Thread: Defenders for newbies

The last of my tips, from my store of things I learned and thought - should write this up somewhere...none of it is intuitive
(There is one more - knowing your EKA and how to use it - but someone else mentioned it)

Have a read of the below straight from the workshop manual. No need to memorize it. Just read so it's not confusing the day your fuel is very low...

"The run-dry strategy is used to maintain the systems fuel prime at fuel run out. It ensures the minimum amount of fuel is always left in the swirl pot.

The instrument cluster activates the yellow low fuel warning light (next to the fuel gauge) with 17% of fuel remaining in the tank. The fuel gauge will indicate empty with 12% of fuel left in the tank.

With 6 liters left in the tank the run-dry strategy will be invoked. An engine mis-fire will be induced for approximately 1 mile after which the engine will be shut down.

The engine can be re-started in mis-fire mode and will continue to run for a
further mile until the engine shuts down again. This can be repeated until the fuel suction port in the tank is uncovered and causes engine fuel starvation and loss of prime. Re-starts after run-dry shut down are not recommended."

........Re-starts after run-dry shut down are not recommended."

I have to ask.

What happens next if all warnings of low fuel are ignoredand the system is run bare bones dry?

Originally Posted by Grumbles

........Re-starts after run-dry shut down are not recommended."

I have to ask.

What happens next if all warnings of low fuel are ignoredand the system is run bare bones dry?

It stops

Yes, one of the Ford Transit van idiosyncrasies is their 'limited operating strategy'.

Caution: The fuel system on this vehicle is designed to prevent the fuel tank being run dry. When the fuel tank reaches a preset limit after the low fuel warning indicator has been illuminated, the engine will be made to run rough to indicate very low fuel level. Failure to refill the fuel system at this time, will result in severe damage to the fuel injection components if the fuel system is allowed to run dry. This process is "called limited operating strategy".

It's awesome

In the 90 this happens very soon after the initial low fuel warning. I purchased some front runner tanks for mine shortly thereafter. You won't even get 50kms like most cars.

Thanks for all the info guys! As a recently new Defender owner, this information is valuable.

One thing, I just called the dealer (Austral in Brissy) where I purchased my D90 (MY15) to find out the EKA & radio codes and the service person said that this model doesn't have these codes and that was also confirmed by the service manager. I'm assuming what they told me is BS. Is that the case?

No radio code, but pretty sure they have an "EKA".
Pickles.

Originally Posted by Grumbles

........Re-starts after run-dry shut down are not recommended."

I have to ask.

What happens next if all warnings of low fuel are ignoredand the system is run bare bones dry?

No idea. Just today I ran mine down to the point the "induced engine misfire" happened. (Euro5 diesel has just been introduced here and wanted to try a full tank of it with as little old fuel in the tank as possible)

That induced misfire is supposed to start when there is 6lt left. Then allow you to run for a further mile before shutting down. Holding my breath I had about 5-6km to the nearest euro5 diesel fuel station. (Made it without seeing any engine shutdowns)

The tank took a good solid 75lt of fuel when I filled it with the euro5. So must have been close to the shutdown stage.