Misc

No. The Talon Digest is (or, at least, was) an email mailing list. This is a website. DO NOT send email intended for the Talon Digest to any address shown on this website.The talon digest is no more. Not even the wayback machine has copies (thanks to robots.txt)

All reference to the talon digest will be removed. Todd Day, you did an amazing job back in the day. Unfortunately, it is time to move on.  Should you ever recover a backup, we will be glad to integrate information into the DSMBible.

"The Talon Digest has been unofficially discontinued since September 20, 2002 when the last issue was mailed out. I say "unofficially" because there was no announcement from the list moderator that he was going to cease operations. Rather, the hiatus was expected to be temporary and brief.

At this time the fate of the Digest is not known. It is likely, however, that it will never resume operations. The same might be true of the main www.dsm.org site, and the Talon Digest archives, both of which have been in and out of service. This is unfortunate, since these sites were the central rallying point for all DSMers in search of information.

With the demise of the main Digest, Forums have taken over as the primary communications method among DSM owners.

It must be noted that the Talon Digest existing by the desire of the list owner, Todd Day. Todd spent more than ten years in meticulously daily editing of dozens of submissions, creation of unique and customized mailing list software, and construction of some of the best DSM websites ever to be seen. He rarely ever took a "day off" from these tasks, even when away from home. The workload he experienced can only be compared to that of a full-time IT position for a medium-sized business, yet he received no payment for these services, and still managed to keep a full-time conventional occupation, race his car, co-ordinate other DSM website, disassemble the unique code of the DSM ECU, create his own ECU customization business, and have a good time doing it.

Those who might be dismayed at the demise of the Digest and decline of www.dsm.org should consider three points very seriously:

Firstly, Todd's decade-long dedication is unquestionably one of the greatest - if not THE greatest - donation of time and effort, by any individual, anywhere, at any time, to the DSM community. Anyone who suggests otherwise is obviously ignorant of history and does not deserve a reply.

Secondly, his efforts directly resulted in the DSM resources that exist today, including this FAQ, the VFAQs, and the subregional boards with their UBB systems. Todd literally started it all.

Thirdly, these resources all exist because someone wishes them to exist. Those who whine about how valuable resources such as the archive search, pics.dsm.org and the main website are gone (or in decline) would be better off devoting their efforts to helping to restore these resources to the DSM world."

R.I.P. Talon Digest 

The Ultimate Bulletin Board (UBB) system is a software package that re-creates the original-style bulletin board systems (bbs) of days gone by. It is a way to create a web-based forum, accessible through the internet, that allows members to post messages to each other. The UBB system is an Infopop product.

UBB's are Forums, and from here on, shall be refered to as Forums.

History Lesson: The DSM-related forums of today are not the Talon Digest of yesterday. The Talon Digest was an e-mail based mailing list. There was only one. It was text-only and did not allow images or attachments. (This was a conscious decision by the list moderator.) Each post was submitted to an automated mailing server for checking and possible moderation by the list owner, who maintained an extremely high standard of conduct and content. The software used was a mixture of public domain and software specially-developed by the list moderator himself. The submitted posts were e-mailed as a single formatted list to all mailing list members at the same time ("digest" format). All of the digests were eventually collected and archived for searching and browsing.

By contrast, the  Forums of today are plentiful and varied. Many allow attachments. The level of moderation varies from virtually nonexistent to virtually military. Most are public, some are private. Some maintain archives of useful technical information. 

What we know for sure is, if you find usefull information that should be properly archived, request us to add the content to this site. We allow archive.org to archive this site as well we will produce montly dumps of the data. There are always 2 admins in charge of the site so if 1 dissapears (like dsm.org), the site isn't locked down and goes into disrepair.

Generally, look for a signup option. You will need to answer all required questions to register. Once registered, you have access to post and may also be able read stuff unregistered users cannot.

Have fun exploring.

Start with: Club DSM Canada,  DSMTuners and DSMTalk. The last two are the two largest user base forums.

Here is a full listing of online DSM sites/forums by Country: (Last checked May 2016)
We highly recommend checking country based ones as they have the largest user base.

Canada

• http://ca.dsm.org/
• British Columbia - http://www.bcdsm.org/forum/index.php
• Quebec - http://forum.dsmquebec.org/

Europe

• Hungary - http://dsm.clubforum.hu/welcome.do

United States

• Chicago - http://www.chitowndsm.com/forum
• Cincinnati - http://cinci.dsm.org/modules.php?name=Forums (no new posts since 2007)
• Colorado - http://www.rmdsm.org/
• Florida (Orlando) - http://www.orldsm.com/forum.php
• Texas (Dallas) - http://www.dallasdsm.org/forums/
• Wisconsin - http://www.dsmsupport.com/

Germany

• http://www.dsmworld.net/forum/forum.php

UK

• New England - http://ew.newengdsm.org/forums/

Micheal Hamilton has done this on an unspecified 1G FWD. It is complex procedure requiring an estimated at 9 hours, install only, plus additional time or cost for removing/acquiring the required transplant parts.

In addition to Micheal's work, you may read the [[What are the differences between a automatic tranny car and a manual tranny car?]] for an idea of what you may need in addition to the transmission components.

Here is a thread about what you need on DSMTunners - AWD Automatic To Manual Swap

Important: DSMs are cheap. Just buy what you want.

