Mitsubishi3000GT19983.0L/mitsubishi/3000gt/1998/3-0l/

1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 1998 3000GT 3.0L. Covers both the standard and High Output 3.0L.

Engine 3.0LTransmission Automatic 4-spd

The 1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT 3.0L runs a 3.0-liter engine with a four-speed automatic transmission, calls for 4.9 quarts of 20W-40, 10W-30, or 5W-30 API oil, and carries EPA ratings of 16 city/21 highway/18 combined mpg. In the broader 1991–2002 complaint history, the 1998 model sits near the reliable end of the spectrum with just 15 owner complaints and one recall, and seat belts represent its most frequently reported problem area. That total is far below the 117 complaints recorded for the 1992 model year but higher than the single complaint logged for 2001, positioning 1998 as a relatively quiet year rather than the cleanest in the run.

Model year199919981997199619951994199319921991

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity4.9 qtOEM · verified
Engine oil type20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 APIOEM · verified
Lug nut torque87-101 ft-lbsOEM · verified
EPA fuel economy16/21/18 mpgEPA · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 25 · 520 CCA battery, OE oil filter MD352626. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 25 · 520 CCAOEM · verified
Tail / brake / turnOFFOEM · verified
Tire size245-45VR17OEM · verified
Wheel / rim8.5-JJ inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filterMD352626
Engine air filterMR571471
Fuel filterMB658136
Spark plugMS851237 alt MS851336
Front wiper bladesMR361327 alt MR361328
Serpentine beltMD172376 alt MZ690263
Thermostat1305A603 alt MD974046

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Engine & drivetrain NHTSA vPIC

TransmissionAutomatic 4-spd

Ratings & economy EPA / vPIC

EPA city / highway / combined16 / 21 / 18 mpg
DrivetrainFront-Wheel Drive
Recommended fuelRegular Gasoline

Performance & power Independent road tests

0–60 mph, quarter-mile, horsepower and torque from independent road tests.

No 1998 road test on record; the results below are same-engine tests from nearby model years, each shown under its own year.

4.8–5.8 sec0–60 mph (tested)quickest 4.80 sec — 1997 VR-4 Coupe
YearTrim / engine0–60¼ mileHPDrivetrain
1997VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V64.80 sec13.60 sec320 hpAWD
1996VR-4 Spyder 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.40 sec14.00 sec320 hpAWD
1996VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.70 sec14.30 sec320 hpAWD
1996VR-4 Spyder 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.80 sec14.40 sec320 hpAWD
1995VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.40 sec13.50 sec320 hpAWD
1994VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V64.90 sec13.50 sec320 hpAWD
1993VR-4 Coupe 3.0L Twin-Turbo V65.60 sec14.10 sec300 hpAWD

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 4.9 qt of 20W-40 / 10W-30 / 5W-30 API engine oil, 85W-90 · 80W-90 in the differential, DOT 3 · DOT 4 brake fluid. Torque lug nuts to 87-101 ft-lbs, the oil drain plug to 29.0 ft-lbs. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6.

Lubricants & capacities

Brake FluidDOT 3 · DOT 4
Differential Gear Oil85W-90 · 80W-90
Differential Gear Oil Capacity2.3 Pints
Engine CoolantETHYLENE GLYCOL
Engine Oil20W-40 · API · 10W-30 · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.9 qt
Engine Oil10W-30 · API · 5W-30
Engine Oil Capacity4.5 qt

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts130-137 ft-lbs
Engine Flywheel Bolts54 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts14 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts13 ft-lbs
Main BearingsTurbo: 67 ft-lbs; Non-Turbo: 54 ft-lbs
Engine Oil Pan Drain Plug29.0 ft-lbs
Oil Pump to Cylinder BLock Bolts/Studs10 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Lug Nuts87-101 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub166 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub166 ft-lbs
Front Wheel Hub166 ft-lbs
Rear Wheel Hub203 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm
Ignition Coil Primary Resistance.67-.81 DOHC ohms
Ignition Coil Secondary Resistance11,300-15,300 ohms
Spark Plug Gap0.039-0.0.043 in
Spark Plug Torque15.0-21.0 ft-lbs
Ignition Timing5, Not adjustable degrees

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Refrigerant Capacity1.63-1.75 lbs
Oil GroupPAG
Oil Type56
Oil Capacity4.73-7.00 oz
Standard BCI Group Number25
Standard BCI Cranking Performance520 cca

