Another newbie!

Hi Guys

Bought a 1999 Hijet 6 seater MPV 1300 EFI Sunday 8th Sept.

My usual everyday wagon is a Mitzi Delica L400 and the Hijet looks just like a mini version (well the L300 Mk at least) - hence the 'Mini-deli' handle!

We have toyed with the idea of getting one for a while now and recently decided to look out for one.

So....here I am!

It has MOT 'til end Jan and a must have for buying any car in my opinion. At least you have a bit of time to work on any issues before it is due.

A few cosmetic issues but all fixable. I tend to look for major corrosion and engine condition with vehicles of this age. All other bits are just wear and tear really. This one has a pretty good body condition with the exception of a bit I missed - RH wheel arch - as I was checking the battery once I got it home, I found a huge rusted hole on the arch top! I can put my fist through it! It is the only problem I have found and all surrounding area is solid. It must have taken a big impact from a stone at some point and has been rotting away un-noticed. Oh well - a good welder will sort it for me.

The engine is sweet and the old girl has been dealer serviced up to 2009.

Both front indicators are smashed - LH tail light - RH driver mirror taped up with duct tape - RH side door bearings shot to bits - both side door windy-winders missing - Aerial broken - drivers door a bit buckled at hinge - heater not blowing - LH headlight very dim - axel oil leak LH - dash lights not working - new exhaust system required quite soon!

All easy stuff! - Got indicators, got tail light, got driver mirror, got windy-winders, new door bearings on way, aerials available off ebay.
Found welder, headlight to invest', heater to invest (whole dash out job), full exhaust system £300 local.

Apart from that she runs like a dream! - Got her from Croyden - 100 mile trip home to Swindon and went to Weston-Super-Mud yesterday - that was a bit hairy - a bit of a strong cross wind going on!

With the axel leak, I am having trouble finding seals - any ideas?

As with my Deli - I will probably post photos and maybe post step-by-step walk-throughs as I do any major jobs.

In time I will get the little bus looking good.......

These forums are essential for owners of rare vehicles. The Mitzi Delicas just could not run without it!

Laters

Marcus

Exhausts for everything cat back are about £100

What's wrong with your heater.

Where is your axle leaking?

Welcome, enjoy!

I am changing the entire system - Cat as well!

Don't know about heater yet, need to strip the dash out.

The axel has an apparent leak at the wheel LH side. The drum is quite oil coated. I found an Australian supplier for axel seals - nowhere else at all.......so far. So I may just order a set.

I am just sorting the front lights at the moment - bit of attention needed. One of the wires was severed so got the connector out and re-soldered. The glass seal is detached as well in half of the LH one, so re-sealing. Bit of a clean up and all the good stuff. replace the smashed indicators, wash the rad out and re-assemble.

The headlight rear access box is a bit of a joke isn't it? A nice water trap! I think I will re-engineer that at some point. Both boxes were detached at the top when we got it and wifey complained about a draught - well I found out why!

Need to jet wash the whole underneath - it's not nice under there. Then get under and inspect. A lot of cleaning and rust removal and corrosion protection required.

Got a couple more weeks before I bugga off away offshore again, so got a bit of time to play....

I have got a strong fuel smell at the mo' - I need to find out why?
Can't see any obvious leaks. Any common failure points to look for?

Thanks for coming back - always good to get some feedback!

I will post a photo sometime - parked next to the Deli - larf or what?
2 1/2 tonne mega bus next to mini bus!
Ha!
This thing is mad as a box of frogs.....

Laters

Marcus

Welcome Marcus , you seem to be on top of things but there is a lot of Hijet experience in the club so you may want to sound things out before parting with cash or spending 3 hours on a job that can take 1 hour if you know the short cuts , The Vandolf of Hijets ( Highly Jetted ) is the prime contender if you want any advise , as well as other members of the club who will no doubt introduce themselves at some point .

Best of luck with the project and please let us see the photos as you progress .

All the best

Eddie

So why do you think you need to take your heater to bits?

And I don't know factually, but maybe the hub seals are just a standard metric double lip seal. Once you know the dimensions, any half useful engineering supplies can get them and they are normally a couple of quid. Once they turn up please let us know what seal you got, (load of numbers on the face) and if it fits.

Not taking heater to bit - just the dash to get to it all.

It no work.

I can't even get to the wiring as it is.

Just had to do a circuit board repair for the RH light tilt. The track had gone pop in 2 places! Usually the result of accidental short when mucking about with wiring. Not me! Was already like that!
I found a couple of wires dangling around under the dash wired into a fuse and a bolt. The wires had been severed, but the bare wires were shorting. Previous owner must have been a bit of a numb-nuts!

About £500 spent so far this week - and not much to show for it! But the old girl is getting there........

Axel seals are usually fairly generic Dowty seals as you say - so will sort it when I can. Will post info' when I do sort it.

I can still smell petrol every time I am near the bus - I have been hunting high and low - nothing.........

