digger Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Yet again time to pick brains. Wife has just phoned to say the " curly orange light " aka the glow plug light is flashing on my 53 plate TDCI. Cant find a definate answer on the web, any mechanics on here able to stop my weekend from being ruined ? Really rather spend my money on beer and Cheltenham ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jon0881 Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 problem on the glow plug circuit....? i.e bad glow plug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I don't know what the problem is but I do know how to make the car tell you what fault code its throwing. With the car off hold down the trip reset button and turn the car to position two (ignition on but not started), hold the trip reset until the mileage display reads "test" and then let go. Further momentary presses of the trip reset button cycle you through various readouts, the one you want is "DTC's" which are ford "Diagnostic Trouble Codes" - they start with P and normally have 4 numbers. Once you know that, google for the DTC and you may find your problem, again it only tells you what DTC's the car is throwing not what the problem is. The glow plug light flashing just means "fuelling problem", the number of times it flashes in sequence also means something, again google for that too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 I don't know what the problem is but I do know how to make the car tell you what fault code its throwing. With the car off hold down the trip reset button and turn the car to position two (ignition on but not started), hold the trip reset until the mileage display reads "test" and then let go. Further momentary presses of the trip reset button cycle you through various readouts, the one you want is "DTC's" which are ford "Diagnostic Trouble Codes" - they start with P and normally have 4 numbers. Once you know that, google for the DTC and you may find your problem, again it only tells you what DTC's the car is throwing not what the problem is. The glow plug light flashing just means "fuelling problem", the number of times it flashes in sequence also means something, again google for that too. PIN if ever I get into professional pub quizzing I want you on my team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 Lol, with my new swanky internet phone gismo providing a permanent link to google I may yet be of some use to you in said venture Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dirk Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 got to agree with mungler almost any subject pin has the answers eg ballistics .law technical .whatever . pin will know good on you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurcherboy Posted March 15, 2007 Report Share Posted March 15, 2007 problem on the glow plug circuit....? i.e bad glow plug The same thing happens to Merc diesels although it doesn't appear to cause any problems LB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SNAKEBITE Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Anything to do with Fords I always ring the helpline. Now this helpline is not manned by the locals in Bangalore but manned by technicians who will answer anything off the top of their heads and fax through anyinformation that you need. I have yet to stump these guys, and believe me I have had some really daft questions! 09065533447 Oh and a word of warning it costs £1 a minute so make sure you do it from work! Costly but deadly effective. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks for the replies gents, the engine has hardly any power so Im guessing its the injectors Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 problem on the glow plug circuit....? i.e bad glow plug The same thing happens to Merc diesels although it doesn't appear to cause any problems LB It is my understanding that; On a merc the flashing glow plug light relates to faulty glow plugs ie 2 flashes 2 plugs down On the ford could be anything, egr valve, fuel pump, glow plug, as pin says get the trouble code, if you can not find it on google post on here and I will look on auto data for you, with a possible set of test parameters to check as well Thanks for the replies gents, the engine has hardly any power so Im guessing its the injectors unlikely to be the injectors mate more likely to be pump and if you leave it to long injectors as well but don't despair with look could be simple electrical problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul223 Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Just checked and that model may only accessible with diagnostic equipment, scanner or such like, most small garages have diagnostic equipment nowadays so no problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 I read a thread when I was looking for you and it made interesting reading, may or may not be what you are experiencing - certainly worth a quick read.. http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8442 If that is your problem it looks like ford know about it and it isn't the injectors.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 bad news I'm afraid digger this is a known problem with the TDCI and from memory its a new Injector required at @£200 plus they need synchronizing so its best done by Ford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 **** and **** it wont start now so it will have to be towed to my nearest dealer. Tried the diagnostic check as advised by pin but no luck. I can wear £200, just, and having read the link it would explain why im only getting 38 mpg. No work for me for a few days then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pin Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Digger, go armed with that link mate and don't let them fob you off with a single injector or whatever Sounds like they know what this is and from what I am reading its not the injectors.. Hmm, the info I had on reading the DTC's doesn't apply to TDCi's - my bad. Works on some other fords and a fiesta my mrs owned I have a superchips bluefin unit which will read the DTC's - its usless to me if you want it posting up let me know - you plug it in the diag port in the passenger footwell and it will tell you what codes the thing is throwing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 16, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Cheers Pin, will do. If its fixed I want it done right first time and if they try to fob me off I will throw all my toys out of my pram Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ROBLATCH Posted March 16, 2007 Report Share Posted March 16, 2007 Yet again time to pick brains. Wife has just phoned to say the " curly orange light " aka the glow plug light is flashing on my 53 plate TDCI. Cant find a definate answer on the web, any mechanics on here able to stop my weekend from being ruined ? Really rather spend my money on beer and Cheltenham ! it usualy points a finger to glowplug service/renewal as the ecu unit will only allow them to be used so many times if not changed or ecu reset. it works in the same principle as the service light (spanner). once they are coked up it takes more voltage or time for them to reach the correct operating temperature.you may or may not have noticed that your car will start more lazily than it did when purchased. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digger Posted March 23, 2007 Author Report Share Posted March 23, 2007 Got the car back yesterday after it was towed to a Ford main dealer. Got the dreaded call from the garage on wednesday where they break the bad news and it turns out one injector was blocked. The diesel filter was also leaking and drawing in air. That explains the cloud of smoke when booting it and low mpg. End result is a car that flies, is now upper 40s on mpg, doesnt smoke and was back for the figure of £162. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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