Newbie Introduction and K&N question!

[pastadog]

Hey guys and gals!!

My name is Ronnie Hansen and have been a long time Toyota Van owner recently switched over to a 88 Mitsubishi Van. Its super clean with only 109k but not passing smog. Having the catalytic convertor and O2 sensor. Anyways, I'm totally in love with it and cant wait to put some more money into it to make it mine and perfect!

So, my question to you is have any of you installed a K&N air filter and if so where did you find it? All I can find that's close is part number E-2875 but it's saying its for an 1988 Mitsubishi Van 2.0 liter......... Will that fit the 2.4 liter? Looks close...

Also, how do these motors react to exhausts? I know the toyota's didnt really gain any performance or mpg's because of the pushrod style motors?...... at least thats what ive always been told.

Hope to hear from you guys/gals and I'm super thankful i found this forum!!!

Thanks,
Ronnie Hansen

[TardisDeli]

Hi ronnie, welcome to our cult. Glad you enjoy your Delica, or as they imaginatively named it The Mitsubishi Van, You Deserve a Comfortable Commute.

From your description, You have the American gasoline version, with 2 wheel drive (not 4 wheel drive), imported by Mitsubishi for 1988 and1989 into USA only. Although the vans looks very similar to our Japanese home market version , yours do have a different undercarriage, so not all parts are interchangeable.

That said, I don';t recommend the K&N for yours, because your gas engine has an O2 Oxygen sensor, the K&N filter which needs oiling to work well, that oil will make the air oily, which confuses the 02 sensor and give bad running mixture (cough cough sputter etc), and in time the sensor will die and need an expensive replacement. Our diesel engines have no oxygen sensor, so are less affected by the oiled K&N filter, but several people have had problems with them. If you insist on a washable filter, you might see if anyone makes a dry one (not oiled). However, I would say instead use only the normal type designed and proven by years of happy drivers. Can you read any numbers on your existing filter, take the actual filter into a good parts store and ask them to find an equivalent (bear in mind you might not be the correct filter currently).

The air / fuel ration is very specific, and an air filter that doesnt allow the exact amount of air needed can create problems -- clog spark plugs etc with carbon from unburnt fuel, or make the engine work harder as it is starved for fuel, either way, overheating etc can kill your engine. $$$. This air/fuel ration may be what is causing your van to not pass the smog emission testing (we call it AirCare testing in BC), so work on the usual suspects that any car needs ie: spark plugs clean and gapped OK; clean carbeureter; good airflow through muffler (not all clogged and preventing the exhaust from getting out etc etc.

My oft said theory: a highly qualified team of engineers designed this gorgeous sturdy van, and then one of us says Hey, I have an idea (usually said while drinking a brewski) and proceeds to make a modification, only to regret it later.

Keep Posting, let us know what the answer is so others know.

EDIT: I just noticed that bartismo has posted that he has many parts for sale in Oregon, he is parting out 4 of those vans, so he sounds like he would be a great resource.
Cheers Christine

[bartismo]

hi I am bartismo about Your air intake question the air path to the air cleaner is very restricted You can remove the plastic tube that plugs into the air cleaner housing and pickup a couple horsepower with no bad effects I also replaced the tube to the engine with a 2,25 inch exhaust pipe I also cut of the bottom of the air cleaner housing off below the mounting tabs to creat an open element air cleaner I have several lose houseings that You could mod so You still have one for smog they are easy to change out 541-476-0245