1986 Mighty Max, New to me

I picked up this 1985 Mighty a couple days ago from a friend.
12,000 miles on it and it looks like from the paper work that its legit.
Story was that the first or second owner was going to convert it into a hotdog vending truck and never got around to it.HA
The bed was left exposed to the elements and used as storage while the cab was covered with a tarp.
Its been "desmogged" and had the carb rebuilt. Its a zippy fun lil truck but I want to figure out some issues.
Heres a few pictures firstly.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26970&stc=1http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26971&stc=1http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26973&stc=1http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26974&stc=1

Hi and welcome to mightyram. OHHH MAAAANNNN. You may very well have the cleanest original truck the site has seen for a long time (sans emissions junk) This is a gem of a find. Post pics - ask questions! :thumbup:

IslandJ white is my favorite color on these trucks ~ super clean truck you nabbed & the interior is the cleanest I've seen in original especially the dash with no cracks is very rare ~ my truck still has all the original California smog stuff including the Mikuni Calif version carburetor ~ speaking of smog it shows up against the mountains in your photo or maybe thats just wildfire smoke (?) ~ its been decades since I was in LA
~ are smog inspections still required..? Your truck is trophy material ~ am glad you joined MR50 ~ Welcome Aboard
Aloha ~ George

@geezer101 thanks! Im not exactly sure what the previous owners mechanic did to it to in regards to removing smog equipment.
After dealing with smog on my old 1985 Landcruiser I decided to just get it "passed" and then start researching the carb and smog stuff.
Im leaning towards a webber carb to replace the Mikuni.

@xboxrox, yeah that could be a mixture of smog, haze and smoke in the back ground. There is a small crack on the dash but nothing bad. A few months back there was a tree that landed on the bed and dented the passenger side pretty good. I'll get some more detailed picts up this week.

So as the truck sits now. It idles very high when its cold. After its warmed up and I come to a stop it doesnt seem to want to come down in idle most times. I'll let the clutch out partially and then the RPMs will settle at a lower speed. I'm going to attempt to adjust the carb, any how-to's would be welcome. From what I read is that ethanol gas really messes with these carbs if they sit for too often, and that is one thing this truck has done quite often. HA
Anyways, yeah Im back to still thinking I will just switch out the carb for a webber. I feel like a webber will run better and cleaner than how this truck is running now. What do the the Mitsubishi aficionados think?
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26985&stc=1http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26986&stc=1http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=26987&stc=1

My back ground is mostly 80's toyotas.

...looks like the big smog fart of LA hanging over the background. Read your other post - does the truck have A/C? It might have the idle ramped up to offset load that air con puts on engines. The carb also might have weak a throttle return spring, or the throttle cable needs a blast of lithium lube through it to free it up.

Weber swaps are very common and effective with these trucks, typically a 32/36 DFEV or DGEV, plenty of threads about it on this forum.

Just take care you get a genuine Weber made in Spain, as the Chinese clones offered by Empi and others only licensed the branding and general design but aren't finished to the same exacting tolerances, so they can't be tuned to run properly in all conditions. You can spot the clones as they'll have a smooth/bright finish and only a decal, tag, or ink stamp with the Weber branding, whereas the genuine Webers have a rough/dull finish with the Weber name/logo and "Made in Spain" cast right into the body. Also, the electric choke covers are black plastic for cloned units, vs. translucent off-white for genuine units, but these can sometimes be swapped (e.g. to convert an original water choke to electric), so it's not a dead giveaway.

IslandJ ~ thanks for not taking offense of my post ~ my member page has photo albums & my threads have some info getting the engine to run right Mikuni carb & distributor stuff ~ seems you said your truck has good power BUT checking if the secondary throttle is opening is a good thing ~ with a length of proper size vacuum hose and a hand vacuum pump you can check vacuum is opening the throttle ~ also, checking the ignition timing for initial vacuum and centrifical advance is worth doing ~ my truck a dessert rat used by the military in the dessert musta contributed to wear on all the vacuum diaphrams ~ check out my carb photos ~ on idle speed I failed to adjust the throttle blade opening .065" before installing the carb ~ I have a sneaking suspicion it could be causing high idle ~ not sure if the adjusting screw is accessible with carb installed it's near the carb base bottom ~ HAVE FUN with your COOL NEW TOY ~

