Anyone got any random Scorpio bits laying around?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Does anyone have the bit of plastic trim that surrounds the circular light (operation and aim adjustment) knobs? As said in the news24 thread, a blown foglight tell-tale bulb is enough for MOT FAIL, and there are circuit boards to dismantle before getting to the bulb, which cannot be bought on its own (at least from Ford...maybe you can locate one after spending two days looking around DIY stores) so I'm probably better off swapping the whole part. Problem is that, unsurprisingly, the Fraud stealership want SIXTY QUID for that tiny bit of placca, so that's a no go. The nearest scrapyard that may have a Scorpio in is in Nottingham, so that leaves us with ebay and the "WE GET ANY PART [bUT NOT THE ONE THAT YOU ASKED FOR] IN 24 HOURS" mob, both of which I'd like to avoid if at all possible...

 

Does anyone have it? Shall we say fifteen notes+postage?

[scaryoldcortina]

I bet I've got one. I also bet that when I go and look for it I won't find it. But I will look for you.

[Akron]

Which scrappie in Nottingham?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Nottingham Ford Dismantlers. I guess I'll end up going down there if scary or anyone else can't find it...

 

(BTW, the router is ace, but the problem was traced to the microfilter...I'll make Sainsbury's eat the bloody thing!)

[scaryoldcortina]

 

This one? Good news is I found one. bad news is it's the one on my car and I can't find a spare. I took it out and dismantled it anyway, the "bulbs" are in fact LEDs so there are other components in the circuit that could be faulty instead.

Extra bonus good news though - It is not complicated and probably quite easy* to fix. I can do one of two things for you - either I can talk you through how to test and repair the module (slight possibility of a 9 page thread..) or you can post it to me, I'll fix it and post it straight back. With luck you should have a working foglamp warning light by monday.

 

I even took a pic to show how it comes out of the dash - pull both knobs off then lever the right hand edge and release the clip, slide it forwards.

[Albert Ross]

Failing that, try a guy who trades as "Sierrashack" on eBay, he's called Rob, and in the sticks near Selby. As for a phone number, fuck knows.

 

Could you not hammer a smaller bulb over it?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

That's ace! I'd love to give it a go, although I will probably end up failing and posting it over!

 

I took it off this morning- quite amazed that I managed to not only avoid breaking anything but also leave the fake wood intact!

 

I had a look at Motorhog who are based over in Rotherham, they have a Scorpio in but unsurprisingly it's a model without the aim adjustment...

 

I did the MOT on Monday, therefore I guess the free retest is until next Thurs, so we're alright-ish for time.

 

Thanks for that!

*waits for epic thread*

[scaryoldcortina]

OK, lets start with a couple of questions... do you own a multimeter with an ohms setting, and do you have a soldering iron?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Yes to multimeter, no to soldering iron!

[scaryoldcortina]

OK then at least you can test it, you may need a soldering iron later to fix it with.

 

I'm assuming everything else worked, and that the rear fog is the yellow LED... Take the circuit board off the back of the housing (2 screws)

 

Check for continuity between pin 1 of the socket (they are numbered next to the pins) and the 1.2k resistor (brown red red, nearest to the socket) - you should get close to zero ohms. Now check across the resistor (should be 1.2k plus or minus 10%) and then from the other end of the resistor to the + lead of the LED. (zero again). Now across the LED with the red lead to + (marked on the board) and the meter on "diode test" - it should light up, and show about 1.7v on the meter.

 

Next check the flyback diode (black things, the one nearest the LEDs) with diode test - black lead on the end with the stripe - expect about 0.7v. Swap the leads around, 1.7v and the LED lights.

 

Last thing, check for continuity between the LED - and ground (socket pin 3)

 

Then report back

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Cheers for that. I'll give it a whirl tomorrow!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Right...Did all that.

 

Check for continuity between pin 1 of the socket (they are numbered next to the pins) and the 1.2k resistor (brown red red, nearest to the socket) - you should get close to zero ohms [CORRECT]. Now check across the resistor (should be 1.2k plus or minus 10% [CORRECT]) and then from the other end of the resistor to the + lead of the LED. (zero again [1.2]) . Now across the LED with the red lead to + (marked on the board) and the meter on "diode test" - it should light up, and show about 1.7v on the meter [NO!].

 

Guess that means the LED is definitely the culprit here...

[scaryoldcortina]

It certainly does, and it's the only bit you can change without any soldering! First though, does your diode tester make the green one light up? If so, pull dead LED off the pins, and check it again in both directions with the diode test just to make sure, then pop down to your nearest Maplin and buy a 2mm yellow LED (should be less than 10p). You can remove the led from the black rubber socket by bending the leads back and pulling. When inserting the new LED, the longer of the two leads is positive.

 

After that, you should be able to put it all back together and go claim your MoT

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Yes, the green one worked alright.

 

That sound marvellous!

 

Do I just pull it out, or do I need to look for tiny screwdriver/knife to prise it out? It seems both delicate and reluctant to move.

 

ETA: Took it out in the end. I'll be at Maplins tomorrow...Now if you have any tips for adjusting the headlight aim without access to the MOT testing equipment...

[scaryoldcortina]

Ask the tester nicely before he logs the test on, be prepared to bung a tenner if asked You can get a good idea of aim by pointing the car at a wall and adjusting the high one down to match the other.

[Albert Ross]

IIRC don't you adjust the Frog face dip beam from underneath? Or am I talking out of my arse?

[scaryoldcortina]

^ I don't know. I'll check tomorrow.

 

Just been on maplin's website, you need a 3mm yellow LED, catalogue number YY38R, 34p.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

For some reason, they seemed to be out of stock on most LEDs. Ended up having to buy a 10-pack of the bloody things for 2.49. Hopefully that's all I'm spending for the MOT (I also need a sidelight bulb which I have in a Lidl-supplied spare bulb kit and a couple of cable ties to hold the rear seatback in place), although I shall have to see what I can do with the headlight aim adjustment.

[M'coli]

Take 5 psi out of the front tyres, put 5psi in the back, and present the car with 5 litres of fuel in the tank.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

5 litres of fuel? There must be at least 20 in there, and I only need about 5-6 a month (it only uses petrol for a couple of minutes on start-up)...and I would probably still end up failing courtesy of the self-levelling rear suspension! Cheaper to pay someone to do it- in fact, I took it to a garage a couple of months ago for a few odd jobs and had told them to do a bit of a pre-MOT...so I guess I could always go there and point that out in the nicest possible way...Worst case scenario they ask for a tenner or so- I'm still doing alright as the test only cost me twenty-five notes.

[andrew e]

Having to pay for headlamp aim, versus a free alignment, is reason the test was £25 not full price Luxo....

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Yeah, I know, but I don't like doing MOTs at a garage that I am familiar with. I see it as a double-edged conflict of interest: they can either fail something they should pass because they know I'm likely to give them the work and/or pass something they should fail because they are on good terms with me or because they know that I generally look after my car. I know it's a bit silly, but I can't help thinking that way!

 

So I just go to the cheapest place around, always being present at the inspection and knowing full well that they won't be very helpful.