2002 Mitsubishi Delica Space Gear L400 (Garage entry)

[inuvik]

I ended up installing the bushings anyways. The one place in BC that advertised delica parts is pretty non-responsive. It’s for the better I looked at their google reviews and the owner seems like a paranoid whacko judging by some of his replies to negative business reviews.
I patched one hole on the rh side today. Did a fast and good enough for a while job.
I decided to take a peek at the timing belt before quiting for the night.
Holy poop
Attachment 26223

Wow, that belt is ready is blow apart. That would be a bad day for sure if that disintegrated at any rpm. Might as well do the full meal deal, tensioners and water pump if it's driven off the belt.

[Fummins]

I've got a belt, idler and tensioner pulleys. On the fence about water pump and tensioner. I've had terrible luck with aftermarket waterpumps.

[inuvik]

I've got a belt, idler and tensioner pulleys. On the fence about water pump and tensioner. I've had terrible luck with aftermarket waterpumps.

Same luck here with aftermarket waterpumps and tensioner. Didn't replace the waterpump once and went with just belt, idler & tensioners just to have the old water pump start leaking which spun the belt (fortunately my 1992 Mazda MPV 3.0 v6 was a non interference engine). Then I replaced it all again with a aftermarket pump & tensioner. The aftermarket pump started leaking and blew the belt a second time. So of course I do it nice because I do it thrice! The 3rd time I used OEM everything which solved my problem.

[Fummins]

Yeah, I think I’ll probably end up ordering a decent pump from the Rock place. They list a Hitachi brand as being the OEM brand so that might be a good way to go. The gates brand pumps seem to suck, some acdelco pulps were just gates pulps put in delco boxes… I’m thinking Hitatchi or beck/arnley? This thing is gonna become a never-ending project. I haven’t looked closely at the back end yet… it probably needs a ton of bushings. Probably shocks at a minimum. I think I’ll get rear shocks then call it quits after the timing belt and other under-hood stuff.
Then…..finish up with the diesel heater, need new speakers, add an auxiliary battery, maybe add an amp, and extra lights, and might trim the front bumper. I hate to cut up a nice bumper but it just hangs down so damn low. Like almost a foot below the rad support. Maybe I’ll try it like it is and if it keeps bashing I’ll hack it off in the bush with a saw.

[Fummins]

And I'm almost finished up the front end crap. Just have to find and install a missing brake line retainer clip, put a zip tie a inner tie rod bellow and bleed the brakes. So hopefully do that tonight...

Then onto the fun stuff: Timing belt,valve cover gaskets, spark plugs,maybe cam and crank seals, water pump. This thing has 3 accessory belts with manual tensioners. Kinda good if one breaks you might not be stranded but if the wrong one does you don't have power steering or an alternator.

I found a sticker on the rear diff the other night, cleaned the paint off and decoded it. Turns out it has some helical limited slip deal. Hopefully it works still.

I saw another squirrel and tried to internet troubleshoot the power folding mirrors, they'll sometimes fold out but won't fold in eletromagically. Sometimes I can hear a relay click behind the glove box and other times nothing. I found some posts about a similar problem and their fix was the mirror control module(relay) and it's a somewhat universal fit: Fto, gto, pajero and probably others use the same module. I'd feel pretty fancy if I could get that to work like it should. Maybe even the power step too! It kinda works if you help it in and out. Then....The key fob, you have to really push hard to get the keyless entry to work. Eventually I'll probably break the key so I'll use it sparingly til it's fixed. Hopefully can find a way to just clone the transmitter to a new fob.

I'm looking for new tires too. Me thinks 30x9.5 will be good on the highway/city and hopefully tall enough for where I want to take it. 31's would be nice but they're usually 10.5" wide and will probably rub from what I read and slightly worse fuel economy(probably not noticable), loss of power, etc...The General Grabber A/TX looks like a decent enough all around tire. There are way more choices in a 31" tire and some are cheaper. I guess I could just go 31's then cut and bash to fit as needed. I saw a video the other night of one that looked to only have a 2" lift and was running 35's after cutting fenders open...

