Red light of death?

[trippydog]

Hi guys, just wondered if anyone could possibly shed some light on this problem...

Yesterday the red warning light with an exclamation mark in a circle (in cluster just below speedo) started coming on intermittently, seemingly relating to movement/acceleration (off when idling, lighting more frequently when cornering or accelerating). After a short while it was on constantly.

I needed to replace the brake vacuum pump anyway and found out on another thread here that it also feeds a sensor which could cause probs. I changed that today. Nice easy braking again, but now both the exclamation warning light and the lower red light (of death?) with an engine symbol stay on. The van is now very low on power and the engine continues to run for approx 10-20 secs after turning off the ignition, so I'm assuming it's gone into limp mode.

This happened immediately after changing the vacuum pump, prior to that yesterday and this morning it was running fine and just showing the ! warning light.

I'll try disconnecting the battery tonight to reset it (can't find secondary fusebox mentioned in another thread - assume that's only in mk5's?), and I guess I need to get the EPIC error codes read but just thought I'd post here first to see if the symptoms made sense to anyone.

My van is a '93 mk4 TD, more details: viewtopic.php?p=368588#p368588

If the timing is suspect do I have to remove the radiator as the Haynes manual says? As it's ex-police with a chunky grill protecting the rad that doesn't seem like the easiest of jobs.

Thanks.

[MinorMatt]

(!) symbol is for low brake fluid.

If the engine is running on, see if putting it in gear and stalling it at the same time as you turn the ignition off puts the red light out for next time. If this happens and it runs normally next time it will be the ESOS (Electronic Shut Off Solenoid) thats faulty on the injection pump. This can be replaced in situ but its fiddly.

Do you know how to check the injection timing?

It is possible to do the timing without removing the radiator, but you do need to remove the slam panel - at which point you may as well just remove the rad (at this point its take the hoses off and lift it out)

[trippydog]

cheers for replying.

Interesting that that light is for brake fluid. It was fine a couple of months ago, but will check.

Tried stalling it, light on when next started. Goes out when stalled with a brief flash few seconds later when engine would have stopped.

I haven't done the timing before, but can follow instructions. Doesn't seem too hard if i can get in there. Don't have much time at the mo though so might have to get a garage to do it.

[trippydog]

Well, the (!) light was just low brake fluid. Topped up, not losing any - no idea where it went, suspect it wasn't checked by garage at service couple of months ago though.

Still stuck with this f-ing engine management light and limp home mode.

I've been to 2 local diesel injections specialists, even tried Ford. One could connect, but sw couldn't read anything, the other didn't have the right connection. Both places, along with Ford, said that they wouldn't have software to read something this old now anyway.

One place did say they've had a couple of other vans with same pump, same symptoms and it was the plunger in the pump that was f***, around £100-£150 to change it, but no guarantees that would sort the prob.

I was looking at code readers for sale, looks like a nightmare finding one that might work.

I'm not even 100% sure which is the correct connector - there's a 3 pin one in the glovebox and an oval 6 pin one plus a squarish plug with 4 or 5 spade-type pins. I had thought some of them were just left over from the police gear but now I'm not sure.

Does anyone know anywhere that definitely can read faults on the early EPIC systems?

[MinorMatt]

your local mate!

Sorry I didn't reply before - I missed the post.

There is a member here with the equipment required to read the codes, although there is a 99% chance its the stop solenoid (ESOS).

If you can find the part number and get the part (I would try Panda Diesel in the industrial estate behind Sainsburys) I will change it for you. Very few people have the equipment to read fault codes on these but most people can still get the parts. It should take less than an hour.

If you are interested there is a 100PS mk4 in silverlake which still has the injection pump and ecu...

[trippydog]

Hi mate.

Really appreciate the offer, thanks. It was Panda that plugged in, couldn't read anything and thought it most likely the plunger. The other place I tried was Power Drive in Portsmouth.

I'll get looking for an ESOS and give you a shout, cheers.

[MinorMatt]

The other local place is S&S diesels in Waltham Chase

[Jim Archer]

Don't know if S&S have got the correct EPIC reader - I'll be supprised if they don't - but I won't take mine anywhere else for pump work.

From personal experience, with several different makes of van, Powerdrive are/were a frightful shower, though not used them for years and they are just round the corner.

Jim

[trippydog]

Sorry, I thought I posted here again with an update months ago, looks like I didn't.

Anyway, long story short. S&S couldn't help either. Worse problems developed, black smoke, spluttering, almost complete loss of power. Got recovered and was advised it was the turbo. Took van off road end of last year.

After reading up a bit and finding oil in turbo outlet (but not inlet) took the plunge and have just changed the turbo. Now seems to be running fine, although no insurance so not taken on rd yet.

I was optimistically hoping this might solvce the red light/limp mode problem too but light is still on and engine still runs on.

Read this: viewtopic.php?p=173086#p173086, tested resistance between pins 2 & 3 and getting 31.3 Ohms... is this indicative of an ESOS fault?

Also should one of the vacuum hoses going to the EGR controller be connected to nothing? (air intake?) I was sure I labelled them all but can't find a home for the top one.