So the last couple mornings its been 10°f and I damn near kill the battery trying to start him up... and yes my mini is a him its 2022 he can be a boat if he wants! Haha jokes aside. I have replaced 95% of my vacuum lines and I say 95 because I ran across one I missed today, warm air flap line, so a couple more are possible. I also replaced the fuel to pump line since it had a pin hole rubbed into it. Thought I had him fixed since it started good at 25°f 1 crank with 1 tiny tap of the gas but tested it just now in 15°f and he couldn't get running but trys with the gas fully pushed (same as the last 2 mornings). Any ideas where I should start next? My choke is most definitely not stuck and I believe it to be properly adjusted. Its closed before cranking then opens partially once cranked and slowly opens as it warms up.. Fuel is definitely good and fresh. New wires, air filter, fuel filter, vacuum lines, most fuel lines as well.... and my mpg is way too low as well 20mpg... thanks guys can't wait to work on him in the cold tomorrow!
These things will make you scratch your head! Think about it. Yeah you do need the umph,(cca), to roll em over. No Doubt. In the old days when life was simple, we would simplify things even further. Spark, Fuel,Air, etc....START! With these over complicated, temperature sensitive Carbs, I've pretty much come to the conclusion, that their not worth the hassles they keep bringing up! Seems most that the ones who re place there's with the more proven Mikuni 32 mm, and similar carb's have had a lot of success, eliminating the temp. sensitive Original, garbage trouble laden, over engineered Carburetors, that everyone has problems with!!! Makes me wonder and realize more so why they didn't stick around long! Yeah I was able to conquer mine, but it was very time consuming, and can really become a pain! Expensive for some, as parts,(solenoids), aren't available, as other similar parts. As always the parts whores are always willing to gouge you out of your hard earned money and BS you enough to purchase and chase the problem with your Wallet. Many old and older post will verify my thoughts for many members that have and keep going through it!!! Good Luck, Limestone
Check out Henery Gonzalas in the Mitsibishi section. He says complete success with a Yamaha Grizzly 660 Carb. A big plus is the elimination of 95% of the vacuum lines. Fred
Yeah I am definitely considering going aftermarket but have a spare carb coming from a fellow mini trucker I'm going to rebuild first. Something about how the oem works and all the vacuum lines kinda gets me going.
My solution has been three of the glue on oil pan heaters. One on the pan, one on the bottom of the tranny, and one on the transfer case. Plus a battery heater, and onboard maintenance charger for the battery. The heaters run through a 0-C thermal switch, so they don’t come on until it gets down to freezing, the charger is on any time I plug the truck in. Battery has been upsized to a group 35-2. Twice the CCA of stock. The 35-2 barely fits in the stock battery tray for length and is actually about an inch too deep. I have a 1-inch lower hose heater in the parts bin. but, thus far I haven’t needed it.
I havent got to mess with mini a whole lot recently but im thinking I'm losing fuel prime over night. By the time I have it primed back up I've flooded the carburetor. I'm not sure but this is my current thinking. He used to start in the cold with 1.5ctaps of the gas and a 15 second turn over. So I think icwill be doing fuel lines and whatever leftover vacuum lines I find this weekend. I will let you guys know very soon if this helps. I hope it does because I haven't gotten to drive him since I got new rims, tires and a 2 inch lift on. So so sad....
Cold weather should not be a problem at all for a Kei Truck when all systems work. Here in Japan we have on the Northern Island of Hokkaido in winter very low temperatures, Hokkaido is the coldest region in the country, with temperatures dropping below -30℃ (-22℉) in some areas at the height of winter. No problem for the Kei trucks there
During my lunch break I went to see if I could make him fire up. I was assuming I was losing fuel prime and would flue the carb by the time it got primed. I was wrong I pulled off the air intake to the carb befor I did anything an fuel was sitting in there. So I'm guessing my fuel pump is bad?
Could be a possibility. maybe the pump became too weak, volume, pressure? Unfortunately I have no data for the fuel pump for your engine, volume, pump pressure
This weekend I plan to clean my fuel return lines replace the fuel hoses, and the few vacuum hoses i run into that I missed (I always find at least 1). Then possibly test fuel pump. And put the last piece to my lift kit on. This is all weather dependent
I recommend bypassing the stock carb (OOPS- FUEL PUMP), with an electric fuel pump. (AND ADD A REGULATOR BEFORE THE CARB). The stock pressure is about 2 to 2.5-psi. the electric pump has the advantage on cold starts, in that you can give it a minute to fill the bowl, before cranking the engine. With a mechanical pump, you have to crank the engine to make the pump work, and then do the priming pumps. EDITS IN ALL CAPS. Maybe I shouldn’t post things when I’m tired and can’t sleep.
Yeah I have been doing some looking. Found the proper fuel pump and a regulator with fuel return line so I can keep it close to stock. Also looking into the eic (eletronic injected carburetor add-on) by k&n and smartcarb. I got it hauled to my girls so I can work in a garage and if I don't get it figured out ill start with the mods.
I unscrewed the throttle all the way out then in 1.25 from touching, then in all the way on idle speed then back out 1.5 turns, air fuel all the way to the right. He fired up so fast and strong. Currently doing a seafoam hot soak then ill replace plugs.
@Tripthyme, related to your orig post--I've been meaning to get back to you on the cold weather starts with my new manual choke carb--we don't get quite the weather you do (lowest here so far has been 19F) but I will say that the manual choke is not perfect but I can get her (or him, or the boat) started cold. My only gripe is probably my fault and correctable: with choke, the cold idle is very high and it takes about 4-5 minutes before she/him/boat will run happily without any choke, but I still have to feather a little. But I admit I need to get a "real" carb guy to tune and adjust.
