Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Not so sure it has anything to do with the cooling system. The smell coming into the cab and when I sniff around the engine bay is pure spent deisel exhaust, not a sweet coolant smell. My thinking is that it is the manifold and the fans in the engine bay blow it up to the top where it leaches into the cabin air intake. That is starting to be my conclusion, unless anyone thinks it could be something else. Not looking forward to having to get that done now. Need to find someone I trust to take it to, unless it is a job I can do myself-with guru guidance of course from the forum

Craig

Craig, I would spend the time focusing on the air duct. The heater sucks air from just below the wipers at the back of the hood. The exhaust fumes fill the engine compartment and escape at the back of the hood where they get sucked in the heater inlet when you are idling or at a stop.

This may give you a better idea of the ducting.

http://www.neoriginal.ru/cat/mitsubishi ... NUFL6/55_0

If you have the time, I wouldn't hesitate to pay 1-2 hrs worth of labor to an exhaust shop if they can trace it. That would be my first choice if I was not able to source the leak by myself. Sometimes a new set of eyes and experience goes a long way.

Rising Sun Auto Import wrote:I would suggest to have a pressure test for your cooling system while engine running.
As you know, we have a coolant expansion bottle ( very fragile ) and heater bleeding screw around your pointing spot.
I remember you had a hard time for TPS or tranny issue as hard driving maybe led to exhaust gas into coolant.

Just my thought.

Ignore dealers 'recommendations'. Almost as bad as Rising Bun's compression test recommendation for a leaking waterpump.

Cheers

CREGAN wrote:Not so sure it has anything to do with the cooling system. The smell coming into the cab and when I sniff around the engine bay is pure spent deisel exhaust, not a sweet coolant smell. My thinking is that it is the manifold and the fans in the engine bay blow it up to the top where it leaches into the cabin air intake. That is starting to be my conclusion, unless anyone thinks it could be something else. Not looking forward to having to get that done now. Need to find someone I trust to take it to, unless it is a job I can do myself-with guru guidance of course from the forum

Craig

You can do coolant pressure test with minimal money spent or nothing, much less than spending money at exhaust shop.
Why not? Go to basics to eliminate bad situation, then you are worry free.
Never heard about your case except one customer we got last week ( very similar ).

I am very sorry whenever I've heard your problems.

Steven

Not sure of which face plate (heater control) you have but if you do have the one with the air sensor (small 1/2 rubber tube that plugs in the back of the heater control bezel), then the exhaust may be seeping in through there.

If you don't have it behind there, then you can disregard this one. Have a beer.

Just putting it out there could it be an oil leak on the manifold or turbo....burnt oil and diesel not that far appart...

thedjjack wrote:Just putting it out there could it be an oil leak on the manifold or turbo....burnt oil and diesel not that far appart...

I looked down around there really well as it is easy to see and there was no leak.

If it was me I would pull the intercooler up so I could listen around the head and block and manifold head with a hose while running...

You could make your exhaust smokey to make it easier to see leaks?

thedjjack wrote:If it was me I would pull the intercooler up so I could listen around the head and block and manifold head with a hose while running...

Make sense with no money spent.
Or open the expansion bottle cap after hard driving, but be cautious.

Steven

Are you absolutely positive it's exhaust? Have you tried closing off your exhaust pipe to see if the engine stalls? (or else the system will hiss out thru the leak making it easier to find).

Ducting aside, as you mentioned yourself all the exhaust manifold etc. is on the driver's side; the area you circled is right over your IP and fuel delivery system. IP or feeder hose leak maybe? Drippy fuel getting hot and stinky?

I did have all the fuel pump seals replaced in November and that stopped the leaking. There have been no puddles or drips since then. It also seems to be running fine, just really stinky inside the vehicle.

The spot I circled was where I could smell it the worst. The fan is wizzing around in there and I think that is where it is blowing the exhaust up to congregate, which just happens to be beside the fresh air intake.

Craig

You could pull the belts of the fan for a few minutes and lift the intercooler up...

Sounds like your leak is under there....

Alright- I gave up and took it to an exhaust shop in the city. They triple checked every joint from tailpipe to manifold and found nothing. So I got them to check for leaks and all they found was that the valve cover is leaking. I had known about the valve cover since I got it, and just thought it was seeping as most vehicles i have ever had seemed to get this (I own Volkswagens, so they "seep" from everywhere). I park in the driveway which is sloped with the nose pointing up the drive. I am thinking that it is more than seeping and burning on the engine. Is fixing this terribly difficult- meaning could I do it? Is there a gasket available to buy for the valve cover? So I guess good news is no exhaust leak and I was just smelling burning oil. This would explain why I smelt it strongest ner the top of the engine. Does this reasoning sound right with all you delica mech's out there?

Craig

Edit: I just found this so I guess I will start hunting down some gaskets- http://www.delica.ca/forum/valve-cover- ... cover+l400

good job Pink panther !