If it doesn't start right after you tinkered under the hood, check the intertia switch behind the engine on the firewall - it cuts the fuel in case of accidents and can be inadvertantly tripped while under the hood.
What were the exact fault codes that made you change you plugs, what plugs did you use, how many miles on the truck and how about your plug wires?
Mike
I have a similar problem. My Disco II starts, but most of the time on the third try, then runs without problems. I hooked the Code Reader to it and got the P0305 (misfire cylinder 5). I replaced the plugs and cleared the code. Now, although it seems to run smoother, I still get the third try start. The code reader is not picking up any probems.
I have a new set of wires, but did not replace them yet. I was thinking it was maybe the oxygen sensor or cat converter but the code reader isn't griping anymore.
Put the new plug wires on them see how the star issue goes. Have you been getting any fault codes, what octane gas are you runn and what is the trucks mileage?
Mike
Thanks for the interest and advice Mike. No codes since changing the plugs. I am using 91 octane and it has 107k miles on it. I was thinking maybe the Ignition Pickup Module, but I'm just making guesses.
Here's some extra info that could possibly be related. These are things that are not working on the vehicle that I have not gotten around to messing with yet. The horn does not work. 10AMP fuse for the horn under the hood is blown. I replace the fuse and it is fine till I attempt to beep again.
Cruise control (CC) not working. When I press the main CC Switch, the light comes on, but the buttons on the steering wheel seem to do nothing at all.
If these are related, maybe I just have some electrical quirks that need to be worked out.
For now the starting issue is just an annoyance. I'm just afraid it may become more. Like, if I was in a horror movie and the killer was walking towards the vehicle and I was trying to start it. For now, it would probably start just in time. But...Wow...my life could really be in danger if I don't figure this one out. Especially if I start camping at ancient indian burial grounds or near facilities that use experimental radiation tecniques on dead human subjects.
I would still lean towards the wires first, you don't have a pick up coil to worry about your truck has coil packs.
Do the wires, if no change then we start talking about furl issues. The other stuff you mention will have no effect on starting the truck.
As far as your cruise control goes, most likely you have a vaccum leak in the control system, pretty common and easy to fix.
Mike
I replaced the spark wires and now have bruised knuckles. So, thats plugs and wires replaced and the start issue remains. I really think it has something to do with the alarm system. When I open the hood, if it is quiet enough, I can hear a very slight series if repeating beeps coming from the area of the break booster. It stops after a while. Then, if I open the driver-side door, I can hear the beep start again. I think it is some kind of electronic engine disable thing.
Thanks for the help.
Sebastian
Last edited by dismalrobot : 04-09-2007 at 07:06 AM.
The other day it did not lock along with the other doors when I used the key remote. The alarm system still arms though. It also would not lock along with the button on the dash. It would lock if I pressed the lock-knob on the door. It would also not open with the dash button or if I pulled up on the lock-knob (it would just shoot back down). But it opened with a double pull of the internal door handle. It would also lock and unlock just fine with the key from the outside (non remote). I figured it was the electric lock mechanism, but after messing with the remote and stuff for a while, It was working again for a day or so. Then it stoped again. Maybe I confused it when I removed all the plug wires. I did not disconnect the negative batery cable when I changed the plug wires. Hope this is exact enough for ya.
Try resetting the alarm system by slowly locking and unlocking the doors 3 times with either the key or your remote, remember do it slowly like 5 seconds apart.
See what happens.
Mike
No go Mike. Tried the reset a couple of times as you instructed. Doesn't seem to make a dif. I'll ask this in case you know: If I have to replace the BCU, and I replace it myself with a used one, will Land Rover have to program it? What would the reprograming cost? AND.....Will the car run before reprograming?
OK. After doing some research, I think the starting problem is not BCU or electronic related because the engine actually cranks and I get no fault codes from the scanner and no Check-Engine lights. So, fuel-wise, I was thinking maybe the mass air flow sensor, but it runs fine after it starts and I cleaned the sensor with the radio shack tuner cleaner and it made no dif. So fuel pump or fuel pressure regulator maybe? Not sure. Maybe its a vacume leak. All the hoses look great. I think the regulator is integrated with the pump. I'm going to clean the injectors first and maybe by a vacuum meter. Any other ideas?
Just replaced the Fuel pump relay switch to see if that might be flaking out on me. Still same problem. If I turn turn the key and hold it, the car will crank forever without starting. Sometimes it starts sooner than the third try, but it is so consistently the third try that it seems electronic.
I added some Fuel Injector Cleaner to this last tank so we'll see if that makes a diff. Maybe I have a cracked fuel injector. I'm getting stumped but I want to weed out all the things I can try myself before taking it in and paying a few hundred bucks for the mechanic.
I'd rather save my money for a full tank and a trip to the mountain.
OK. Now it has been a whole year and a few days since I first posted about this issue. I still have the starting problem. Exactly as it was a year ago. At one point I decided I would replace the fuel pump, but ended up ordering the wrong part. My fuel pump has a little black thing on top and the new one doesn't.
So I never replaced the pump. Have used only the higher octane gas and no difference. In the past year I have replaced the brake pads and the alternator. The problem with the door lock was the actuator dying.
Anyhow, like I said a year ago. It is an annoyance but not a huge one. I still have the wrong fuel pump. Sitting next to the computer here. Never returned it. So, Maybe I'll send for the correct one and replace it and see if that solves the mystery.
if takes three times to start the damn thing, first pull the hose underneath the truck to the fuel pump, give a it go, otherwise its a pain to get a fuel pressure guage hooked up. if it pumps out then at least you have fuel.
but I would suspect a coil or a crankshaft position sensor.
oh did you ever get the cruise and the horn fixed.
__________________
I work on Rovers. Got a question just ask.
At one point I considered the crank position sensor or cam position sensor but all that I had read had lead me to believe that if it was the the sensor, the vehicle would not start at all. Also, I hooked up the diagnostic code reader and it didn't give any indication that it was a sensor. I've had other vehicles give me a code for the sensor when it was the sensor and when it was a busted timing belt. This one gives me nothing.
Anyhow, if you think the symptoms might be due to the sensor, I'll remove and test it with the multi-tester. I assume it is magnetic. Anyone know what resistance it is supposed to read?
R4L, never got the cruise and horn fixed but I did mess with the cruise control the other day. I think it's the electronic part in the steering wheel. As for the horn, I never bothered. I guess I am the ultimate procrastinator. So, out of guilt, maybe I'll trace the wiring for the horn so I can give my middle finger a rest.
Engine start casuses?
Linear Mode