Most people who research this topic come to the conclusion that it is cheaper to sell the FWD and purchase an AWD DSM, rather than attempt to convert the FWD to AWD form.  Road Race Engineering has done this; the cost is $6000. 

With AWD DSMs running in the $1500 - $8,000 area, why would you want to do this? Do yourself a favor and just buy an existing AWD.

Important: DSMs are cheap. Just buy what you want.

Yes. Dave Buschur had what was perhaps the first-ever RWD DSM back in 1998. To do it, he rotated the engine ninety degrees in the engine bay and adapted it to a Powerglide racing transmission. For more details see Dave Buschur's biography.

While it is possible to do this type of conversion, the difficulty level is (to put it mildly) very high.

An A/F meter is simply a voltmeter, hooked up to the oxygen sensor. Most A/F meters are simple bar-graph displays, although some have LCD displays. Since the

Installing an A/F meter is as simple as connecting the meter to power, ground and the oxygen sensor signal. Owners of precise meters will want to be certain to get a good ground, since ground offsets may affect the A/F meter readings.

1Gs have a test connector, located in the passenger side of the dash, that is useful for A/F meter connections. This wire can be located by following the directions on Brad Bauer's O2 sensor wire PDF.

2G owners need to connect to the ECU wiring in order to monitor A/F ratios. You can find the correct wire by:

---------------------------------
Steps to Install an Air-Fuel Meter for the 2G Turbo Talons and Eclipses 

Tools Needed:

One Phillips screw driver and three plastic T-connetors from radio shack (if your A/F gage kit does not already provide them).

1. Remove the driver's side access panel from the center console. There is one Phillips screw and one push-in plastic screw that holds the access panel on.

2. There are four plastic connectors plugged into the ECU, directing a myriad of wires going to and returning from the control sensors and relays. Connector 1 has 26 terminals, connector 2 has 16 terminals, connector 3 has 12 terminals, and connector 4 has 22 terminals. The terminal numbers are shown below. (Look at the ECU with your head under the steering column, with your left ear pointing to the floor. The connectors are from left to right, connectors 1, 2, 3, and 4.)

2G Turbo DSM ECU Terminal Numbers

Connector 1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Connector 2
31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38
39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

Connector 3
51 52 53 54 55 56
57 58 59 60 61 62

Connector 4
71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81
82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92

4. The hot wire to power up the A/F gage should be teed onto the ECU power supply wire at terminal number 25. The ground wire for the A/F gage should be teed onto the ECU ground wire at terminal number 92. The air-fuel signal wire for the A/F gage should be teed onto the front O2 sensor return signal wire at terminal number 76.

5. Replace the access panel on the center console. You're done! Happy boosting!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Standard O2 sensors are pretty useless to monitor. Get a wideband O2. [[Why do I need a wideband O2 sensor?]]

Canadians can talk to Revenue Canada and get a copy of the "List of Vehicles Admissible from the US". This list published by Transport Canada. This list details most vehicles that can be brought into Canada with minimum fuss. At present, all Eclipse and Galant models after 1990 are on this list.

Vehicles may enter the country as is, but need to be modified to Canadian specifications and certified by Canada Customs before they can be registered. Talk to the Registrar of Imported Vehicles for everything you want to know (look at this guide for details).

For those interested in importing non-USA cars to Canada, you should refer to this page from the Transport Canada website.

Typically, the only additional components required for USA-spec vehicles are a daylight running light relay and a child seat restraining strap. The relay can be found at Canadian Tire or other automotive stores. There seems to be no special requirements for it; as long as the headlights light up when the ignition is on, it's fine. The car seat strap can also be found at Canadian Tire or Wal-Mart, and simply attaches to an already-existing bolt in the rear hatch area. A few people even say it doesn't have to be attached, you just have to have one.

Jerry Hong imported a new Eclipse GSX from the USA into Canada. Here's what he had to do:

• Sold his car.
• Got a 1 week temporary insurance.
• Went to Los Angeles and picked up the Eclipse.
• Drove back with the Eclipse, declaring the car at customs. Paid GST and 0.1% duty.
• Went home and got a British Columbia motor vehicle inspection for out of province cars.
• Insured the car as a Talon.
• Got the car inspected by Transport Canada.
• Re-wired the fog lights into DRLs, and bought a baby seat carriage strap from Canadian Tire, in accordance with Transport Canada requirements.

That was it! Notes: Jerry lost his warranty. Extended warranties are apparantly honoured in cross-border deals, but factory warranties are not. You may also need to pass emissions testing for your province.

Marta Cepek of Canada DSM also imported a car, in this case a 1990. Below is her 'mini-FAQ' on the subject:

First

Read the Registrar of Imported Vehicles (RIV) website, http://www.riv.com , phone their 1-800-511-7755 number, and they will send you a nice kit of all the info you need.

