Handbrake light flashes when accelerating..

[Eagleton]

Hi!

So, I first noticed my problem by the "handbrake light" in the dash flashing when I stepped on the gas, and it turns off when I realease the throttle (only flashing when driving in gears, not while standing still and revving or with the clutch down) Does this light indicate more than the handbrake?

Today I noticed that the engine oil was very low, refilled but no change in performance. I can´t see any oilleaks, staines or whatev, I guess it comes from the exhaust?

I also noticed the sound of my dump vaulve, never heard it before. The car is using much more fuel than before and it feels like I´ve lost 20hk´s. I´ve checked my coolerliquid for oil, seems fine.

Symptoms:

* Handbrake light flashing
* Consumes verry much fuel
* I can hear my dumpvaulve when shifting gears
* Feels like less hk´s
* Consumes engine oil


Please help me guys!

[Eagleton]

First I was thinking that maby I´ve got a leakage on the pressure side, wich makes the car drink alot of fuel and the noise from the dumpvaulve is heard from the leaking point.

But I cant explain the oil drinking and handbrake-light flashing?

[Eurospec]

Handbrake light flashing:-

Check your brake fluid level. When your pads are warn, and so pistons fully extended, the level of fluid in the resevoir drops.

Then when you accelerate har, the fluid slops away from the sensor, putting the light on.

Worth a check.

Cheers,

Ben.

[Eagleton]

Allright you might have a good point there. The brakefluid is checked, it´s low, but in the "OK" marked areas on the fillercap.

Is it possible to just fill it up with any brakefluid, or do I have to know what the previous owner put in there?....DOT3/DOT4?

[Kieran]

Ben's on the money - the VR-4's warning system does do this when the pads are worn and the fluid is getting low (it doesn't have to be below the minimum mark).

Regarding fluid - standard spec is DOT4 I think, so go with that.

[Nick Mann]

The brake fluid level is the answer for the brake warning light. Almost without a doubt.

I don't think there are many brake fluids that are not compatable with others. I think dot 4 states it is compatable with most other stuff on the back. If you aren't sure, then flush the system with new.

Bear in mind the othe point that Ben made - the fluid level could be low because the pads are worn. Whip the wheels off and check how much friction material yau have left!

As for the power/fuel consumption, there could be a million reasons why you are struggling. The most obvious is that your ecu is in safe mode, worried that you have put low octane petrol into the tank. If I am right, this means that it will effectively overfuel - increasing consumption and reducing power. Try disconnecting the battery for a few minutes to reset the ecu. Bear in mind that your gearbox ecu may also lose its settings, which may make for a lumpy gear change for a few miles too!

[Eagleton]

Thanks guys, I´ll try flushing the brakesystem and replace the oil with some DOT4. I´ll have a look on the brakepads to.

Come to think about it, my alarm was screwing around with me about 1-2 weeks ago (kinda when the problems started I think)...It´s a funny story I guess. The car locked me inside and rolled up the windows when I was trying to get a plus wire for my A-pillar gauges, I got some kind of fancy-schmanzy alarm witch imobaliser and a GPS tracker thingy, I dont think it liked me fingering around with it´s electricstuff. It took me 2 hours to get out of the car and get it started again, I disconnected the battery in pure "what the f**k is happening?!?! -mood" when trying to start it. I found out that the alarm had a standalone backup for like a week without charging. I read the alarm manual 3 times I think.....

Maby that could of made my ECU re-do it´s setting and...humm..I dont know.


Hasselhoff - "Kit!....come on baby...dont do that....."

[Eagleton]

Okey, so the VR4 has been checked by a very good turbo specialist here in Sweden, they didnt find anything that could make my run like this.

The only thing they found was that the enginepressure comming out of it was 0.5, that´s a bit high he said, but then again, they/I/Swedes dont know **** about the VR4´sand doesnt get any help from Mitsubishi at all. Does anyone know what the pressure should be like?

They also found a verry small leakage in the intake manifold, not big enough to make a difference tho.

My car is still drinking huge amounts of fuel, I can still here the dumpvaulve, and the car still seems slow.

The handbrake light flashing was just torn down frontpads.....

[Eagleton]

Okey, so the VR4 has been checked by a very good turbo specialist here in Sweden, they didnt find anything that could make my car run like this.

The only thing they found was that the enginepressure comming out of it was 0.5, that´s a bit high he said, but then again, they/I/Swedes dont know **** about the VR4´s and doesnt get any help from Mitsubishi at all. Does anyone know what the pressure should be like?

They also found a very small leakage under the intake manifold, not big enough to make a difference tho.

My car is still drinking huge amounts of fuel, I can still here the dumpvaulve, and the car still seems slow.

The handbrake light flashing was just torn down frontpads.....

[KHK]

any sign of engine oil leaking from engine block?

[Eagleton]

any sign of engine oil leaking from engine block?

Nope, not a single oil/gas leakage anywhere. Been thinking about the lambda thingy or the (dont know what it´s called in english) "Air Mass meter"?..