[inuvik]

I'm looking for new tires too. Me thinks 30x9.5 will be good on the highway/city and hopefully tall enough for where I want to take it. 31's would be nice but they're usually 10.5" wide and will probably rub from what I read and slightly worse fuel economy(probably not noticable), loss of power, etc...The General Grabber A/TX looks like a decent enough all around tire. There are way more choices in a 31" tire and some are cheaper. I guess I could just go 31's then cut and bash to fit as needed. I saw a video the other night of one that looked to only have a 2" lift and was running 35's after cutting fenders open...

I switched on my OS/RVR/ASX from the 18" OEM rims to a 16" rim and I'm running a set of General Grabber HTS60 215/70r16's. The HTS60's are probably the most highway orientated of their LT/SUV tires and they have been great. Really quiet, excellent in the rain and improved the ride dramatically. The A/TX's would be a great choice as they have good reviews and compared to BFG's KO2's you'll save some $$.

[Fummins]

Now for the never-ending revised todo list:

1. Fix frame rust and try to slow it down.(in progress)

2. Replace worn front suspension. (parts being ordered this week hopefully)

2.1 Replace the exhaust! It's horrible on the highway at certain speeds, right around 100k/60mph the drone is pretty bad in the front and deafening in the third row.

3. Get alignment.

3.1 Tires, if I keep it with the torsion bars cranked up I might be able to fit 30's on it. Good enough for me.

4. Replace the timing belt, valve cover gaskets, and anything else that is or could leak, replace spark plugs while it's apart. (should order parts soon)

5. Finish installing the diesel heater. Wire it, install fuel tank, pump, mount controller, etc...Seal the 4" hole in the floor that I cut.

5.1 Better tow/recovery hooks. There's an over-popular 4x4/atv/jeep trail that I might want to try with this van. It's only about 22 km long but takes 2 hours or more so on a side-by-side. It'd take at least 1/2 a day in a minivan if things go well. A winch would be ideal. So would some decent skid plates. Some trails have dozens of river crossings filled with big rocks.

6. Upgrade speakers, they're all blown up. There are 4 fronts, 2 in the dash and 2 in the door, then 2 6x9s next to the middle row
seats. Maybe install a small sub? Maybe get rid of the giant early 2000s backup camera screen and just use the head unit instead. Or replace it with a clearer unit and install a second camera on the left front corner to help make less sketchy left turns.

7. Replace headlight bulbs, and fog light bulbs with LED or just halogen. They're all mismatched right now. Replace the brake/tail light bulbs too. They're crappy, low-quality, glitchy led bulbs. Normally that's right up my alley but they don't work properly and were installed by one of the many previous owners.

8. One day replace the windshield. This one still has stickers from Japan on it and the van has been in Canada since 2017 so it can't be any newer than 6 years old at this point.

9. I'm on the fence about removing the steps or not. They're kinda handy. The one at the sliding door is powered which is pretty neat but needs some help for it to work.

10. I'm wondering if I can fit a small quad in this thing. Probably not a great idea but I think something like a 300 Honda or Suzuki might fit.

11. Sell it at a loss.

I should update this list...

1. Fix frame rust and try to slow it down. Done, good enough for me...

2. Replace worn front suspension. (parts being ordered this week hopefully). 99% finished.

2.1 Replace the exhaust! It's horrible on the highway at certain speeds, right around 100k/60mph the drone is pretty bad in the front and deafening in the third row. Will do this another day

3. Get alignment. will do this after timing belt

3.1 Tires, if I keep it with the torsion bars cranked up I might be able to fit 30's on it. Good enough for me. Will do this after alignment is good.

4. Replace the timing belt, valve cover gaskets, and anything else that is or could leak, replace spark plugs while it's apart. (should order parts soon) Will start this tomorrow if I'm not in full blown man cold mode by then.

5. Finish installing the diesel heater. Wire it, install fuel tank, pump, mount controller, etc...Seal the 4" hole in the floor that I cut. I'm thinking I should have taken my time and made it fit under the passenger front seat, oh well. No going back now.

