I'm not mechanically inclined so any help would be appreciated! I simply love the look and drive of these cars, I'm all for modding them :)

I purchased my Mitsubishi Magna 2002 TJ when it had 44,000 on it. It's now got 90,000 on it. I get it serviced by a local mechanic of mine every 15,000km or 3 months (whichever comes first).


Problem 1 ) -- A few years back I had 18” wheels put on it, had it lowered with king super low’s front and rear. But recently over the past year when I first get in the car and crank it and if I have to turn the wheel after just starting it up sometime as the wheels let or right, I hear a grinding noise and a very small vibration come through the steering wheel. Any idea what this is? Also, it’s never happened after the car has been running and moving for a while. Also, during each car service, my wheel rotation and a wheel balance is done.

Problem 2 ) -- Over the last couple of years now, the car overall just seems a little more sluggish than it was when I first got it. I’ve recently had the air filter replaced with a recent service. And I normally clean the engine bay every couple of months. When I start the car, I hear a ticking noise from the engine. Hard to hear it while in the car, but if I have the window down you can hear it especially when you are driving along side a barrier that is on the right hand side of you. When it’s running and you stand next to it near the front right wheel, you can hear it more. Depending on your speed, the ticking is faster. My guy that services the car said it could be my lifters? Anyhow he put some special lubricant in it for the lifters, but it’s still doing it and frustrates me. My mechanic did say that some of the belts were wearing and getting very old and will probably need to be replaced next service I get done (which is coming up)

Problem 3 ) -- The last few months now I’ve been getting a burning smell coming through the air vents in the car. At first I thought it was from maybe the car in front of me as I normally have the interior vents allowing airflow to come inside from the outside. Then I thought it may be the tyres getting old *shrugs*… Anyhow, I’ve had some other friends come see and they said the smell is some oil burning. Never used to do this but has sprung up in the last couple of months. I’ve been carefully checking underneath the car each time I park it and then when I leave to see if there are any oil leaks on the ground but nothing. I also have a concrete driveway and have not spotted or seen any oil pools or drops around. Like problem 2 above, it’s just seeming a little sluggish lately :(

Problem 3 is fairly likely to be small amounts of oil leaking from a rocker cover onto an exhaust manifold. Wont be enough to drip onto the driveway if the leak isn't bad. Rocker cover gasket issues have been covered on here many times.

(1) Low idle speed or slipping belt. Try raising the idle speed with your rightr foot a bit and see if it does the same.
Not a good idea to crank the steering wheel with the car stationary anyway.
(2) Lifters, belts, belt idlers. Could be the cam belt tensioner, but then the car is due for a belt change anyway. Probably the original, now 11 years old!
(3) Rear rocker cover gasket leaking. Smell comes in something chronic. Open bonnet with engine hot and running, look for wafts of blue smoke from the rear of the engine. And the front for that matter.

Not mechanically inclined, but want to "mod" the car anyway? Learn to "mod" problems under the bonnet and save a bundle!

90,000 km is about right for valve cover gaskets to start leaking, spark plug tubes, new belts needed, idlers checked, cam belt change.

I never turn the wheels unless it's moving, I never do it stationary.

I just went around to a mechanic and asked them about my problems. He said it'd probably cost me $160 to replace and repair the ball bearings in the steering to stop the grinding when you turn. He also said to get the belts replaced but not to worry about them until I pretty much hit 100,000km and then get all the belts replaced along with the typical every 100,000 get a new timing belt as well. The car was running hot with the bonnet open and you could smell some burnt oil, but there was no signs of any blue smoke anywhere, Down the bottom of the engine bay towards the front there seemed to be a little build up of black crud, and the mechanic said it may be leaking from the front onto the exhaust manifold?

Max : I'm all for learning, I enjoy the car and I'm willing to learn more about it and how to do things, but it's my only car and I'm a little scared to do most of the engine stuff myself in fear I'm going to bust something. Then whoops, all of a sudden I'm out a vehicle to drive to and from work :) The burning oil smells do come in pretty strong.

Oh, I also wanted to mention, I was reading about oil levels. My dipstick is showing oil almost 1cm above the little triangle notch on the metal sleeve, is this ok or should it be precisely at the triangle mark on the dipstick?

The blue smoke is easier to see if you use a torch.
When the engine is cold, run a finger along the joint of the rocker covers and head, if it comes up oily that's where the leaks are.

It can be a serious problem as the blue smoke is combustible. Got a fire extinguisher you can carry around in the car?

Neg, don't carry a fire extinguisher around. I'm having my local mechanic on Sunday hoist the car up and he's going to have a look as well.

1 could be a powersteering pump/belt issue.