime before - the gasket between the block & sub-block had orange gasket maker on it, and as far as I know Mitsubishi only uses grey or black FIPG (Form In Place Gasket).
- Orange FIPG
2. The toque converter only had 5 bolts instead of the required 6 to bolt it to the flex plate, previous mechanic did not re-install them all. There was also no copper-compound or anti sieze applied to the spigot that centered/located the torque converter into the centre of the flex-plate; the two had seized together. Thus when I pulled the motor, the torque converter came out as well and broke the seal causing some 2 lt of ATF to leak out. I tried to lever it off with a small pry-bar but it would not budge.
3. The Balance shaft next to the oil pump was out of alignment by some 90 degrees, this when all the other timing marks were lining up at TDC of no.1 piston. I forgot to take a picture thereof, but I put the pump back in the position to show.
I took a pic of the water-pump for interest sake, it looks good condition (just surface rust from standing for two week with an open engine), as well as the housing, no cavitation or pitting evident.
- Water-pump housing
The block is now at Basticks engineering for a full pressure test to see if it is salvageable/repairable, I will know later in the week. They say they have two sub-assemblys' (complete block) for me if mine fails the test.
Holding Thumbs.
