CriticalCommonEngine

Mitsubishi Lancer: Timing belt overdue on the 4G13/4G15 and 4G92/4G93 engines (1.5 is an interference engine)

Timing belt overdue on the 4G13/4G15 and 4G92/4G93 engines (1.5 is an interference engine) is a common engine fault on the Mitsubishi Lancer on the 1991–2000 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $450 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 39 documented faults on the Mitsubishi Lancer.

Vehicle: Mitsubishi Lancer
Engine: 4G13 / 4G15 / 4G92 / 4G93
Years: 1991–2000
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Mitsubishi Lancer as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Mitsubishi Lancer faults39 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Timing belt yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

Every petrol Lancer of this era (1.3/1.5 4G13/4G15 and 1.6/1.8 4G92/4G93) drives its camshaft with a rubber timing belt that Mitsubishi says to replace at about 90,000 km or on age. Workshops that see a lot of these cars say the belt change is the one job that must not be skipped. The 1.5 Mirage/Lancer engine is listed as an interference engine, so if the belt snaps the valves hit the pistons and the head has to come off; on a 25 to 30 year old import the rebuild often costs more than the car is worth. A belt change done with the tensioner, idler and water pump is cheap by comparison.

What you would notice

No warning at all before the belt breaks: the engine simply stops and will not restart
Ticking or whirring from the front of the engine on the passenger side (worn tensioner or idler)
Engine cranks faster than normal but will not fire after a breakdown

How to check it

Where to look. Front of the engine behind the plastic timing covers, on the passenger side of the engine bay

Look for a timing belt sticker on the belt cover, inside the bonnet or on the radiator support with a date and odometer reading, and read the service book for a belt change within the last 90,000 km or about 7 years. Import compliance paperwork often shows no history at all, so treat an unknown belt as due and price it in. With the engine idling, listen at the belt end of the engine for a whirring or chirping that changes with revs, which points to a tired tensioner or idler bearing. Ask for the invoice rather than accepting 'it has been done'. If a workshop inspection is possible: have the upper belt cover taken off so the belt can be checked for cracking, glazing, missing teeth or oil contamination from a leaking cam or crank seal.

Parts involved: Timing belt.

What it costs to put right

$450 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“When was the timing belt last changed, and at what odometer reading?”
“Was the water pump and tensioner done at the same time?”
“Do you have the invoice for the belt change?”

Now check the Mitsubishi Lancer you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

CarsGuide used Mitsubishi CE Lancer review (mechanics stress 90,000 km cam belt change)
AA1Car timing belt and interference engine list (1985-95 1.5L Mirage listed as interference)
Bunnings/SuperSpares timing belt kit listings for Lancer CC/CE 4G93 1.8 SOHC and 4G13/4G15

Mitsubishi Lancer buyer questions

Is timing belt overdue on the 4g13/4g15 and 4g92/4g93 engines (1.5 is an interference engine) serious on a Mitsubishi Lancer?

We rate it critical and common on the Mitsubishi Lancer. Every petrol Lancer of this era (1.3/1.5 4G13/4G15 and 1.6/1.8 4G92/4G93) drives its camshaft with a rubber timing belt that Mitsubishi says to replace at about 90,000 km or on age. Workshops that see a lot of these cars say the belt change is the one job that must not be skipped. The 1.5 Mirage/Lancer engine is listed as an interference engine, so if the belt snaps the valves hit the pistons and the head has to come off; on a 25 to 30 year old import the rebuild often costs more than the car is worth. A belt change done with the tensioner, idler and water pump is cheap by comparison.

How much does it cost to fix on a Mitsubishi Lancer?

$450 to $3,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Mitsubishi Lancer years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 1991–2000 Mitsubishi Lancer. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.