Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

1991 L300 super exceed "Argo"

Had some major cold starting issues in November (2013), black smoke & long cranking.
CVI installed new glowplugs, relay and a manual bypass. This solved the cold starting at the time.

I recently changed the oil/ filter, as well as new fuel filter with 500ml of seafoam.
Had hard starting and stalling issues and removed and reinstalled the fuel filter, bleeding off air.

In the past month or so (prior to and since the maintenance) I have noticed harder starts when the van is left for 5 or more hours. Temperatures have been around 2-15 Celsius (southern van isle)

Cranking for 10-15 seconds, then usually a few puffs of white smoke, really hard shaking idling.

Post manual bypass install it started immediately with no issues first time.

If I give some gas as it is starting it will start slightly faster and evens out the shaky idle.

I am hearing the glow plug relays cycle, clicking twice and there is power to the busbar on the clicks.

Plugs seem to have ohms in the >1 range, all the same. Dual battery, showing 12V each and high ohms when tested.


I know this topic has been done to death, but I can't seem to figure it out with my limited mechanical know how.

Any ideas?

Cheers!

Your ip pump might be starting to go. Gets air into the pump etc and won't start easy. Should be some forum threads on it. Might be just the main seal rather than all the internals.

NGK's website states anything below 5Ω is acceptable for glow plug health. You got around 1Ω each so no issue there.

Do you have power at the bus bar during the glowplug heating cycle?

If that checks out then my vote is an IP that needs some TLC.

Yup! Power to the busbar when glow plugs cycle.

Double checked fuel filter fit and primed, seems to start a little easier now... Maybe some air in the system?

Added some engine oil leak stop to the fuel to see if it changes anything.

Will see how it goes the next few days!

Thanks for the assistance gentlemen, much appreciated!