Costs

• $224 - (obligatory) covers the cost of "Form 1" & the Customs brokerage fee if you go through a "designated" border crossing. The RIV kit has a list of all border crossings and whether or not they're "designated". It's something like $60 more if you don't go through one. This fee includes "Form 2" and the inspection to ensure the required mods are done.
• $100 - Air conditioning excise tax. You have to pay this if there are any AC components, even if the AC isn't hooked up/working.
• Duty - Not applicable. The car was built in the USA. They tried to charge me duty, but I made the lady go outside and showed her the "Made in USA" sticker on the door panel and the duty was waived.
• Taxes - Federal GST payable at the border. This is based on the higher of the price written on your bill of sale or the "Red Book" value of your car. If the sale price is "ridiculously low" (e.g. under $2000 US), you should get the seller to have the car valuated at a Mitsu dealership and write the valuation on their letterhead. The Red Book only goes back 8 years, so when I was importing my 90 GSX in March 2000, they told me that a 92 with my mileage was evaluated at US$7,000... you might end up having to pay tax on the book value even if you only paid, say, US$3,500 for the car.
• Provincial Tax (if applicable in your province) is payable on the same amount that the GST was paid on. You pay this when you you get your plates / register the car.

Required Mods

First of all, all models of the Eclipse from 89-99 are admissible into Canada. Bumpers and seatbelts (even the electric "mouse belts") meet Canadian standards.

All cars built after Nov. 89 require DRLs (Daytime Running Lights). If you are handy with electrical, you could probably wire this up yourself. I'm not, so it cost me $100 to have mine wired up, including labour & relay. The little box that recieves the DRL circuit board and the wiring infrastructure are not there in the US-spec cars, so if you have the DRL module from another DSM (I did), it's not a plug'n'play scenario. But I believe I saved maybe 1 hour labour cost by bringing in all the pertinent schematics/wiring diagrams from the factory manual for the guy.

A child restraint tether anchor is required. This is a no-brainer. The kit is about $4.95 at Canadian Tire, Walmart, etc.

Inspections

The inspection to import the car into Canada only checks that these mods are done. The cost is included in that $224 fee.

As for provincial inspection, well, you'll have to check with your Provincial Authority whatever you need to do to get the car certified, emissions tested, and whatever it takes to get the car plated. The Quebec inspection costs $66. I got a real a$$hole inspector, so he flagged a couple of "minor defects" that would've cost me ~$500+ to repair if I'd gone to Satan. I ordered parts from a US Mitsu dealer and had a local garage do the repairs, all for about $150. Michel told me I should've put $50 in the ashtray when I was having it inspected, to tell you the truth, that idea would never in a million years occurred to me. If you have a connection for getting the car certified, you might have better luck than I did.

Well, that's about it for associated costs.

US Export

As distinct from Canadian Import - One thing that has no associated costs but could cause you problems (it did me) is that you must contact the US Customs Export people at the border point you intend to bring the car through a minimum of 72 hours before you plan to bring the car through. They need the car's VIN in order to run it through some kind of check. Not doing this runs the risk of having the car seized at the border.

Insurance

Prior to bringing the car onto Canadian soil, you need to have valid insurance.

Oh, and don't forget the cost(s) of travelling down to the US to pick up the car. In my case, that entailed a plane ticket to South Carolina, and about US$100 in gas (boy, their gas is cheap). You probably won't be going that far, eh? ;o)

Hope that helps. It's not that complicated, and definitely worth it for the right car.

Finally, Christopher Lewis (also of Club DSM Canada, has this to say:

"Considering I've imported both the cars I currently own plus a 3000GT I consider myself educated in this field. :-)

The DRL you can pick up for $25 at Canadian Tire, It takes me 10 minutes to install and you can just remove it after the govt. inspection.

You don't need to change your speedometer, it's fine.

The child infant kit is $5 and you don't need to actually install it, its is just required that you "have the kit".

You are required to buy a SRS maintenance sticker that is in both English/French. Check your glove compartment - if it has French (like mine did) you're fine. "

The RIV in Canada has all the info you need.

• Mail items marked as GIFTS worth less than $60 ($CAN) have no duty.
• Mail items worth less than $20 ($CAN) have no duty.
• Automotive parts made in the United States have no duty.

Don't believe me? Read this brochure from the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. The package value and contents are declared by the sender. Some people call new parts 'warranty replacements', which cites their value as zero but still allows them to insure for the full amount.

Note that factory DSM parts come from Japan, and are therefore subject to duty. This could hypothetically be avoided if the sending vendor were to accidentally forget to mention that the parts originated in Japan.

Also note that the parts may be subject to GST even though they are duty-free.

If you're fortunate enough to travel, Canadians are allowed to bring back goods into Canada duty-free, up to a certain limit. The current limits are:

• out of country for 24 hours: Up to $200 CAD;
• out of country for 48 hours: Up to $800 CAD;
• out of country for 7 days or more: up to $800 CAD;

which means that if you can carry it back, you should. Shipping from the U.S.A. is expensive, too. Alternatively, you could get somebody else to bring it back for you. Note that these limits are correct at the time of this writing; check with  Canada Customs - Residents Returning to Canada for current information.

Don't use UPS Brown (ground) service.

UPS is the only carrier that does not include brokerage fees in their quoted prices, and only on their slowest service. UPS Blue (2-day) and Red (1-day) have the brokerage fees included; so do Federal Express, DHL, and Emery Worldwide prices.

If you do use UPS and get charged brokerage fees, they will ask for $30-$60 before they give you the package. Usually cash, usually exact change. Some people find it less expensive to use an expedited service instead of paying brokerage fees on the slower deliveries. Many people prefer U.S. mail to UPS ground, since the USPS does not charge additional brokerage fees.

