Where to start... At the beginning I suppose...

I bought my Galant 2.4 GDI 4 years ago and it was running perfect. After a little while the revs would ocasionaly surge as I was driving at steady speed and also at idle. I took the car back to the Mitsubishi Dealer, they had a look at it and told me it was due to the air con. I argued that it wasn't the air con and blah blah blah... Anyway I left unhappy with their customer services.

This ocasional idle problem has been with the car ever since but the performance and reliability was still ok. During the last year though it has lost loads of power and the fuel economy is terrible... about 80 miles (depending how I drive) for £20 worth of 97 unleaded.

So, 2 weeks ago I tried to start it and nothing.... Well it would fire once or twice then go back to starter motor.... I got it transported to a local garage, they done some "Diagnostic Tests" and couldn't figure out what was wrong they then towed my automatic car back to where I work and dumped it along with a hefty bill.

I then called out a mobile diagnostics/tuning van that gave me this code "92 ETV MTR FB" the bloke doing the scan didn't know what this code was and had to check on the computer back at base. The next day he called me and said that the code was fuel pressure related and suggested I change my fuel pumps (high and low)...
The combined price for the parts was £1200 from the Mitsubishi dealers... No way was I gonna pay that... So I looked on this site and found the number for Jap Auto Parts in Birmingham... I called them and they had a high pressure pump for £150, I ordered it, then recieved it 2 days later. Good service.

Today as I was stripping parts off to make space to fit the new pump I noticed that the throttle body was filthy (covered in tar/carbon) and that the butterfly inside was sticking closed. I took it off and cleaned it up with solvent now it doesn't stick but is staying open at 2/3 throttle. I thought maybe it stays like that until the car is started so I reassembled the necessary parts and turned the key... It started, wooo hooo.... but... Its now reving between 1500rpm and 2000rpm and when the throttle is pressed will only rev up to 3000rpm and sounds like it is at the rev limiter but too soon.

I fitted the pump anyway but it made no difference. Im thinking about changing the throttle body and MAF sensor... Also bypass/disconect EGR valve incase its sticking open.. I was going to take the EGR valve off anyway but its more important to get it running first...

Any ideas anyone?

Am I about to start throwing my money into a bottomless pit?

It's one of those tricky things where once you find the answer, off you go. I'm observing these GDI-related issues because we get Japanese used GDI Galants here in New Zealand. Being a unique technology, with official Mitsubishi mechanics treading unfamiliar waters (they are only supplied factory information for models officially sold here), even they are learning by experience.

You mentioned cleaning the gunk did help a lot with the exception of the throttle now sticking 2/3 open. No error reading came out of the diagnostics computer for the MAF sensor, so perhaps you might want to first concentrate on that throttle. Could there have been a spring that broke, perhaps when you were cleaning the gunk?

I have removed the side of the actuator on the throttle body. The magnet attatched to spindle has come unstuck and slips round when the throttle is opened. I dont think just the actuator can be replaced because half of it is cast into the throttle body.

I havn't seen many Galants here, UK.... altho... since mine has broken down Ive seen 5 in my town. TYPICAL!!!

Well, I've had enough of this car.... Its gone to the big junkyard in the sky....

So I've had to buy a new car, this time I've avoided Mitsubishi altogether and gone for a New Vauxhall Vectra VXR...

Thanks for all the help!!


R.I.P Galant
2001-2008