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MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mode

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MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mode

Postby Dan1el » Sun Jun 16, 2019 5:01 pm

Hi folks!

First, please apologise if my English is not correct or if I can't express myself clearly/nicely – English isn’t my first Language.

I own a
Ford Transit MK4 1994 (around where I live its apparently referred to as MK3)
Type 100L ELD A-3
2.5L 100PS / 73KW
long wheelbase which is converted into a RV and hopefully will last long and be reliable on my trips around Europe.

The fuel pump:
Lucas Epic DSA947
Ser: 08953
Mod: AMG
8720A003A

Now, from the very beginning on I have an issue with the van lacking power approx. half of the time and going into fail mode, both on higher RPM.

It happens like that:
When I drive the van putting the pedal down it's fine first, till the engine gets into higher RPM, eg. going 110km/h+ on the 5th gear. Approximately half of the time it's still fine, pulling with it's 100 horsepower as it should. The other times it would start lacking power in pulses. It accelerates, then lacks power, accelerates again and lacks power again and so on like if I would put the pedal down and release it a bit after a couple of seconds, repeatedly.
This only happens when I really demand power, I’d say 80% of what the engine can do. If I drive calmly - no problem.
And then, from time to time and also on high power and RPM, the engine warning light goes on and the engine turns itself off. After I restart the engine, everything is fine again till I get the engine to deliver 80%+ power again.

What I tried so far:
- Changed the diesel filter, air filter (and oil filter).
- Used diesel engine cleaner: Liqui Moly Pro Line Diesel System Cleaner 500ml twice.
- Changed the stop solenoid of my Lucas Epic pump that stops / turns off the engine. The old valve was done (no sealing rubber on it any more). That changed the behaviour when the engine warning light goes on: before, the engine didn’t turn off, but would keep running at approx. 2000RPM, delivering no power and would only turn off when forced by putting in a gear and releasing the clutch.
- Cleaned the electric plug on the side of the Lucas Epic, improved it (someone made a not so perfect repair before), fixed / mounted it, so it wouldn’t move any more, cleaned the contacts and did more or less the same at the other side of the cable harness to the plug that goes into the control box. I thought that was it as the van ran good for some (little) time, but no.
- Tried different fuels from different petrol stations.

What else? The timing belt, water pump, cooler, the coolers visco clutch that drives the fan and the breaks got renewed, but I doubt that has any relevance to my problem.

Something weird: when I bought the van, there were about 4 litres too much oil in the engine!!!

I lately discovered, that after longer drives the fuel tank develops a vacuum / negative pressure, making a sucking noise when I release the diesel tank lid. So, there war a small hole drilled in the lid. Didn’t help with the engine problem.

I really would like to rule out any cause other than a faulty epic pump, for those are really expensive around here. And as the engine runs fine when I don’t demand too much power, I guess I might not even change the pump if it was the cause. Apart from if that could lead to more damage over time?!

I tried to find someone with a Laser 2000 or similar to read the pumps error. It’s impossible around here. After asking at least 15 repair shops I gave up. I read about a “paper clip trick” in the forum that would apparently apply to my car, but I couldn’t find the info on how to do it. That could be very helpful!!

I think that’s about it. When anything else comes into my mind I’ll add the info.


Thanks to all of you who are willing to read this and special thanks for any tips of conclusions!! For now, I ran out of ideas.

Kind regards from Austria,
Daniel
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby wobbles » Sun Jun 16, 2019 6:34 pm

i have the same van . i dont really have any ideas myself as I usually come to this forum for help also .
But I do have a lucas laser computer , im Based in belgium if you want to call down and use it , your more than welcome .

Darren
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Chug » Sun Jun 16, 2019 8:05 pm

Have you checked the fuel pickup pipe in the fuel tank for blockage/restriction?
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Tue Jun 18, 2019 9:59 am

Thanks for your help! I'll check that asap and keep you updated!
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby MinorMatt » Tue Jun 18, 2019 10:39 am

www.facebook.com/transitionclassics

Lucas Laser 2000 & IDS

95 M Prototype/Mule DRW 100PS Highcube
93 L GL Minibus
96 P 150 TD 100PS LWB Hi-Top

Gaffa tape is like the force, it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Wed Jun 19, 2019 7:20 am

@MinorMatt: THANKS!! That looks perfect and might help a lot with my search!!!

