Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

[mouseflakes]

So, this is a bit weird.

I've never had any issues with my auto trans. I changed all the fluid when I first got the van (pipes off, pumped it through 'til pink) and when I check the fluid, it's still not a bad colour.

However, for some reason I took a look under the van this evening (in the dark, as you do) and noticed that the cooler pipes to the front driver's side step are just connected together, and there is no cooler there - at all.

So, I'm thinking that maybe some vehicles weren't fitted with them, or else, it has been removed from the van some time before I got it (strange that it was completely removed and not just left in place after short-circuiting the pipes - though perhaps if it was leaking then it was a cleaner option to get it out rather than waiting for it to drain?).

Anyhow, as I say, I've had no issues with the trans - it's always worked nicely under all sorts of conditions (high passes in The Lakes and happy on motorway runs). But, now I'm thinking I'd like to put a cooler on there (now I know it's missing).

I reckon I could just get a generic trans oil cooler and fit it there. Anyone else tried one of these (on any vehicle)? I can't think of any issues, other than making sure it fits in the space and there's some way of mounting it, but someone here might know otherwise!

Cheers!
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1992 L300 Super Exceed

[Google]

[andyman]

Hi Tim, my original cooler burst due to corrosion at its lower, rear end, several years ago. Not wanting to pay the £239 and wait six weeks for the Mitsu Japan one sourced by Norjac, I obtained one off a scrap Isuzu Trooper for £15. It doesn't fit neatly between the chassis leg and valance, it is too wide, but despite having since obtained a good second hand L300 one, I have yet to fit it. When it first burst, I slung  two metres of microbore central heating pipe across under the valance to provide a modicum of cooling.
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Andy C L300 Super Exceed - over 100 smiles per gallon!

[mouseflakes]

I should have updated this ages ago. I got a used transmission oil cooler from a Nissan Elgrande E50 Diesel from Ebay. It looked just the right size to tuck up behind the passenger step and also included a couple of hoses still attached which looked like they'd reach to where the Deli ones were capped off. In the end it fitted nicely, once I'd cut a bracket off it that just kept getting in the way. I didn't want it exposed to damage when off-roading, so I just slung it loosely in the space between the step and the chassis rail using some sturdy cable ties for now (probably forever )
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1992 L300 Super Exceed

[andyman]

Hi Tim, in your first post you said it was the cooler rad under the driver's step. This is in fact for the steering fluid. The ATF is cooled running through a cooler in the bottom of the main radiator. IIRC, the radiator under the front passenger step is the a/c "side" condenser, and has a fan on the back/top of it to aid cooling in very hot conditions. Have a look through Pink Pig's manual in L300 FAQs.
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Andy C L300 Super Exceed - over 100 smiles per gallon!

[mouseflakes]

Oops - thanks Andy. Yes, it is the one under the drivers step! So, the steering cooler (when ATF came out the pipe I just thought 'ah, transmission' - doh! ).

Anyway - the Elgrande E50 ATF cooler is a nice fit under the drivers step, if anyone needs a replacement .
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1992 L300 Super Exceed

[mouseflakes]

I've just been out to the van in my lunch break and checked the pipes Andy. The cooler under the driver side step is definitely connected to the transmission.  Certainly I see in the docs from Pink Pig that some radiators must incorporate an ATF cooler, but mine doesn't have one of those types or radiator. The (original) pipes to the cooler on mine include solid to flexi pipe unions with simple sprung clips holding them. I don't think these would hold the steering fluid under pressure. The steering pipe work itself just seems to include a simple cooling 'loop' made of one length of solid pipe (attached to the inside edge of the chassis rail).

I'm glad I checked anyway. One of the flexi pipes to my cooler is splitting where it joins the solid pipe. Another thing to fix!
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1992 L300 Super Exceed

[PinkPig]

Hi,

Yes my Manual Box van doesn't have a cooler under the step, and does have the steering fluid pipe cooling loops as per yours.
Also having changed the rad a while back, there are auto box cooling through the radiator on newer ones and not on the older it seems.

Roger
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The PINK PIG!
1988 Delica L300 Star Wagon 2.5TD 5sp Manual.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/__PinkPig___/
A never ending camper/restoration project
Project 1 - Pop-top camper conversion 2011-2015
Project 2 - Campervan the sequel - 2016 restoration, welding, respray, new interior, vertical pop...

[andyman]

Yes, thinking about it, when I had to repair the steering pipe where it had rusted through at the connection bracket to the chassis last year, I remember thinking, that the 2 pipes did not seem to connect with the replacement rad under my driver's step. And I can't remember if I have ATF pipes coming out the bottom of the main rad. Dreading what I may find when I get underneath to pre-MoT check it in the next couple of weeks...
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Andy C L300 Super Exceed - over 100 smiles per gallon!