The following is an unofficial guide to UPS brokerage fees, based on information graciously provided by on-line electronics vendorEtronics. It is not an official UPS guide.

For each additional $1000 $CAD (or fraction of), there is an additional charge of $3.75 $CAD. These rates do not include taxes.

The Last Word: Didn't believe me, huh? Serves you right. Don't feel bad, everyone gets burned once.

I have personally seen many invoices from UPS that do not follow the guide above, or the "official" UPS Fuck-You-Canada brokerage fee table found here - usually the fees charged are a tad higher, and they will always add in tax and duty, making their "cut" appear even higher still. Nevertheless, maybe these guides will help you make an informed decision on buying that gotta-have-part from eBay. And UPS now takes credit cards at the door, making the process much less painful.

If you must order, do yourself a favor, and use Priority Mail - Purolator will forward it in Canada, and the brokerage is typically $6. Alternatively, look for vendors that have Canuck-friendly shipping options such as USPS or FedEx. Beware the words "Standard Flat Rate Shipping" - this almost always means UPS Ground.

The members of Canada DSM have the following advice:

Bob Brown: " USPS is about 50% more expensive , but you just have to pay GST."

Jerry Hong: " I've found it to be least expensive to use a local trucking company that does freight to any US state. UPS/Fed-Ex wanted $1300US to ship a transmission/transfer case/diffs/4-bolt rear end from Halifax to Houston, Texas. The local trucking co. is doing it for $375US."

"Total_Eclipse" : " All i can say is, use Canadain Freight. They have a sister company in the USA called Consolidated Freight. They are awsome for shipping big parts."

Also see the information regarding brokerage fees, above. Parts may be subject to GST in all cases.

Yes. Better to keep it in the DSM club, but, you want $$$ so try these places also.

• Facebook DSM Classified  (You must request access)
• Kijiji
• AutoTrader

Good luck!

From a January 19, 1999 post by Ken Okazak:

"Here's some things you can do to prevent doing business from a scam artist, crook, jerk, con, (uh, I think those are all the words I've seen used on the Trader recently):

1. Do a google or dsm forum search on the person's name . Is he/she an active Club DSM member? What kind of posts does they make? Who has he been associated with? Maybe others have posted about him/her? This alone has given me confidence to buy the first thing I ever bought on the Trader: An exhaust from Al Blaha. Being new, I had NO IDEA who he was. Read some posts from him and saw that other's wrote about him, so I knew he was REAL, people know him, he is an active member of the Club and that his car is fast. :-)

2. Scrutinize heavily people that have free email accounts from companies like Juno, Yahoo, Hotmail, etc... (and even aol to some extent). Why? Because anyone can get an email account and lie when registering for it. Lot's of honest people use these accounts too, so don't get me wrong. But if the email address is from a Corporation, it is likely to be legit...so at least you know the guy has a JOB.

3. Use these free e-mail accounts to your advantage. Register yourself under some assumed name and then pose as another buyer as you are closing a deal. Email him from your other account and ask if the part is still for sale. If the guy says "Yep, it's still available", then you have every reason to believe the guy is a crook.

4. Look the guy up in the Phone book. See if you can find him listed in the Yellow pages. Seeing his name/address there should give you enough confidence that the guy actually exists. Just another piece of evidence...Sometimes you can even find information on them by doing a web search.

5. Ask for references. No explanation needed here.

6. Finally, use iEscrow or one of the many other escrow services that let you perform transactions risk free. They only charge 5% of the purchase price, so if you are still unsure then isn't this worth it?

I have performed most of these checks on everyone who I've ever bought parts from. And you know what? I've never been burned."

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

You can avoid some common problems by keeping the following in mind:

• Most speciality DSM vendors are extremely busy, and it can be hard to get into contact with them. Be patient.
• Know what you want. Most speciality vendors have web pages that describe their offerings in detail. See the vendors page for the appropriate URLs.
• Know what you have. Be prepared to tell the vendor not only the make and model, but if you have factory options (like air conditioning and ABS) or upgrades (such as Big Brakes, shocks/springs or 4-bolt rear ends) installed on your car.
• Be sure to ask if the part will fit your car before ordering it.
• Ask about warantees and returns. Understand the limitations of the return policies. If you don't like them, don't order the part.
• Write everything down! You may need the details later.
• Pay with a credit card. If you have difficulties later, you can have your bank reverse the charges on the card.
• Ship to your credit card address - the vendors require this so they can avoid credit fraud. If you need to ship to an alternate address, call your credit company ahead of time and establish an alternate shipping address - the vendors cannot do it for you.
• When purchasing parts, establish a shipping time for the part and a shipping method. Do not assume the vendor will automatically ship the way you expect.
• Foreign customers must expect additional delays and costs for customs when parts cross the border. Do not expect the vendor to understand what is involved here - it's not their business. 

Support for DSMs has become very limited to niche areas, even at previously well respected vendors, due to lack of demand. Be prepared for lengthy delays, and discuss availability with the vendor before ordering. Face it, you own an obsolete car.

