Cold Start

kb&2dogs · Post by **kb&2dogs** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:34 am

My deli is very rough sounding for the first start in the morning, fine once she warms up, but it sounds like a tank for the first few minutes. Is this normal?

We've run a few tanks of fuel through already, with Howse (?) additive, and it is better than when we first got it, but still very rough.

We have a Dodge Ram diesel and it starts way smoother than the deli. We're concerned if this is something that needs to be fixed, we want to get it done before we get stuck somewhere.

docsavage · Post by **docsavage** » Tue May 15, 2007 2:41 pm

The Delica tends to run quite rough for a bit depending on morning temperature. I always start with the cold start knob pulled. When the idle speeds up, let the cold start back in and hold the idle at 1000-1500 rpm for a few seconds (30 ish) then release knob completely and the idle should be smoother. Of course it still freezes at night here for another week or so.

Experimentation is the key.

James

kb&2dogs · Post by **kb&2dogs** » Tue May 15, 2007 6:04 pm

Thanks, I tried that to start it today (first time in a couple days) and it made a huge difference! This forum rocks!

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 6:44 pm

I always start with the cold start knob pulled. When the idle speeds up, let the cold start back in and hold the idle at 1000-1500 rpm for a few seconds (30 ish) then release knob completely and the idle should be smoother

ok, I think I'm misinterpreting this knob... I believe you're talking the knob directly to the left of the steering column, that I treat as an idle control...
in my experience it works as follows:
use accelerator pedal to set an appropriate RPM, pull the knob out and turn to lock at that RPM...

so what exactly do you mean about pulling it out for cold start? it doesn't latch in any form of "out" position unless I turn it, and unless I put my foot down it doesn't seem to pull out much at all (the harder I press on the pedal, the further out that knob pulls)

maxpowers · Post by **maxpowers** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:21 pm

sorry green1, u had this comin,

use your muscles to pull the knob! no footage on the pedals needed.

cheers :lol:

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:25 pm

use your muscles to pull the knob! no footage on the pedals needed.

I don't know if this is "normal" but on my van it takes a LOT of muscle if you don't use your foot... and that's even with my modified knob (I have a ring instead of a knob so I can get my finger through it) with the stock knob I'd never be able to move it...

of course that doesn't really answer what I'm wondering... you talk about pulling it out to start... as opposed to using your foot... what's the advantage, and how far do you pull the knob out?

EnviroImports.com · Post by **EnviroImports.com** » Tue May 15, 2007 8:46 pm

would one person be talking about the choke cable, and the other a Idle control?
I would make some knob pulling joke, but really we have all allready thought them to our selves hahah

howes fuel treatment is good, but go buy your self a bottle of biocide, any truckstop, truck supply store, Comercial marine shop will have it, run a couple oz of that in a full tank to clean your system out, if you run diesel, you have bacteria growing in your tank, lines, pump.... only way to kill it is biocide about an oz a month and you should never have a problem, cheap out and dont spend the 20 bucks for a years suply and enjoy the rebuild bill that Will be coming . and no I dont sell the stuff, im just a diesel junkie :D

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 8:52 pm

would one person be talking about the choke cable, and the other a Idle control?

ummm... I have what appears to be an idle control.. where would I find the choke?

EnviroImports.com · Post by **EnviroImports.com** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:07 pm

depending on your model and options I would say on the other side of your steering wheel, but with out knowing your layout I could not say for sure, , but the choke and throttle controll will be cable activated, will be a knob, not a switch. you may or may not have the throttle control , but you should have the choke. if its so hard to pull on your knob, put some greese/wd40 on the shaft and pull in and out, that should make it happen for you.

that should help you,Hopefully and give you lots to think about hahaha

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:18 pm

Just so we're perfectly clear, this is the knob I'm talking about:

I don't see anything else that would be a cable pull... or any other unidentified knobs that I've noticed...
I've considered this to be an idle adjust as it maintains whatever speed I set with the pedal when I pull it out and turn it 90 degrees.

WD40 MAY help, but it really feels like it's just pulling a lot of weight (the pedal isn't super sensitive either...)

can you give me any indication where this "other" knob would be?

EnviroImports.com · Post by **EnviroImports.com** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:29 pm

that looks and sounds like idol control , if its that hard to pull you may want to replace the cable. very simple cable, basicly a lawnmoar throttle cable. I would take off the end and squirt some wd40 or something similar, your choke should be just to the left, is there a circle blank , place where it could be?
I know in my last one it was there, Could be that some one took off your choke and simply put it on a more rigid knob and made it a throttle control, just attached it to the same spot of the throttle control . that would be my guess, but I dont know your van, can only go on what i have seen.
Hope that helps.

EnviroImports.com · Post by **EnviroImports.com** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:32 pm

I was just looking at some past picts, that shoule be your choke, I would bet a dollar that someone took the end off the knob and put that keyring there , you could easily put on a choke or revert than back to choke cable.

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:36 pm

your choke should be just to the left, is there a circle blank , place where it could be?

Left of that there is a blank beside the cigarette lighter, but it looks pretty convincingly like it has always been a blank...

I know in my last one it was there, Could be that some one took off your choke and simply put it on a more rigid knob and made it a throttle control, just attached it to the same spot of the throttle control . that would be my guess, but I dont know your van, can only go on what i have seen.

that would seem highly unlikely being that the throttle control DOES adjust the idle speed. I would think a more likely guess would be that I have never had a choke.

*I* put the keyring in there as it was the only way to pull on the stub of metal that was there (guessing that the plastic knob broke off...), it is DEFINITELY an idle control (pulling hard on it increases the idle speed, and I can set the speed at whatever RPM I want)
I also noticed on a friend's delica (someone who still has the plastic knob) that that knob is labelled "throttle" and he also has no other knob there for choke... see the following:

EnviroImports.com · Post by **EnviroImports.com** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:42 pm

I dont mean that by changing end it became a throttle cable, I mean I would think that someone who maybe could make better use of a thottle cable, took it off the choke and put it onto the throttle body to make a throttle control , hmmm so i guess I do mean it became a throttle control, but by changing the end in the engine bay

Green1 · Post by **Green1** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:45 pm

I dont mean that by changing end it became a throttle cable, I mean I would think that someone who maybe could make better use of a thottle cable, took it off the choke and put it onto the throttle body to make a throttle control , hmmm so i guess I do mean it became a throttle control, but by changing the end in the engine bay

if that were the case, why would mitsubishi have labelled their choke "throttle"? (or are you saying that both my van and my friend's have coincidentally had the same rather bizarre mod?