12th Mar 2009, 21:05
I have a 1994 Montero LS. It is a great truck. It had 160,000 miles and I have never had a problem with it. These trucks are built to last. The only thing I have done to this truck is basic maintenance (brakes, oil change, shock, and fluid changes). I take this truck offroading a lot. I have never been stuck and not to mention, it is stock. The body and frame are well built. Planning to keep it for many years.
26th Mar 2009, 13:57
I own a 91 Montero LS and am the 3rd owner. My aunt bought it used in 93 with less than 10,000 miles on it. I then bought it from her at about 115,000. This is a GREAT running vehicle. I ended up replacing it with a Jasper engine at about 150,000 miles (the engine was starting to tire and compression was pretty low on all six cylinders). I now have 180,000 miles on it and it runs just as good now as the day it was new. Transmission is solid as a rock. Paint is in fantastic shape for an 18 year old truck. Everything still works, power windows, locks, sun roof, etc. A/C is cold. 4 wheel drive is the best I've ever used. It's never been stuck. I even bought a second truck to use for parts for the other one in the event I'm in an accident or need other hard to find parts. I plan on keeping this truck for many years to come!
17th Jun 2009, 21:04
I own a 1991 Montero. It has brown mucky looking stuff on the oil dip stick and has been overheating. Does anyone have any ideas. I've been told I need a head gasket kit. Does that sound right?
30th Jun 2009, 18:00
I have a 1991 LWB that needs a new head gasket at the very least, or a rebuild if I want to go that far. There are shops that will sell you a rebuilt engine for anywhere from $1200 on the low end to $2000. Or you can look for a used engine to put in.
For tips on doing anything to your Montero, go to 4x4wire.com and look at Mitsubishi tech. There are lots of Montero Gen 1 nuts out there too.
I spent the entire weekend getting the engine stripped down to where I can take it out. It's not hard, but is tedious. Getting a Chiltons will help tremendously.
As for my situation, I tried to go for a rebuilt long block (engine + heads) engine for a deal I couldn't pass up. $1150 after taxes and local shipping in California. It turns out that the valves they used were utter crap, as in pitted, rusted, dented, broken crap. My 223k mile valves looked brand new in comparison. It's being sent back.
I love this truck. I've had it since 1996 with 68k miles, and see no reason to get a new one. It's my boat tow vehicle.
6th Jan 2010, 14:06
I bought a 91' Mitsubishi Montero LS (4x4 6 cyl.) in Sept. of 2009.
Overall I love this vehicle! And don't want to get rid of it. Rented a car from Florida (drove up to Virginia) and drove the Montero back. For never ever driving this vehicle before, I took the chance and drove it long distance, it ran beautifully!!!
In the 3 months or so that I've owned it... power door locks went out, air doesn't blow cold anymore, back door locks quit working, turn signals stopped working, brake light stays on (had brake pads & fluid checked) no problem there, engine light stays on... (Need to add, that I still love this vehicle and think it's worth repairing.) It has approx. 25,000 miles on a rebuilt engine.
It is in the shop now because the computer has gone out in it, as this was suggested by my mechanic (for everything going wrong with it.) Does this sound right? Anybody know? I paid 800.00 total (for new comp. & labor.)
26th Mar 2010, 10:26
Sunroof issue with 1991 Mitsubishi Montero LS 4X4 with 106k miles.
Can anyone help me locate a replacement sunroof motor, or could the problem be something else? When I push the button for the roof to close all the way, it sounds very, very sick and the roof goes nowhere. I've removed the roof and cleaned & lubricated the track. It's gotta be the motor.
Any tips? How much are the motors? Thanx in advance, Moco.
25th Aug 2010, 22:40
I just purchased my 91 Montero last week and I'm already in love. It is in extremely good condition apart from common wear and tear.
My question is this: why would my rear window defrost not go off? Being as it is summertime, I suppose I could simply pull the fuse but I want to fix it right, any suggestions?
