Hard starting... & more

[39Ronin]

It is what they are supposed to do within reason, recent temps wouldn't justify clicking on and off that many times or for that long. This was the begining of the end on my Glowplug ECU. PM if you want me to explain how to wire a momentary switch to activate your glowplugs.

[sean]

My deli rides again! As I was preparing to change the fuel filter I noticed that an electrical wire that runs from the top of the injection pump to a conduit at the battery was no longer connected. I thought that to be strange so I reconnected using a new coupler. My battery was still dead so the next day we pushed it out of the driveway and boosted it. Instant start, no RPM reduction. I am guessing that the wire in the picture that has the blue coupler was a power one. I wasn't getting any lift.

I did not get the new fuel filter installed but will tackle that next. It is so awkward with the 6 port veg valve in the way. I think I might have stripped the little screw in the top of the filter. So I should take it out before I do the filter change. Thanks for all the input. Every problem builds our knowledge base of our wonderful Delicas.

SEan

[DelicaMark]

I have given up on figuring this out on my own....booked some time with MardyDelica and his mechanic this Saturday. I am getting the Delica Package...Injection pump timing, injector cleaning and valve clearance check/adjustment. Sounds like my problem will be fixed up by this. Fingers crossed!

-Mark

[ccautos]

Couple of things jump to mind after reading this thread . 1) Adjust valve clearances 2) Glow plug temp sender . These vans really idle poorly when the valves are out of adjustment and the glow plug circuit works but inefficiently when the temp sender in the front of the head is reading incorrect . One common misunderstanding is that even though the idle feels rough it may just be poor engine mounts that are transferring vibration through to the body . A lot of people increase the base idle to 900-1000rpm to hide the idle vibration but if the engine mounts are replaced the vibration is gone .

[DelicaMark]

Okay I "solved" my starting problem. I finally decided that it must have been something that "broke" as my starting issues began the first time I left the van over night at Mt. Washington. From that point on it was a problem to start. With that in mind I focused in on an air leak in the fuel system because I could totally see something cracking (fuel filter seals, fuel lines etc) in the cold temperatures. Keep in mind this was the first time the van saw any really cold temperatures so something cracking is possible.

So I did a bunch of testing last night with disconneting fuel lines at different spots and seeing what happened. I/we finally decided to disconnect the fuel line from the fuel tank to the filter at the filter point and leave it over night. The theory being that if the fuel has no place to go (back into the fuel tank) then there should be fuel in the filter and fuel line going to the injection pump and thus start in the morning. I confirmed that the engine would start with the amount of fuel that was left in the filter and lines.

Started up no problem this morning (under the same conditions over the past few weeks the van would have significant troubles starting). Now I just have to figure out where the air leak is and fix it. I suspect the fuel filter area as that is the high point in the system. I understand that the primer pump has an o-ring that can fail after 15years. It could be the fule line too. I likely will just replace everything that I can and that will likely fix things.


-Delica "I Finally Found It" Mark

[PolyTek]

Just a little update here. I did have my valve clearance adjusted at HVI before I started driving my van in the first place, so that shouldn't be a factor. I have not checked the injection pump timing or had the injectors serviced.

I have run a bottle of diesel injector cleaner though the systems, and have been adding Racor biocide and a lubricity additive.

I have had nothing but perfect starts since my last post, even in -3*C temp after letting the van sit for 12-14 hrs. When it's around freezing, I cyle the glow plugs twice, just for good measure. The engine catches very quickly and I bring the RPMs up to 1750-2000 until I hear the glow plugs stop cycling, which usually takes 30 seconds or so, then away I go. I have not experienced the lack of power on acceleration for some time either.

Everything seems A-OK for the moment.

D

[DelicaMark]

Check out this http://www.delica.ca/forum/hard-startin ... -1850.html post for my results from the Delica Tune.

-Mark

[PolyTek]

It's been a long time since posting on this topic, and I thought I would update. In early August, I took the Delica for its first long road-trip: Vancouver to Scotch Creek, east of Kamloops. The idea was to give it a workout before taking it for a surf trip to Westport, WA. All went well.

Before leaving for the Westport trip, I took it in to Crown Tech in North Van for a once-over as the rough starting had returned, along with a ticking sound that I thought might be an exhaust leak. Crown Tech had the ECU serviced, and the starting seemed to be much better. Couldn't find a source of the ticking, which came and went.

So off to Westport. With the wife driving the Delica, and me following behind in my friends car, there is a cloud of black smoke and a call on the radio that says "lost power". We pull over, and call for a tow. It's not firing on all cylinders. I suspect a timing issue, but its running.

We complete the trip in a rented car. Turns out that the rocker shaft broke. Friendly import shop in Everett sourced the part with help from Brian at Crown Tech. Valves were way out of adjustment, probably because of the failing rocker shaft.

Which leaves me starting OK, but now I'm experiencing black smoke under load, ie. upshifting. Also noticeing what looks like fuel leakage. Gotta get through Aircare in January...