wow a lot of misinformation in this thread already!
I too have a project Raider (aka Montero), its a blue 89, 2.6 all stock. I am refreshing the motor and then will drive the crap out of it.
The 2.6 engines have gotten a bad reputation over the years for three main reasons:
1) Jet valve heads that cause the heads all sorts of trouble and yes can be "eliminated" with a Jet Valve Elimination Kit, but its best to just get a head that wasn't machined for them in the first place, as its not the valve itself that is the problem, its the combination of the cast steel seat pressed into the head that expands and contracts at a different rate than the aluminum head when the owner overheats it, causing a crack, a coolant leak, and bitchy owners. Repeat this for a few decades and you have some idea why they have the reputation they do.
2) The overcomplicated induction setup. Commonly called a "feedback carb", or a Piece of S**T, it was basically the bastard offspring of carb and fuel injection, with ALL the nightmares you could hope for: excessive vaccuum lines, unnecessary sensors, and a water passage that preheated the carb on those cold mornings, and overheated it on those warm days. The engineer responsible was a seriously evil man. Convert it to a Weber the moment it acts up and you've solved the problem.
3) The balance shafts. Obviously not a problem until they're a problem, just buy the elimination kit.
--------------
The 3.0 is as reliable as the owner, if they do the maintenance required before it breaks down from lack of maintenance then they can go -literally- around the world.
--------------
The IFS is actually a very solid design, and was continued with very few design changes all the way up to 2002 or later iirc. The later stuff bolts on as an upgrade, as will manual locking hubs if yours doesn't have them. The suspension/differentials/rest of the bolt-on upgrades from the 92-2000 (gen2) hold up to 37's with 4.90 gears and ARB lockers while running the toughest trails around. The only thing they don't do well is flex, live with it, adapt to it, or fab in a potentially-weaker-but-admittedly-flexier solid axle in. I would go with a Drivers-drop Dana 44 from a Jeep Wagoneer, regeared to 4.88 (with 4.90 gears in the rear you won't notice the difference unless you drive it with the center diff locked, while on the pavement, for a while). With stronger axleshafts it will hold up to similar abuse as the rear of the gen1 v6, but nothing like the gen2 sr 9" (3.0 SR's) or the almighty 9.5" (3.5 SR's).
So, in conclusion, do your research before regurgitating information (that you have not personally earned) on the internet.
To the OP, congrats on your purchase. The headlight squirters, the bouncy seat, and the LSD sticker in your doorjamb mean that yours is equipped with the "offroad" package and is very very capable out of the box. Join up on expeditionportal.com in the mitsubishi tech section for people that know way more than I do, and also check out 4x4wire for more mitsu suv tech. Then throw some tires on her and go get dirty!
~joe
|
That's clean as hell and the other pic with the off road wheels and lift, you should so do that. I say though is do a 2.3 stroker 4g63 in that bad larry and rip the trails apart 
The extra torque will help that truck out pretty well and the fact it's boosted,lol.