NOTE AFTERTHOUGHT: Father time wears on these vehicles too not just mileage ~ your low miles 12k truck will be 40 years old in a couple more years SO those 12k miles are much different than 12k miles on a 2020 model year truck ~ ozone is not a friend to software o rings rubber seals diaphgrams vacuum hoses etc ~ inspect any & all rubber gaskets seals diaphragms and the like ~ ensure both engine intake air filters are clean like new & remove inspect clean or replace the PVC valve (dirty clogged PVC causes rough idle) and dirty it can increase engine crankcase pressure which can cause oil leaks at the front & rear crankshaft seals ~ enuff huh meh use latex gloves I hate dirty hands :thumbup:

High idle may be a result of the dreaded 'Mikuni Fiddler'. Reset the throttle stop, then check the ignition tune. if you have power through the rev range then you know the secondary is working (no power from midrange rpm up is a dead give away the secondary vacuum solenoid has failed). If you have a flat spot on opening the throttle, check the accelerator enrichment pump (small square housing with a vertical linkage on it - either a blocked jet or the pump diaphragm has failed) The Mikuni is a horrid carb to work on, but as you live in Kalifornyastan you are stuck with it to meet emissions testing.

It has power across the entire range, really fun to drive actually.
I'll search on how to reset the throttle stop although I have decided to go with a webber carb. Dealing with all these vacuum lines and recirculation lines is just not worth it. I learned that on my 85' landcruiser, spending months sourcing used parts from the east coast and down south.
I dont live in that place you mentioned, I live in California and know ways around those things you speak of. Haha
I wish I could find a decent looking header. Anyone have any experience running a header? Looks like the last fella that was building them stopped years ago. Sure would tie the room(engine bay) together after the webber goes on.
This is the carb Im looking at.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/393197586164

That carb kit should be good; Redline Weber is the official US importer for Weber and makes most of the conversion/adapter plates, brackets, accessories, etc.

Pacesetter makes suitable exhaust headers, but I gather they're really only good for maximizing high-RPM peak power at the expense of low-end torque and drivability, IMO not really suited for a street daily, even worse for actually hauling anything.

Headers are available - look for listings for the Mitsubishi L200 from Australian vendors (Mitsubishi L200 MA-MD 2.0 2WD). Do not fall into the trap of using headers for a Mitsubishi van as they will foul the forward floor pan (the runners are shorter) Delete the EGR garbage, tidy up the intake manifold and intake ports, fit headers and add thermal wrap + a 2.25"-2.5" exhaust system and experiment with the ignition tune. It'll boogie. Also consider using the 38 DGES Weber carb. Comparable fuel economy but more top end power.

Thanks for all the info y’all. Finally finishing up with my work for the year and started on the truck.
After the rain last week I noticed a small pond on either side of the cab so I wet vac’d the water out and I’ll start in on cleaning the cowl intake to see if that helps. I’m planning on replacing the carpet with sound deadening and vinyl flooring so no big.
Gave it an oil change today and notice that the seepage from the water pump/timing cover made a spot in the ground about 3” in diameter after sitting for over a week. Think I’m going to order a timing belt kit and water pump seeing as this truck spent most of its life sitting.
how challenging is this to do myself?
Any recommended how to’s?

Also I’ll be getting the new Weber on shortly as well

Water pump and timing belt is relatively straight forward. Go by the book with aligning the belt timing marks and you can't go wrong. Keep an eye on the O ring that seals the coolant pipe into the back of the water pump. You may need a spare handy depending on the condition of the O ring and how careful you are during disassembly/reassembly.

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Originally Posted by geezer101

Water pump and timing belt is relatively straight forward. Go by the book with aligning the belt timing marks and you can't go wrong. Keep an eye on the O ring that seals the coolant pipe into the back of the water pump. You may need a spare handy depending on the condition of the O ring and how careful you are during disassembly/reassembly.

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Thanks, I just ordered a FSM from ebay for the job.
I know that when I was working on my Landcruiser, factory parts were the best to use and I learned the hard way once or twice.
Safe to assume thats the case with the Mitsubishi's?

Not necessarily. Some people have bad luck with serviceable parts like timing belts. I've used Bosch and Gates, never had an issue. Some guys are pointing fingers at Gates for using cheap subcontracted manufacturers that have resulted in belt failures. GMB water pumps - works perfectly, never had an issue. Some aftermarket parts are just junk, if in doubt - Google. Mitsubishi engines don't like exotic plugs and aren't fond of Autolite either for some reason. Good luck with the belt and pump service :thumbup:

Cleaned out the cowl area. Drains great now.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=27034&stc=1
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=27035&stc=1

got the dash back in along with a fresh vinyl floor.
hand stitched up the seams that were coming apart on the bench.
http://www.mightyram50.net/vbulletin...id=27041&stc=1

IslandJ wow sweet looking interior, nice work !! Am curious where you got the flooring vinyl ??
Thanks :thumbup: