Auto LED not illuminating

[lamintdog]

What's up all. Nice to see the forums are back!

So the LED for automatic mode suddenly went dead on me today for some reason. Switch had been in the off position for about two weeks while I was waiting to resupply my oil stash. Just pumped in about 40 gal last night. Flipped it into auto mode and drove off this AM - but didn't notice the LED was out until I was down the road a ways (my shifter just barely covers the thin red LED on top).

The LED for manual works fine both when in manual mode as well as auto. When the switch is on auto I can hear the pump running and smell veg so I know I'm on oil and the purge cycle works just fine as well. It's almost like the LED itself has crapped out, but I am skeptical of that and am thinking there's a larger electrical culprit somewhere else in the system. I checked the back of the switches for loose wires or rubbed insulation but everything looks fine. No blown fuses or loose connections on either of the cards either.

Anyone else run into this issue or have any ideas of where to check or what could be causing it?

[greasyX]

Welcome aboard,from the boys down in NH

What was the amount of miles on your filter ,that light will not come on,or flash depending on filter quality.I had that same thought when my light didn't come on.If you hear the pump in manual and light comes on in manual mode,but not auto its your filter.Swap filter ,if it still persists check temp sensor .bye the bye I am located in central NH and have a good network.If you need anything holler I'm close enough always looking to help a fellow greaser.How many greasers up there? we need to start a twin state CO-OP of resources for the good of all.There is 15 of us that I know of in my area,and i have a friend thats a Bio-d producer/oil supplier....Just met Ken from Green Diesels,in rutland Saturday.I bought my old porcshe 924 back(long story),soon to be powered by a 5cylinder M-B turbo.............grease out

[lancaster,pa]

Sounds like a pressure problem to me. If switching the filter doesn't help as GreasyX recommended, I would check the pressure of the system after it is warmed up and automatic is selected with the rocker switch (connect a pressure gauge to the schrader valve). It could also be that the mesh pre-filter screen is filled with debris. Might be a good idea to use that huge allen wrench and remove the mesh filter for cleaning. - Patrick

[lamintdog]

Thanks for the reply. I probably have around 3k on my filter right now. The large red square is the LED the manual says will flash/flicker under heavy acceleration - not the thin red auto LED. Besides - my auto LED isn't flashing. It's completely out and has not come back on at all. This LED should be receiving power any time it is depressed, regardless if the truck is on (I have a VS2 or Sept06 kit).

I'm going to check my switched 12vdc and engine run wires under the dash and behind the fusebox tonight.

Thanks for the offers - good to know there's others out there! Burlington has a bunch of folks on veg lately - but none that I know of running a vegistroke. Somebody in Burlington just started "Green Cab" using a couple of early 90's 300D's... it's a jungle out there!

[lamintdog]

Sounds like a pressure problem to me. If switching the filter doesn't help as GreasyX recommended, I would check the pressure of the system after it is warmed up and automatic is selected with the rocker switch (connect a pressure gauge to the schrader valve). It could also be that the mesh pre-filter screen is filled with debris. Might be a good idea to use that huge allen wrench and remove the mesh filter for cleaning. - Patrick

I'll have to check for the mesh pre-screen - where is it located on the VS2 kit - before the pump? do I need to clamp the oil supply line when doing this so I don't get oil everywhere?

As for pressure - my thoughts there are that my presure switch could be faulty but I'll check system pressure on the schraeder valve as you mentioned. If there's not enough pressure in the oil line then in theory, the pressure switch wouldn't allow the oil pump to turn on and I wouldn't be able to run oil...

If nothing's wrong with my power source wires and system pressure is fine, I'll try changing the filter, but I don't think that will make a difference in my case... cheap try though.

[lancaster,pa]

I'll have to check for the mesh pre-screen - where is it located on the VS2 kit - before the pump? do I need to clamp the oil supply line when doing this so I don't get oil everywhere?

As for pressure - my thoughts there are that my presure switch could be faulty but I'll check system pressure on the schraeder valve as you mentioned. If there's not enough pressure in the oil line then in theory, the pressure switch wouldn't allow the oil pump to turn on and I wouldn't be able to run oil...

If nothing's wrong with my power source wires and system pressure is fine, I'll try changing the filter, but I don't think that will make a difference in my case... cheap try though.

Didn't know you had the V2 and I'm not familiar with that version to say where the mesh screen would be (or if it even has one). - Patrick

[lamintdog]

No prob. Thanks Patrick. I'll add it to my sig.

[lamintdog]

My Auto mode LED is still out on my V2, but the system seems to be working fine. Checked the switched power source at customer access wire bundle under the center dash (white/light blue wire on an 02) and it's fine. Checked pressure at the schraeder valve while the system was on and got around 68psi. Changed my filter this AM just for troubleshooting purposes and got no change. Auto LED still out, and still getting 68-70psi on the schraeder valve with a new filter. What minimum PSI reading does the pressure switch need in the oil line to allow the pump to turn on?

Anyone know if the auto LED would not illuminate under the following conditions:

1) Stock diesel pump is still running when on oil?
2) Pressure in veg system is under 85psi?

I am leaning more and more toward this being a simple electrical issue.

Anyone know what posts on the back of the rocker switch I can test (and how) with a multimeter to check for power to the auto LED?

[Clay]

I am leaning more and more toward this being a simple electrical issue.

Anyone know what posts on the back of the rocker switch I can test (and how) with a multimeter to check for power to the auto LED?

Bingo!
Myself, my dad and a friend of mine all had this issue with the V2. It was simply a burned out bulb in the switch.
Talk to Jason about a new LED switch.

[lamintdog]

Good to know. Thanks Clay - hopefully that fixes it.

[Clay]

you betcha!

[lamintdog]

Fixed!

Just to follow up - the problem was as Clay said - burned out bulb in the red switch. Replacement green switch came today but didn't have an 'auto' led section on it (but had 2 bulbs), so I swapped the colored face plates and that fixed it.

Thanks DFA crew for the parts warranty and great communication (John in shipping)!

[Marv]

Just to follow up - the problem was as Clay said - burned out bulb in the red switch. Replacement green switch came today but didn't have an 'auto' led section on it (but had 2 bulbs), so I swapped the colored face plates and that fixed it.

Thanks DFA crew for the parts warranty and great communication (John in shipping)!

Glad to hear you got that resolved...I was wondering if you ever found the problem.

Another instance of great service by DFA too!