Author Topic: RIP Delica  (Read 15588 times)

Offline Jmg

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #60 on: January 19, 2014, 04:26:48 PM »
I do like the look of the Largo. A very pretty vehicle. I also like the look of the Estima.

As a paid up member of the owners club I have to say.

Back away from the pretty Jap bus then back away some more. I love them they are great to drive, carry 8 people and still have room for luggage and the bodywork seems to last forever without rusting......

However, cylinder head is guaranteed to crack sooner or later and like the Serena changing the cam belt is a nightmare, not forgetting the extra driveshaft that runs the aircon, radiator fan and alternator goes through bushes for fun and they're murder on fuel.

That said I'd have another one like a shot as long as it was in perfect working order and had just had a new head fitted.
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Offline Tony

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #61 on: January 19, 2014, 04:34:14 PM »
I do like the look of the Largo. A very pretty vehicle. I also like the look of the Estima.

As a paid up member of the owners club I have to say.

Back away from the pretty Jap bus then back away some more. I love them they are great to drive, carry 8 people and still have room for luggage and the bodywork seems to last forever without rusting......

However, cylinder head is guaranteed to crack sooner or later and like the Serena changing the cam belt is a nightmare, not forgetting the extra driveshaft that runs the aircon, radiator fan and alternator goes through bushes for fun and they're murder on fuel.

That said I'd have another one like a shot as long as it was in perfect working order and had just had a new head fitted.

Is that Estima or Largo?  (Or both?)

The Delicas also had bit of an internet reputation about head failure and cracking but I didn't let that put me off :)

I suspect a lot of failures are due to poor maintenance.

Offline Rossey

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #62 on: January 19, 2014, 04:36:57 PM »
What is it with these jap cars and cracking heads?

Offline kamaangir

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #63 on: January 19, 2014, 05:09:40 PM »
The 2.4 td engines from toyota had a design flaw where the water jaket was too close to the surface of the head. Asymmetric rate of thermal expansion and contraction causes the thinner part to fatigue and crack. This is my understanding of it. As a remedy the head from the 2.8 NA was fitted and it resolved the issue.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most of these cars are old. How many 20 year cars do you see being used (or abused) as daily runners.
A lot also get used as tow vehicles.

Speaking to a head specialist he told me that it was nothing surprising to see cracked heads on newer engines, these start as hairline cracks and would probably kill the engine in the long run. Except that most of these cars die of other mechanical issues before the crack in the head becomes noticeable issue.
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Offline Jmg

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #64 on: January 19, 2014, 05:27:15 PM »
I do like the look of the Largo. A very pretty vehicle. I also like the look of the Estima.

As a paid up member of the owners club I have to say.

Back away from the pretty Jap bus then back away some more. I love them they are great to drive, carry 8 people and still have room for luggage and the bodywork seems to last forever without rusting......

However, cylinder head is guaranteed to crack sooner or later and like the Serena changing the cam belt is a nightmare, not forgetting the extra driveshaft that runs the aircon, radiator fan and alternator goes through bushes for fun and they're murder on fuel.

That said I'd have another one like a shot as long as it was in perfect working order and had just had a new head fitted.

Is that Estima or Largo?  (Or both?)

The Delicas also had bit of an internet reputation about head failure and cracking but I didn't let that put me off :)

I suspect a lot of failures are due to poor maintenance.


Estima and while I'd say maintenance can hold it off for a few miles they're a certainty.

I had 4 estis and while only 2 died because of the head the other 2 had cracks when I stripped them down to sell/give away for spares.

My first was a fresh import well maintained and managed over 70k miles before a leaky fuel pump destroyed the timing belt. Minor cracks starting to show. when I pulled the head off for repairs
My second was a J reg that had had a cracked head replaced 3 years prior to me getting it. Disappeared in a cloud of steam and almost complete loss of compression. Head completely shot
My 3rd developed crankshaft problems but as far as I was aware the head was good (having been a recon engine a year before I bought it) so I thought I'd donate it to someone else in the club, pulled it off it was knackered.
My 4th developed a cracked head but I plugged it with k-seal and plodded on til the MOT was up, to time consuming to repair.

Bearing in mind that while I had these they were meticulously maintained 5000km oil changes, new timing belt, ATF flush through and a coolant change (a new radiator and stat in one case as well just because I believed the preventative maintenance theory too at the time).

However the Serena I had I ignored accidentally boiled it dry, changed the filter when it blocked and only changed the oil when the garage had it for a timing belt change, that made 1 oil and filter change around 50000miles in a car I did around 100,000 miles in if I remember right.

Was still running like a dream when I traded it in.

The 2.4 td engines from toyota had a design flaw where the water jaket was too close to the surface of the head. Asymmetric rate of thermal expansion and contraction causes the thinner part to fatigue and crack. This is my understanding of it. As a remedy the head from the 2.8 NA was fitted and it resolved the issue.
Another thing to keep in mind is that most of these cars are old. How many 20 year cars do you see being used (or abused) as daily runners.
A lot also get used as tow vehicles.

Speaking to a head specialist he told me that it was nothing surprising to see cracked heads on newer engines, these start as hairline cracks and would probably kill the engine in the long run. Except that most of these cars die of other mechanical issues before the crack in the head becomes noticeable issue.

Pretty much, although the 2.2td in the Esti is even more prone to fatal cracking than most, some of the buses on the owners club that gave up hadn't reached 10 years old and were well under average miles for their age. While their petrol alternatives run almost forever with little problems (other than the fuel bill :dork: )
Probably wouldn't stop me from having another, I miss the space
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Offline Tony

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #65 on: January 19, 2014, 05:33:55 PM »
Thanks for the info JMG, very interesting.  Yours were very well maintained by the sound of it.

My neighbour has an Estima, it's a very nicely maintained one too (red and black, looks lovely).  He's had that for longer than I've owned the Delica (and we've put bio in it and it's been fine!).  I should go chat to him about his and see if he's had to do anything with the head.

The Largo comes with either the 2.0TD or 2.4 petrol.  I don't know the provenance/reliability of the 2.0, but from what you say it's not sounding great.


Offline Tony

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #66 on: January 20, 2014, 07:52:34 PM »
Re-reading that maybe not if you say you boiled it dry and it was fine :)

Offline greasemonkey

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #67 on: January 20, 2014, 07:56:24 PM »
The vehicles sound like an ideal candidate to have a better engine slotted in them.
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Offline Jmg

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #68 on: January 21, 2014, 01:22:10 PM »
Re-reading that maybe not if you say you boiled it dry and it was fine :)

I ran over some debris on the motorway in the Serena and it took out a coolant pipe, I didn't notice until the thing overheated.
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Offline Glycer-rides

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #69 on: January 21, 2014, 11:52:22 PM »
Hope it has an 8 track of sorts..?
Yes, I'm on looking after the baby nightshift.

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Offline Tony

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Re: RIP Delica
« Reply #70 on: January 23, 2014, 02:02:02 PM »
Another plus point on the Largo, cheap fuel pumps

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-LARGO-2-0-TD-CD20-07-1993-1995-DIESEL-FUEL-PUMP-MECHANICAL-TYPE-/190785713361

From a breaker that'd cost well over £100 on a good day for the Delica.