New Delica Mechanical Check List

handymanthony

handymanthony

Member
Hey yall

I thought I had seen a thread on this somewhere but can't find it so wondering if maybe we could have a thumb nailed thread on things we should get done/watch for, for new Delica owners?

I would recommend these items for anyone picking up a sweet Deli soon. Based on what I've had come up/have had done/am working on thus far:

-Oil change (Get OEM oil filter when possible. NAPA is okay but the shape of the seal is flat compared to the OE which is round. That will cause the seal to be not great sometimes. Make sure you get oil that's Diesel specific. According to Eizo at Apex Auto in WA, the chemical make up is totally different so you might run okay with non diesel specific oil but it can lead to trouble. He suggests Liqui Moly 2044 - 15w40)

-EGR delete (Will help your engine run smoother and last longer due to not breathing in its own farts)

-Gasket overhaul (Except cylinder head? Had a mechanic in BC who owns a Deli himself tell me that our head gaskets are good until 400,000 km? But definitely want the exhaust manifold gasket done so you don't get cancer [as quickly])

-Transmission/transfer case gasket overhaul

-Glow plugs (OEM if possible)

-Crankshaft pulley (!!! Get it replaced or buy one to have on standby cause it WILL go out !!!)

-All drive belts (OEM highly recommended. Yes you NEED 2 alternator belts! *More on that below. The alternator belt also drives your waterpump, brakes, and power steering)

-Inspect AC compressor (Mine seized which caused the AC belt to break along with one of my alternator belts, which cause the remaining alternator belt to break one night, which made my Deli almost overheat [thankfully I caught it before it went beyond the red] and I had to limp it home going 20mph without power steering, or assisted brakes while stopping to refill coolant/water every few minutes)

-Timing belt/all tensioners

-Waterpump

-Replace radiator (Over heating is our #1 enemy and radiators that are 25+ old should get replaced. Mine has a large amount of corrosion on the elements inside)

-Thermostat (Again cause overheating = bad news bears. Had that BC mechanic mention something about a lower degree thermostat than stock?)

-Lube throttle cable (Had mine stick which caused me to not be able to shift into overdrive aka 400k revs while going 90-100km/h which could lead to all sorts of bad news)

-Check for rust underneath, on frame and suspension too!!!

-All bushings

-Get your IP Timing corrected (Injection Pump)

-Engine and transmission mounts (OEM ONLY! Aftermarket ones are often not as high quality, using metal that's too soft which will = failure)

-Inspect turbo (if the spindle has a lot of play it needs some love. DO NOT use anything from China!!! Be careful with Ebay turbos. Taiwan can be okay. Korea is usually good. Mitsubishi now has Hyundai doing 4D56 engine parts)

-Redo the seals for your front "cheek" panels (They will starting leaking soon if not already)

Anything to add, folks?
 
I don't tend to do a lot of "preventative" maintenance... unless it's something critical/timed life like the timing belt. And I would do the water pump while already in there just because you're already doing 3/4 of the work.
I do have my van oil sprayed (krown) annually... I guess that is kind of preventative.
 
sk66 said:
I don't tend to do a lot of "preventative" maintenance... unless it's something critical/timed life like the timing belt. And I would do the water pump while already in there just because you're already doing 3/4 of the work.
I do have my van oil sprayed (krown) annually... I guess that is kind of preventative.
Click to expand...

haha I didn't do much preventative work either. Which is why I haven't been able to drive my Deli for over 2 weeks now. Waiting on that crankshaft pulley to ship to me. It's just a list so new owners can be aware of stuff that commonly goes wrong but easily avoidable and be prepared/keep their engines healthy. What this oil spraying you mention? Is that for the under carriage?
 
I think there's only one real disadvantage to a functioning EGR system on our engines; they tend to have lots of blow-by oil vapour in the intake air. It mixes with the sooty exhaust from the EGR and forms sticky tar on the intake ports and valves, which eventually need cleaning. Or rapidly need cleaning, in the case of an older engine with more blowby.

The other features of EGR (reduced power and efficiency (bad), reduced cylinder temperatures and NOx emissions (good)) aren't as much of an issue since our EGR systems are computer controlled and only operate under specific conditions. When you need the power, it turns off. Highway fuel economy might improve with an EGR delete, but I'm not sure how noticeable it would be.
 
Oh, and we had a "new Delica owner checklist" going on Delica.ca. It was more of a "things to check" rather than "preventative maintenance", but maybe we could build a list in two parts: things to check (easy fixes, basic fluid changes), and preventative maintenance (a more comprehensive service, intended to correct any deferred maintenance and pre-empt component failures due to the vehicle's age. Radiator, hoses, water pump, bushes, that kind of thing.)

The thread at Delica.ca said:

So you've just bought the most awesome futuristic (as imagined in the '80s) star wagon. It's about 25 years old. It might not have been maintained properly. What should you do to bring it up to scratch?
Things that'll leave you stranded and/or cost lots if they fail are in bold.

Step 1: Download the Mitsubishi L300 Workshop Manual.

ENGINE AND ELECTRICAL
Change the air filter, oil filter, fuel filter, oil, and coolant.
Check power steering fluid- change if dark or smells burnt.
Check that the timing belts have been changed in the last 80,000km.
Inspect the timing belts and change them if they have any cracks.
Inspect the other drive belts and replace as needed.
Check for oil leaks from the rocker cover, intake pipes, alternator.
Change flexible oil line to alternator-mounted vacuum pump.
Clean the battery terminals and electrical connections in the battery compartment.
Load test batteries and replace if weak (sitting on a boat from Japan isn't great for them)
Unplug each of the fusible links and clean the spade terminals. Watch for melted plastic.
Check the fuel lines to the injection pump- look for cracks at the ends where they are clamped and trim/replace. (Cracks let air into the fuel system).
Check the coolant hoses for swelling and replace any that are pregnant.
Check the heater hose outlet stubs (4D56: back of the engine near the fuel filter) as they can rust and break off.

DRIVETRAIN and SUSPENSION
Change oils: front and rear diffs, gearbox/automatic, transfer case.
Remove and clean front brake calliper sliding pins, apply clean silicone grease, reinstall.
Check brake hoses for cracking/perishing
Flush brake and clutch fluid.
Check clutch slave cylinder for leaks- lift the rubber boot and replace the cylinder if there's any trace of clutch fluid.
Check transmission mount rubbers for cracks
Grease the driveshafts' U-joints, check for looseness and replace any that are suspect.
Grease rear driveshaft slip joint (Automatic only).
Grease front suspension ball joints, steering joints.
Check anti-roll bar mounting bushes.
Check front subframe/cross members to chassis mounting nuts are tight.
Check leaf springs for cracking or uneven sagging.


BODY
Check for dampness in the front footwells, repair as needed.
Refill front and rear windscreen washer reservoirs (you have to find them first ;-))
Find the fuel filler flap release- it's above the handbrake- and make sure it works.
Remove bolt holding in spare tire (likely rusted in) and check spare tire. [You don't want to be doing this when your 1000kms from home with a flat].
Check toolkit and hydraulic jack (usually in the left rear pillar behind the access panel)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top