What am I missing?

[twisted]

We must have the same van! lol. Mine has the same issues exept that it runs clean after it warms up.

[Blackberry]

They told me that the pump is moving fuel and doing it's job right, and that the injectors are spraying fuel at the right time (They say that when they tested the system the timing was advanced by 7 degrees, but that this was a good thing as it gave more power.)

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong but I think the timing is supposed to be ATDC ("After Top Dead Centre") ... not before. In the context of ignition timing the word "advanced" means BTDC. If your timing is "advanced by 7 degrees" then it's 14-16 degress too advanced... and I think that could probably make a big difference in terms of starting and power. The manual I found online says 9 degrees ATDC (though when I did mine I think it was at 7 ATDC, as per the sticker on van). Maybe the shop you took it to meant ATDC when they said "advanced". Worth double checking though. Get the dial guage tool off ebay and DIY, it's not that difficult...just tedious.

[Green1]

the timing has since been checked by 2 other shops (both of whom I trust more than that first one) and they say the timing is not an issue.

[tonydca]

I noticed you cleaned the EGR valve; have you checked it is actually working? (i.e. normally closed)?

I'm wondering what would happen if the closing-return mechanism were duff and it was basically partially or completely open all the time. Could stick in an EGR blank plate (make a cheap nasty one from some miild steel plate and throw away if it turns out not to be the problem) to check.

In theory, only so many things to possibly go wrong with a diesel. If yer' getting air (assume you've cleaned/checked the air filter), fuel, glow plugs, and compression at the right timing, well...

I'm not a diesel expert but... Holy Dodgy Diesels, Batman!

[Green1]

I noticed you cleaned the EGR valve; have you checked it is actually working? (i.e. normally closed)?

I can't say if it's working "properly" but it does spring to the closed position when the engine isn't running.

I'm wondering what would happen if the closing-return mechanism were duff and it was basically partially or completely open all the time.

I highly doubt it would account for most of the issues I have, maybe some extra smoke, but shouldn't affect the starting much, let along as much as I have, shouldn't cause any oil leaks, or rought idling, and any power loss would be minor by comparison to what I have

If yer' getting air (assume you've cleaned/checked the air filter), fuel, glow plugs, and compression at the right timing, well...

As per my previous posts, all done.

The best guess I've come up with is somewhat of a cascade failure, I fix/check one thing, and another breaks, I fix that, and the first one breaks again, so as much as I say everything has been checked, that doesn't mean that that stuff is still good. But either way, I'm done with it, I've reached the end of my financial tollerance on this one.
Someone else may manage to fix something simple and get a good vehicle out of it, but it may turn in to a major issue too, I have no way of telling... I'm just fed up with trying.

[tonydca]

One more thought - any chance you have crap fuel and/or crap in your tank? Are you running biodiesel or ??? Might be worth removing any drain plugs in the tank and drian it totally dry - look for water, rust flakes, etc. - then put some clean diesel in, get it up and limping around for a while then drain and repeat. I hear about some fuels esp. biodiesels having higher cloud temps esp. if there is water present in the tank already.

[Green1]

never used biodiesel, fuel filters have been changed, but didn't appear clogged, and fuel coming out of the tank appears clear, however I've never drained the tank.

[thelazybrownfox]

Green1
Sorry to hear of all your delica problems.
Do you know if the replacement head is a genuine 4D56 head? The reason I ask relates to a study done by the Auckland univrsity on replacement heads for japanese diesels, in particular the 4D56. Other diesel heads can be installed and although they fit and look similar have different precombustion cups. This can cause the problems you noted.

Pls PM me with your email address and I will send you the files. For some odd reason I can't send them on this reply.

Wayne

[Green1]

the head was sourced from another Delica by a very reputable source.
however that same source later told me that the rocker arm that came with the new head was "not right" and replaced it... so I don't know what the deal was there.