I need help... - Land Rovers Only

darkknight1999 · 10-24-2005, 08:39 AM

Ok so last night I went to start my Disco II and all I got was a bunch of weird sounds from under the hood.

The alarm is acting really weird. If I try and start it sometimes is makes a noise, sometimes it doesn't...

I try and turn the alarm off and on and even that is very slow... and sometimes gets stuck turning to work so I have to hit the button a bunch of times...

I need help! I called the dealer and she thought it might be a starter but I don't think shes right. It not even trying to start. Well when you turn the key to the start position it kills everything like its having a major short. But as soon as you move it back to the run position all the dash lights come back on like its ready to start...

Do you think it might be the starter? Maybe a short in the starter? I was hoping it was just water in something because its been raining here for like 2 weeks and there are some pretty big puddles around but I've driven through plenty of them before with no problems. Maybe water shorted out the starter and now that's putting a wierd power draw on the whole truck?...

Someone please help me....

Oh its a Disco II, SE7 with every option I know of... I think.

Searcaigh · 10-24-2005, 09:19 AM

Check your battery first

John C · 10-24-2005, 09:35 AM

Like Gordon said, check the battery... I betcha the terminals and connectors are dirty. Pour some very hot water on the terminals or Coca Cola if they have some of that white acidy powder stuff on them. Remove the connectors and clean them with a wire brush...

darkknight1999 · 10-24-2005, 10:06 AM

The battery is like 3months old... I just bought it before we went to YellowStone... But I'll check it just to be sure.

Have you guys heard of this before?

Big Kat · 10-24-2005, 12:37 PM

Your Disco has 18" wheels because it has ACE. I consulted with LR about converting to 16" rims for offroad and their advice was don't. Apparently the ACE system generates intense downward force in hard cornering has been know to push 16" tires off the rim--according to LR. Hence the 18" wheels are standard on Discos with ACE. However, I did discover Discos with ACE that had 16" wheels--all were overseas (not USA). I do not know if the 16" tires that were pushed off are a 1 in a million incident (the LR person I got this from did not know) or if they perhaps were running low tire pressure. It is possible this is simply an attorney directive. Any LR folks out there who can elaborate on this?

Big Kat · 10-24-2005, 12:38 PM

Oops, wrong thread.

darkknight1999 · 10-24-2005, 03:40 PM

Actually that's the only option I don't have...

darkknight1999 · 10-27-2005, 01:12 PM

Ok so I test the battery, 12.6 volts when the truck it off. I try to start the truck... nothing. I turn it to the start position and all the lights go off and nothing... I was ummm... ok...

So I jump start the truck... and it started up just fine, wierd, but ok. I put my tester on the battery and its pumping out almost 15 volts... so I turn everything in the truck on and up high on everything... check the volts and its still doing fine at 12.7-13.2 volts. Which is fine. I rev the truck up to check that and it hits about 13.9-14 volts.

So I figured I'd try and shut it off and start again.

So I shut it off, get out, lock it. Then I unlock it, get in and ..... the dang thing started right up. Not even a hint of any kind of a problem...

So needless to say I'm totally confused...

So what the heck do you guys think it could have been? Water got in something and now it dry all of a sudden or the short corrected itself?

darkknight1999 · 10-27-2005, 01:58 PM

Ok so I've been reading here for about 45 minutes... and I think I may have had a problem with the alarm system not letting me start the truck. So it looks like the alarm is the problem not the battery... I would have rather it be a $80 dollar battery than a $800 dollar alarm module/ECU.

darkknight1999 · 10-27-2005, 06:57 PM

Ok so I've been working on this problem for a while now and I thought I had it solved but it came back...

So what does everyone think? Any ideas at all? Has anyone had their alarm go completely crazy?

Disco · 10-27-2005, 07:27 PM

It sounds to me that it could be related to the alarm system or perhaps a fault ignition switch. Personally, I hate alarm systems as they invariably decide to shut everything down especially when your out in the boonies. Happened to me once with an aftermarket system that took me an hour, in the rain, to find & disconnect the hidden alarm module under the dash. After that I just wired up an ignition disconnect switch. No more problems.

darkknight1999 · 10-27-2005, 07:52 PM

Yeah so it ended up being a bad battery connector... go figure...

darkknight1999 · 10-27-2005, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disco

It sounds to me that it could be related to the alarm system or perhaps a fault ignition switch. Personally, I hate alarm systems as they invariably decide to shut everything down especially when your out in the boonies. Happened to me once with an aftermarket system that took me an hour, in the rain, to find & disconnect the hidden alarm module under the dash. After that I just wired up an ignition disconnect switch. No more problems.

I totally agree. If I could I would rip this stupid alarm right out. I just want the door lock on the remote. I would just assume not have the alarm part.

