Engine Braking

[bobenns]

Hi all,

Finally got my Delica on the road this past week. Had a few delays with life and work getting in the way but got it inspected and plated last Wednesday. Passed inspection without a hitch as I had done the front brakes, replaced headlights and tires and added lights as required.

Fuel leaks are completely gone now. After fixing the main seal on the pump I still had a small drip or two from underneath the pump so I added a can of seal softener (Bearing Seal) to the fuel and it stopped leaking as soon as I drove it. Man I wish I had known about that little trick before I pulled the pump apart. I'm using an additive now with the fuel to keep the seals from getting hard again.

Because I didn't have full instructions the first time I took the top off the pump, I found I needed to remove the rich/lean adjustment screw on the back of the pump in order to get the top back on. Later I found the post from Bosnia where the guy describes using a piece of string to hold the lever while you put the top back on. So as a result of my meddling with the screw, I lost the factory setting on the adjustment and found that I was blowing a lot of black smoke when I first drove it last week, especially starting off in low (poor f*#kers behind me). I have had to slowly turn it out in small increments day by day to try to find the best point between power and smoke. I counted the turns when I removed it, but that is just an estimate when putting it back. Good advice has already been given on messing with this adjustment. Don't!

So, not having driven these vehicles much other than bringing this one from the coast to Kelowna I am now wondering about engine braking. My Deli seems to like to speed up going down hill regardless of the gear I'm in. We have a lot of steep hills around here and this van just loves to rev up and speed up going down hill. It's like there is no engine braking at all. Like it wants to go downhill. It's not so bad on most highways as the grades are reasonable and I just kick it out of overdrive and use the brakes a little to control it. But on logging roads it just takes off down hill and I have to constantly brake hard.

Yesterday I took some visitors from Korea up to see the newly re-opened trestles at Myra Canyon. I must say they did a marvelous job rebuilding those trestles after the fire.

Going up was great. I took the opportunity to try out 4 wheel drive in high range and it pulled very nicely for such a small motor in a big vehicle. I was impressed. Then we walked 7 km on the railway...

Coming down was a different story. Seems like no resistance from the engine, even in 2nd gear. I geared down, the motor just turned faster, 50, 60, 70 kph. I put it in 4low, it just wanted to speed up even in 2nd gear. My experience with diesels is that they brake pretty good. I had to use the brakes the whole way down, by the time we got to the bottom the brakes were very hot indeed, quite a bad smell coming from them. I didn't jam it down to first gear at any time though. I expected 2nd gear in 4low to have some effect. The motor just seemed to be willing to speed up to 3500 or so as soon as I started down a grade. Gear down and the motor just jumps willingly to higher RPMs, little or no braking effect. Too fast for me.

I have driven that road many times in different vehicles. It's pretty steep in some places. In my old S15 Jimmy (2.6 gas, automatic, 2wd) I could control it between 1st and 2nd gear with a bit of panic braking, but mostly with the transmission. It's a steep hill alright, but I know others that are steeper yet. Now I didn't put it in 1st gear , even when in 4high. I just figured it should give some resistance in any gear.

I would really like to hear comments from others about going down steeper hills on logging roads. Steep bush trails, use 1st gear for sure, but logging roads... I would think the engine could hold it to 30 k in second. Any comments are welcome.

Bob in Kelowna

[EricN]

Hey BOb,
Glad you finally got yours up and running. As for the compression brake thing, it is hard to relate, but I find if I am going down a normal urban street that I would consider moderatly steep, 2nd gear is ok but not great, holds me around 60-70k mark with intermittant brake input. If I am going down a steep hill (Gatensbury or Thermal drive if you know Coquitlam at all), I use first gear and it holds at about 35k but the rpms are high.

[docsavage]

Hi Bob,

As Eric says engine braking is different among each van, but in my experience with an automatic, I could descend 10 to 15 % grades in 4 low 1st gear at 10 to 15 kmh with no brakes. It seems your transmission isn't locking in the selected gear. There was a post a while back about torque converters, may be an issue with yours. In hi range or 2 wheel, the engine braking on the auto is nothing spectacular.

James

[bobenns]

Thanks for the replies folks.

Sounds like it's about normal on my van then, the engine is just willing to rev up to whatever speed the vehicle wants to go downhill. I haven't had an off road vehicle for some years now and the more I think about it I was probably going down that hill in 1st gear before. I probably would have been fine using 1st gear in high range and let it rev at 3000.

I'm still adjusting that rich/lean screw back and getting a little less black smoke each time. It kind of bogs sometimes starting off in low and puffs black smoke, but not every time. I find that a bit puzzling. I'm seriously thinking about taking it down to CVI for the tune up next week. This van has 127,000 km on it and is in just amazing condition. Everything works but the radio. People don't believe me when I tell them what year it is. It had a timing belt done around 80,000 km I believe the sticker says, but probably not much recently to do with the tuning. I see Craig driving around in his Starwagon that looks identical to mine with no smoke, and it looks to have more pep than mine. Next time I see him I'll get him to drive mine a few blocks and see how it compares.

I also see at least two other Delicas in town but haven't managed to flag them down yet.

Does anybody have the gas engine? Just wondering how it compares for power. It's a 2.4 liter I believe. Would be nice to drop one of those 3 liter twin turbo engines in, 300 hp!!! Just dreaming...

Bob in Kelowna

[MadB0mb3r]

The thought has poped into my head on various occassions about adding a BD exhaust brake. but it could be just a pipe dream.

I can come down a hill in my 92 Chamoinx, Automatic 1-1.5kms in 2nd 6-7% grade and she will hold @3000rpm. without the need to touch the brakes. The hill if your heading southbound from Squamish into Britannia Beach on 99. feels like 6% to me..

I know there is many delicas that travel this route... Anyone else have input on this hill and how there deli behaves on it.. amount of braking you might require.. which gear and revs...

Thanks for the replies folks.

Sounds like it's about normal on my van then, the engine is just willing to rev up to whatever speed the vehicle wants to go downhill. I haven't had an off road vehicle for some years now and the more I think about it I was probably going down that hill in 1st gear before. I probably would have been fine using 1st gear in high range and let it rev at 3000.

I'm still adjusting that rich/lean screw back and getting a little less black smoke each time. It kind of bogs sometimes starting off in low and puffs black smoke, but not every time. I find that a bit puzzling. I'm seriously thinking about taking it down to CVI for the tune up next week. This van has 127,000 km on it and is in just amazing condition. Everything works but the radio. People don't believe me when I tell them what year it is. It had a timing belt done around 80,000 km I believe the sticker says, but probably not much recently to do with the tuning. I see Craig driving around in his Starwagon that looks identical to mine with no smoke, and it looks to have more pep than mine. Next time I see him I'll get him to drive mine a few blocks and see how it compares.

I also see at least two other Delicas in town but haven't managed to flag them down yet.

Does anybody have the gas engine? Just wondering how it compares for power. It's a 2.4 liter I believe. Would be nice to drop one of those 3 liter twin turbo engines in, 300 hp!!! Just dreaming...

Bob in Kelowna