Ford Freda engine start sequence

[Russell Jupp]

Hello everyone,
another question for you clever folk....

Recently got a Freda as a doo-er upper, generally pretty good. Engine is sweet, auto box has a little rattle at tick over only when warm - but I'll save that for another topic.

My main question is this:
From a cold start, turn on the ignition.
Rad fan starts and runs for what seems like an age.
THEN, glow plug light comes on, rad fan stops.
5 seconds later glow plug light goes away, and turn the key. She fires and runs perfectly.
Is that normal for a Freda? My other vehicle (a gorgeous Bongo) does not do this.

Thanks all,
Russ

[g8dhe]

They are the same vehicle, only the livery is different!
Its not normal for the radiator fans to come on from switching on the Ignition, unless the engine was previously hot, sounds as if the temperature sensor for the engine that feed the ECU (not the one to the display its separate) might be at fault, its the two wire one down the drivers side of the engine.

[mikeonb4c]

The rads will come on if you have the aircon on on my manual aircon system. Not sure how the climate control one behave. But otherwise, probably as Geoff says.

[g8dhe]

Yes good point Mike, but they won't go off after a while in that situation and then for the Glowplug to come on, that might happen if the engine was warm but never heard of that before at all ?

[mikeonb4c]

Yes good point Mike, but they won't go off after a while in that situation and then for the Glowplug to come on, that might happen if the engine was warm but never heard of that before at all ?

Absolutely - just flagged it for completeness

[TheLongRoad]

Would the current draw from the glow plugs temp stop the fans (given this is a doer up van and might not have a tip top battery)?

[Russell Jupp]

Hi, thanks for your replies….new main battery just fitted.
Russ

[Russell Jupp]

Hi all, a little update….so its not just the rad fans, but also the scavenger fan that come on.
They run for possibly 30 seconds, then a click from a relay, the fuel pump readies itself for cold start and the glow plug light comes on.
If its been running for just a few moments, none of this happens when you restart it (except the glow plug light).
Thanks
Russ

[g8dhe]

The scavenger fan has its own temperature sensor, mounted on the top bridge under the handbrake protruding down into the engine compartment, it should only come on when the compartment gets to hot, controlled via the ECU. I would suspect the sensor again, however given both sets of fans are coming on this might also point towards problems with the ECU, maybe check the supply to the ECU and make sure it is getting the expected supply voltage and backup supply as well. A visual check of the ECU board might not be a bad idea as well make sure its not drowned in water or anything stupid!

[Russell Jupp]

Thanks Geoff,
just checked the temp sensor under the handbrake….firstly disconnected the cable to it. That made no difference.
So put a voltmeter across the pins of the connector.
1 side has 5v at all times, the other is ground.

Would you be kind enough to enlighten me a little with ecu volts etc etc. Also where is the ECU?
Thanks in advance,
Russ

[Northern Bongolow]

If you attempt to start the engine with a duff bat , the starter clicks but the front fans come on.

[g8dhe]

Would you be kind enough to enlighten me a little with ecu volts etc etc. Also where is the ECU?

Mechanical diagrams here http://www.lushprojects.com/bongopartsmk2/
Electrical wiring diagrams (If you use Chrome you will need to enable Flash each time) here http://www.g8dhe.net/bwm/

[Russell Jupp]

Evening everyone,
Just thought I'd revive this thread, with a few observations, and hopefully a few pointers!

So, with recent exceptionally warm weather, I've noticed that the fans can run for up to 40 seconds, before the glow plug lamp come on.
Prior to that, when it was really cold and snowy, they wouldn't run at all, and it behaved exactly as it should.
It has to be temp related?
Any ideas on which sensor I should be investigating?
Cheers
Russ

[Russell Jupp]

Sorry. Just re-read the entire post!
Thanks Geoff, you already mentioned the sensor, I'll investigate further.....