In my travels underneath - it is solid as a rock under there.....
A good clean up and some anti-corrosion treatment should keep it that way. I think I will take the whole axel/diff right out and work on it. That way I can clean everything up properly. A good paint job to boot....

Marcus

Fuel tanks are very prone to failure - leaking on the weld where the two halfs join, and corrosion to the tank itself.

I get a good couple of phone calls a week asking for petrol tanks.

Mine failed its MOT this week on a leaking petrol tank.

At first, they just smell of fuel, where the fuel wicked though some rusty bits, but then they get the point where they have a dark patch from the leak, then they drip.

Obviously they tend to leak more when full. Mine didn't really leak with less than a 1/4 of a tank.

Heater have a pretty simple setup.

Common failure is the fan speed resistor, which is screwed in to the top right hand side of the heater unit.

Other guess would be motor or switch, or moron caused wiring error.

I have spare motors, controls and resistor units all ready to send out.

To give you an overview of the dash removal check this out! http://www.daihatsuhijet.co.uk/how-to-remove-the-hijet-dash-board-and-wiper-motor/

Ah - thanks for that.

I had a look at fuel tank on my underneath scrabble around yesterday and yes - the joint does not look good. A job I had taken a mental note of to address. Maybe a bit more of a priority now! It doesn't look to difficult.
Once I get the dash stripped out I will get back to you with what I find on the heater issue......
I already got as far as spending 45 mins the other day bashing the hell out of the steering wheel to get the thing to release!
I have been reviving the headlights for the last couple of days. The level circuit is shot - could be the chip. So I have just left as is and will leave alone. Not too worried about it.
As with all second hand cars, I will be changing the timing belt and since I am there change the water pump for new item..........then have the known mare of a job to bleed out the system! No worries - got some ideas of my own and seen the procedure someone posted.
I will look at modifying the system (good luck with that I hear you say!).
Thanks again
Marcus

Hi Marcus , you may have seen it mentioned in one of the posts but most people recommend replacing the thermostat , and both coolant filler point and matrix caps as a precaution and I have been advised to replace the caps every 6 to 9 months ,

I have done mine recently and added rad flush after removing the thermostat and left if to stand for a few hours before reflushing . It was fine to start with but seem to have developed an air lock which I will now have to sort out as it has now started surging on tick over .

If yours is anything like mine you will also feel like your chasing a lost cause at times , as you get one job done and end up disturbing something which creates another . I hope I am on top of it now and when family commitments and workload allow it , I will be getting it in for MOT soon .

All the best

Eddie

Before you go fixing loads of stuff I recomend getting it on the road to find out how well everything actually works.

If it overheats when you drive up into the hills and in heavy traffic, you have to ask yourself is it worth fixing everything.

Could just be throwing good money over bad.

Strikes me with all the money you have thrown at it this week and with all the work you have still to do and money to spend on a respray and the welding you could have bought a cracking good one with no troubles for a lot less money. 

Sadly so many of us learn the hard way and let our heart rule our head and not count the cost first.
 As HJ says I hope it isnt Head problems but it just needs bleeding the system PROPERLY 
to get all the air out as very few Garages have got a clue how to bleed one. 

Anyway I hope you attain what you want to do and as Eddie said there is LOADS of help 
out there in many ways.  Woody.

I love a challenge! LOL!

Yeah I could have got a better one, but what would I learn from that?

I had a brand new VW Scirroco at age 21 - I was SO bored with it!

It had a prob at 7 years - a bulb blew.....Oh wow.

I want this thing for the fun of it yes, but I want my soul in it as well. What it will be is then a part of my efforts.

Get it?

Not just a thing you can buy- I have the money to buy a brand new car at £50K.....but I won't.....why? It is just a status symbol not feeling. I want to have fun not show off and be shallow.....get it now?
I hope you guys do......I am looking forward to sorting this little Mrs out.....she needs TLC....they all do....

Yes point taken about learning about them and at 63 yrs old and 30 years of working on cars and have still got my first Hi.jet  I bought 10 years ago I
have  now done 47,000 miles in it and has been one of the most fun pick ups I have ever had to drive and had been ultra reliable too and I am STILL 
learning about them._

That' why I have got 17 Hi.jets in my stables and the largest stock  of spares on the Isle of Wight and probably in the the south of England.

Oh bloody wow! Love that!

I started on cars at about 12 years old - Now 54 - was in IOW last year.....took a break over there. Loved it.

Maybe we can take the little bus over? Mmmmm
Will think on that one...........
We may be over again - the Deli is much more comfortable though....

Marcus

Not trying to do one.upmanship Marcus but when I was 22 I had a 3.8 E 
Type Convertible. If I had it now it would probably be worth £ 50,000.

I had it insured fully comp for £34 !! Boy times have changed.
Had so much fun in it and what a crumpet magnet.

Its the only car in the world I know of that you could drop down
to 20mph ( 800rpm ) in top and gently depress the throttle and do
140mph in the same gear. Amazing, but sadly rust buckets eventually.

But I still reckon they are the most beautiful car in the world as Concorde
is the most beautiful Jet and the Spitfire the most beautiful plane ever.
                                    Regards Woody.