Service checks

Pressure Test23 psi
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief11-15 psi
Engine Compression127-171 psi
Engine Oil Pressure11.4 psi
Engine Oil Pressure RPMIdle rpm
Intake Valve LashHydraulic in
Exhaust Valve LashHydraulic in

Brakes

Torque Caliper to Bracket20 ft-lbs / 65 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle40 ft-lbs / 87-101 ft-lbs
Torque to Knuckle65 ft-lbs / 40 ft-lbs
Torque Caliper to Bracket32 ft-lbs
Minimum Pad ThicknessFront: 0.080; Rear: 0.080 in
Rotor Runout Limit0.0024 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From0.945 in / 0.709 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To0.945 in / 0.709 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Connecting Rod (Large End) Bearings — tightening sequence 1 stages
125 ft. lbs., Step 2: 9025 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
180 ft. lbs.80 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely.
380 ft. lbs.80 ft. lbs
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
180 ft. lbs.80 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely.
380
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 3 stages
191 ft. lbs.91 ft. lbs
2Loosen all bolts completely.
391
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts — tightening sequence 1 stages
136 ft. lbs., step 2: loosen-step 3: 2236 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 7,500 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant every 30,000 mi. The big-interval services (every 30,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 7,500 miBrake Hydraulic System (inspect fluid level) · Clutch Master Cylinder (inspect fluid level) · Engine Oil (drain & refill) · Power Steering System (inspect)
Every 10,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace)
Every 15,000 miAxle Shaft Oil Seal (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · CV Joint Boot (inspect)
Every 30,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Brake System (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill) · Exhaust System (Complete) (inspect) · Fuel Line (inspect)
Every 60,000 miBalance Shaft Drive Belt (replace) · Distributor Cap (inspect) · Distributor Rotor (inspect) · Fuel Evaporative Emission Control System (inspect) · Fuel System (inspect) · Spark Plug Wires (replace)
Every 100,000 miTiming Belt (replace)

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 1998 model logged 15 complaints, a sharp decline from the 117 complaints in 1992 and the 75 in 1994, continuing a downward trend that fell to 12 complaints in 1999 and just 1 each in 2001‑2002. Recalls followed a similar arc, peaking at five in 1991 then stabilizing at one per year from 1995 through 1998, rising to two in 1999 before dropping to none in 2001‑2002. Investigations remained steady at one per year from 1994 onward (including 1998), while TSBs decreased from the 38‑40 range in 1995‑1997 to 26 in 1998 and further to 22‑19 in 1999‑2002. The top complaint areas for 1998 were Seat Belts (3), Wheels (3), Power Train (2) and Air Bags (1), with zero crash or fire complaints recorded. Given the low complaint and recall counts and the absence of crash/fire issues, the 1998 Mitsubishi 3000GT represents a comparatively favorable year to consider for a used purchase.

1
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
26
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
1
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
15
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 0 a fire
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 15 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Seat Belts3
Wheels3
Power Train2
Air Bags1
Electrical System1
Engine & Engine Cooling,Wheels1
Service Brakes, Hydraulic1
Suspension1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

Showing 1 of 1 campaigns on record for this vehicle.

02V143001Power Train:Transfer Case (4-Wheel Drive)Reported 14/05/2002

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A CONDITION EXISTS THAT ALLOWS OIL TO LEAK FROM THE ALL-WHEEL DRIVE TRANSFER CASE. Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSFER CASE FOR INDICATIONS OF OIL LEAKAGE OR DAMAGE. VEHICLES THAT HAVE OIL LEAKAGE WILL HAVE THE TRANSFER CASE RESEALED AND RE-FILL THE TRANSFER CASE…

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 26 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
TSB-22-54-0032022-04-07Exterior LightingThis Technical Service Bulletin was sent to dealers to explain the difference between…
TT2532019-11-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TSB-19-00-0082019-07-30EquipmentThis is a Technical Service Bulletin sent to dealers. This bulletin supersedes…
TT2372018-02-26EquipmentThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.
TT2182015-08-28Engine And Engine CoolingThis is a service newsletter (Tech Talk) that was sent out to dealers.

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific 3000GT. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 1998 3000GT 3.0L take?

4.9 qt of ABOVE 32 degrees F: 20W-40 API, ABOVE -10 degrees F: 10W-30 API, BELOW 60 degrees F 5W-30 API, per the factory manual.

Does the 1998 3000GT have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.

What gas mileage does the 3.0L get?

EPA figures are 16 city / 21 highway / 18 combined mpg.