DSM (Diamond Star Motors) vehicles are no longer being produced, but there are some people that still drive them today. If you still own a DSM vehicle from Mitsubishi, or the company itself, Diamond-Star Motors, here are the common DSM symptoms of bent valves.
Actually, the signs of a bent valve on a DSM model are the same as with other vehicle models from other brands.
The common symptoms include overheating, misfiring, low compression, unusual shaking, and other possible signs too. Bent valves can cause serious damage to an engine if not fixed earlier.
DSM Symptoms Of Bent Valves
These symptoms are common with DSM vehicles and Mitsubishi’s first-gen & second-gen Eclipse, Eagle Talon, and Plymouth Laser models.
1. Broken Timing Belt
If your timing belt breaks out of the blue, it could be that you have a bent valve and never noticed it for too long. Since the valves are used in the cylinders, any issue with any of the valves will affect the performance of the cylinder it is connected to.
When the cylinder is unable to function properly, it puts more stress on the belt, which causes the belt to wear off faster. So, when you’ve got a broken timing belt, check the valves.
2. Shaking Engine
Another common sign of bent valves is when your engine seems to be unstable in its position. In essence, bent valves in DSM vehicles could make you feel your engine is shaking while driving. There’s a clear way to check for bent valves, simply perform a leaked-down test.
Also, you can pull out the valves and check them physically. You should be able to notice the bend, which calls for replacement. It is not good for the engine to shake from its position, allowing such to happen would cause more serious damages that would burn a big hole in your pocket.
3. Low Compression
Bent valves would surely cause low compression inside the affected cylinders. So, if you’re having low compression signs, that’s probably because your car engine cylinders’ valves are bent and need replacement.
Actually, the low compression occurs because of a leak. In this situation, there are three places to look out for; the head gasket, valves, and O-rings. A leak-down test will help you to identify the exact one among these three is the cause of the leak (low compression).
How To Check For Bent Valves in DSM Models
It’s pretty simple! Run a compression test. If you’ve got a leak-down tester, use it to check the vehicle, and you would be able to detect the exact problem you’re facing.
However, if the situation looks too complex for you to handle, get a mechanic to help you out.
What More?
These are the common DSM symptoms of bent valves; so, if you notice or experience these signs, you should check on the valves.
It’s pretty inexpensive to change all the valves at once; you should consider replacing all of them, instead of changing just the affected (bent) one.
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