Seeking advice from experienced 91-95 Diablo Owners

I am looking to purchase my first Diablo. Should I focus on a 91-93 Diablo or a 94-95 Diablo as they are going for roughly the same price. Any of you experienced guys out there would be helpful. I am ready to put some good miles on the car (10,000 miles year). Any info would be greatly appreciated. Cheers!

 

I am looking to do the same thing. However I dont think you are right about the prices being the same. The 91-93 are usually closer to 100k while the 94-95 are more around 120 from what I have seen. If you plan on driving a lot, the 91-93 have no power steering and are RWD so there less stuff to break from my research so that is what I plan to go with. If you get a well serviced car, then you should be good to go either way but I think the earlier models will be a little bit cheaper maintenance wise.

From what I understand on the earlier Diablos you want to make sure the engine has gone through the upgrade on the timing chain tenssioners. Another thing is the upgrade to the cltuch rod, it is not a question of if it will break but when will it break. Sincerely Vic

From what I understand on the earlier Diablos you want to make sure the engine has gone through the upgrade on the timing chain tenssioners. Another thing is the upgrade to the cltuch rod, it is not a question of if it will break but when will it break. Sincerely Vic

 

 

What is a cltuch rod?

What is a cltuch rod?

 

just a typo sorry: Clutch Rod

My vote is 94-95. Better cars IMO

Dear Lamborghinisti,

 

On paper the early Diablo's seem more reliable. I always had my heart on one. Becides the usual suspects, one problem that is not mentioned often about the 91-93 is premature crank bearing wear.

 

On many postings, I've found this problem cropping up on cars with only 9k. The remedy is an engine teardown in the 15k-20k range. I knew a early diablo owner Frank Lipinski (FL355)who went through this. He did a full engine redo at $20k because of this. He had to go with some aftermarket racing bearing because the replacement factory bearings were of poor quality. The shop that did the work is some guy named Johnney in south FL linked to the south florida toys.

 

I have a VT roadster....which has it's own issues.

 

If you use the car everyday, the VT system will be an asset. I personally hate the feel of it but, in heavy FL. rains, the car is fantastic. It's so stable and secure. I can actually pull off at a traffic light quite fast with no fishtailing in heavy standing water rain.

 

Do you have a more specific year area you're looking for? I did a lot of reading and may be able to help.

 

 

Shamile

Why the 94-95 better in your opinion Mike? Can anyone post up how many miles and what service they have done on their cars for example..... "I have put 22K miles on my car and have replaced the clutch, and tires"

 

Thanks For the Info Guys...

 

I have a 91 diablo. Rod bearings went out and had to rebuild motor. I am not sure why this happened, but there are theorys as to why this happened on some early cars. On the original repair manuals they showed to hook up the oil lines reversed from how they were supposed to be. Remove the motor for a clutch change and put it back in hooking up oil lines according to the old book and bang, the rod bearings go. The later books show it correctly. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, the early cars are super simple to work on. No ABS or the associated computer, no power steering, no airbags and associated electronics and no Leaky shock lift system. The clutch rod only breaks on later cars, not on early cars. Because of the lack of 4wd and all of the other parts the car is a lot lighter and subsequently faster. I rebuilt my car at home and although complicated not impossible. As far as buying any car make sure it's healthy. Young or old it has the potential to be a big hunk of shit. Don't be scared to walk away from a deal.

.... No ABS or the associated computer, no power steering, no airbags and associated electronics and no Leaky shock lift system...

 

Little refinement of the above:

 

ABS intro'd on 98s, ditto with airbags. Lift system first out in 96 (roadsters only) and not until 98 on coupes (SV).

 

That leaves power steering, that's not that complicated to be a concern on 94/95 models.

 

I owned a 94VT for 7 years (from new), I thought it was an excellent car (had a few gremlins from time to time but easily sorted out).

 

I agree Shamile and rain driving, the VT makes it very easy to go fast in the rain.

 

-J

 

Early Diablos are Raw and less refined. Less stuff to clutter the ride. Less stuff to think about. Just pure driving excitement.

 

Oh, and they have the beautiful dash pod. Eventhough most dont like it, I dont mind the pod.

 

 

488civiper

The 94-95 cars are more refined. True they have more electronics, not an issue really. First in the engine, the chain tensioners where redesigned starting in 94. Completely different then early cars. power steering was added. As far as electronics they added a GFA module, which is like a body control module also got the electronically control shocks. Some changes were made to the climate control, mostly relocateing some of the componets. The dash pod was redsigned. Of coarse the VT.

Problems we have seen with these cars have been mostly VT related. We have converted many back to 2wd. Another change was better brakes.

 

There is nothing wrong with the earlier cars once sorted out. The problem is if you buy lets say a 91 with no service records plan on having to put some money in it. Here are some common things we see and are doing to early Diablos.

1st are chain tensioner update/upgrade. Along with this all the guides and related valve train. Head gaskets seeping are another issue. Mainly due to age and not changing antifreeze. Of coarse if you do all the tensioners, the heads come off anyway.

There have been some lower end problems but I feel its due to a rough history and not so much a "design" problem.

Some of the early cars also experienced problems shearing the pinion shaft. There are many owners of both early and later cars here on the forum. I would talk with both. I only work on them

Little refinement of the above:

 

ABS intro'd on 98s, ditto with airbags.

 

 

Air bags intro'd on later 97s.

As always.. Mike has great info to add to the discussion!

Can you tell if the chain tensioners have been updated without documentation? I know of a guy selling an early model Diablo and said the chain tensioners were updated, and that you can tell that by driving it....does that sound right?

You can't tell by driving it. You can remove the front timing covers and see the tensioners.

Mike,

Without price being an option would you go 91-93 diablo or 94-95 Diablo vt??

I would go 94-95.

I have a 91 diablo. Rod bearings went out and had to rebuild motor. I am not sure why this happened, but there are theorys as to why this happened on some early cars. On the original repair manuals they showed to hook up the oil lines reversed from how they were supposed to be. Remove the motor for a clutch change and put it back in hooking up oil lines according to the old book and bang, the rod bearings go. The later books show it correctly. If you are a do-it-yourselfer, the early cars are super simple to work on. No ABS or the associated computer, no power steering, no airbags and associated electronics and no Leaky shock lift system. The clutch rod only breaks on later cars, not on early cars. Because of the lack of 4wd and all of the other parts the car is a lot lighter and subsequently faster. I rebuilt my car at home and although complicated not impossible. As far as buying any car make sure it's healthy. Young or old it has the potential to be a big hunk of shit. Don't be scared to walk away from a deal.

 

I know what happened, the pipes from engine to oilfilter/cooler was switch. read my storry Diablo 19-94. 8 SEP 2007