10-24-2005, 08:39 AM	#1 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	I need help... Ok so last night I went to start my Disco II and all I got was a bunch of weird sounds from under the hood. The alarm is acting really weird. If I try and start it sometimes is makes a noise, sometimes it doesn't... I try and turn the alarm off and on and even that is very slow... and sometimes gets stuck turning to work so I have to hit the button a bunch of times... I need help! I called the dealer and she thought it might be a starter but I don't think shes right. It not even trying to start. Well when you turn the key to the start position it kills everything like its having a major short. But as soon as you move it back to the run position all the dash lights come back on like its ready to start... Do you think it might be the starter? Maybe a short in the starter? I was hoping it was just water in something because its been raining here for like 2 weeks and there are some pretty big puddles around but I've driven through plenty of them before with no problems. Maybe water shorted out the starter and now that's putting a wierd power draw on the whole truck?... Someone please help me.... Oh its a Disco II, SE7 with every option I know of... I think. __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

10-24-2005, 09:19 AM	#2 (permalink)
Searcaigh Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dubai Posts: 438 Gallery: 31	Check your battery first __________________ Gordon T. Smith Middle East Land Rover Nutter

10-24-2005, 09:35 AM	#3 (permalink)
John C 4x4 Adventure Gear Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Tappan, NY Posts: 1,175 Gallery: 0	Like Gordon said, check the battery... I betcha the terminals and connectors are dirty. Pour some very hot water on the terminals or Coca Cola if they have some of that white acidy powder stuff on them. Remove the connectors and clean them with a wire brush... __________________ John C 1996 DI - 3" AG lift 1995 DI - Scorpion Racing Extreme Kit 1991 RR - parting out (few parts left) 1990 Kawasaki KL650B Tengai 1989 Kawasaki KLR650

10-24-2005, 10:06 AM	#4 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	The battery is like 3months old... I just bought it before we went to YellowStone... But I'll check it just to be sure. Have you guys heard of this before? __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

10-24-2005, 03:40 PM	#7 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	Actually that's the only option I don't have... __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

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10-24-2005, 12:37 PM	#5 (permalink)
Big Kat Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 30 Gallery: 0	Your Disco has 18" wheels because it has ACE. I consulted with LR about converting to 16" rims for offroad and their advice was don't. Apparently the ACE system generates intense downward force in hard cornering has been know to push 16" tires off the rim--according to LR. Hence the 18" wheels are standard on Discos with ACE. However, I did discover Discos with ACE that had 16" wheels--all were overseas (not USA). I do not know if the 16" tires that were pushed off are a 1 in a million incident (the LR person I got this from did not know) or if they perhaps were running low tire pressure. It is possible this is simply an attorney directive. Any LR folks out there who can elaborate on this?

10-24-2005, 12:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
Big Kat Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 30 Gallery: 0	Oops, wrong thread.

10-27-2005, 01:12 PM	#8 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	Ok so I test the battery, 12.6 volts when the truck it off. I try to start the truck... nothing. I turn it to the start position and all the lights go off and nothing... I was ummm... ok... So I jump start the truck... and it started up just fine, wierd, but ok. I put my tester on the battery and its pumping out almost 15 volts... so I turn everything in the truck on and up high on everything... check the volts and its still doing fine at 12.7-13.2 volts. Which is fine. I rev the truck up to check that and it hits about 13.9-14 volts. So I figured I'd try and shut it off and start again. So I shut it off, get out, lock it. Then I unlock it, get in and ..... the dang thing started right up. Not even a hint of any kind of a problem... So needless to say I'm totally confused... So what the heck do you guys think it could have been? Water got in something and now it dry all of a sudden or the short corrected itself? __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

10-27-2005, 01:58 PM	#9 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	Ok so I've been reading here for about 45 minutes... and I think I may have had a problem with the alarm system not letting me start the truck. So it looks like the alarm is the problem not the battery... I would have rather it be a $80 dollar battery than a $800 dollar alarm module/ECU. __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

10-27-2005, 06:57 PM	#10 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	Ok so I've been working on this problem for a while now and I thought I had it solved but it came back... So what does everyone think? Any ideas at all? Has anyone had their alarm go completely crazy? __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

10-27-2005, 07:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
Disco Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,819 Gallery: 0	It sounds to me that it could be related to the alarm system or perhaps a fault ignition switch. Personally, I hate alarm systems as they invariably decide to shut everything down especially when your out in the boonies. Happened to me once with an aftermarket system that took me an hour, in the rain, to find & disconnect the hidden alarm module under the dash. After that I just wired up an ignition disconnect switch. No more problems. __________________ No hand signals, driver playing with his transfer Knob.

10-27-2005, 07:52 PM	#12 (permalink)
darkknight1999 Mod. --- I'm watching you Join Date: May 2005 Location: Linwood, MA Posts: 330 Gallery: 0	Yeah so it ended up being a bad battery connector... go figure... __________________ -John Some of my favorite quotes: "what you do in life, echo's in eternity..." "death smiles at us all... all a man can do is smile back..." 1999 Discovery II SE-7

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