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

Most speciality vendors are very busy and are often difficult to contact owing to a large backlog of previous messages. In some cases there are only one or two people working in the shop, so when they are absent or busy there is no one to answer the phones or e-mail. Some shops keep restricted office hours to have time to work on parts. Finally, some vendors go out of business for various reasons, often when the principals involved move on to other things.

If you are looking for a vendor and cannot seem to find a current phone/fax number or e-mail address, it is possible the vendor is no longer in business or has moved. Check the vendors page for contact information. Also try phoning diectory assistance for the city where the vendor is/was located, to see if they are still listed. You can also write to the Digest for information, but please do not do so until all other avenues of investigation are exhausted.

If you know a vendor exists and cannot get a response from them, you have three choices - wait for a response, persist in trying to contact them, or contact a different vendor. If you choose to wait and do not get a response, don't get annoyed, as technical problems may have prevented the vendor from getting your message. If you feel this is not the case, don't bother getting mad, just go to another vendor.

Important: With the advent of Paypal, most of the issues below are no longer an issue. 

Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

DSM enthusiasts will frequently run across this restriction when ordering parts from DSM vendors. This is usually not a problem when you walk into a store and purchase an item, even for non-USA credit cards, but call or email your order in and you suddenly run into problems. Moreover, few vendors take the time or trouble to properly explain the reasons to their customers - a short "We can't do that" or a brief note on the website saying they can't do it is usually all the explanation one gets.

International customers get even more hassle. These customers are often told that a vendor cannot 'verify' their credit card unless it is issued by a U.S.A. bank. Canadians, in particular, get irked by this (after all, we are on the same continent), but most customers abroad quite rightly point out they can go virtually anywhere in the world and purchase items with the same card. Therefore, the card can obviously be 'verified', and no problem should exist.

The root cause of all this frustration and hassle is usually poor communication between the customer and the vendor*. Mail-order vendors are put at significant risk when accepting credit cards via phone or internet. This is because the rules are different for in-person purchases and mail-order purchases, and there is only one reason for that - fraud.

When you purchase an item in person, the vendor is able to get a copy of your signature on the form. You also require the physical credit card, with the correct account number, name and signature on it. In this manner the vendor can be reasonably certain that the card is, in fact, your own.

Mail-order purchases are entirely different. In this situation, you do not need the physical card, and the vendor cannot obtain your signature. There is, therefore, no way for the vendor to verify that you are you, and that the card is yours. This leaves mail-order vendors completely at risk for fraud by criminals using stolen credit card numbers.

Few people immediately realize the problems this creates for vendors. Unlike cardholders (customers), credit card companies do not protect vendors against fraud. If someone was to use your credit card to purchase an item, you would generally be protected against the lost amount by your credit card company. (In some cases there might be a small deductible, but that's not relevant here.) For example, if someone used your card number to buy $1300 worth of parts, you would have to pay nothing (or almost nothing) because you didn't buy the parts.

However, no such protection exists for the vendor. That vendor is out of pocket for the item sold. They will generally not receive any compensation from the credit card company for the loss. So, if someone presenting themselves as you were to buy $1300 worth of parts from (for example) your favorite DSM vendor, that DSM vendor would be out $1300 worth of parts. Police departments usually don't have the manpower, budget, or time to investigate such 'minor' amounts, and the vendor is left with nothing. It wouldn't take long for a vendor to be forced out of business if they were an easy target.

To combat this problem, mail-order vendors are forced to use alternative means to verify the credit card. These procedures, unfortunately, place additional restrictions on the cardholder as well.

The most sophisticated method available to date is for mail-order vendors to use a supplementary credit card verification system called AVS (Address Verification Service). The AVS service allows vendors to match user-supplied billing address information with information on file for the credit card number. If the card information, billing address, and shipping address all match, the vendor is unlikely to be taking a big risk by sending out the goods.

Unfortunately, the AVS system is limited. Firstly, it only works for cards issued through United States institutions. This is where international buyers run into problems: their cards are not registered with the AVS system. Thus, when a vendor says "We cannot verify your credit card" what they really mean is "We cannot verify that the billing/shipping address you provided is the one on file at your bank, because your card is not registered in the AVS system." They often don't say so because the person on the other end of the phone doesn't understand the system either.

Also, the AVS system can be foiled by outdated information at your bank. If you've just moved, or there is an error in your card records, the AVS system will incorrectly fail the card billing address.

Finally, the AVS system deals only with the billing address and is therefore a fairly weak system. If a criminal knows your credit card and home address, his or her purchase will pass AVS verification. The thief could simply specify a different shipping address, and get the goods anyways.

To get around this problem, some vendors only ship to the cardholder's billing address. This almost guarantees that the actual card holder will receive the goods, and not an impersonator. If he (or she) didn't order them, they will send them back to the vendor.

Unfortunately, many legitimate buyers also want items shipped to an alternate address, such as their workplace, a relatives house, or perhaps a hotel where they are staying. These requests cannot be fulfilled under this restriction; a particularly troublesome point for temporary visitors to the U.S.A. or anybody that works away from home.

