Post by prof20 on Jun 20, 2016 15:22:02 GMT
Well, I'm back from Filey, but the van is kaputt.
Set off from Filey and the 'Keycode' dash light started flashing on and off intermittently for about five miles, then it went off. After another fifty miles it came on and stayed on. I know from past experience the light should go out after a second when the ignition is turned on, showing that a solenoid in the injector pump has opened a fuel cut-off, and if the light stays on the engine can't be re-started. (It has stayed on on a few occasions in the past but has gone out when the ignition was turned off and on).
Because of this I surmised that if I was to turn off the engine it probably wouldn't start, so I kept it running all the way to the farm where I keep it. Got there, turned off the ignition. Turned it on again and sure enough the light stayed on and it wouldn't start.
Tried the spare key and the red master key, no luck, had a quick gander at the wiring, nothing evident, so called out the AA.
The engineer spent a good hour on it, without any luck. It is an older Fiat Ducato, pre-diagnostic, fitted with a transponder to the ignition circuit. He thinks the transponder might be on the blink. Could be expensive, because it would probably involve re-chipping.
He also thought that it might be possible to by-pass the transponder with it being a separate unit, which would be way cheaper. Would have to invest in a good steering lock or an after- market immobiliser though
Have had to call out a mobile auto-electrician because the motorhome is now stranded. Hey-ho, the joys of motorhoming. Fingers crossed. Can't really complain because in 9 years have not had any mechanical problems or breakdowns, and the van is 19 years old.
Set off from Filey and the 'Keycode' dash light started flashing on and off intermittently for about five miles, then it went off. After another fifty miles it came on and stayed on. I know from past experience the light should go out after a second when the ignition is turned on, showing that a solenoid in the injector pump has opened a fuel cut-off, and if the light stays on the engine can't be re-started. (It has stayed on on a few occasions in the past but has gone out when the ignition was turned off and on).
Because of this I surmised that if I was to turn off the engine it probably wouldn't start, so I kept it running all the way to the farm where I keep it. Got there, turned off the ignition. Turned it on again and sure enough the light stayed on and it wouldn't start.
Tried the spare key and the red master key, no luck, had a quick gander at the wiring, nothing evident, so called out the AA.
The engineer spent a good hour on it, without any luck. It is an older Fiat Ducato, pre-diagnostic, fitted with a transponder to the ignition circuit. He thinks the transponder might be on the blink. Could be expensive, because it would probably involve re-chipping.
He also thought that it might be possible to by-pass the transponder with it being a separate unit, which would be way cheaper. Would have to invest in a good steering lock or an after- market immobiliser though
Have had to call out a mobile auto-electrician because the motorhome is now stranded. Hey-ho, the joys of motorhoming. Fingers crossed. Can't really complain because in 9 years have not had any mechanical problems or breakdowns, and the van is 19 years old.