Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Rattlenbang wrote:Well, all diesels will blow smoke when you first stomp on it, but mine's excessive so I know its getting too much fuel.

So here's a question for you, mine is starting to experience the cold weather start symptoms already. It was 3 degrees this morning. Also, on the highway I got a friend to follow me, when I pin it and it gears down it will push some grey smoke, but not enough for me to see in my mirrors, and apparently when I'm just cruising a little bit will still come out. Anyone know if this is normal? I don't usually see that out of diesels, I don't think... I had the IP rebuilt last year but sometimes it feels like it's getting air into the fuel system still. Arg!!

The key is smoke colour: black is bad mixture (not enough O2 to completely burn all the fuel), white is raw, unburnt fuel in vapour form. Black is when it doesn't burn completely, white is when a percentage doesn't burn at all. Grey sounds like moisture to me. Most cars will blow grey smoke when it's cold out because of water vapour How's your coolant level?
It can be hard to see the diff between "white" and "grey" smoke, and if it is the former, it can be caused by injection pump, injectors, timing, compression, anything that prevents the fuel from igniting properly.

Bear in mind these are not clean burning modern diesels. If the engine is working, it will likely always give some smoke, but again, not enough to see in mirror. What I've noticed with mine is that when someone is following me at night, their headlights show a lot more smoke than is visible during the day.

Rattlenbang wrote:
Bear in mind these are not clean burning modern diesels. If the engine is working, it will likely always give some smoke, but again, not enough to see in mirror. What I've noticed with mine is that when someone is following me at night, their headlights show a lot more smoke than is visible during the day.

That's exactly what happened the other night, then I asked my buddy to follow me. He said grey/white. Definitely not black, it's never pushed black at all. I feel like the timing may be off. I installed new glow plugs last year, maybe I need my injectors cleaned though. Or maybe the glow plugs were crap and they need a redux. They weren't OEM I don't think. The coolant level is good. It does go down, albeit very very slowly. I don't think it's a gasket problem, I hope. Unfortunately is there's only one shop in town that knows these vans, I'm not super keen on taking it to someone that doesn't know them to set the IP timing but, I don't have a lot of faith in the mechanic at the JDM shop here.

Glow plugs won't affect the burn once it's warmed up. Injectors are easy to pull and check for spray pattern. Whoever rebuilt your pump might not have it adjusted correctly, and as far as timing goes you could always loosen the bolt and twist the pump a bit and see if you can get it to run cleaner. If there is a commercial diesel place around that services big rigs and small, that might be a good place to go. I use Wilson and Proctor out here for parts and they do everything. There's nothing special about these motors and a good diesel/injection pump tech should have no problem tuning it up.

Macro
Your van doesn't sound like it's running badly from what you have
said. Any stumbles.. black smoke.. easy vacuum pressure/turbo boost
with little power gain.. might indicated timing.
I bet you just have normal stuff going on. You said you just had your
ip pump rebuilt? Maybe the pressure is a little low. That's not too hard
to adjust if it's similar to the L300 procedure.

But that aside.. does it seem to run good.. Lots of jam
and no smoke coming out the back once warm?

and a separate thing.
How's it start? Easy crank in the coolish weather but good start?

Firesong

Firesong wrote:Macro
Your van doesn't sound like it's running badly from what you have
said. Any stumbles.. black smoke.. easy vacuum pressure/turbo boost
with little power gain.. might indicated timing.
I bet you just have normal stuff going on. You said you just had your
ip pump rebuilt? Maybe the pressure is a little low. That's not too hard
to adjust if it's similar to the L300 procedure.

But that aside.. does it seem to run good.. Lots of jam
and no smoke coming out the back once warm?

and a separate thing.
How's it start? Easy crank in the coolish weather but good start?

Firesong

It doesn't feel like it's running bad either, I'm just curious. It's the only diesel I've ever owned and I don't know anyone with a Delica (or a diesel) to ask!

It's got what feels like mega jam. It hauls ass off the line, or feels like it does, for what it is. The exhaust I did this summer and all the maintenance I've been doing have really helped I think.

Starting..... Last year was great after I had all the work done. Now though, it's just barely getting cold here. -3 today, it fires right away but then misfires and is lumpy and angry for a few minutes. I know that's normal when it's cold, but it's not cold yet. The mechanic last year installed a manual glow plug switch so I wonder if I've been too vigorous with it and burned out one or two glow plugs which makes it start a bit sluggish and then smooths right out once the cylinders warm up slightly.

It's also been a bit odd starting on an incline when I have low fuel lately too. Like, if I have less than 1/4 tank.

Do you ever get the feeling that you're just looking for problems? Hahaha

ECU will run the glow plugs off and on usually for a few minutes after start up (I assume the L400 are like this)..

Try giving it a little glow for a second to see if it runs better....how low is the idle when cold?

thedjjack wrote:ECU will run the glow plugs off and on usually for a few minutes after start up (I assume the L400 are like this)..

Try giving it a little glow for a second to see if it runs better....how low is the idle when cold?

Oh? I thought it relied on compression for ignition after the glow plugs warmed it up.

This morning from a cold start the idle was at about 7/800 and then settled to about 5/600.

Hi
That really sounds like the glow plugs.
I didn't realize you had a manual system installed.
Like was said earlier, the ECU normally gives out bursts
to the glow plugs so it could be that since you are on
manual you don't give those burst and then it takes a bit
more to warm up

Or you burnt out a glow plug. Take them out and see if
they fire up nice and quick connected to a battery charger.

James

wouldn't be surprising that one is toast given that manual control of glow plugs makes it real easy to burn them out.

Rattlenbang wrote:wouldn't be surprising that one is toast given that manual control of glow plugs makes it real easy to burn them out.

Thanks guys, I'll have to check them out. I didn't want manual control but instead of the mechanic testing the ECU to see if it was working properly he just installed the manual switch. I've never gotten around to testing the ECU though because the switch works and on really really cold days it's great. I'd love to bring it back to normal though... One day. Maybe when I do, my engine temp gauge will work properly again as well.... Such are the trials and tribulations where there's only one mechanic in town (that I know of) that know Delicas.

The other benefit of ECU controlled glow plugs is
having the ability to have a remote start installed :)

No point having one if you still have to be outside
hitting the button

FS