Fortunately, there are some solutions to these problems:

• Pay by money order or personal cheque. The basic fundamental reason for all these problems is that the vendor is afraid they won't get paid. Pay them, and everything works out just fine. Money orders are not hard to get. Talk to the post office or a courier to find a mailing method that includes letter tracking and delivery verification, so it doesn't get lost before or after delivery, and allow additional time for cheques to be processed through the banking system.
• Call your credit card company, and get them to attach a temporary, validated alternate shipping address to your credit card. This allows the vendor to AVS-verify the card and ship to an alternate address. You may need to provide the vendor with your credit card's customer service number - see below for why.
• Many international customers can provide the customer service number for their credit card company or bank to the vendor. This allows the vendor to call up the card issuer/bank and manually verify that the billing information on the card is legitimate. They can sometimes also verify that an alternate shipping address is on file, provided you remembered to set it up before placing the order - see above for details.
• If you live in another country and make lots of USA purchases, consider getting a USA credit card from a USA bank. The whole AVS-verification problem then goes away. The requirements for getting such a card will vary from bank to bank and country to country. You will probably want to shop around for a card company that can provide a permanent verified alternate shipping address, if necessary - see above for details.

Some of these options may not be available for some vendors. For example, if a vendor is unwilling to take the time to call your credit company, then they won't be able to verify foreign cards. Fortunately, most DSM vendors are more than willing to take the extra step if you make it possible for them to do so. They really are trying to be nice people, they just don't want to get screwed by the dishonest 1% of their clientele. You wouldn't either, if you were in their position.

For more information , visit this explanation of a fraud ring on John Faughnan's Home Page, this explanation of the AVS system fromQuality Merchandise Brokers and this backgrounder on credit card fraud by Paul Lang, hosted by Internet Scambusters.

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

Mistakes do happen, and most vendors are dedicated to fixing problems quickly. If you're having problems with a part you purchased from a vendor, you need to do the following:

• Understand the problem. Phoning the vendor with complaints like "It doesn't work!" or "It doesn't fit!" is not helpful.
• Examine the parts you bought. Do they look like the right parts? Do they appear like they should fit your car? Do they have the right model numbers? If not, perhaps you got parts for a different car by accident.
• Obtain the receipt for the purchase, so the vendor knows what you're talking about. If you can't find it, write down exactly what you bought (with model numbers, if you can find them).
• As soon as possible, fax or e-mail the vendor a letter containing details of the purchase, a detailed description of the problem, and your contact information.
• Phone the vendor during their normal business hours after sending the fax. Understand that many vendors are extremely busy and it may take time for them to get back to you. Be patient.
• Explain the problem in detail, referring to the fax you sent. Be prepared to re-fax the letter.

Usually by this time the vendor has enough information to figure out what happened and fix it. Options include exchanging the part for another, returning the part for correction, changing the installation method to make the part work, obtaining missing or corrected hardware to allow proper installation, or returning the part for a refund.

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

Complaints about poor service from dealers, shops and speciality vendors are commonplace on the Digest, for the same reason that complaints about problems are commonplace - it is natural for people to write more about the occasional bad thing than the everyday good things that happen to them.

Having said this, some of the smaller DSM specialists are sometimes credited with less-than-stellar customer service. The reasons for this are many, and stem from the fact that these operations are usually consist of 1-3 dedicated DSM racers who sell parts to pay the bills. Please note this is an explanation, not an excuse.

In those cases where you have been treated inconsiderately by a vendor, examine the circumstances. Vendors often take a day or two to return calls - this is not a slight, it is a fact of life. If you called outside of normal business hours, accept that the vendor is doing you a favour by answering and forgive them any percieved rudeness.

In other cases, you are voting with your dollars. If you purchase a part from a vendor that you think is rude, ask yourself why. If it's because of part quality, vendor reputation or price, admit to yourself that you are prepared to pay for these advantages by putting up with less-than-stellar customer service. You can still encourage the vendor to improve their service by pointing out (nicely, mind you) that their business could be made that much better by it.

If you don't buy from the vendor solely because of poor customer service (and not because of price - be honest with yourself) let them know - things start being more important when they affect the bottom line. Don't expect an overnight turnaround, though. You're only one customer - smaller vendors are going crazy trying to keep up with the customers they do have, while larger vendors might be able to afford to ignore you. Be sure to put in your $0.02, though, because if enough customers do so, it will add up fast and make even the largest, busiest vendor think twice.

There are also situations where the vendor was nice prior to a purchase, and not so responsive when problems show up. In these cases, make every effort to work things out with the vendor. Sometimes inevitable circumstances create situations percieved by customers as rude even though nothing of the sort was intended by the vendor. Be patient and accept that it might take some time to resolve problems.

While writing into the Digest with this type of information is not forbidden, it is discouraged. This is because 'bad' behaviour is in the eye of the beholder, and there are usually as any different opinions as there are writers. Reports of poor business practice, incompetence and generally stupid behaviour are encouraged, but please consider that a vendor may simply have been having a bad day before writing about rude behavior.

If you feel that you have been unfairly treated by a vendor - that is, a victim of bad business practice and not just bad manners - be sure to read the next few answers in this file.

The Last Word: Support for DSMs has become virtually nonexistent, even at previously well respected vendors, due to lack of demand. Be prepared for lengthy delays, and discuss availability with the vendor before ordering.

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

If you have been charged for a part but never received it, contact the vendor as soon as possible. Verify the order, the shipping details for the part and the delivery time. Have the vendor locate the shipment via the tracking number, or get the tracking number and shipping company so that you can locate it.

