Back from the (mostly) dead. Avec la questions.

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:10 pm

Hey folks. I know I wasn't terribly active on here, only made it to one Vic meet, and my ride is still up for sale on the Trader page.

Plans change. Boba and I had some great times together, and I'm not quite ready to part with him just yet. I got some good news the other day, and will be coming into more than enough filthy lucre to fix the old boy up. (For those who don't know, I cracked the head of my 300 after a thermostat malfunction.)

Anyway, the good folks at Coombs will soon have my mug darkening their doorstep with my van again, and then I'm thinking about trading up to a 400.

I have a couple of questions if you guys have time to answer them:

1) If I go with a 400 it'll probably have to be the V6 gasser for towing. I'm torn between Gen I and Gen II. Are there any substantial changes in the 2nd Gen?

2) Is there a significant difference in towing ability between the L400 gas and diesel? What about mileage?

3) Are there aftermarket bush bars for the 400 Gen II?

I've been Googling and searching this site for the answers, but I've come up with nada so far, other than a little technical info on the changes to the Gen II. I'll admit, I didn't fully understand the scope of the changes.

glenn · Post by **glenn** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 9:42 pm

The changes are mostly aesthetic. Gassers are going for about 1/2 the price of diesels at auction. The importable series 2's in diesel are going for a premium at the moment - but the importable series 2 gassers are still going for a steal at times. I like the chamonix

If you haven't stumbled on this thread:
http://www.delica.ca/forum/diesel-versu ... 64-15.html

This one was a 4b - only 66000 kms, sold for 90 000Y (like $1200) There are many such examples.

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Thu Sep 06, 2012 10:24 pm

Many thanks Glenn. It's good to see the difference.

Looks like I'm leaning toward the gas. I like the look of the 2nd gen, but without a good bushbar, it just seems so...minivan.

glenn · Post by **glenn** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 6:36 am

I agree, but nothing like a nice pair of boots to improve things. The bush bars were were dumped due to changing regulations. Pedestrian safety. Even 1998 L300s lost their bush bars.

Post by **nxski** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 8:06 am

Take one of those last 2 and put a mean bullbar on there and I'd bet that would look awesome!

tonydca · Post by **tonydca** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:33 am

Elbrad wrote:Hey folks. I know I wasn't terribly active on here, only made it to one Vic meet, and my ride is still up for sale on the Trader page.

Plans change. Boba and I had some great times together, and I'm not quite ready to part with him just yet. I got some good news the other day, and will be coming into more than enough filthy lucre to fix the old boy up. (For those who don't know, I cracked the head of my 300 after a thermostat malfunction.)

Anyway, the good folks at Coombs will soon have my mug darkening their doorstep with my van again, and then I'm thinking about trading up to a 400.

I have a couple of questions if you guys have time to answer them:

1) If I go with a 400 it'll probably have to be the V6 gasser for towing. I'm torn between Gen I and Gen II. Are there any substantial changes in the 2nd Gen?

2) Is there a significant difference in towing ability between the L400 gas and diesel? What about mileage?

3) Are there aftermarket bush bars for the 400 Gen II?

I've been Googling and searching this site for the answers, but I've come up with nada so far, other than a little technical info on the changes to the Gen II. I'll admit, I didn't fully understand the scope of the changes.

Not sure how much you are planning to tow; the diesel makes its grunt a lot lower on the ol' rev curve (from Wikipedia):

(Gas)
The Mitsubishi models were with a 3.0 Litre 6G72 engine SOHC 24-valve developing 195 hp (145 kW) at 5000 rpm and 205 lb·ft (278 N·m) of torque at 4000 rpm
(Don't know if there's a difference between Gen I and II)

(Diesel Gen I)
Power — 92 kW (125 PS) at 4000 rpm
Torque — 294 N·m (217 lb·ft) at 2000 rpm

(Diesel Gen II)
Power — 121 kW (165 PS) at 4000 rpm
Torque — 351 N·m (259 lb·ft) at 2000-3000 rpm

As far as I know the transmission is the same for all models, so there might be a benefit to running the smaller diesel powerplant (if the transmission is overbuilt for it).

Rumour has it also that the V6 gasser is a bit of a pig for mileage. I'm getting around 12L/100kms average on my diesel. And FWIW, I have been very happy with the (lack of) mechanical issues with the engine once I got it running right - knock on wood. Can't speak to the gas version.

I too have searched hi and low for "official" towing ratings for the L400 without success. There seems to be a general consensus of around 75% of GVW which is around 3700lbs, but I've read UK postings of guys who have towed another entire van on a trailer - upwards of 6000 lbs, so YMMV.

Anyways; good luck with your search. Keep us informed if you dig up any towing info; I'd love to know what you find out.

Cheers,

Tony.

PS: In case you weren't already aware, E&H Hitch seem to be the go-to place to get a hitch put on for a Delica in the Lower Mainland.

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 9:56 am

Tony,

Thanks for the info, I'll be pulling a small travel trailer or a tent trailer. With my daughter showing her goats, we'll be overnighting at a few fairs next year.

I just figured that running a 6 banger gas would be easier on the engine/drivetrain than trying to tow with a 4 cyl diesel. A little more power means a little less work. I'll be honest, I don't know much about diesels...so I have a lot to learn before I dive in this time.

Thanks for the tip on the hitch, but I'm just a little south of Coombs in Nanaimo.

Post by **nxski** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:05 am

Being a 4 cyl doesn't really mean too much, after all the city busses are 4 cyl pulling lots of weight around town.

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:26 pm

Agreed, it depends on the cc's of the cyl's.

I was under the impression (perhaps wrongly) that the gasser would be better at towing, whereas the diesel would have more torque...?

Post by **nxski** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 12:34 pm

I'd think that gas would be better at highway speeds and the diesel better for slow hills and getting you off the line. If the trailers heavy you'd also probably be more likely to overheat the diesel.

tonydca · Post by **tonydca** » Fri Sep 07, 2012 10:08 pm

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... torque.htm

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 3:29 pm

tonydca wrote:http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-part ... torque.htm

A great read...and it has me rethinking diesel...

Why can't decisions be easy?

mac_stang · Post by **mac_stang** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 5:47 pm

Diesels were made to tow, you want torque for towing. I've never seen a gas vehicle built to tow. I've pulled some large amounts of weight with my l400, it does a great job of it.

Brad.

Elbrad · Post by **Elbrad** » Sat Sep 08, 2012 6:00 pm

Well, I have to believe you. No man named Brad would dare mislead another of his kind.

Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Back from the (mostly) dead. Avec la questions.

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