Getting well narked now.

[muddyjames]

My disco is becoming more unreliable than an old skoda.

I bought a new battery (td5 big jobby) on xmas eve eve just gone. The battery turned the engine over lovely and fast.  Now we have frost the battery turns the engine over but not fast enough for it to start. I was out jump starting it yesterday at 6:15am. Bet the neighbours loved me!!

Also it just dies on diesel and stalls itself or if I catch it soon enough I slam it in neutral (its an auto) and put my foot to the floor and if I am lucky the revs will pick back up, if not I either have to switch to cold veg oil or it stalls.

There are no air leaks in the diesel system to the outlet of the fuel filter, new battery, lots of diesel, and soon 1 EXTREMELY angry James!

Anyone got any good ways of destroying a car, sorry I mean sorting it?

[BK]

You have my sympathy mate,my 90 is parked outside waiting for either a buyer or a new injector pump......Is the alternator charging properly?,was it a new battery that you put on?if I were you id get the charging system tested and then deal with the rest later cos the poor running might be connected to the charging system not putting enough power down into the various electronic systems............I know its a long shot,but you never know........and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

[discowoman]

check the main lead from battery to starter - if needs be , take it off wire brush it and re-fit.. we are running the disco on 100% bio and have had no starting issues - even the past few mornings when its been well below freezing..Please say a prayer for hubby tho- as he is going to work on his suzuki bike tomorow

[muddyjames]

You have my sympathy mate,my 90 is parked outside waiting for either a buyer or a new injector pump......Is the alternator charging properly?,was it a new battery that you put on?if I were you id get the charging system tested and then deal with the rest later cos the poor running might be connected to the charging system not putting enough power down into the various electronic systems............I know its a long shot,but you never know........and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

Alternator is kicking out loads of juice, about 16-17volts last time I checked, battery was brand shiney new so only about 2 months old.

Another really wierd thing is that yesterday going down the motorway at 70mph it was at 3000rpm which by the end of my journey it was down to 2500rpm.  :-k Occasionaly it felt like it was being held back too and up hills it didnt want to know and had to keep flicking back and forth between diesel and veg tanks to keep some speed up. I even had a fiat brava with a trailer over take me  :oops: Not good on motorways! Maybe the wind chill factor started to freeze my veg pipes so the flow to the engine wasnt as much?  :-k

[muddyjames]

check the main lead from battery to starter - if needs be , take it off wire brush it and re-fit.. we are running the disco on 100% bio and have had no starting issues - even the past few mornings when its been well below freezing..Please say a prayer for hubby tho- as he is going to work on his suzuki bike tomorow

Is this an easy wire to find and can I re fit it easily? I am starting on 100% diesel and then switching to veg oil when the engine is about to die or when the engine is hot.

sat in a lay by today for about 5 mins as my phone rang, then pulled away to leave a HUGE cloud of white smoke :oops: I was on veg oil so hope it is just something veg oil does? :-k

[muddyjames]

.......and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

I am starting to think this too. Once it is running then yes, it is brilliant especially on veg oil. Better speed, mpg, 0-60, torque, brillaint, once it gets hot!

It will be a series 3 again for me next time I think as that never let me down, no matter how cold it was. It was just attrocious at towing anything though.

[skip]

    Alternator is kicking out loads of juice, about 16-17volts last time I checked,   

If your alternator is chucking out that much it'll be cooking your battery, It should be between 13.5-14.5 volts.

[muddyjames]

maybe I remembered wrong.  :roll: I will check tomorrow after I have been to the scrap yard











To try and get a manifold and exhaust for the reliable car! :lol:

[skip]

I feel you pain :twisted: I'm returning to the JEEP marque as soon as is possible.

[markyd]

You have my sympathy mate,my 90 is parked outside waiting for either a buyer or a new injector pump......Is the alternator charging properly?,was it a new battery that you put on?if I were you id get the charging system tested and then deal with the rest later cos the poor running might be connected to the charging system not putting enough power down into the various electronic systems............I know its a long shot,but you never know........and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

isn't that part of the Land Rover charm :lol:

But to be honest what ever marque you have this sort of weather kills batteries pronto :doh:

[extreme90]

slow cranking
try running a 2nd negative with a jump lead from battery to block of engine
see if that cures it

[marjan]

You have my sympathy mate,my 90 is parked outside waiting for either a buyer or a new injector pump......Is the alternator charging properly?,was it a new battery that you put on?if I were you id get the charging system tested and then deal with the rest later cos the poor running might be connected to the charging system not putting enough power down into the various electronic systems............I know its a long shot,but you never know........and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

isn't that part of the Land Rover charm :lol:

But to be honest what ever marque you have this sort of weather kills batteries pronto :doh:

Best to get a huge oversize battery like mine has  :), BK will verify this as he has seen it (the battery I mean) -  :lol: :lol: :lol:

[skip]

  isn't that part of the Land Rover charm

But to be honest what ever marque you have this sort of weather kills batteries pronto   

I agree. But when my cherokees battery dropped a cell it still started, only just but it did start.

