The Mitsubishi Pajero Owners Club®

ShogunJoy · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2022 Posts: 9 Location: BRIGHTON

Hello all. New to the forum and Shogun ownership. I have been browsing for hours and hours, and read dozens of thread here and over the net but would really appreciate some advice on the following issues as I can't find a coherent answer and from what I see on here you guys are absolutely brilliant Cool

Car is 2005 3.2Di-D on 85k miles.

1. Car is sluggish to start (hot and cold) and on cold start has audible squeaking that totally disappears in under a minute - from what I read this is likely to be belt tightening or replacement but mention in case related to the rest, particularly the sluggish start: it ticks over but needs revs to fire up

2. It's down on power, in all gears at all speeds

3. Yesterday, as I was accelerating onto a main road, I booted it (cos down on power & needed to pull away!) and there was a puff of white smoke and the EML came on. The car was cold, I'd been driving only a couple of minutes. I pulled over, turned it off and restarted after a short time. No light and no further smoke, funny noises or anything else.

In case it's relevant, I've recently bought it and it's had a full service, brakes, suspension, timing chain and rocker cover gasket seal in late Feb. Since then it's done 200 miles and has mostly sat idle. I think this may be relevant to the white smoke under hard acceleration from cold - EGR cleaning?

MOT history is the cleanest I've seen as I've looked at many. Main dealer servicing till 2014 and FSH, well looked after and very lightly used - it only had a towbar fitted by the most recent owners

Any pointers you can give would be amazing please. It will have to go to a garage to be looked at and fixed, I have precisely 0 tech knowledge or ability Laughing

I do potentially have the option just to hand it back if this is going to be an endless expensive cycle of chasing fixes, but having hunted for some time it's otherwise streets ahead of so many I've looked at/into in terms of condition, history etc

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radiomike · Posted: Fri Sep 23, 2022 9:40 Post subject:

Get it checked out by a Mitsubishi dealer, you have Brighton Mitsubishi on your doorstep who used to have a good reputation. Be aware that the mk3 has a habit of needing the fuel pump re-built mainly due to ingesting water and debris from rusted fuel filler pipes, this can cost up to £2k.

ShogunJoy · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2022 Posts: 9 Location: BRIGHTON

Thanks radiomike. Appreciate your reply and yes that’s my fear.

Running diagnostics Monday and will update.

Open to any further ideas though as it always helps to have an understanding.

radiomike · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 10:41 Post subject:

Reading your first post again suggests that the timing chain has been changed, they normally last a lot longer than 85k so was it the top timing chain guide that was replaced or has it suffered a broken timing chain due to a chain guide failure? If the latter there is the possibility of bent valves or incorrect valve/pump timing of a new chain, has it always run badly since you had it or has it suddenly developed the fault?

The squeak after starting is almost sure to be the alternator belts when the alternator is working hardest, check the belt tension but do not overtighten as it gives the water pump bearings a hard time. If they look old change them anyway but be prepared to re-tension them after a short period of use.

ShogunJoy · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2022 Posts: 9 Location: BRIGHTON

Thanks radiomike, that’s really helpful.

Timing chain - I don’t know in all honesty but the guide breaking rings a bell so your theory fits.

In good news I whacked some V power diesel in it this morning and have been on a 3 hour run with a bit of an Italian tune up and power delivery is totally normal now.

Fingers very crossed, still getting it checked Monday and will update.

assassin · Posted: Sat Sep 24, 2022 13:30 Post subject:

Ironically these learn your driving style and log these parameters and from what you have posted it would suggest the battery has been disconnected and if it has it needs the system resetting and there is actually a procedure for this listed on the site. Alternatively; it will relearn your driving style and habits and from memory it takes over 50 engine starts to do this and this data is logged, so check and see if the battery was disconnected and if so I would suggest the relearning process.

ShogunJoy · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2022 Posts: 9 Location: BRIGHTON

radiomike · Posted: Mon Sep 26, 2022 20:19 Post subject:

Boost pressure sensor problems are often the result of the small bore pipe from the inlet manifold to the sensor on the bulkhead being blocked with carbon. The union connecting the manifold to the pipe has an even smaller bore and can also be blocked. At 85k it is getting to the stage where an inlet manifold clean would be beneficial if it has not been done already.

ShogunJoy · Newbie Joined: 23 Sep 2022 Posts: 9 Location: BRIGHTON

assassin · Posted: Sun Oct 02, 2022 17:49 Post subject:

Agree with Mike on this and I would go the whole hog and clean all the carbon out as this really occurs when used predominantly at low speeds or part throttle settings and builds up over time. Once it is done it is done.

One other issue I am unsure about is does this year have a DPF fitted as many UK models were originally built for other right hand drive markets such as Australia or New Zealand for example; and if they had a surplus in those countries and a shortage in the UK they would bring these models to the UK and reprogramme them for the UK market here in the UK and this isn't as uncommon as people often think; reprogrammed models often have certain DPF issues or traits which can manifest as certain problems and if this is the case a full DPF clean may be an option.