What did you do TO your Delica today?

[nxski]

I finally got to add some washer fluid to my pull-out washer bottle, as well as the rear one, too. This is the first time I've done this ~ at this rate I should be doing this again in another four years ~ these reservoirs seem to last forever, well, four years anyway. I nearly forgot how to do it.

Falco.

WOW! I just changed mine today, that's the 4th time in a year. If you have it in so long do you use the "bugs off" summer type or the antifreeze winter style?

[jessef]

I finally got to add some washer fluid to my pull-out washer bottle, as well as the rear one, too. This is the first time I've done this ~ at this rate I should be doing this again in another four years ~ these reservoirs seem to last forever, well, four years anyway. I nearly forgot how to do it.

Falco.

WOW! I just changed mine today, that's the 4th time in a year. If you have it in so long do you use the "bugs off" summer type or the antifreeze winter style?

how little do you guys drive in dust/dirty conditions? Went through an entire bottle on the last delica excursion alone!

[nxski]

I'd say 4 times a year is fairly often, the shops usually top or up when you take the van in for work as well (I've done that a lot) The only really dusty trip I did was whipsaw. I'm using it a lot with all this snow around too (with no mudflaps the dirt gets everywhere!)

[psilosin]

I'd say 4 times a year is fairly often, the shops usually top or up when you take the van in for work as well (I've done that a lot) The only really dusty trip I did was whipsaw. I'm using it a lot with all this snow around too (with no mudflaps the dirt gets everywhere!)

You nailed it...nothing like mudflaps to keep the windshield clean. Especially mudflaps on the rear wheels, best mod for keeping your windshield clean ever, don't even needs squirts no more. Must be Falco's secret to conserving.

[nxski]

Surprisingly my tires kick a lot of dirt up onto my windshield, most of it ends up on my driver side mirror though. I had to clean that off 3 times today and it needs it again!

[claude]

I finally got to add some washer fluid to my pull-out washer bottle, as well as the rear one, too. This is the first time I've done this ~ at this rate I should be doing this again in another four years ~ these reservoirs seem to last forever, well, four years anyway. I nearly forgot how to do it.

Falco.

WOW! I just changed mine today, that's the 4th time in a year. If you have it in so long do you use the "bugs off" summer type or the antifreeze winter style?

how little do you guys drive in dust/dirty conditions? Went through an entire bottle on the last delica excursion alone!

I used an entire bottle during my trip from Gun Lake to Penticton and back.

[FalcoColumbarius]

I finally got to add some washer fluid to my pull-out washer bottle, as well as the rear one, too. This is the first time I've done this ~ at this rate I should be doing this again in another four years ~ these reservoirs seem to last forever, well, four years anyway. I nearly forgot how to do it.

Falco.

WOW! I just changed mine today, that's the 4th time in a year. If you have it in so long do you use the "bugs off" summer type or the antifreeze winter style?

I use the Windex alcohol winter stuff (at least this time). If you have a little dust on the windscreen and you squirt your cleaner onto it you get a big mess spread back and forth with the windscreen wipers. Instead I coat the windscreen with "Rainaway", dust tends to slide off with the wind shear as well as the rain. Time to do that again soon, as well.

Falco.

[jessef]

[Shaun Van Ramen]

I made and installed a "Radiator Cover" for lack of a better term. My deli has never had the thermostat change (re: when driving in sub-zero weather with the heater on you can watch the temp gauge drop and it is hard to keep it warm inside. Like when driving to Princeton in -10)

I suppose I could have changed the thermostat but I decided to take an easier route and block airflow to the rad. I didn't, so much as cover the radiator, but instead, made a sheet metal plate that bolts between the upper & lower front skid plates. I figured this way if it does heat up (fan turns on) there is still airflow through the rad.

I really just wanted to block the ice cold air from directly flowing in.

I will keep an eye on it and the next cold weather drive will know if it actually has done any good. If not, well it only cost me $15 and a few hours of tinkering.

The only thing left is to paint it before it rusts.

[Shaun Van Ramen]

Gotta change the name from Radiator Cover to... I'm thinking "Air Flow Dam"

Took a drive out to Abbey, BC yesterday on Hwy #1. The temp was around 4-5 degrees C. The temp gauge did run about a needle width higher than normal (I did this run about 4 days earlier, prior to installation) which doesn't seem like much. But what my Hunny and I both noticed was a considerable lack of draft in the cab - especially around the passenger seat.

What most of you (L300 owners) probably know or have experienced is that the cab is not the most airtight, especially around the passenger seat. With this new found idea of blocking direct (cold) air flow towards the rad it has also, unintentionally but appreciated, blocked that same (cold) air from seeping up around the engine access compartment (ie: passenger seat).

I just love these little experiments/ideas that I conjure up. Quite often they either give an extra benefit or do the exact opposite of what I thought. Either way there is an interesting end result and one that works for something. (note: did a similar experiment with my motorcycle and had opposite, but desirable results).

[thelazygreenfox]

LED dome lights
A great winter project and now I can leave my dome lights on without fear of killing my battery. Could've bought them but decided to build two myself. About $3.00 each to build, but lots of time.

IMGP4188-2.jpg

They weren't bright enough so I added an additional led(7) in the middle, still with the same resistor. I'll change resistors if it's too dim. They're all run in parallel.

Next to install same in my L400 door lights. I'll make up a jig for the next set.

Wayne
TLGF

[jessef]

Nice Wayne. DIY is 'the' way to go.

If someone is looking for LED's without building them, superbrightled's has an enormous selection. You can outfit your entire rig, brake/turn/parking lights as well. Major amp draw reduction. http://www.superbrightleds.com/

[CREGAN]

I went for a drive today in the slushy, salty muck around here and required alot of wiper spraying. Just for the heck of it I decided to try the headlight washers and to my surprise they worked! They quit working a couple months back and I thought they bit the dust. Here are my theories (feel free to tell me if I am wrong, because quite often I am): It is either a loose electrical connection to the pump OR they seemed to quit after I really filled up the reservoir- making me think that some must have seeped in and shorted the pump. After using a bunch of the fluid and letting them be for a while maybe it sealed itself off again and decided to work. Hopefully they keep working now as I think the reservoir and pump is a pain in the arse to get at (behind the passenger side fender) and i really don't feel like doing it! Not right now anyway.

Edit: Revived an older thread I started in L400 Technical if anyone is interested.

Craig

[Firesong]

Hey Shaun Van Ramen

If the temps rise a bit outside keep an eye on your operating temp
I did the same with puckboard for mine. It was more to keep the snow
out for when I go icefishing.

I will say if your van/motor temps don't warm up normally do change
the thermostat. I had mine done when I got the van and it's a huge
difference. Heat within 5 minutes and normal range temps.

my original post:
http://www.delica.ca/forum/ice-fishing-9595.html#p73019

After making a solid piece I decided to cut 4 holes in it to let a little flow through.
Kept the temps where I wanted them in warmer weather.
FS

[Shaun Van Ramen]

Firesong,
thanks for the input. For sure I have been watching the gauge. In town (Vancouver) the gauge doesn't get that much hotter than normal (pre-plate), even in this balmy +8-10c.

As far as warming up, I always give the motor 5-10 min depending on the outside temp. I also do this with the Prevost Coaches I drive - but they are more like 20 min.

But the design was always "Winter Only" - 4 bolts and 5 minutes and it's outa there. There seems to be enough space around and inside to allow for airflow (via fan) when needed.

As mentioned above what I really noticed most (and best) is the cab is not so drafty now. So the pan with a little extra weather stripping around the engine access (ie: passenger seat) keeps it reasonably toasty inside the cab.