2014 Mitsubishi Mirage 5 speed build thread

[Daox]

Alright, time for the morning Mirage update!

I didn't have much time last night due to an after work meeting I went to. Through a bunch of stop and go traffic I think I eeked out about 44 mpg. This morning I idled a bit in my driveway getting the SG setup, and it was also a bit slushy out, but I still managed 45 on the Mirage's mpg readout.

Once I got home, I tried my hand at the shifter boot. I thought I might be able to get it without taking the center console apart, and I was right. With a combination of pinching and pulling the boot fabric, and finagling things, I was able to get one side clipped in, and the other side pulled back and into the clips.





I also looked into the issue I was having with my scangauge not connecting. I knew I used the scangauge on the 2015 Mirage I had tested from Mitsubishi, so I knew it worked. So, I grabbed my other scangauge that is in my wife's car, and tried it. It worked just fine. I then unplugged that scangauge from the cable, and plugged mine into it. It then worked. So, it was a bad cable. I grabbed another cable (we have them because we sell them), and that fixed it. I tell you, after driving with one of these things, you feel like your driving blind without it.

[Xist]

The autocraptastic transmission in the smrtcr that I drove was jerky. Also, it was supposed to be a tiny car that fit tall guys, and allegedly the front seat slid all of the way to the back window. It sure did, on the passenger's side!

I have never seen a car that had a driver's seat that did not go back as far as the passenger's, nor did there seem to be any reason for it.

I forget what else I did not like it, but there were a number of things, but hey, what about the mediocre fuel economy with premium gas?

[MetroMPG]

Rumour has it that the Smart gas engine is from Mitsubishi.

Woo! Tied the threads back together!

[Xist]

It sounds like the one in the Mitsubishi is better.

[Daox]

Last night the Mirage got the Kats 1000W circulating tank block heater that I had in my Metro. I miss having this heater in a car. It is SO nice. ~30 minutes with this thing on brings coolant temps up over 100F.





Not the greatest mounting point, but it is low in relation to the engine. The hose runs are long though.





Top view with hoses run.





I'm still working on a setup for plugging in cleanly. Not sure how I'll do that yet. I'll probably use one of these things though. A guy on MirageForum posted it, and its a lot nicer/easier than the Marinco plug that you have to wire in.

[Xist]

At what ambient temperature do you stop using the block heater? In theory, outside of Arizona, Texas, and Florida, people should benefit from that most of the year.

[MetroMPG]

I used mine 3/4 seasons when the cord was handy. Even 15 minutes in spring/fall made for a warm start.

[Gasoline Fumes]

I use my block heater on the hottest summer days!

[Xist]

How warm does it get your oil get in the summer?

[Gasoline Fumes]

Originally Posted by Xist

How warm does it get your oil get in the summer?

I don't know about the oil, but it still takes a couple of miles to get the coolant up to full temp on an 80 degree day. It's a small block heater. And I drive slow.