Delica Action!

[Eurospec]

I think we should all have a whip round and buy one- like a really fubar'd one- then throw some kind of humungous motor in it and 1/4 mile it! Now that would be a giggle!

Kinda like a version of that a team van at totb this year!

Cheers,

Ben.

[I-S]

I have to admit, those little suzukis can be fun. On the island of Praslin (in the seychelles) we had a convertible vitara swb for an evening (it wasn't big enough for 4 people, so it was swapped next morning), and I had to drive it back and forth between the harbour and the hotel to get luggage, people, etc. The roads on praslin are narrow, twisty, steep... 3rd gear is a rare event.

However, the vitara is kind of like a vastly outsized go-kart, very stiff suspension, wheel at each corner, wide track, and throwing it around these roads, with no roof and my barmah hat on... couldn't help feeling like indiana jones really. It was great fun. I wouldn't have one here, but if I lived somewhere like that, or on the coast in queensland etc then it would be a great car to have.

[WildCards]

I have to admit, those little suzukis can be f we had a convertible vitara swb ... with no roof and my barmah hat on... ... a great car to have.

If I didn't already know, then i'm pretty sure the cat would now be out of the bag mate.

[Kieran]

If I didn't already know, then i'm pretty sure the cat would now be out of the bag mate.

Yes, fortunately we all know that Isaac Models himself on Richard Hammond, so he's got away with it I think.

[WildCards]

It's not Isaac fault he's vertically challenged!

[I-S]

Gah... all that effort on trying to be just like James May and I've only managed Hammond...

[WildCards]

Gah... all that effort on trying to be just like James May and I've only managed Hammond...

Hammond is better looking though mate, besides, I reckon Ade is far more like May than you are. He says 'cock' alot and has an equally judging stare that can be employed at any moment. Whereas your short and... um.

[Kieran]

Whereas your short and... um.

Have suspiciously white teeth?

[WildCards]

Have suspiciously white teeth?

never got that close TBH mate, i'll take your word for it

[Kieran]

never got that close TBH mate, i'll take your word for it

You don't need to - Just wait untill it's sunny!

[Throbbe]

I think we should all have a whip round and buy one- like a really fubar'd one- then throw some kind of humungous motor in it and 1/4 mile it! Now that would be a giggle!

That would be silly. Like taking an executive saloon and sticking a couple of turbos on it. Oh.

[miller]

quick question chaps, what are balance rods? and is his response correct. will it do lasting damage leaving it?

I know this isnt the correct vehicle for the forum but it is a Mitsi and i trust the expert mechanics on her

Im hopefully going to look at one tomorrow and its got the following niggle. (taken from advert and response email of my question about it)

Advert
There is sometimes a bit of minor shaking when stopped at idol in gear. This really is minor and apparently someting to do with balance rods?

Response
The shaking or vibration pretty much stops when you put it in neutral. Its the sort of mild irritation that you just have to put up with as its an engine out job to repair and its not bad enough for that.

[Turbo_Steve]

Balance shafts are essentially weights on shafts next to the crank that rotate at the same rate, but 180degrees opposed, cancelling out the effects of the cranks eccentric mass with their own.
The idea is just to quieten and refine an engines behaviour, and perhaps preseve the life of the engine mounts.



Not sure if that's what this is...the more I think about it, the more sense it makes (remove the mass of the gearbox from the equation by depressing the clutch and the whole thing starts to shake) though retiming the balance shafts isn't usually an engine out job: just remove the belt and turn them...like doing a cambelt. Fiddly, yes.

[miller]

cheers for the response steve, it does sound like what he is talking about, as these engines are under the front seats i presume its even fiddlier to get to them and realign them?

Is it something that will kill anything long term if i live with it for a while? The vehicle is a low mileage example and pretty much near as dammit im gonna get to spec without importing.

Mike

[gdelargy]

quick question chaps, what are balance rods? and is his response correct. will it do lasting damage leaving it?

Rods within the engine spin at twice the speed (i.e 2x engine revs) in the opposite direction to the other internals, to cancel out vibrations and make the car run smoother. In inherently unbalanced engines (e.g. inline fours) large capacities aren't really feasible without balance shafts because the vibrations get so bad. It's an old, old technology, revived (and patented) by Mitsubishi in the 1970s. As a result, pretty much every manufacturer of big fours has been coughing up since then; from what I heard, Porsche paid Mitsubishi $8 for every 3.0 litre 944 they sold.

Explanation of the tech here:
http://www.autozine.org/technical_sc...ne/smooth2.htm


Personally, I'm suspicious of his statement that the vibration stops when you put it in neutral. That hints to me that it's a transmission problem, as a balance shaft problem would affect the engine even in neutral. I'm no mechanic though, so you might be better not listening to me.


Edit: I see Steve beat me to it.

[I-S]

I drove my GLS 40000 miles or so without the balancer shaft connected (belt had snapped before I bought the car, only discovered at cambelt change many years later!). Made very little difference at idle, having it connected robbed some lower speed torque, but it span smoother and accelerated a bit quicker at high revs.

[miller]

I have just found out that POSSIBLY the L300 runs belts as balancers not rods!

[Kieran]

I have just found out that POSSIBLY the L300 runs belts as balancers not rods!

Well yeah, that will be right. It depends what series of engine but the balance shafts will spun by either chains (early 4G5x) or belt driven (4G3x, 4G6x, 4G9x)

Something tells me that it's proably belt and that this has just snapped. Or it could be something unrelated to the engine balancer and maybe he means something like there's a missing link rod from one of the engine mounts (Like the driver's side one on the VR4).

[miller]

have spoken to the guy, this has been going on since he has had it, apparently the belt isnt there that controls the balance. Its gone long ago. His garage says it wont do any damage and that when it comes to cambelt time it can be replace then.

Reckon this sounds right? And will it run okay for another 40k as it only has 50k on the clock!

Mike

[DickBarton]

Jesus that is a low mileage...I reckon when the Fiat goes I'm going to be looking for either a Bongo or Delica - I really fancy the idea of being able to sleep in it, but it has space for the bike. Bongo is perhaps better as it has the auto-roof with bed, not sure if the Delica ever came with it...but the Delica seems to be more common as a manual.

Saying that, what is the road tax going to be for them...doubt it will be that good...but I do fancy one!