EDC warning light on MAN LE150C (D 0824 LFL engine)

[ged]

Long time no post. Truck was off the road for four years, hoping it will be back on soon.
Did a bit of welding on the exhaust (off the vehicle) and it started on the first revolution.
But the EDC warning light doesn't go out. Seems to be a common problem.
In view of the history I suspect a corroded connector or something sticking.
Trouble is there can be many different causes, so there's little point in my asking for suggested solutions. I need information.

Anybody know where I can get hold of the EDC repair manual or similar?

[shuttlespanker]

try changing the fuel filter

alternatively, does it come up with a fault code?

[AF1]

As above try a fuel filter and clean the pre filter first, check the fuel is good then the next thing to do is remove the front grille and pollen filter housing and check the connector where the engine harness plugs into the cab this is where they usually corrode. If ok worth checking the plug at the pump for corrosion after that it'll be a case of reading the fault codes.

[ged]

try changing the fuel filter

alternatively, does it come up with a fault code?

Thanks for the reply. I'll try the filter as I've seen that mentioned a lot here, although I have to say I'm a bit unconvinced as the light never goes out at all - I'd have thought a clogged filter wouldn't cause the light to come on until the engine had run at least for a few seconds.

I don't know where I'd find a fault code. I've read the manual that came with it and it doesn't say anything about fault codes, although to be fair it doesn't say amything about this model of truck either. It's a loose-leaf thing in a ring binder and calls itself "Operator's Manual L2000 Evolution (LE-C)". This is a twelve year old truck, maybe the newer ones are different.

[ged]

As above try a fuel filter and clean the pre filter first, check the fuel is good then the next thing to do is remove the front grille and pollen filter housing and check the connector where the engine harness plugs into the cab this is where they usually corrode. If ok worth checking the plug at the pump for corrosion after that it'll be a case of reading the fault codes.

Thanks for the tips, I'll give all this a go tomorrow and get back to you.

[ged]

... check the fuel is good

Oh - how do I do that? The fuel has been in there for over four years, but I did't think diesel had any problems like you can get with old petrol.

The engine starts and runs fine. No smoke, ticks over like one just out of the showroom.

[AF1]

... check the fuel is good

Oh - how do I do that? The fuel has been in there for over four years, but I did't think diesel had any problems like you can get with old petrol.

The engine starts and runs fine. No smoke, ticks over like one just out of the showroom.

I meant to just have a look in the tank for water or corrosion but if its running well I'd imagine it'll be ok.
You can't read the fault codes through the dash like you can on the later stuff it needs plugging into a computer.

[ged]

I meant to just have a look in the tank for water or corrosion but if its running well I'd imagine it'll be ok.

OK, now you mention it I should probably throw half a litre of IPA in there or something anyway.

You can't read the fault codes through the dash like you can on the later stuff it needs plugging into a computer.

Well I have a computer and a soldering iron.

Is there any information available about interfaces/cables/software/whatever?

[Own Account Driver]

Might be worth a hard battery reset and see if the fault comes back again as it was stood such a long time before you started it again.

[ged]

As above try a fuel filter and clean the pre filter first, check the fuel is good then the next thing to do is remove the front grille and pollen filter housing and check the connector where the engine harness plugs into the cab this is where they usually corrode. If ok worth checking the plug at the pump for corrosion after that it'll be a case of reading the fault codes.

Thanks for the tips, I'll give all this a go tomorrow and get back to you.

Oh, man, were you ever right about those connectors! Y'know I'd never have looked there for electrical connectors. I took off the first of the five connectors that I saw when I peered up into the area near the radiator and this is what I found:

http://www.jubileegroup.co.uk/JOS/misc/ ... _truck.jpg

They must have had a vacation student - no - a work experience schoolkid to do the design work for the loom location. It's certifiable. In a country where it snows, getting in turns showered with salty water and cooked by the radiator, there's absolutely no chance that they'd live a long and fruitful life.

I haven't yet had the guts to take the rest of the connectors off but I don't expect it's going to be any prettier.

I suppose the good news is that it shouldn't be too hard to fix, but it ain't gonna be a ten minute job.

Thanks again for the very insightful tips. I'll keep you posted.

[ged]

Might be worth a hard battery reset and see if the fault comes back again as it was stood such a long time before you started it again.

Thanks very much for the reply. I've been very impressed with the helpfulness and quick responses on this forum.

But you need to know you're dealing with a complete Truck Newbie here. All I can find when I search for 'hard battery reset' is stuff about iPhones and Kindles.

What's a hard battery reset on a truck and how do I do one?

I should mention that the batteries were disconnected from the truck while it was off the road for four plus years. As they were new I thought I'd try to look after them so I had them connected to a float charger, although I didn't expect the truck to be off the road for so long and to be honest I don't know how much longer they'll last now.

I was ever so surprised when I found that the clock on the tachograph was right when I put the batteries back on!

[Own Account Driver]

Either disconnect the battery and leaving it a while or touching the two leads together will often clear a lot of faults out of memory. This gives you the opportunity to check if it comes back again when you start it up again some faults can be stored even though no longer actually there.

