********* The important bit is highlighted below if you dont want to read all the fluff *********
The red AYC warning light came on at the end of my 1st test drive in the car..
Seller was ademant that he hadn't seen it before..
I checked around ( CJ and the VR4Forum ) - and there's a pump, ecu and clutch type setup that make up the ayc system.
When that light comes on - and stays on it (from what I gather) boils down to the following..
1. AYC pump is dead, which is expensive
2. Fluid needs replacing or replentying
3. Wee Switch needs to be installed on the pump and adjusted as the pump is slightly worn..
4. Overheating
5. AYC is knackered & needs rebuilding
any of the above can cost between 20e and 500e apparently.. so naturally I was aprehensive at this point assuming the worst..
Anyways on my 2nd drive of the car - which was longer and more spirited than the 1st the light stayed off..
so maybe the seller wasn't trying to pull I fast one..and after all there was no nasty sounds from the car.. there's a slight banging of the exhaust, but that's it.. no bad diff sounds or whirring noises.
but - as I pull onto the ferry the light was on..
grrr, not impressed..
drive the car off the ferry, light remains on throughout my dublin cc rush-hour session, but as I hit the m1 it turns off.
Curious..
Start the car the following morning ayc light is off..
on the 1st bend little red light comes on, and stays on till I reach work.
now at this point I read on the forum that something as little as an air imbalance in the rear wheels can cause the AYC light to come on..
So HERE'S what I did..
I went to the petrol station and checked the air pressure in the tires.
Turned off the ignition..
Went and got wispa bar.. (yum!)
Started the car - AYC light is off - went around the roundabout a few times - at a safe speed of course - Light stayed off, little green lights came on instead..
Yesterday I got all three lit up... it's fun fun fun!
So there you have it..
there was nothing wrong except for a pit of wind..or lack thereof rather..
I'm sure you've already had a look but ..
http://www.google.ie/search?hl=en&q=vr4 ... arch&meta=
loads of info there.
Oh and apparently - if you have whirrly, crashybangy type sounds while you're driving you're likely to need a replacement of the whole thing.. Diff, Pump the lot... But then if you're doing a conversion it doesn't matter cause unless you're doing an awd conversion as well you wont need the ayc bits.