If the order has been delayed, you can either wait for it or cancel your order. If the company has already charged you for the part, cancel your order and have your bank reverse the credit card charges for that order. Situations like these are why you pay by credit card.

Vendors are not supposed to charge you for a part until they have shipped it. If they charged you but did not ship, have them refund your money (immediately, thank you) until they do ship. If they did ship the part but you never got it, contact your credit card company and have them reverse the charges until your order is located.

[Note: the information discussed below defines a 'DSM vendor' as an established legal business that sells parts or services for DSM cars, and not private individuals selling parts or services.]

First, quickly skim though all of the above information (start here), paying particular attention to your responsibilities in the matter. In particular, you should have given the vendor all the relevant information and obtained details of their ordering, shipping and return policies before placing your order. If the vendor has made a mistake because of incorrect or missing information on your part, you can't blame them.

There are several distinct cases where disputes can arise with vendors, such as:

• Cost of parts - shipping (and customs/brokerage fees for foreign customers) will add to order costs. If the actual part prices are different that you were quoted, return the parts and cancel the charges on your credit card.
• Shipping time - delays in material or parts are sometimes unavoidable. Either cancel your order or wait.
• Shipping address - vendors sometimes require that the shipping address be the same as the billing address of your credit card. They do this for protection (theirs AND yours) against the credit card fraud that is prevalent in Internet and telephone sales. You can arrange a temporary, alternate shipping address by calling your credit card company and asking for one.
• Lost shipments - this is between the vendor and the shipping company. If you have been charged for something that never arrived, cancel the charges on your credit card.
• Part fit - in cases where the parts just don't fit, tell the vendor. Often they will refund or replace the part. If they will not, you can still return it.
• Part quality - definitions of 'high quality' parts will vary. If you are unhappy with the construction or finish of your part, sometimes the vendors will repair or replace the parts. If they will not, return it and purchase a different one.
• Part performance - performance on different cars will vary. Vendors cannot be held responsible for any percieved lack of performance on your particular car unless you have objective, unbiased, empirical data that their part does not perform as advertised. If you are unhappy, return the part.
• Part adaptation - if you have purchased a part from a different car to fit onto your DSM, and it doesn't work, that's your own fault. You can't expect the vendor to know if a non-DSM part can be adapted for DSM use.
• Return policies - some vendors charge restocking fees for returned parts, something you should have made yourself aware of before buying. In the cases where the part is incorrect, incomplete, or damaged, sometimes they will waive the fee, but not always.

Every so often, someone will write on a forum / social network complaining of a problem they're having with a dealer. This should be considered a last-resort option when all other (and I mean ALL other) peaceful solutions have been exhausted. A public airing can sometimes result in a resolution, but just as often it results in very bad feelings all around.

Lots of people. Most stereo shops can handle this.

For do-it-yourselfers, Micheal Hamilton has provided the stereo wiring harness colors for a 1G DSM.
Here is an excellent PDF installation document (archived copy of installation document) for 1G DSMs, made available by The Install Doctor website.

2G owners use the service manual radio section. 

Tyler Gibbenhuck has this information to add (edited for presentation):

1. You don't need an installation kit, the new deck bolts in exactly like (either) of the 2 DIN decks did. If you mount the deck in the lower DIN you have a great place to install gauges, or a boost controller (turbo timer), or just a pocket for extra cd's.

2. Get the wiring harness adapter, it saves hours of headache.

3. When running your amp wires, pull off the door scuff panel (4 screws) and lift up the carpet, there's a nice big gap to run the wires in.

4. Pick up some extra pop fastners, you WILL break at least one.

5. Make sure you get someone to help you, although it can be done alone, the job is way easier with two people.

6. If you feel up to it, pull out the passenger seat, it makes life easier, plus you won't have to move it back and forth when you're adjusting things. [Editors note: removing each front seat is simply done by removing four bolts. The rear seat comes out without removing any bolts.]

7. It's not a very hard project, and took me just under 3 hours, save yourself the money, and install everything yourself.

1G DSMers can use Mitsubishi part number MB522082.

2G DSMers can use MR147142.

Each has the required mounting system to fit the corresponding vehicle.Chrysler owners can phone a dealership to get the Chrysler part number. The parts staff should be able to help you. They may now say "What's an Eagle?"

A panel to fit a DIN space is 2" x 7" (52mm x 179mm).

Short answer? : No. You need custom brackets.

The sliders on the Recaros are 15 7/8ths wide from the center of each bolt hole
The 2G sliders are ~17.5" making the 2G sliders farther apart than the Recaros.
As a result the feet on the 2G will not simply swap over to the Recaros.

Short of making brackets yourself, there are very little options on the web, but a lot of aftermarket seat makers suggest Wedge Engineering.

IF HOWEVER, you are 5'11" or taller, you will find that the C frame brackets make the recaros sit too high, even at the lowest mounting point.
In my case, I had the Recaros welded via the sliders right to the main floor frame, thus allowing the whole seat to sit ~.6" lower.

This section only covers Speed Density tuning. If you have great resources for MAF tuning, let us know and we will add it.

Getting started with ECMLink is a LOT easier if you begin with the basics.
http://www.ecmtuning.com/wiki/ecmlink101

This SD assistance assumes you have Wideband, MAP Sensor and IAT sensor.