5.1 Better tow/recovery hooks. There's an over-popular 4x4/atv/jeep trail that I might want to try with this van. It's only about 22 km long but takes 2 hours or more so on a side-by-side. It'd take at least 1/2 a day in a minivan if things go well. A winch would be ideal. So would some decent skid plates. Some trails have dozens of river crossings filled with big rocks. Eff it, from what I read the factory recover points are good enough but they're tucked up high on the front so will probably tear the bumper off if used.

6. Upgrade speakers, they're all blown up. There are 4 fronts, 2 in the dash and 2 in the door, then 2 6x9s next to the middle row
seats. Maybe install a small sub? Maybe get rid of the giant early 2000s backup camera screen and just use the head unit instead. Or replace it with a clearer unit and install a second camera on the left front corner to help make less sketchy left turns. I should at least replace the front door speakers, can live with disconnecting the little dash ones.

7. Replace headlight bulbs, and fog light bulbs with LED or just halogen. They're all mismatched right now. Replace the brake/tail light bulbs too. They're crappy, low-quality, glitchy led bulbs. Normally that's right up my alley but they don't work properly and were installed by one of the many previous owners. Gotta get some low beam and brake light bulbs, last time I drove this the led headlight was flickering on and off...

8. One day replace the windshield. This one still has stickers from Japan on it and the van has been in Canada since 2017 so it can't be any newer than 6 years old at this point. No rush...

9. I'm on the fence about removing the steps or not. They're kinda handy. The one at the sliding door is powered which is pretty neat but needs some help for it to work. Might start tinkering with this if I can figure out how to remove the thing.

10. I'm wondering if I can fit a small quad in this thing. Probably not a great idea but I think something like a 300 Honda or Suzuki might fit. Dumb idea, will try in the summer possibly.

11. Sell it at a loss.

[Fummins]

I finally had time to start working on replacing the timing belt. Both tensioner pulleys for the ac and power steering need new bearings. I was surprised to see a Mitsubishi brand timing belt.there’s a sticker on the timing cover that shows it was changed at 92 or 97k. It has 186k in it now.
Both timing belt idler and tensioner pulleys are worn. Left(passenger side)can seal is leaking. The crank seal looks fine which is good cause the sprocket doesn’t want to come off.
So far everything came apart nicely, even the balancer bolt.
The balancer bolt has a long shank that sticks out, there’s an updated bolt that’s more conventional. Im gonna use the crank bolt from a Mirage.
I’m trying to get the upper intake manifold off next. I can’t see the bolts so gotta work by feel…might pull the wiper transmission off to get a little more clearance. Gotta order up a water pump and t-belt tensioner still.
Attachment 26285Attachment 26286Attachment 26287Attachment 26288Attachment 26289Attachment 26290

[Fummins]

I ended up going with a gates water pump after all…it was a clearance deal and came with the back housing. But it showed up and there was no housing and it looked like someone stuffed a cheaper pump in the box and returned it. There were greasy finger prints(not mine) all over it. Oh well, should have a replacement next week I hope.

Got one valve cover gasket replaced, 3 plugs and a cam seal. The cam seal was dry cracked, valve cover gasket was rock hard and baked into the valve cover. Plugs looked good though. The ones I bought turned out being one heat range cooler. I think it’ll be fine.

Onto the “easy side” now…Attachment 26312Attachment 26313Attachment 26314Attachment 26315

[Fummins]

I just finished adjusting the valve lashAttachment 26319 or not…
Valve cover gaskets and plugs are done. Cam seals replaced. I’m on the fence as to go with a different timing belt. I bought a continental brand but it was another clearance deal and it’s already 6 years old. It’s not dried up and will probably be fine for a long time. I’ll just use it, it’s easy enough to inspect. At least the outer half is.
Just half a couple little coolant lines to replace.
The rubber hose from the intake to the booster solid like was cracked but I found a crankcase vent hose from a Mirage fit perfectly without any mods.
Attachment 26320Attachment 26321holy coolant temp sensors Attachment 26322