3rd Feb 2011, 00:01
My wife is short, 5'2", and needed a 4x4 her size. Her summer car is a Miata convertible. Because we live in Montana and travel considerable distances to get anywhere, I wanted to get her something that wouldn't leave her stranded in the snow.
I have had two Fords, one Chevy, and one Dodge 4x4 since we purchased the Montero. All my bragging about American made vehicles and heavy duty suspensions came to an end when I bought my third truck, and paid eight times what we paid for the Montero new in 1991.
So far the Montero has gone 391,700 miles, and has cost me $600 in oil changes, $75 for a new battery, $2000 for new tires, and $300 in various parts over the last twenty years. Almost $3,000 in parts plus the cost of buying it new, divided by twenty years, equals about $1 per day to own. After adding up my four American made trucks, and the total averages almost $30 per day.
I get almost no fuel economy in my V8, I perform maintenance more than I should, considering the price I paid. My 4x4 won't go half the places the Montero can, and I have to use chains in the winter to keep on the road. My wife passes me almost every night in the Montero with her chains under the seat.
All in all, the Montero has been a better vehicle mechanically, economically, and kept my wife from having to call me to help her. Every time my truck breaks down, all I hear is that voice in my head that says, "Buy a Monteroooooo...".
28th Jul 2016, 10:20
My family has had a '91 Pajero (as they are called here in NZ) since '01, and it's been an incredibly reliable workhorse.
Currently in the process of recommissioning her, as the engine block cracked after several incidents of overheating. Mileage is 258,000km (or 160,000 miles). Also we'll probably need to replace a few other items such as brake pads, fuel injection equipment, sensors, etc... as well as one hell of a strong coolant flush.
Although these 3.0 liter 6G72 V6 engines are pretty tough, there are a number of annoying design features I've noticed as we procured a replacement motor out of a junkyard. Most of the cooling system fittings and flanges are aluminum, and very susceptible to corrosion if the coolant isn't changed regularly (replacement is not cheap, as parts need to come from the Mitsubishi dealer). The timing belt is much harder to replace than on any other car I've owned, and seems to be a far more complicated design than necessary. God knows how much of a swine this job would be in a transversely mounted 6G72, like Chrysler had in many of its 80s and early 90s models. Also, there's a metal "bypass hose" which runs from the back of the water pump, inside the cylinder V, and comes out behind the engine bolted to the rear of one cylinder head. This pipe is sealed with a single O ring at the water pump end, has a very thin flange to hold the seal, and usually corrodes enough to leak every 100,000km or so. Replacing it requires removing the throttle body and inlet manifold assembly, which is downright annoying.
I've read a few comments about potential engines to replace the 6G72 with, and while I personally wouldn't think it worth the effort, I've seen a couple lately with the North-South application of a Buick 3800 V6 fitted. These are very common here in New Zealand, Holden used them in the Commodore model from '88 to '01 if memory serves me right. I'd imagine you'd have even less trouble finding one in the States, although it might be more of a challenge getting it to work in a North-South layout given the different injection/induction assembly. I haven't driven a converted one yet, but I'm familiar with the Buick 3800 motor, it's certainly got the low-end torque to lug a Montero around, with none of the annoying design flaws and problems of an ageing 6G72.
Just an idea!
Jarrod
20th Dec 2016, 02:20
Can you send me more info on the Buick 3800 swap. Or anyone that could give me tips on how to do this swap right.
Thank, Ed in Florida.
6th Mar 2009, 22:16
I bought my 1989 2-door V6 Mitsubishi Montero new. It now has 88,000 miles, and runs very well. In all, I replace the head gasket in 1997, fuel gauge in 2004, both master and slave cylinders in 2008. Yes... those were the major repairs done. It's been to the Canyonlands National Park twice, and roamed the deserts of S. California numerous times. I think this will be the only vehicle I own in my life...