Nice.....

We have Mellowed - we enjoy ....stuff.....

Had a Vitesse 2l straight 6
Boy did that shift.......
Back to topic - these things are a barrel of monkeys.......love 'em.
M

Hhhmmm!!! Glorified Triumph Herald with a 1950's 4 bearing Standard 
Vanguard engine and because of it were very heavy heavy on the steering
despite being advanced for their time having rack and pinion.

The advertising played on the fact they had the best turning circle of any
car of the time ----33ft. Yes I had a few Vittesse's in the 80's and even put the 2500 engines in. They were great fun to drive but that diabolical
back suspension folded under giving positive camber and around you 
went like a spinning top. Give me a Hi-Jet any day. .

Funnily enough when I am driving my Hi-Jets I often think of the Heralds
and Vittesse's because the turning circle on a Hi-Jet is absolutely amazing.

Knocks the Herald's into a cocked hat. Our little bundles of fun get the pee
taken out of them but very few of us would swap them--- unless whatever
we swapped it for could be sold for a good profit and buy two Hi-Jets with the proceeds.!!!
Hang on to yours Marcus and have fun in it. I love being a show off and 
being shallow in mine !! You might even get that low too when you have 
been bitten by the Hi-Jet bug,    

I think many of us get in to the older vehicle revival thing just out of having an initial attraction to a certain vehicle , I once had an attraction to a certain female that cost me fair more money and gave a lot less pleasure than any vehicle     . needles to say I changed the model and been fine since    .

My Dad used to say , " There is one thing in life you can be sure of , if its got tits or tyres , it will give you trouble and cost you money .      .

A wise man my Dad .     ,

P.S Please dont tell my Mrs I said that .   

Eddie

Yes I can associate to those feelings and words of wisdom Eddie.

Though for the most part vehicles have MADE me money and 
caused both joy and grief--- where as women have COST me money
and caused me joy and grief------ and I STILL am not sure which one I 
prefer the most.!!    .

I had a 1360 convertible as well Woody!
'E' Type - I wish.......lucky sod......
The vittesse was good for dropping down to 20mph and still pulling away - I did take it to 110mph once - 140mph? I would have needed a down hill and a tail wind! And nerves of steel - or just mad! Plus a new engine afterwards.....
My dad had a Vangard........and a couple of Vittesses.
Yeah the Vittesse had a few quirks, but I loved it. I also did an engine change on my 1360 - from start to finish and running - Hour and a half! Not much I didn't change on the 1360 - I lived in the car club at RAF Lyneham! I was 19 at the time.
Eddie - I think I just wet myself! - I think I will be quoting your Dad!

I am really enjoying this little beast - it is pretty easy to work on and satisfying reviving it. Wifey loves it as well, so SWMBO does not mind me spending the dosh and time on it.
Just reviving the indicators at the mo' - reflectors are shot - bit of chrome spray will do. I cant get the headlights apart to do same so they will just have to do for now.
Anyway - great to hear from you guys - got to get back on the job....
Laters...

Marcus

RAF Lyneham ?? Bet you had access to a load of lovely tools and machinery then Marcus.
That's what I crave, a lovely engineering workshop at my disposal.If only !!

Oh yus!

2 car ramps - one a 'wheel free' and a spray bay.

special tool for everything - plus welders to hand from the station workshops and A/C painters of course.
I had a Mini at RAF Benson and got the Queens Flight painters to do a re-spray for me - he said 'what colour do you want it - red white or blue?'
Ha!
I got white - boy what a job - very expensive paint on HM aircraft....

Jammy Git !!!

When HM got rid of her 2 Andover A/C someone put an ad in the local paper.....
Andover for sale - one lady owner - full service history - immaculate condition - a few dog hairs. Offers around £5m.

All RAF stations had car clubs...........

Oh Jesus we're going to be comparing bus passes and winter fuel allowances next!

Stop complaining Simpson !! You will get like it one day. Thank goodness I will be long dead and not have to listen to some old git from Crewe  sounding just like I did !!!

Wifey has bus pass - and gets winter allowance.......
10 years older than me!

I don't mind spending a bit to get the old girl to perform and looking good. She just needs a bit of TLC. She can certainly perform when needed and the body-work is in good shape.

Anyway - back to the Hijet............

I of course understand that you are referring to your Mitsubishi.
I am sure that you wouldn't want your very derogatory and degrading remarks
to reach a certain lady dwelling in Swindon. 
If you care to place a £50 note and seal it in a plain envelope and address it too
"Woody" c/o ---- Isle of Wight. I am positive that the chances of her getting to know about these dreadful references won't reach Swindon--- well not until the £50 runs out next Friday night in the Nags Head anyway-------

OOOOO, Mini Deli , you made a big mistake . you assumed that members of this forum have scruples , ( Wrong ) . 50% are on probation , 20% are mental patients , 20% have appeared on crime watch , 10% are drug dealers , and the remaining 10% are maths teachers .

Be warned

Eddie     ( I am not a maths teacher )