I've had to learn a lot about ignition for my boat that has a petrol engine
but I can't help thinking of the problem my van used to have.
I had replaced and checked fuses and relays over and over again.
Now I think I would check and clean or replace if necessary each and every ENDS of every cables in the ignition system of the van (including the ECU ones - although I had done some of this already)
but before this I would look into the ignition switch!
I don't have the van anymore anyway and to be honest I have enough work with this 1960's boat I own...
Looking into the electrics manual of the LDV pilot van I had to check out what "Dim-dip" meant...
Wikipedia holds the answers...
"Dim-dip lamps
UK regulations briefly required vehicles first used on or after 1 April 1987 to be equipped with a dim-dip device[37] or special running lamps, except such vehicles as comply fully with UN Regulation 48 regarding installation of lighting equipment. A dim-dip device operates the low beam headlamps (called "dipped beam" in the UK) at between 10% and 20% of normal low-beam intensity. The running lamps permitted as an alternative to dim-dip were required to emit at least 200 candela straight ahead, and no more than 800 candela in any direction. In practice, most vehicles were equipped with the dim-dip option rather than the running lamps.[37]
The dim-dip systems were not intended for daytime use as DRLs. Rather, they operated if the engine was running and the driver switched on the parking lamps (called "sidelights" in the UK). Dim-dip was intended to provide a nighttime "town beam" with intensity between that of the parking lamps commonly used at the time by British drivers in city traffic after dark, and dipped (low) beams; the former were considered insufficiently intense to provide improved conspicuity in conditions requiring it, while the latter were considered too glaring for safe use in built-up areas. The UK was the only country to require such dim-dip systems, though vehicles so equipped were sold in other Commonwealth countries with left-hand traffic.[38]
In 1988, the European Commission successfully prosecuted the UK government in the European Court of Justice, arguing that the UK requirement for dim-dip was illegal under EC directives prohibiting member states from enacting vehicle lighting requirements not contained in pan-European EC directives. As a result, the UK requirement for dim-dip was quashed.[37] Nevertheless, dim-dip systems remain permitted, and while such systems are not presently as common as they once were, dim-dip functionality was fitted on many new cars well into the 1990s. The Jaguar XJS used this system, including the final Celebration models produced up until 1995"
source: wikipedia article
It has forced me to learn about electrics.
It's become a love/hate relationship.
I'm still the boss.
But... I had to shut up, be a good boy and learn so I don't become a 'part changer'.
Anyway these are two of the not so common bits I learned about car batteries.
12V batteries can have 'shorts' in themselves. Check out the video by mr-fix below.
"Check if your cars battery drain is caused by short circuit. Dirt, grease and moisture can create conductive layer that will slowly kill your cars battery, cause bad engine start or low voltage in the system. Watch this tutorial and check your cars battery. It's quick and simple, you don't need to visit dealer or service. All you need for this test is a multimeter." written by mr-fix.
Full power accessories and short distance driving habits cause battery failures. This article explains in detail what causes such battery failure that is not often talked of.
It is definitely a recommended reading to anyone who has been scratching their head for over 3 hours of poking around in the hope of reviving a no starter vehicle.
Today (2 months later) after the van having sat under torrential rains for a couple of days, it refused to start and displayed the same symptoms: glowplugs get on but a clicliclic noise and no start + funny warning lights going on by itself for a while.
I was wrong. It never was the battery neg earth connection.
I swapped my glowplugs control and relay for a tested one so it is not the cause.
Ii looks more like it is due to a faulty relay (probably the warning lights one).
I am gonna do a thorough check of all relays and replace the bugger one.
For the time being I'll have to try to park on the other side of the vehicle because I believe when the road is bent and the van lean on the left, the rain water drips in and humidity accumulates, causing the relay to malfunction.
The van starts fine after a while (me doing long parasitic test, checking and wiping the relays and looking for the fault every possible where), hence that relay must be drying and when it's dry, everything is fine.
The video below is (imho) the best and most complete one on the topic on the tube.
I forgot that it's good practice to do as much diagnosing from the cabin.
I should have started there, with all doors shut.
I noticed that the driver's side indicator flashlight was flashing faster than the passenger's side.
The sound was similar to the one I heard from the relay.
I remember that touching the light bulb fitting once made something react when I was trying to figure out what was going wrong from the bonnet side.
So it clicked. I mean it clicked in my head.
and the friend who was my passenger at the time said it:
"you have a dead bulb".
I checked and he was correct.
It wasnt the earth, it wasn't the rain.
It was a defectuous old bulb that caused the circuit to disfunction.
It's replace with a new one now.
Let's see if anything else comes up!
(9639912580-G CARTIER) - Pricey when new but can be found second hand and tested
for a LDV Pilot van (DW8; it fits many other vehicle, check for yourself)
Once more it was the earth, the same battery earth that was causing the engine not to start.
I had readjusted it a few days before the engine went and it looked fine.
For this reason I looked at everything else, read all the manuals, cleaned all possible connections (even bought a replacement Preheat control unit), performed a parasitic draw test for all fuses and relays; checked all fuses and relays (post with video on checking relays here).
and in the end as I was doing the test, seeing that I had no draw and being clueless.
I thought I've been cleaning up everything electric around so let's just undo this battery negative earth connection, clean it and grease it up.
Next thing the van start (with a tongue in cheek look).
Made me feel like an idiot but as long as it started I'm happy and delighted I learned so much about my van's and 12V systems in general!
[EDIT:] It never was the battery neg earth connection. Today (2 months later) after the van having sat under torrential rains for a couple of days, it refused to start and displayed the same symptoms: Glowplug get on but clicliclic noise and no start + funny warning lights going on by itself for a while.
I am 99.8% sure it is due to a faulty relay (probably the warning lights one).
I am gonna do a thorough check of all relays as in the video above and replace the bugger one.
For the time being I'll have to try to park on the other side of the vehicle because I believe when the road is bent and the van lean on the left, the rain water drips in and humidity accumulates, causing the relay to malfunction.
The van starts fine after a while (me doing long parasitic test, cleaning the relays and looking for the fault every possible where), hence that relay must be drying and when it's dry, everything is fine.
This is the simplest and clearest explanation I found on the net about electricity.
How does it relate to LDV vans? Pilots and Convoys are often purchased for camper conversion!
Having been at the school of "nothing hands-on" I've struggled for so long at understanding what Volt, Watt, Amps etc relate to and how they work together. Thanks to the school of "nothing hands-on" I can read and write well enough so I'm gonna share what I found with you with no further adue!
In my learning serie of posts,
here is an article about how car electricals work.
Something I am yet not familiar with but will greatly benefit from learning about concerning the van for repairs and when I will attempt conversion.
It's a great guide to uinderstand how electricity works in general as well.
