LPG intermittent switch over - BRC Sequential

[SilverGas]

Hi all,

I have a BRC kit fitted to a Mk4 Golf 1.8T. it's done about 105k miles no since fitting and been pretty much trouble free. Over Christmas it started to play up, switch back to petrol when my wife was driving it so I assumed it had run out. Filled it up but still the same.

Played around with some connectors, unplugged clean and replugged the relay and somewhere along the way it decided to switch to Gas again. Then it stopped again on my way home from work. I did some reading and discovered there was a liquid filter, I had only been changing the gas side one regularly. I got a couple of these and swapped it Saturday. Still intermittent. I also unlugged the solenoid at the front and the wires to the reducer ( I think that's what it's called ) The second was full of water so I dried it out and relocated the two plugs higher up out of the elements. ( the reducer and solenoid are in the wing/arch liner void that has likely got wet in the recent floods )

Sometimes it takes an age to try and switc with the amber light on - usually after 2 or 3 failed switch overs, other times it seems normal switch to gas, you hear the injectors start but the car dies.

On one of the occaisions it did stay on Gas I took it for a spin and although it was ok it didn't like any full load work coughing and spluttering.

I have found other stuff online suggesting maybe the Solenoid could be to blame, is there an easy way to test it? Is it serviceable at all? No i know how to de-pressurise it all I don't mind working on it but I am trying to avoid spending much money on it. The car has 223k on the clock now so I am planning something to replace it in April time.

Solenoid is the same as the one here in here: http://brcgb.co.uk/files/2010/03/BRC-Dr ... 2010-2.pdf

Not something that seems readily available to buy either!

Cheers in advance for ideas or advice!

Scott

[mattyg]

Hi cant really help you with the faults but i would start by cleaning up the connectors and give it a good service and see what happens the bits are cheap. Your kit is the same as mine your front solenoid is the et98 type and service kits are available ive not seen them here but can be found on polish sites quite cheap. Someone will probably chip in with a place here that sells them i got mine from a mate who used to work at an installers. I ditched the costly under bonnet cannister type (FJ1E if i remember correctly )filter as it cost loads for a generic type 10mm one and they have been fine for the last 60000 miles. Not sure what the pros would say about it though.

Regards

matt

[mat_fenwick]

I have a service kit you can have for the price of a drink! I bought it as a spare for my BRC system that I ended up removing.

A solenoid fault is likely to give either all or nothing rather than coughing and spluttering under full load, so it may not be the (only) problem. When it won't change onto gas at all, do the solenoids clunk? There will be one on the tank also. If not check for ~12 V being applied to them whilst trying to change over - keep the solenoid coils connected to check there is full voltage even when they're drawing current.

[SilverGas]

Hi Cheers for the info, what does your service kit include Mat? I have a spare liquid side filter and the gas side I have just changed at the moment.

I'll see what the car does when I drive it next - tomorrow - and go from there. I'll check the front solenoid is operating ok, I believe the rear is as there is plenty of gas pressure up to the front valve, I take it I could apply 12v with everything else turned off and see of the solenoid operates?

Looking online it looks serviceable so if it looks sticky I might strip it and clean it to see of that makes a difference, if not it looks like the valves and repair kits can be obtained from Germany ok. Why is it that stuff is not readily available over here?

Cheers chaps!

[rossko]

Sounds just as likely to be the reducer or temp sensor, but a connector full of water has to be a suspect for corroded pins.

[mattyg]

Hi it contained the filter , the O rings and a spring as well i think i was pleased i had the o rings as one tore as i opened it up i would have been knackered without it. Mate of mine who fits gas told me to use a little fairy liquid as you assemble them but i worried about it being corrosive as ive heard stories of motorcycle rims and it rotting the spokes. I use the lightest a smear of rubber grease on mine .

Matt

[woody]

The relay controls the feed to the solenoids,if it stalls when it changes over its likely to be the culprit.
Try removing the feed pipe to the injectors next time it stalls,if there little or no gas in the line work back from the relay also dont forget the earths.

hth woody

[SilverGas]

I have tried another relay, that was my first thought but still the same. You actually hear the injectors fire briefly before it cuts out

Cheers all for the tips!

[mat_fenwick]

what does your service kit include Mat?

Hopefully the picture should show you, but basically a plunger, spring, filter, a shim, and various O rings.

[SilverGas]

Sent you a PM Mat

Well it failed to switch over initially this morning so I left it five minutes and tried again, took a while to swtch displaying the orange LED for a while and then changed and ran fine for the next 45 miles to work.

See what happens on the way home now.

[rossko]

You've done the basics, check engine coolant level?

[mat_fenwick]

Sent you a PM Mat

Received and replied to! I didn't think you could send PMs until you'd made 5 posts - perhaps that restriction on new members has been lifted?

[SilverGas]

You've done the basics, check engine coolant level?

Sorry, yeah all fine.

Car seemed to run very well on Gas this morning once it switched.

[billynoband]

Blimey, never seen that spring before .

[Bigwilly1]

Hi Guys, Sorry to thread jump but it sounds very very similar to my issue and just wanted to ask a relevant question?

How can i (or the OP) test the solenoids? Is it a simple case of listening/feeling for a clunk? Is there anyway to diagnose wether it is the coil thats goosed or the internals that have got stuck or something?

[billynoband]

On both our cars you can hear the tank solenoid click in but not the one under the bonnet. You could also put 12v across the coil to see if they work, not if you can smell gas obviously or dont know which is positive or negative. The positive side has a mark on it usually although un-helpfully not a + mark. Just because the coil works though does'nt mean it's getting a signal when it's supposed to by the ecu or pressure/temp sender. You could check for that too with a electrical meter.