Just purchased a Delica 2 days ago - and have some questions

[impalator]

Hi Delica-Fans,

We just bought a 1993 Delica on Friday, Sep. 5 in Richmond (live in North Vancouver) and so I had to sign up to your club right away.

Although I found some answers to some questions (i.e. oil-change, type of oil & filter etc.) on your site already there are a few questions that I haven't got answers for yet. Maybe one of you could help me out here?

I am originally from Switzerland (actually just imported my 1969 Ford Cortina from there a few months ago - since it is almost 40 years old it was easy enough) and in Europe there is no law to enforce driving lights (i.e. the lights that are always on when the engine is running or the transmission is engaged). I don't know what the laws are in Japan - but it appears that back in 1993 there weren't any specific ones regarding this topic: I have seen Delica's on the road with no lights on at all, just yesterday I saw one that used the position / marker lights (the white part of the lens with the turn signal) that seemed to be the driving lights and I have seen others with full-on headlights.

Ours, that we just bought, has its regular headlights come on the moment the key goes in the first click (i.e. where you would normally disengage the steering wheel lock and get the radio to play). So if I am listening to the radio or disengage the steering wheel, my headlights are on.

Also when the glow-plugs are on at the initial start, the headlights are on - I guess this must be a pretty strong draw on the batteries.

Do you know if this has to be that way, if driving lights are at all required and if it would be ok to rewire them to the much weaker position marker lights - or disconnect alltogether?

Also - on a separate note - I noticed that the glow-plug indicator on the dashboard does not always come on (even in the morning after the van was parked for a night at temperatures falling to about 13-14 degrees on the North Shore) - So I waited for the ticking sound that comes after about 10 seconds and cranked it anyway. It started - but only after cranking quite a bit longer than I would expect (again, with the headlights full on).

So my question: Do the glow plugs only engage when its really, really cold or should they come on anytime the motor is cold to normal daytime temperature?

Finally I was wondering if there is some pdf version of an english version user manual?

Thanks for any help and feedback.

Cheers,

Chris

[FalcoColumbarius]

I operate my running lights manually, because I have often sat in the cockpit with the radio on and also when I park the van my head lamps would be shining right into the neighbour's bedroom window, which I think would be discourteous.

http://wikrad.com/delica/index.cgi This is a link to Delica-Wiki, that should get you started. You will find the actual link on the "Forum Page".

Falco.

[Schwa]

I have seen Delica's on the road with no lights on at all, just yesterday I saw one that used the position / marker lights (the white part of the lens with the turn signal) that seemed to be the driving lights and I have seen others with full-on headlights.

Ours, that we just bought, has its regular headlights come on the moment the key goes in the first click (i.e. where you would normally disengage the steering wheel lock and get the radio to play). So if I am listening to the radio or disengage the steering wheel, my headlights are on.

Also when the glow-plugs are on at the initial start, the headlights are on - I guess this must be a pretty strong draw on the batteries.

Do you know if this has to be that way, if driving lights are at all required and if it would be ok to rewire them to the much weaker position marker lights - or disconnect alltogether?

Mine were wired this way when I got the van and it caused me to remove the fuse for my DRL system, but the police pulled me over for "driving without my headlights on in the daytime" and reminded me that I need to have DRL because it's an obvious import that they can target. I fixed the incorrect wiring job the dealer/importer did so that the lights only came on after the second click of the ignition switch (when the glow plugs start clicking), but still was not satisfied with having 110 watts wasted just for daytime running lights, so now I've re-wired them so that there's a 10 watt bulb in the high-beam pod that comes on with the engine and turns off when the parking brake is applied. I'm pretty satisfied with this setup, the only other thing that should be wired in is an additional relay that will turn the DRLs off when the headlights are on.

[Green1]

Do you know if this has to be that way, if driving lights are at all required and if it would be ok to rewire them to the much weaker position marker lights - or disconnect alltogether?

Japan in the early 1990's did not have a requirement for daytime running lights. BC however does.

You must have daytime running lights on the vehicle by law.

The legal requirements basically boil down to the following:
- any time the engine is running and the transmission is in gear you must have either white or amber lights shining out the front.

The easy way is to have the headlights come on with the engine. the easy way to accomplish this is a daytime running light kit connected to the "on" position of the key (yes, they will be on while the glow plugs are on, but it's a short time period, but no they won't be on in accessory while you're just listening to the radio) (if you want to get fancy you can take some form of an input off the transmission so that they only come on while you're in gear, but that is probably a lot of work, I ended up putting an override in that disables them when my parking brake is engaged instead)

It sounds like yours were wired to the accessory position instead of the on position, it's probably relatively simple to move them to the right place. and that's all you really need to do.

[MardyDelica]

what is the chassis number start on your delica. the newer delica Vin # starting P35W-0040000 has different glow pulg system.
its the newer one & has a glow plug plug lights thats came on.
also has a water cooled cold start injection on it right now.
so i you can give this then maybe i can help you little bit.
cheers;
Mardy

[impalator]

Actually - my batteries just died on Sunday... Interesting that there are two batteries... So I attribute this to...

a.) weak batteries to begin with (probably somebody left a door open and dome lights were on when it was on the dealer lot)
b.) too much draw when in "click 1" of the key due to headlights coming on.

Good thing is the dealer has agreed to replace batteries and I will at that occasion also ask to have the driving lights rewired according to the very helpful tips I received from you guys.

Finally - the glow-plug light on the dash does come on - but as it stays on only very shortly I didn't actually notice it - which caused me to write that question.

We're off to the Shuswap this weekend - first long distance trip with the Delica (and with new batteries.. ) Wheeheew.... getting excited already!

Cheers,

Chris

[FalcoColumbarius]

Japan in the early 1990's did not have a requirement for daytime running lights. BC however does.

According to the lady that handled my insurance papers, that is the case with cars but not light trucks. Something worth looking into.

Falco.

[Green1]

According to the lady that handled my insurance papers, that is the case with cars but not light trucks. Something worth looking into.

light trucks required daytime running lights starting the same time as cars did. the only difference is that they don't require centre high mount brake lights until much later than cars... 1997 I think whereas cars are 1989. (either way though, you just try convincing that cop that you don't need the third brake light!)