Some faults can only be cleared with a plug-in though and you would really need a dealer tech to confirm if this is a fault likely to be stored or not but it is always worth a roll of the dice. Disconnecting and re-connecting batteries, can sometimes throw up some weird symptoms/faults also means it's worth doing.

Giving the connectors a good spray with WD40 will probably allow you to ascertain if they are the actual problem in lieu of a proper clean up later.

[ged]

Either disconnect the battery and leaving it a while or touching the two leads together ...

Er, I take it you mean touching the flying leads together after disconnecting them?

Giving the connectors a good spray with WD40 will probably allow you to ascertain if they are the actual problem in lieu of a proper clean up later.

I'll do that for most of the pins but I'm afraid at least one of them is so bad that it won't survive reconnection. Most of the brass around the base of the pin has been eaten away. You can see how much corrosion product there is in the photo. Even if what remained of the pin was strong enough to insert back in the socket I think it woudn't be safe to let it carry the current, it would be asking for a fire.

The connector that needs replacement pins is the one farthest forward and to the driver's side (UK spec right hand drive vehicle). It has six larger pins arranged irregularly around an inner circle of nine regularly spaced holes. There are groups of two and three pins, and one pin on its own. There are smaller pins arranged outside that circle of larger pins but it looks like they'll be OK with a good clean with some emery paper.

So the 64 dollar question: Where can I get this connector? I'm going to nip down to the local MAN dealer this morning but I just know they're going to tell me I have to buy the whole loom for eighteen hundred quid and rewire half the truck. All I'm really going to need is a fourpenny rolled brass pin. If I have to I'll make one.

[AF1]

You can definitely buy the pins and plugs from MAN I've done a couple of sets. Another thing to check while your on is your centre wiper spindle loose or worn as they can let water into the cab accelerating the corrosion on those plugs.

[ged]

You can definitely buy the pins and plugs from MAN I've done a couple of sets.

I take it all back! I went up there to ask and we started trying to identify the plug from the drawins on the computer. After half an hour looking at the drawings and getting not very far the guy said "Let's go and look in the stores" where they had what I can only describe as a drawer full of electrical junk on a rack. In the drawer was a box of miscellaneous pins, and I spotted just the pin I needed in there immediately. It was close to the end of his working day and he couldn't be bothered to write out a bill for one pin so he just gave it to me.

Another thing to check while your on is your centre wiper spindle loose or worn as they can let water into the cab accelerating the corrosion on those plugs.

Ah, that's where it must be coming from. I've been wondering how the water was getting into the cab. Thanks for another good tip, I'll take a look.

But first I'm going to attack that connector...

[ged]

... first I'm going to attack that connector...

Well I replaced the pin, made a tool to get the last one of the five connectors off, checked them all over, cleaned where necessary, gave 'em all a good spraying with WD40, put it all back together, reconnected the battery and started the engine. And bless me, the lights all do what they're supposed to do now!

Well all except one.

The indicator warning light flashes as you'd expect when the left hand indicator is flashing. When the right hand indicator is turned on it flashes once and that's it. The indicators are working, it's just that the warning light on the dashboard in the cab stops flashing after (always exactly) one flash. Weird.

It's probably more grotty contacts somewhere but if there's any inspiration out there as to where I should look I'd be most grateful.

And once again, thanks a million for all the great tips.

[AF1]

Check all the right hand flasher bulbs work as that's the tell tale to let you know when a bulb blows.

[ged]

Check all the right hand flasher bulbs work as that's the tell tale to let you know when a bulb blows.

Hmmmm. I count three flashing bulbs on the right - the same number as on the left.

There's one near the headlights, one in the tail cluster, and one between the cab and the body.

What am I missing?

[th2013]

Long shot - I spent FAR too long on this exact problem once, and in the end it was simply that one of the bulbs was not the correct bulb, and the flasher unit was not detecting the correct load and not flashing the dash light.

I finally tumbled to this when something made me try swapping the right bulbs with the left bulbs and the problem shifted to the left side.

[AF1]

Also check the wiring to the front flasher lamp as sometimes it can rub through on the cab step. I'd also check for corrosion Iin the lamps themselves.

[ged]

... also check for corrosion Iin the lamps themselves.

Yup, that was it.

There was a crack in the lens over the lamp near the driver's side step and evidently it had let a bit of water in. The lamp was working, but I guess not at full brightness and enough to cause the sensing circuit to notice. I cleaned up the bulb and the holder, repaired the cracked lens with perspex cement and everything is hunky-dory. Passed the MOT this afternoon.

Thanks for all the help guys! I hope not to have to trouble you for another good long while.

[nigelbread]

This was NOT the cure. The problem has returned. Time for the main agent by the look of it.

"I know this is and old topic, but has helped me with my 2005 lorry.
The problem with mine turned out to be the flywheel position sensor needed cleaning!
[Crankshaft position sensor] on the bell housing behind the cylinder head.
Not an uncommon fault apparently."
Did not cure problem