How to setup your wideband using LINEARWB. (YouTube)
Make sure you have your IAT and MAP sensor logging correctly.

Get ready to tune!

How To Tune a 1G V3 SD ECMLink with no MAF (PDF) (Archive Copy)
Written By Aaron Ruppert AKA Dr Turbo

EMCLink v2 Tuning DSM ECU w/ MAF (Requires ECMLINK forum membership)
http://www.dsmlink.com/forums/attachment.php?s=&postid=513

The basic idea here is to compare the time it takes you to accelerate from 70-90mph to others and their 1/4 mile ET and MPH to get some rough idea what you might expect to be running.

Data compilation courtesy of mtxeclipse

The original factory "shop manual" for DSMs is actually two manuals: a mechanical book and an electrical book. These items are almost always purchased together, so a "shop manual" usually means both books.

Click here for some information on the Chilton's manual, brought to you by Edmunds.  Additionally, both the Haynes and Chilton's manuals for 1G cars are available from Amazon.com, an online bookseller, for roughly $20 each plus shipping. Still another option is the Alldata/Popular Mechanics Automotive Repair CD-ROMs, which include the TSBs. They are available from Alldata for about $25.

It must be noted that opinions on the aftermarket manuals vary - most people recognize that the Haynes manual is superior in some respects, while the Chilton's is better in other areas.

The Last Word: Getting the CD should be fine, as nobody will care now about possible copyright violations on the factory manuals. Notice I said "should".

Speaking of possible copyright violations, if you are looking for service manuals, dig throuh this site: http://www.lilevo.com/mirage/

Forums first and foremost have large range of information.

​Club DSM Canada
DSMTuners
DSMTalk

With that said, they have speculation, trolls and drama.

Here are a list of sites that we have bookmarked over the years and provide valuable information without any of the mess.

#1: Far North Racing

We avoid displaying pictures inside of the answers to help speed up the delivery of content and to reduce bandwidth usage. (We are looking at you mobile phone users)

There are usually links to posts with images as well as we occasionally will host images or PDF/WORD documents containing more detailed images and wording.

There are a few. Jafro and BoostedBeaver have the most DSM content.

Jafromobile

MAJORITY DSM CONTENT 
"I fix things that I enjoy breaking, & for some reason you guys love to watch, so I film it. Each video covers hours of work in minutes. If you're a gear head, watch a few videos & see if you don't feel like subscribing!"

BoostedBeaver

COMPLETE DSM CONTENT 
"The inner workings of a motor fascinate me and I thoroughly enjoy working on my DSM. The reward and sense of accomplishment is overwhelming and can never be replaced. I hope to share the knowledge that I learn throughout my journey and I hope to learn from you in the comments. I have been documenting this process for some time now in a blog format. In case you are interested here is a link to that blog. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dsm-build-journals/427853-1990-eagle-talon-sleeper.html This blog includes hundreds of Pictures, a full engine build, a transmission build and much more. I have decided to try and document this process on video and share it with you here. Lets see just how fast we can make the "Beast" go!!!! While this channel will be based on a 1990 Eagle Talon and the work that I do to it, I am open to any and all comments/suggestions and thanks for taking the time to view my channel."

TurboTomsGarage

LIMITED DSM CONTENT 
"I'm Tom and my channel is all about the love of cars. Whether it's taking on a DIY project, bolting on some more horsepower, racing or just having some fun in the garage, you'll find it all here. As you'll see, I love all sorts of cars, but especially turbocharged ones. Thanks for visiting!"

VelocityLabs  

LIMITED DSM CONTENT 
"Your place for all things cars. New videos every month! Custom rides, mods, racing and more. Want to know how to change injectors on a specifc car? Repair an oil leak? Put a turbo on your daily driver? If you have something you'd like to see, let us know in the comments!   Velocity Labs is free and will always be free! If you want to help support us, the best thing you can do is share our videos and subscribe to our channel! We also have some tshirts and stickers if you want to sport some Velocity Labs clothing, but sharing our videos helps us the most"

1G Manuals

1G DSM Technical Manual

1990 - 1994 Eagle Talon Parts Catalogue

2G Manuals

2G DSM Technical manual 2G TM
2G Engine/Chassis/Body 95-96ECB 97-99ECB
2G Electrical 95-96EL 97-99EL

1995 - 1996 Eagle Talon Parts Catalogue

1997 - 1998 Eagle Talon Parts Catalogue

• 37 lbs - Spare tire, spare tire cover, any tools, jack
• 6 lbs - Removable Carpets
• 15 lbs - Full Carpet
• 50 lbs - Seat Belt Equip. (add Harness)
• 26 lbs - switch to Odyssey battery
• 70 lbs - Remove the front and back bumper 
• 72 lbs - Switch to lightweight racing seats
• 30lbs -  Rear seats
• 35lb - AC
• 3 lbs - Charcoal canister
• 6 lbs - Cruise
• 10 lbs - Manual Steering
• 15 lbs - Stereo

Total: 375 lbs removed.

Conventional wisdom is that for every 100 pounds you remove from your ride, you shave 1/10th of a second off your ¼ mile E.T.  That 12.1 just became and 11.8 

Yes. There is no damage by not running the belt.

If you want, remove your whole AC system to lighten your DSM, you can shave off 35lbs.