2023 Mitsubishi Triton Pricing and Specs

You say you’ve checked the basics, but it’s worth taking a close look at electrical connections that form the basis of the car’s ignition system. Are all the plug leads properly connected? Is the high-tension lead form the distributor to the coil secure and the coil wires correctly hooked up? Any fault with these things can cause a no-start situation.

The other prime suspect in a car of this age would be the electric fuel pump. These usually live inside the fuel tank and have a very finite lifespan. If you can’t hear the pump humming when you turn on the ignition, it’s probably dead and could well be the cause of your problem.

Beyond that, there are a lot of things that could be the cause here, but many of them are cheap and simple to fix once you’ve diagnosed the issue. It’s worth having the car checked over in case it is something really simple (and inexpensive). The Mitsubishi V6 is pretty good unit and if you’re happy with the rest of the vehicle (and it sounds like you are) then fixing the problem and squeezing every last kilometre out of the thing is the way to go.

The confounding element, of course, is that fifth gear is getting hard to engage. This could be a simple linkage adjustment problem, low clutch fluid or it could be a worn out clutch. Again, though, a proper diagnosis should be your next step before deciding whether to repair or sell and move on.

Any diesel engine can be a bit noisy; that’s just the way they work. But if a new noise has surfaced, then something has definitely changed under the bonnet. First thoughts would be a hydraulic lash adjuster (also known as a lifter) that is failing and making the noise.

These lash adjusters maintain the correct valve clearance (which otherwise alters as the engine heats up and cools down) but one that fails will allow the valve clearance to grow, at which point you get a ticking noise at the top of the engine as the valve and lifter collide.

If this is the case, you’ll need to replace the offending lifter and best practise suggests you replace all of them at the same time as one failed one suggests they’re probably all worn. But it’s also important to make sure it really is a dud lifter you’re dealing with. A diesel engine has lots of potential sources for such a noise, so make sure you rule out a worn fuel pump or any other mechanical problem before ripping the lifters out.

There are a lot of possibilities here. Either there’s a problem with the actual shifter for the transfer-case (that selects two or four-wheel-drive) or there might be something amiss inside the transfer-case itself. But before you try anything else, make sure that the transmission is in Neutral. Many vehicles will not shift into or out of four-wheel-drive while the transmission is in Drive or Reverse. So stick it in Neutral and see what happens.

From memory, the 4WD selector in your ute is a mechanical lever, not one of those newer rotary knobs. So at least you won’t be trying to overcome an electronic selection problem that occurs in these later versions.