I just bought a 96 eclipse RS from a private seller has 170k+ runs good but want to know what type of maintenance I need to be doing besides the basic oil change and what not.

no matter what a seller says to me as far as recent maintenance and tune up i always go with trans and coolant flush when purchasing a new car as well as some new plugs and wires.

Timing belt is the main thing. It should of been changed at 120k, and you are near 180k where it should be changed again. Buy this kit and do it yourself. http://www.store.partsdinosaur.com/product1310.html There is a great step-by-step guide on the wiki - http://2gnt.com/index.php?d=Timing_Belt_Replacement.

Some cheap stuff to replace if you don't know when it was done last - spark plugs and wires, fuel filter, alternator and power steering belt, transmission fluid, and flush the radiator.

Flush / Fill cooling system.
New plugs and wires (depending on condition)
Fresh oil is a given.
Check your air filter.
Change transmission fluid.
Timing belt was already mentioned (I can't stress enough how important this is.)

Also, doing a compression test can help alert you to possible internal issues. A tester can be had an any auto parts store for $20-$30; If you're going to be changing plugs anyway,it would be a good time to check your compression.

Yeah timing belt has been replaced new plugs in the wires look brand new so I'm sure there is some life in them. Third gear does grind if I try and throw it in real fast but normal driving it's not a problem. Does anyone have any idea as to wh this is??

Originally posted by MikeInFlorida
the wires look brand new so I'm sure there is some life in them.

Means absolutely nothing. I can take a shit pair of wires and wipe them down with acetone or brake cleaner and make them look great. Do a resistance test and inspect for tiny cracks/pin holes. Potential problems are easily invisible to the naked eye - keep that in mind.

Originally posted by MikeInFlorida
Third gear does grind if I try and throw it in real fast but normal driving it's not a problem. Does anyone have any idea as to wh this is??

Potentially a syncro problem. Nothing you can do about it unless you feel like swapping it out with another transaxle or rebuilding it. Otherwise live with it.

Originally posted by MikeInFlorida
Yeah timing belt has been replaced new plugs in the wires look brand new so I'm sure there is some life in them. Third gear does grind if I try and throw it in real fast but normal driving it's not a problem. Does anyone have any idea as to wh this is??

Try changing the shifter bushings first with polyurathane one's and the shifter cable bushings with either aluminum or brass one's . It should not cost more than $30 for all of those and the install is very easy, you should feel an improvement in the feel of the shifter if it keeps grindIng then it's most likely that your synchros aré giving out. Remember to use ONLY the trans fluid especified for the trans it is a bit hard to Find but it will not damage the synchros.

Do a computer scan. Even though your car sounds great no leaks,or cel lights on anybody could erase cel with how cheap scan readers are. Who knows what else is wrong with it. Go to autozone or advance have them scan it. You could buy one for 50 bucks.

Scaning the ecu should be on the list also.

Another thing i noticed today is that there is a sound coming from what I think is the transmision or in that general area is what sounds like a piece of somthing rattleing around like a small rock in a cup. Someone said something about a transmision rebuild... Would I be able to do that myself I'm a very technicly sound college kid with minimal tools but I really want to master my car down to every screw.

The rattling sound you are hearing is likely the throwout bearing. Common issue, and typically not something to worry about.

If the tranny grinds a little going into 3rd (or any) gear, I would recommend changing out the tranny fluid as well as bleeding the clutch fluid.

Another thing you might want to check out are the spray patterns on your injectors. If they have never been changed, especially if the quality of gas the previous owner used was not good, there is a good chance they may be clogged. Same goes for the fuel filter..think someone mentioned that above.

Also may want to test the coil. The stock Mitsu ones are beefy and last a long time, but they will eventually go.

Lastly, check the PCV valve and make sure it is not clogged. Just pull it off and make sure it still rattles freely.

Other than that, most of the main things to check have been addressed above.

Good luck, and welcome to the DSM world!

PCV valve rattles freely there was some traces of oil in the valve and in the hose connecting to top of the engine not sure if that has any relevance. i'm not sure how to check the spray pattern on my injectors i know where they are located and how to get them off but not 100% sure how to check them or what to look for.

traces of oil in the PCV valve is normal. Its there to vent the oil fumes into the intake to be burned.

That rattling noise coming from the transmission would make me very nervous. Is your car a stick shift? If so, try this test: Start the engine, shift into neutral, apply the parking break, and open your door (to hear things better). Push the clutch pedal to the floor and hold it there. Let it back out. Does this affect the rattling noise you mention at all? If so, could be throwout bearing, which is a labor intensive, if not fairly easy replacement.

If clutch engagement has nothing to do with this noise, or you hear it while the vehicle is in gear and moving, I'd be very concerned. Last time I heard that, the input shaft bearing inside the gearbox had failed and there were steel rollers bouncing all over the place inside the transmission. It's a recipe for transmission death imo.

The sound I heard was a sort of random, clickety-click, like a small rock bouncing around inside an empty can. It was completely random and unrelated to engine or vehicle speed.

Good luck.

i ran the test there was no change in the sound with the clutch in or out other then the engine engaging and disengaging the load.

How do i test my injectors and what should i look for in the spray pattern??

send them to RC Engineering.

Yea, there is really no good way to check the spray pattern yourself. You could always do a basic visual inspection of them and see how the o rings and nozzles look, but I'm sure that if they have never been changed, no matter how they look, they could benefit from a good professional cleaning.

I got a set of stock injectors with only 35K miles on them. If you are interested PM me.

And another thing... My oil drain plug is rounded off (sigh*) should I just file the thing down to get s good grip on it or does anyone have any niffty tricks on how to get it off.

Originally posted by MikeInFlorida
And another thing... My oil drain plug is rounded off (sigh*) should I just file the thing down to get s good grip on it or does anyone have any niffty tricks on how to get it off.

Vice grips.