Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

hi,

if anyone has had a webasto heater installed in a rhd in calgary, kamloops or kelowna (or anywhere else remotely close to revelstoke), and was happy with the results, can you let me know where to go?

thanks!

jen

I'll bite... what's a webasto? Heater, okay, but for what? A block? (edit: I looked it up)

Does it work with diesel fuel? Most of those are for gasoline.

ccautos, didn't you once mention a block heater that bolts right into the bottom of the oil pan? Thought you said you'd installed a few.

webasto is the ultimate in engine pre-heating. their "blue-heat" system runs on diesel and heats your coolant which it then circulates through the engine to warm the whole thing thoroughly, it also has the added bonus that it defrosts your windows while it is at it. and it does all of this without needing a plug-in anywhere nearby.

They are expensive, but if you absolutely must be able to start in any weather, and any location, there is simply nothing better on the market.

(can you tell I want one!)

The Webasto heaters are nifty, and pricey, diesel fired units that keep your engine warm when no plug-ins are available for shuting down your engine in cold temps. Not an issue for Victorite. They come in different outputs/sizes, and models that heat coolant or air can be purchased. Can also be used to heat water (in a permantly mounted water tank) and the heat interior of the van during cold temps with out running the van (low wattage fans blowing through the heater core).

Pretty sure the one, 18 years ago, in my oil field truck was over $2500 installed. Have seen several on Ebay for under $750 used.

Of course Green1 is the one to beat me to the punch.

So what would be the limit that a well tuned Delica could start without any aftermarket accessories (ie. block heater or Webasto)? Would it get going at -20?

So what would be the limit that a well tuned Delica could start without any aftermarket accessories (ie. block heater or Webasto)? Would it get going at -20?

hard to say for sure, but it should do -20 or so, but it certainly won't be happy about it! (it's also not good for the engine to do that)
The trick is to do the following:
- turn key to "on" wait for the glow plugs to run their course
- immediately turn key to "off" and back to "on" again
- let the glow plugs run their course again (do this at least 2-3 times)
- start the engine, the trick here is just keep cranking, don't let up until either the vehicle starts, or the battery is flat dead. every time you stop, even briefly, you undo any progress you may have made.
- once it starts to catch, keep cranking until the revs are up to at least 600 and you can take over with some pressure on the pedal.

Don't be surprised if it cranks for 30-40 seconds before catching, and don't be surprised if it wants to stall immediately after starting.

Again, this is not good for the engine, and not recommended as the normal way of getting it going, but if you're stranded it will usually get you moving eventually.

Thanks Green1

My brother is coming to pick up the van I bought for him in a couple weeks and he's taking it back to Montreal. As most of the people in the city, he'll be stuck to park it on the street wherever there's a parking spot available so no option to plug it.

I've heard of remote starter that can be enable to start every 2 hrs for 15 min. but not sure how they work and don't think the neighbours would appreciate the noise at 2am, 4am, 6am...

Webasto might be his only option?

On a side note, he's got the newer glowplug style without the clicking (has the light in the dash). Wonder how that will affect the process?

Thanks,
David

having a glow plug light doesn't change the procedure, it just makes it easier to see what's happening.

montreal isn't too bad, they don't tend to get as cold as the prairies do, i'd say the webasto is probably overkill, though a block heater wouldn't be a bad idea.

As I said, no plug in option... too bad!

And with the laterglow plug version, there's no clicking and no waiting... put your key in and start it within 1/2 sec. so I guess the glow plug warming up process is out of the question? What do more modern vehicles with this type of glow plugs do? Time will tell I guess...

And with the laterglow plug version, there's no clicking and no waiting...

but you said it had a light... does the light come on? and you DO wait for the light to turn out before you try to start... right?

in the summer the glow plugs will run for only a second or 2 anyway, but in the winter they will run for maybe 8-10 seconds (feels like forever) as they are on a temperature sensor.

The earlier Delicas already have a quick-glow system, so if it's any faster I can pretty much guarantee it isn't doing what it's supposed to and needs to be looked at.

As for a plugin... many people in Montreal have figured that one out, you can get cords to the street, you just need to be a bit more creative, luckilly though -20 is rare in montreal, generally stays in the -10 to -15 range (those few degrees make a HUGE difference!)

Green,

The newer L300 glow plug (it's a July '93) are much quicker than what we're used to. You turn on the key to the accessories with the glow plug light on. The light will turn off in less than a 1/2 sec and you're ready to start the engine. It's what it's supposed to do, just like our pre '94 model but a lot quicker, very nice! (and this is not only in warm weather...).

I'll coach my brother into the skills of hiding extension cords within the neighbours fences...

less than 1/2 second in winter means that the glow plugs are simply not working at all. no matter how "new" the controller.
in summer that speed is possible simply because it is so warm out that you don't actually need glowplugs to start.
There is a limit to how fast the heating element can get hot enough, and get the cylinder hot enough, to do any good, if they could really do that in the winter in 1/2 a second you would be at severe risk of blowing your engine up while doing so. (that and I don't think we have nuclear powered glow plugs yet!)

Green1 wrote:...that and I don't think we have nuclear powered glow plugs yet!

I wondered what that radiation sticker on the door pillar was for.

Thanks Green1,

No need to argue this one over the glow plug, all I'm saying is that they don't take the usual 3-4 sec. and Bruce (Mystery Machine)brought the same comment:

"That glow plug light should go out after only about 1 second and then you can start the engine. Earlier L300's didn't have this light and you have to wait for a 'click' from the relay before starting the engine. This click takes around 3-5 seconds which doesn't sound a lot, but seems a LOT longer now that I'm getting used to the new quicker system!"

All the best!

wait for winter, they will take at least 4-6 seconds at -20c, (the rapid glow ones in the 1991 take 8-10 in the winter 3-4 in the summer)
if they continue to take only 1 second or less then you won't be able to get the vehicle started period.

No offence to Bruce as he knows a LOT about delicas, but the UK doesn't get -20c