Just to be 100% sure not to brick my electronics: when I connect/shortcircuit pin 2 and 3 of the connector shown (which in my case is located in the glove compartment), the emergency light will start flashing the codes?
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby MinorMatt » Wed Jun 19, 2019 9:13 am

Yes
www.facebook.com/transitionclassics

Lucas Laser 2000 & IDS

95 M Prototype/Mule DRW 100PS Highcube
93 L GL Minibus
96 P 150 TD 100PS LWB Hi-Top

Gaffa tape is like the force, it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Sat Jun 22, 2019 9:04 am

THANK YOU SO MUCH MinorMatt!!!

Worked like a charm! got 15(!) fault codes, so over time it seems the van has collected quite a few.
I managed to delete them with the paper clip.

Now I am waiting for the problem to occur again.

What I don't have is a list of two digit fault codes. I found ressources on four digit codes, but two digit - nope.
I trid to find them here and elsewhere in the web, but couldn't. It would be very useful to hold of the whole list of codes, especially when I am on holiday with the camper and get into some trouble. And of course to nail down my problem.

So if anyone would be so kind and send me a list of the 2 digit fault codes I'd be very happy!

I'll be back as soon as I got the problem to occur again and read the codes.

Thanks to all of you! This forum is awesome!!
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Sat Jun 22, 2019 7:27 pm

Hi!

As I wrote before I managed to delete the stored codes.
Then drove the van and had the engine/emergency light go on twice. Both times the error occured the very moment I set the cruise control. And lately I got the impression that it more likely occures when I drive fast and then suddenly release the gas/accelerator pedal.
Now I just got home and read the codes:

12 - start.
then 24, 14, 23, 51
11 - end.

So now the question is how to interpret the codes. Do you have any suggestions? It would be so great to find the problem and solve it. I do love the campervan and did put quite some effort in it to make it all nice again and now this is more or less the last problem I have to solve.

Thank you so much for your time and effort!

Regards,
Daniel
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:08 pm

Hi!

On my last drive on the motorway I found out that the error occurs when i drive fast (or high rpm) and suddenly release the gas pedal. If I release it very slowly no problem. Thats also why the cruise control does lead to the van going into fail mode. It regulates too quick.

Any suggestions? Unfortunately I ran out of ideas what to fix. Same as my mechanic who isn't a ford specialist...

Thanks!!
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Altransit » Mon Jul 08, 2019 6:49 pm

I know that you've changed the timing belt, but have you re-checked the timing, and made sure that it's correctly tensioned :?:
1994 Mk4 SWB 115 Minibus 70ps Di (R.I.P.)
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2004 Mk6 SWB T280 Medium Roof 85PS 2.0 TDDi - Vantunered (Also gone)
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Dan1el » Mon Jul 08, 2019 7:36 pm

To be more specific: my mechanic changed the timing belt. I asked if he rechecked the timing and he said he had because of all the couriosities, caused by weird and false maintainance, the van came with. The error occured before an still does.
Apart from beeing not a Ford Specialist he's the best mechanic I know, especially for old and older vehicles.
So it should be ok, but I'll bring the topic up when I am there the next time.
Is it likely that the throttle valve causes the problem? I got the tip, but don't know how to check myself...
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby edessaios » Mon Apr 05, 2021 10:46 am

Check your gas pedal. It has a potentiometer and 2 switches, one for full throttle and one when release the gas. Check them with a multimeter.
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby MinorMatt » Tue Apr 06, 2021 8:50 am

edessaios wrote:Check your gas pedal. It has a potentiometer and 2 switches, one for full throttle and one when release the gas. Check them with a multimeter.


Being a mk4 it has a normal cable throttle pedal, with a single potentiometer in the engine bay :)
www.facebook.com/transitionclassics

Lucas Laser 2000 & IDS

95 M Prototype/Mule DRW 100PS Highcube
93 L GL Minibus
96 P 150 TD 100PS LWB Hi-Top

Gaffa tape is like the force, it has a light side, a dark side, and it holds the universe together
User avatar
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Re: MK4 100hp Lucas Epic - lacks power and goes into fail mo

Postby Lander » Sun May 16, 2021 6:17 pm

Hi,
I have the exact same problem with my 2.5td 100hp, with Lucas Epic fuelpump. I sure would like to know what solved the problem...was it really the pump? Or gas pedal pot.meter?

Thx
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