Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

my 93 Super Exceed refused to start as soon as the temperature dipped to -9 here in Whistler.

the plugs are clicking and all lights are going on but when I turn the key I'm getting a very slow and sickly "whrrrrrr whrrrrrrrrrrrr" (the belts moving extremely slowly) and the engine is not turning.
I tried boosting it - the whrrrr'ing was still sickly and slow.

I'm on a Christmas trip and not sure if I should trust the van to local mechanics (SMD? Barney's?), or pay to have it towed all the way to CVI in Vancouver when they re-open on the 4th.

Anyone had any service done on a delica in Whistler? Perhaps someone could suggest what the issue might be? Is it simply a dead battery, or might it be a bigger issue? The van worked great up until the cold(er) day.


Thanks everyone - Merry Christmas,
Jesse

Hi, jessie,
pls phone me 604-720-6144
maybe i can help:
Cheers;
Mardy

jthom wrote:the plugs are clicking and all lights are going on but when I turn the key I'm getting a very slow and sickly "whrrrrrr whrrrrrrrrrrrr" (the belts moving extremely slowly) and the engine is not turning.
I tried boosting it - the whrrrr'ing was still sickly and slow.

Sounds like 1 of a couple possible issues:
1) your starter motor contacts (try tightening them)
2) you simply don't have enough electricity.
It's possible you just weren't managing a really good boost, many booster cables simply aren't very good, I'd recommend trying again with GOOD cables, and/or with a battery charger on the vehicle for a few hours and see how it does. If boosting again, wait several minutes after connecting the cables before trying to start (to allow your batteries to charge a bit)

If you still end up with that very slow cranking you may have some other issue, but the fact that it is turning (albeit not fast) is actually a good sign.

Make sure all of your battery terminals are clean and tight! I just went through this same thing here in Calgary last week, and the source of my grief was a loose, dirty positive terminal at the back that would't allow enough power across even with good heavy cables, and a strong vehicle giving the boost. Good luck!

Bikepoor

I was dealing with the same problems when the weather dipped below zero in Calgary.
My best advice is to get it boosted again (for a longer amount of time) and then keep it warm.
It's possible to force it to turn over if you just keep at it but that's really hard on the starter and the engine.
Mine really struggled with the minus 35C weather the last couple of weeks even when it was plugged in over night!

FalcoColumbarius wrote:So the cables you use must be big enough to deliver the sufficient amperage. Also, I'm not sure if you will get a sufficient boost from an Honda Civic. Out of curiosity, what kind of battery(ies) are you running in your wagon? And have you thought about BCAA?

Any car should be able to boost you, the cables are generally the limiting factor, and the size of the cables is only one part of the equation, even more important is the connections, many cheap or old cables don't have a good connection between the wire itself and the clamp on the end, also the clamp often won't make a really good connection if your battery terminals have lots of dirt or corrosion on them.

Calling BCAA, or any other tow company for a boost isnt' a bad idea though, they have GOOD cables and know how to use them.

Jesse

I'm in whistler until Sunday.

Give me a call and I'll get your Delica started.

Jesse

hi...check your battery terminals and recharge your battery overnight. sounds like a battery issue...

Merry Christmas!

Butch

I'm overwhelmed with thanks for all the help.

Sherpa is now starting up like a dream again thanks to
A) A new Optima battery
B) a switch to 5W40 full synthetic oil
C) A block heater - Temro part #310-0049


FOR ANYONE WHO EVER NEEDS DELICA ASSISTANCE IN WHISTLER:

-Chris at Pay-Less Towing was patient and managed to jump the van to life - he now has experience on at least one Delica.

-Local Automotive is the only shop in all of Whistler that would even touch my van, and they did a great, honest job. Ask for Isaac as a mechanic - he's a sharp-minded New Zealander, familiar and experienced with Delicas (they have lots of 'em in New Zealand).


Thanks again everyone.
:)

Can I ask what they charged to install the heater?