Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

My L300 all the sudden starts hard. I let the glow plugs do their thing and then turn it over. It sounds as though it wil start right up first try but then just mysteriously keeps cranking. I'll retreat and try the plugs again and have to feed a little bit with the throttle pedal. When it does start, it doesn't start nicely. Once it starts it is pretty smokey (I assume from puping throttle?).

Does this sound like injector problems/timing? Any suggestions.

Thanks

I got same problem too and it was solved by injection pump tuning. hope it will help...

Does this maybe just sound like a glow plug problem?

Glow plugs can be bad right out of the box. And the el-cheapo's last on average only a few months before they burn out.

Here's some simple tests you can perform at home to find out if your plugs are healthy or not.


If the plugs check as good then you may have a timing or fuel pump issue. And with you in NB there aren't many techs who can fix your pump.

Some Caterpillar diesel techs are familiar with the 2.5L and 2.8L Mitsu Diesels as some of their smaller machines use these engines.

I checked the glow plugs over the winter and as near as I could tell, they weere alright.
I had the van parked over the Cold Atlantic winter. I boosted it the other day and it started right up. Since this initial allright start-up I've started it a few more times. It will start but I have to really toggle the throttle pedal to the floor. I've never had to press the pedal to get it going before. In other words, it doesn't start up easily as it should. I also noticied that after it does start, with a little trouble, the glow plugs seem to cycle on and off for maybe 10 seconds too. There is a little white smoke from the exhaust but not great amounts.

Any more suggestions?

Thanks

I also meant to metioin that after I get the van started and it warms up, the van will restart no problem, as it should start.

Cheers

liquidmonkey wrote:I also meant to metioin that after I get the van started and it warms up, the van will restart no problem, as it should start.

Cheers

That sounds like a glow plug or ECU issue to me. You can try attaching a wire or jumper cable directly from your battery to glow plugs to see if the van starts fine when you bypass the ECU. If you're starting in cold temperatures you may decide you want a manual switch on there anyway to give them an extra bit of heat on those cold days.

Dense am I!

ECU?

Electrical circuit ____?
East coast Unit?
Electron Collider Utility?

It's the Electronic Control Unit. It's what cycles your glow plugs. If you turn the key part way, you should hear them click to tell you they're hot and then turn the key all the way to start the van. If you don't hear the lick that's an obvious issue. If you do hear it, there still might be a fault. You can test the solonoids and see how much electricity is being sent to the glow plugs, but I can't remember the procedure for that. I took mine out and installed a manual switch which is especially handy if you have the 6V system because it allows you to use 12V plugs instead which heat-up faster and won't wear-out as quickly. If you like having the ecu rather than pushing a button for a few seconds before starting, you can have it repaired, or I believe I have my old one lying around somewhere which has been re-built and I would be willing to sell if I can find it. That is of course assuming the ECU is the issue. I'm betting on the ECU, a solenoid or the glow plugs being your issue here.

put 4 new glow plugs in and this seems to have resolved the problem.

Next question, how often do you need to replace plugs? I got 3 years out of those plugs and who knows how long they were in before I bought the van. I put maybe 5000 km a year on the van.

At only 5000km I would think they'd last a while. It will depend on how often your stopping and starting your vehicle though. Mine lasted me for around 80,000km before my vehicle was totaled, so I don't know how much longer they would have lasted.