Mitsubishi Problems

It's unlikely to be the fuel pump, unless it's an old-fashioned SU pump, which ticked when the ignition was first turned on, but today's fuel pumps are of a different design and are more likely to hum than tick. If it was the fuel pump the noise would be coming from the rear of the car, not the front.

I can imagine it is very annoying. Take it back to the dealer and demand it be fixed. Your car should still be under warranty and the noise you are hearing might well be a relay, but it's not normal and you have every right to have it fixed.

It is using too much oil as you suggest, but you don’t say how much it was using back when you first noticed it, or if you brought it to the attention of the dealer. A dealer is unlikely to know when an engine is using oil unless the owner tells him or her. It’s too late now to do anything about it, the issue should have been addressed when the vehicle was under warranty, and the initiative has to come from the owner.

In the old days mechanics would probably apply a little grease like Vaseline to the belt and send you on your way, and you could try the same, but I reckon yours might need to be re-tensioned or it might even need a new belt. If you install a new belt, re-tension it after about 1000 km because it will stretch a little in the first few kays.

Unfortunately the old Magna was known to suffer from idle shake when stationary and in gear, and there's not a lot you can do to get rid of it. Owners often put it into neutral to overcome it instead of leaving it in gear at traffic lights etc. As for the hunting in gear you could check the throttle position sensor and make sure that is adjusted correctly.

I think you will battle to get any compensation on this, unless you can prove conclusively that the pressure plate is out of specification. The only people who know what the specification for the clamping load, which might be where the problem lies, is Mitsubishi. What makes it difficult in a case like this is that car companies don't warrant clutches, they are considered wear and tear items as Mitsubishi has told you; added to which you have had the clutch replaced by a someone other than a Mitsubishi dealer.

A four-cylinder car is the way to go when you're learning; toomany young drivers buy turbos, V6s and V8s and often get into troublewhen they outdrive their skill and experience. The Astra is one ofthe cars I would certainly consider, but you need to be aware of thecam timing belt problems they had with that model. To avoid breaking the belt, and causing massive internal damage to the engine, the beltneeds to be replaced every 60,000 km. With that in mind it'simportant to makesure that any car you consider has had the beltchanged according to that schedule, and be aware that he will have toreplace it every 60,000 km in the future. A 10-year-old Astra willset you back $8000-$9000. Others to consider are the Mitsubishi Lancer, Nissan Pulsar, Mazda 323 and Toyota Corolla.

NORMALLY the engine would last much longer than 107,000km and it's unlikely that yours needs replacement, though it might need reconditioning for some reason. We asked Mitsubishi for their input on your case and they told us the problem is likely to have been caused by sludge build-up in the engine as a result of it either not being serviced, or being poorly serviced. Because it hasn't been serviced at a Mitsubishi dealer they can't check its service history.

Mitsubishi never sold The Delica here, so while there are some parts common with models that were sold here, such as the Pajero, and therefore available from Mitsubishi dealers, you generally have to get your parts from an importer or specialist wrecker. There are a number around and parts aren’t difficult to get. A good place to look for parts is also e-bay; another is the Mitsubishi Delica club who can give you heaps of info. As for servicing any Mitsubishi dealer, or local mechanic, would be able to service it.