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Mitsubishi 6G72 engine factory workshop and repair manual download

Ordered, theory-driven procedure for repairing a damaged suspension strut tower (front) on a Mitsubishi 6G72 vehicle. No fluff — each step says what to do and why it fixes the fault.

Safety (brief)
- Support vehicle securely on jack stands; block wheels. Disconnect battery. Remove anything flammable from the engine bay and keep fire extinguisher handy. Welding in the engine bay can damage wiring, sensors, airbags and fuel lines — protect or remove them.

1) Diagnose and define the failure
- What to look for: visible cracks in the tower flange or ring, rust-through, torn top-mount studs, deformation from impact, or separation at seam welds. Symptoms include steering wander, uneven tire wear, clunks over bumps, knocking from top of strut, rapid camber change.
- Theory: the strut tower is a structural load path that carries vertical spring/damper loads, lateral loads from cornering, and steering/braking loads into the body. Any crack/slot/loosened stud interrupts that load path and allows movement, altering geometry and causing noise and accelerated wear.

2) Remove load and assemblies that would interfere or be damaged
- Remove strut assembly (spring compressed off vehicle), top-mount bearing, and related components so the tower is unloaded and the strut mount bearing isn’t damaged by heat.
- Remove engine bay trim, wiring harness clips, brake lines, etc., that are on or near the tower and would be damaged by grinding/welding.
- Theory: welding/grinding heats the metal and can burn out bearings, threads, wiring, and deform thin sheet metal. Removing the strut and protecting nearby components prevents collateral damage and allows accurate repair.

3) Decide repair method based on failure mode
- Small crack in flange or ring: weld and stitch-reinforce.
- Corrosion hole or badly thinned metal: cut out bad metal and plug with a welded patch or install a doublers/repair panel.
- Stripped/stretched stud threads: repair with helicoil/insert or weld new stud / rivet nut depending on access.
- Severely distorted/impacted tower: replace the strut tower assembly or entire front apron panel with OEM replacement — structural alignment is critical and replacement is often safest.
- Theory: the repair must restore the original stiffness, continuity of metal, and the ability to clamp the top mount so preload and geometry are retained. Small welds only restore continuity; patches/doublers restore section modulus and fatigue life; full panel replacement restores original geometry and factory-strength joints.

4) Prepare the area correctly
- Clean to bare metal around the defect (grind paint/rust/underseal). Remove corrosion until solid metal, extend cut-out to sound metal.
- Prepare mating faces for welding; make slightly larger openings for plug welds if using patches.
- Drill small access holes to allow plug welds or backing as needed.
- Theory: clean metal is necessary for sound welds; patches must be full-contact and have proper weld penetration to carry shear/compression loads. Worn/thin metal must be removed so welds are not just to flaky rusted material.

5) Reinforcement and backing
- For welded cracks: provide backing or a steel backing plate on the underside or inside the tower. Use a doubler plate (ring or washer-shaped) around the spring seat area if the tower sheet is thin.
- For holes: make an internal support plate or gusset that ties the patch into surrounding structure; plug-weld through holes so the load path transfers through the reinforcement to the surrounding structure.
- Theory: the tower flange is thin and subject to fatigue. A doubler increases thickness and distributes loads over a larger area, reducing stress concentration at the repair and preventing re-cracking. Backing ensures full weld penetration without burn-through.

6) Welding technique (how to weld without ruining the structure)
- Use MIG/ER70S filler or appropriate process. Keep welds short and intermittent (stitch welding): small welds (10–25 mm) spaced with cooling intervals to prevent warpage. Sequence welds around the tower to balance heat.
- For thin sheet, use plug welds or stitch welds rather than long continuous seams. Avoid overheating the tower; cool with air between passes.
- After welding, grind only as needed — excessive grinding weakens the weld.
- Theory: thin welded panels distort with heat and shrinkage; stitch welding and balanced sequences preserve geometry. Plug welds recreate factory spot welds and maintain joint stiffness.

7) Repairing studs/threads and top-mount fastening
- If studs are snapped or holes elongated, options:
- Drill out and install a helicoil or threaded insert matched to original stud size.
- Install a rivet-nut (nutsert) from engine-bay side if access and thickness allow.
- Weld-in new studs using proper backing and weld technique (only if surrounding metal thickness and accessibility permit).
- Replace the top mount bearing and hardware (bushing) when reassembling.
- Torque the top nuts to factory specification and use new nuts/lock washers or thread locker as required.
- Theory: the top nut must clamp the strut mount firmly to prevent relative motion between mount and tower. Restoring proper threaded engagement restores clamp load and eliminates the loose joint that caused noise and geometry change.

8) Corrosion protection, sealing, and finishing
- Apply epoxy primer to welds, seam sealer where seams were opened, and topcoat. Underbody coating or wax penetrate can be applied on underside. Reinstall sound-deadening/insulation panels.
- Theory: preventing future corrosion is essential because rust was likely a root cause. Proper sealing restores a long service life and prevents moisture ingress that would re-initiate failure.

9) Reassembly and geometry verification
- Reinstall strut assembly and torque all fasteners to factory specs. Replace worn strut mounts/bearings as needed.
- Perform a professional wheel alignment (camber/caster/toe). Road test and check for abnormal noises or steering behavior.
- Theory: even a perfectly repaired tower can leave the suspension geometry changed from the damage period. Alignment restores correct tire contact patch and handling. Road test verifies that the restored load path is working under dynamic conditions.

10) Why this repair actually fixes the fault (summary of theory)
- Restoring continuous metal and welding cracks returns the structural load path so vertical and lateral forces flow through the tower into the body instead of through a crack or loose joint.
- Reinforcement (doublers, backing plates) restores section modulus and reduces local stress concentrations and fatigue risk.
- Properly repaired/stud-replaced threads restore clamp preload so the top mount cannot move; that eliminates play that causes noise and changes geometry.
- Corrosion protection prevents recurrence of the original failure mechanism (rust causes thinning and loss of strength).
- Proper welding technique and sequencing prevent warpage so the repaired tower keeps its original geometry; alignment confirms correct suspension geometry.

Practical notes (concise)
- If the tower has extensive corrosion through multiple layers or the inner structure is compromised, OEM panel replacement is the recommended structural fix — repairs can be temporary if the inner load path is damaged.
- After any strut tower repair expect to do an alignment and inspect adjacent components (control arm bushings, tie rods, ball joints) because those components may have worn from altered geometry during the fault.
- Use factory torque specs and replacement fasteners for safety-critical joints.

That is the ordered procedure with the underlying structural theory and how each action restores the load path, stiffness, clamp force, and corrosion resistance so the strut tower performs correctly again.
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