1998 V8 5spd Discovery... Not starting

[Beaver180]

Hi all,

Well after years of wanting one, I finally got me a nice low milage manual 5spd V8 Discovery within my price range and I love it It's a non cat exhaust one if that helps?

Friends reckon I should have had my head read lol... maybe they're right

Only had it a month and I've got problems..... It won't start

Cranks over good but doesn't "light the fire"

Has spark and can smell fuel, thought I had simply flooded it at first but hasn't gone since.

love to hear from you soon and get my wheels turning

Cheers, Paul

 

[joey]

Sounds to me like a Crank Position Sensor, but hate to assume anything... more info needed.

Mileage, maintenance history, if you don't have history it is time to start a tune up list.

Plug type?
Filter changed?
Type of air filter Paper or K&N style?

The more info the better.

 

[Beaver180]

Hello Joey, thanks for the reply...

Not sure of the history but seems very well looked after, Has a near new looking stock air filter element. Also service records up to date, which reminds me that an oil change is about due.

Coupla weeks ago ( on two sperate occasions ) my Disco didn't start straight away, where I had to crank it over and over before it fired up... thought at the time I may have just flooded it slightly??

But now it won't.

Had a mobile auto electrician around briefly.... he checked for spark, which it had, but seemed a little eratic at times... he also listened to the injectors with a stethascope ( spelling?? ) and found the drivers side bank not working.

Auto sparky said problem could be in the ECU as each bank of injectors had ( looking at Haynes Workshop Manual wiring diagrams ) sperate wires leading back to the ECU.

As I have a "spare" Disco I removed my ECU and plugged it into the "going" vehicle... no problems, it started fine.

Now still don't know.... Any more suggestions? or should I tow it to a LandRover centre and see if anything shows on a diagonistic ( spelling again? I'm shocking!! ) tester??

One thing I will add is this 1998 is a New Zealand new vehicle and doesn't have Cats in the exhaust... so does that mean this vehicle won't have O2 sensors??

Many thanks in advance,
Paul

 

[Beaver180]

Had another go today at finging a fault...

Another guy said could be the airflow meter, so I swap it out of the going machine and into mine. No luck, and mine worked in other vehicle ok.

Same guy said check the fuel pump and the fuel pressure... I noticed that when ign turned on the fuel pump keeps whirring away?? thought it would auto shut off once XX pressure in system reached ( and of course it would continuely run if engine was running )

I don't have ( or know where to get, steal or borrow ) a fuel pressure gauge so I pushed in the "tyre valve" thingy on the right hand fuel injection rail. Fuel did a little faint spit and dribbled out. I did this immediately after switching ign off.

After all this I pulled the 10amp under bonnet fuse to disable the fuel pump... funny it still went??? So I thought I'd disconnect it at the pump itself. Once I pulled the plug apart at the pump I tried starting the engine to clear the fuel out..... guess what!! IT MOMENTARILY STARTED !! maybe its flooding all the time??

Could the FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR be shot?? Looks like a PITA to swap that out to see

I will swap out both the Fuel injector relays tomorrow to see if one of them is buggered maybe.

Any thoughts anyone???

Desperate to get it going asap....

Cheers, Paul

I

 

[joey]

You should still have 2 front O2 sensors...

Rest of the issues again without being there I am sure you can understand I can guess all day but may still be wrong.

I will still guess as say the Crank Position sensor. Never hurts to change the fuel filter though.

 

[Dusitnh]

Any luck on locating the problem? I am experiencing the exact same problem on a 98 Discovery. Any info on success you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Dustin

 

[Beaver180]

Sorted Ha Ha

Any luck on locating the problem? I am experiencing the exact same problem on a 98 Discovery. Any info on success you have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks a lot.

Dustin

Hiya Dustin,
\
It was quite simply the electronic ignition module ( next to the coil, on mine... some I note could be mounted on the side of the distributor )

The Auto Electrician was way wrong thinking problem was Fuel related.

As I noted my Disco did show signs of spark when I was tring to find the fault... this spark however was to be breaking down some and was intermittant.

Replaced the ign module and started straight up... whoo hooo !

The new electronic ign module, funnily is the same as a Ford Fiesta one!! Great because it was cheap! only NZ$42 ( which is about US$25 )

Hope this helps others and let me know how you get on there Dustin....

Now onto my next problem... water leaks, from Sunroofs I believe Good job Air Con is working to clear my windows

Chow for now, Paul

 

[joey]

Beaver180.... so the 98 Disco in NZ has a Distributor.... well that explains a few things... since here in the USA we are distributor less after 1995 on the Land Rovers.

 

[wolf]

Beaver180.... so the 98 Disco in NZ has a Distributor.... well that explains a few things... since here in the USA we are distributor less after 1995 on the Land Rovers.

Hi Joey;

Yeah, who would have thought a 1998 would have a distributor in it? That was a stumper for sure.

Wolf

 

[Beaver180]

Hi Joey;

Yeah, who would have thought a 1998 would have a distributor in it? That was a stumper for sure.

Wolf

Many thanks guys for the hand and ideas, mine is the last of the D1's.. has the moulded guards and all, and is a 5spd manaul 3.9i.

Is there good hints for removing the head lining to trace my leaky roof??

Cheers, Paul