Helppppppppppppppppppp

[Yoshi]

Right driving along today and the rangie suddenly cuts out on me, there is a slight flicker of the light which is bottom right on the bit in front of me, its a square with water in it and a fan, it flickered slightly as the engine cut out.  Now it wont start.

Checked the lpg thing in the engine and that hadnt frosted over, there was a lack of water in the reservoir but the rad was full, so i filled up the reservoir, but now it wont start at all.

Its like trying to start the auto when its in D.  The starter all works, there is fuel in the system but there is something actually stopping it from starting.

Any help cos its currently stranded somewhere til i can get it home!

Cheers :D

[clbarclay]

If the startor motor is not working, then probably/possibly electrical.

Check fuses and relays (easier if you have someone else to listen to them as you trun the key.

Is there power to the startor motor? (possible damaged/disconnected wireing)
The solenoid on the VM stator motor used to stick on me, the result was a firm hard tap to the side of the solenoid with a long socket extension bar would free it up (cured with a strip clean rebuild).

I assuem i've read you post correctly in that the engine won't turn over (D on my auto prevents the starter motor from working)

[Yoshi]

Not quite, on mine D lets the starter motor whir round but not let the engine fire, thats what its doing, so the starter works :(

[clbarclay]

Ahh

Sounds a bit like what mine does.

Can you remove a spark plug and see what state its in.
Have you got a spark? rest the plug (stilled wired up) on top of the plenum chanber so that it is earhted, turn over the engine and see if it sparks propperly (good consistant spark)

[Yoshi]

I guess by that your thinking towards the dizzy?

Havent tested yet, am stuck at home until a bit later on when i can get a wheel pumped up on the fiesta and use that lol

[clbarclay]

Not necisserily, but its best to be sure and easy to do basic check.

Could be a sensor problem (i assume an 89 v8 will be EFI) causing overfueling etc. At on stage my plugs would come out virtually dripping wet.

[Yoshi]

Well i didnt manage to get a plug out cos i couldnt find me extention bar for me ratchet.

So am going to try and do that tomorrow and just leave the rangie where it is and pray no-one damages it :(

[Yoshi]

No spark on the nearest plug to the grill on the drivers side bank. :D

[Range Rover Blues]

BTW, it shouldn't even turn over in D, the inhibit should be on the starter circuit.

[Yoshi]

Come on RRB whats gonna fix it? lol

So far i have stuck a new coil on and a new lead from the coil to the dizzy, and i am still getting nothing :( its turning over but not firing, so the starter is doing what it should but for some reason the engine isnt catching and the spark plugs arent sparking, or at least that one isnt.

[Porksarnie]

Just checking - what's the state of your battery? I know you said the motor just cut out, but anything less than a spot-on battery, and she won't start.

Worth ruling out if nothing else...

Rich

[Range Rover Blues]

The coil and leads you can test but the other thing (and I think I want one, having replaced one on my mate's Golf the other day too :shock: ) is the ignition amplifier module on the dizzy.  If the coil is new and you get no spark from the coil lead then it's the little black box.

Packed up whilst you were driving? yeap, they do that :roll:

[Yoshi]

Whats the little black box and where do i find it? lol  

Battery is fine, charged it up overnight to be sure and still has loads of power left in it.

[Range Rover Blues]

It's bolted to the dizzy, carefull as it uses the dizzy as a heatsink so yo need to replace the white grease on the back of it, it's a silicone thermal compound you can get from Maplin, but anything (grease) is better than nothing.

[Yoshi]

So the little black box is bolted to the dizzy?? not seen that yet lol, but its the lead from the coil to the dizzy that isnt sparking for some unknown reason

Am thinking that maybe the wire that the gearbox uses to stop you starting in gear may have come loose? where would that be lol

[Yoshi]

Hurrah, the fault has been found, its either the wiring or the ignition switch! lol

So now have a basic bodge of a fused wire from the battery to the coil (obviously fuse removed when not wanting to hav engine running.)

Now i think that its just the wiring cos there is some bare wire near the coil and also when i turned the ignition off, even though the coil was connected via the battery it still shut off.

So now just need to find the offending wire and deal with it :D

[Range Rover Blues]

Sounds like a few issues with wiring then :shock:

Pleased this one was a cheap fix

The starter inhibit, if it were loose you would not be able to start at all but the loom comes fromm the LH side of the 'box and includes the reversing light switch for the auto box, it should go into one of those round water resisteant plugs behind the engine.

I'm pretty sure it shouldn't even crank in Drive, the gearbox puts a lot of drag on the engine in gear, even at cranking speed plus it it even coughed for a second then you could have the car lurch forewards.

Perhaps that dodgy ignition switch again?

[Yoshi]

Dont know if its the ignition switch, will check tomorrow in gear and see what it does, i could be completely wrong!

Just need to find out the routing of the wire, i.e. what it goes from and to and via to the coil for the power.

[redhand]

Dont know if its the ignition switch, will check tomorrow in gear and see what it does, i could be completely wrong!

Just need to find out the routing of the wire, i.e. what it goes from and to and via to the coil for the power.

Some one I know had the exact same problem as yours but on a SJ410 He'd been trying everything for ages til I turned up and asked if he'd checked the ignition fuse. changed fuse, problem solved. Always start with the simple things and work upwards.

If a car won't start it's usually fuel or spark so always check for both of those 1st. At least then you know what is working.

[enak]

I'm pretty sure it shouldn't even crank in Drive

On the auto's, you should only be able to turn the engine over in P or N.