Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

I've read both 80 or 100K km for timing belts, which one is it?

Thanks

Recommend time is 100,000km or 5years whichever comes first . So by the factory recommendations these vans should be on their third set of belts by now !!! Hands up how many have original belts ?

100k is the official number, however age becomes a factor too... I had never heard the 5 year number before (and I've been looking for a time reference!) but it makes some sense. I have not changed my timing belt, however there is a sticker on the belt cover indicating that it was done shortly before I bought the vehicle.

Either way, caution is advised on this one, most belts are inconvenient if they break, a timing belt breaking means time for a new engine... not one I want to risk going.

if you don't know when it was last done, CHANGE IT NOW! after that, change it every 100k or less (especially less if you don't put on all that much mileage)

I strongly recommend to all customers to replace the timing/balance belts and tensioners when importing a Delica . It is not always the belts that fail , the tensioner pulleys are most often the cause of belt failure . Mainly the balance belt tensioner falls apart throws the debris around causing the timing belt to fail . Belts , tensioners = peace of mind !!!

This is what happens without peace of mind !!!

Thanks guys,

The Deli I bought has the original belts with 75 000km so it will need it...
Cheers,

hi, i usually change timing belt & tensioner belt for all the delica that i buy from japan. usually in japan they never change , even its a low mileage. as its too expensive over there to fix. labor i mean.
so dont be carried away by the mark that they change the timing belt in japan before, try to open it up & check .
i did replace many of this belt ranging from 15kms to 25kms but it was change from 5,7 or 8yrs ago,the tensioner belt was the one who always have crack. also they usually just change belt not the seal or water pump & tensioner bearing they do short cut. to lessen the expenses.
so i recommend to change all the seal , water pump, tensioner , balance shaft bearing,& thermosthat. as its better to do it one time.
its not worth to do short cut, soon you will still need to change it again.
i usually recommned changing belt & other thing, about 80 to 85 Kms max. from the last time you change , as for my ipinion. there is no harm of doing it early. it will be for your own benefit to have less problem.
i always used original mitsubishi timing belt & tensioner belt, as i want to make sure the belt last longer better than replacement belt.
again it depends on your choice. this is just my choice for timing belt, i feel more confident.
cheers;

I agree: if you don't know how old the current timing belt is, replace it. Diesels are intrinsically interference engines, and breaking a timing belt is bad news. Japanoid replaced all the belts before Gumdrop left Japan.

My VW Jetta is not an interference engine: if it breaks a timing belt, the engine just quits.

...laura

Enjoy. It is a fairly easy belt to replace untill you add the waterpump in there. Took me 4.5 hours to do all the belts and yank the pump to check it inside (saw some horrible ones on here) only to find mine was fine. Tbelt can be done in about 2 hours if you do just that.

Hey Ericn
It only took you that long because you let me watch and ask questions. Thanks for that. It'll be easier to do mine now. My belts looked to be in the same condition as yours were, and will be changed in the next week or so. I priced out those flex ratchet wrenches at KMS and Lordco. KMS "club" prices were considerably cheaper even with my 40% discount at Lordco.

Wayne

Hey Wayne,

Sounds like I'll have to tag along and ask all kind of questions when you change yours!! Are you planning to do all your belts and pump?
And what is KMS "club"? Never heard of it.

Hey Delicat
Drop in at KMS tools and sign up for their club, recieve the flyer and discounts on tools. Seems great sofar. You give name, phone num, and address. I haven't checked out other locations (except Lordco) for tools prices but I am always looking to save.

Wayne

Hey Delicat again
Hopefully I don't have to change my waterpump and will wait to see if it needs it. All the rest will be changed. I am in Coquitlam and you are welcome to watch. Theres only room for one set of hands to do this work until the final crankshaft pulley bolt is tightened. EricN climbed under the delica and held back against the ring gear while I torqued the bolt (100ftlbs). I expect to take quite a bit longer than him.

PM me if you want to be here.
Wayne

mines just done 94,000 but since there nearly all wound back

id just do it anyhow, also do seals and pulleys and water pump

Secret_Squirrel wrote:since there nearly all wound back

What evidence do you have that would lead you to this conclusion?

The view I have always taken is that a drive belt is a bit like a tyre (tire) or a light bulb: it should last 'X' amount of time but that is by no means a guarantee that it will! Plus, as CC and Mardy have stated, if you don't know the history behind the belts, why take the risk??

90% of the time it is the balance belt that goes and this kicks up into the cam belt wrapping around the pulley or other moving parts under the belt cover causing quite a mess!

Mine went on the Mystery Machine a few years back. I'd had ALL the belts, tensioners etc...replaced about 12months prior to it going but it was the recently replaced balance belt that went, wedging iteslf between the cambelt and the pulley which caused the belt to jump and all the cam caps & rocker arms to smash inside the rocker cover!

Luckily I managed to get my head rebuilt in place without having to remove it by using cam caps, a new cam and rocker arms from other 4D56 engines. Something you guys don't have as much access to.

Mine was an unlucky incident (recent belts going) but my friend who works on L300's for a living has seen his fair share of smashed heads due to people cutting corners/costs by replacing the cam belt itself and not the other, often more essential, parts like the balance belt, tensioner etc....

No brainer really??