Mitsubishi Delica Owners Club UK™

mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Hi, my sons Delica sometimes when starting, has a problem. He turns the key and the starting motor engages and tries to turn the engine, it moves the engine a fraction and stops. This can happen about five times and then it just starts. Its like something is jamming the engine. We bought a new starting motor and fitted and the same thing happened. Has anyone any idea. Thanks Mike.

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andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

Have you checked all the teeth on the starter ring on the flywheel? Sometimes, a small section of teeth becomes worn or even chipped, as an old engine may tend to often stop in the same position. Sometimes this can cause the starter pinion to jam against these teeth. Did you get a new solenoid with the new starter motor? If the solenoid is sticking, or the contacts in the switch dirty or damaged, you don't always get a good contact when you turn the key. Is your battery fully charged, and all electrical connections clean and tight? Including the mounting bolts?
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mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Thanks for the reply, it was a new solenoid with the starting motor. All the connections were cleaned. It happened tonight, so I told him to put the lights on full beam when cranking it, and they did not dim. I didn't look at the flywheel when the motor was off. Is there a way to inspect the teeth on the flywheel without removing the engine or gearbox?

mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Just one thing, when the starting motor engages you can see the engine move as if something is jamming.

andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

If the starter motor was jamming, I'm sure your lights would dim. Lights not dimming suggests no power getting through, but then I wouldn't expect the engine to move when you tried cranking it. Maybe there's a dodgy relay in the circuit? Have you tried turning the engine a small amount (say a quarter turn) with a spanner on the crank pulley bolt, just to move the starter ring round by a few teeth? Can't remember if there's a removable inspection plate at the bottom rear of the flywheel. Is your battery fully charged and properly connected?
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mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Turning the engine a small amount is a good idea. I turned the lights on at the same time to see if the battery was faulty. I have also checked it with a battery tester load drop tool. I might bypass everything next time and take a positive feed to starting motor.

andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

Good idea!
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Lewis · Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 10:48 Post subject:

The flywheel inspection panel is under the engine. You will need to remove the engine belly plates to get at it and it is fidlley to get at it. an extra elbow in your arm would be very useful.

This shows where you get into the panel:-

This diagram gives you an idea of what is where. Item 3 is the inspection panel:-

This shows the flywheel, after removing the panel:-

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mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Same problem this morning. The crank was moving about 10mm every time the key was turned. We turned the key about 15 times. Eventually the battery went dead and replaced with a charged one. It done it once more and then started. So I think the flywheel teeth aren't to blame. Could it anything to do with the timing chain, if it was slack. The only other problem with it is it looses water now and again.

andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

Is your battery earth secured to sound steel? Many years ago, I had a sluggish starting problem on a Vauxhall Viva, then one night it refused to turn over fast enough in the middle of Nottingham. I flagged down a passing AA van, he listened to it, then shone his torch around the engine bay and spotted the problem. The earth lead from the battery was bolted to the rusted inner wing - it pulled away in his hand. I clamped the end of the strap lead to a good piece of wing, and the car started instantly.
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YOZA · Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 17:32 Post subject:

My stab in the dark...

It is possible when fitting the new starter motor to pinch a cable between the two matting surfaces, the starter has two bolts which you fit from the rear, and the starter itself has a hole to mate with a dowel as well as all this the starter has a raised locating ring on the cast. All these precautions are there because if you fit a starter out of true, then the gears don’t synchronise and they jam, it doesn’t take much.

There are 2-3 cables hanging around the starter, so I recommend you release it and check, then refit.
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mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Thanks for the replies. We took it our family mechanic and he said the head gasket is leaking. The amount of water lost, the smell from the water bottle and the engine capacity oil/water on the dipstick increasing in volume. He said something like, it has difficulty turning over because of some compression in the engine due to the head gasket leaking. Anyway we are going to strip it down next week and take it to an engine specialist to look at. Either a skim or a new head. when it has been replaced I will tell you if we still get the problem with it trying to start. Thanks Mike

YOZA · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2020 15:29 Post subject:

You can’t skim the head as it uses ceramic inserts, you need to pressure test it and if it is crack free just change the head gasket for an original Mitsubishi item.

The gaskets come in three thicknesses denoted by a notch at one end, I would advise you use a three notch gasket as this is the thickest.
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Deker · Joined: 08 Mar 2008 Posts: 3833 Location: Borehamwood

Mike.

Try this before removing the cylinder head.

An easy way to find if water causing "Hydraulic Lock" =
Remove the Glow Plugs, have a body to turn the key to rotate the engine.
See/hear if water is ejected, hear if engine rotates easier.

HTH

Mr D

YOZA · Posted: Fri Sep 25, 2020 20:31 Post subject:

andyman · Joined: 08 Dec 2012 Posts: 5602 Location: Penrith

Wot Deker said! If any coolant spits out, it would be advisable to have the head pressure tested for cracks before replacing the gasket. Sadly, these heads are known to crack.
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mgstr · Joined: 14 Sep 2020 Posts: 17 Location: Bodmin

Update. Removed the head and there was a crack between valves. Getting a reconditioned head. The gasket that came off was a three notch. Do we buy a three notch? Thanks Mike

Lewis · Posted: Thu Oct 01, 2020 12:13 Post subject:

If you buy a head that has no ceramic inserts, i.e. not an OEM one, then you should buy a suitable gasket to go with it.

That way you won't need to worry about different gasket thicknesses. An additional bonus is that if there is a similar issue in the future you will be able to get the head skimmed and pressure tested.

This shows the face of the New head I bought:

This was the Gasket kit, along with new head bolts, thermostat, belts and temp sensors.

Unfortunately this particular bit didn't fit, so I cut one out of a sheet of gasket card .

This was the better quality gasket that was fitted, rather than the simple one in the kit.
As you can see the water channel ports have a crushable copper edging where they are close to the pistons, which is a frequent fail point on many gaskets.

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Copyright is retained for all my photos. Please don't copy them without asking permission
Do not blindly go where the path may lead you. Go where there is no path and leave a trail that others may follow!
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