TBH i've got better things to be doing than messing about with my discovery in every bit of spare time I have. I was going to put a lift kit etc on  it, trouble is it's cost so much in parts and time for existing problems, i haven't had anything left.

My jeep was older had more miles and had a hard life before I got it, even so it caused me very little trouble, unlike my current discovery. Sorry to slate LRs but they're pants.

[muddyjames]

You have my sympathy mate,my 90 is parked outside waiting for either a buyer or a new injector pump......Is the alternator charging properly?,was it a new battery that you put on?if I were you id get the charging system tested and then deal with the rest later cos the poor running might be connected to the charging system not putting enough power down into the various electronic systems............I know its a long shot,but you never know........and I too am starting to have doubts that Land rovers are "the best 4x4 by far"......I think itll be either american or jap for me next time

isn't that part of the Land Rover charm :lol:

But to be honest what ever marque you have this sort of weather kills batteries pronto :doh:

Best to get a huge oversize battery like mine has  :), BK will verify this as he has seen it (the battery I mean) -  :lol: :lol: :lol:

Mine has an oversized battery in to. nothing bigger will fit in the space and it still doesn't start. If it doesnt turn over at fast speeds it just flattens the battery.

[Tommo]

everyone knows that land rover parts are far inferior to jap stuff etc. Jap and yank stuff is far more resistant to poor servicing and thrashing than land rover kit. everythings made of cheese, but i wouldnt have anything else. (maybe an old nissan patrol to go to work in)

[markyd]

it depends where you buy, alternators are a big problem with pajero;s and shoguns, i know people who are on there 10th alternator, brought through a relatively well known jap supplier, probably more down to poor original design or positioning of the unit.

I had to replace twin batteries on mine just after xmas which wasn't  pleasant, :twisted: and they have only been on a couple of years :roll:

I think if you buy from OME source then you shouldn't go far wrong, its very easy to buy very cheap service parts and moan when it all fails, hence giving the perception that its the motor at fault.

I am not taking LR or Jap Sides here just speaking from experience ;)

[BK]

  isn't that part of the Land Rover charm

But to be honest what ever marque you have this sort of weather kills batteries pronto   

I agree. But when my cherokees battery dropped a cell it still started, only just but it did start.

TBH i've got better things to be doing than messing about with my discovery in every bit of spare time I have. I was going to put a lift kit etc on  it, trouble is it's cost so much in parts and time for existing problems, i haven't had anything left.

My jeep was older had more miles and had a hard life before I got it, even so it caused me very little trouble, unlike my current discovery. Sorry to slate LRs but they're pants.


HOORAY!!!!!! im glad someone agrees with me....Ive been driving since I was 17 im now 45 and ive had loads of cars none of them new ones but ive had 2 landrovers in that time and MY GOD what do they build them out of?ive never had cars SO unreliable in my life,if you look through the forums on the landy sections its full of people with problems with their landrovers,if you go on the mitsi or jeep sections it just mostly people talking about general stuff thats nowt to do with their car problems,ill never touch another landy again.....and why is it defenders hold there money so well?I cant understand this!!!!£6-7k for summat thats 12 years old and done 100000 miles ??????whats all that about...I can hear the stampede now of landy owners that are gonna tell me im wrong............

[extreme90]

my comp 90 been struggling to start lately
and thats with twin optima's powering it into life
it was a poor negative from chassis to engine
a new earth strap and a clean of the main negative has seen it firing up instant again
worth a try
dan

[muddyjames]

I guess putting a jump lead from engine block to battery will find this out?

[BK]

yup :D

[muddyjames]

I tried this before but only place to clamp it onto was the glow plug. Guessing that isnt a clever idea really? where is a good place to clamp to?

[Disco Matt]

and why is it defenders hold there money so well?I cant understand this!!!!£6-7k for summat thats 12 years old and done 100000 miles ??????whats all that about...I can hear the stampede now of landy owners that are gonna tell me im wrong............

That has always puzzled me. Out here, even shed-like 90s go for about twice the price of a good Disco.

[bilge rat]

on the running side not sure on the veg oil system but is your lift pump o.k, sounds like fuell starvation your getting iff you say its not picking up air, that rules out the pipe on the sender that rots, could check the sedementer iff thats o.k, deisel filter iff not been changed for a while. let us know how you get on. alan.....

[BK]

try the thermostat housing or oil sender underneath thats a good earth but watch u dont burn the jump lead wire on the zorst........................and yes its crazy on the price of used defenders,I can  understand it on a ferrari or a porsche...but a defender?????????????? :-k :-k

[muddyjames]

new diesel line runs from new tank, direct to inline filter, through valve and pre heater for oil (but obviously cold as starting engine) then into engine so it by passes the lift pump and sedimentor etc.

[BK]

silly question but have you checked the glowplugs,it seems as that youre only getting this problem in cold weather

[muddyjames]

I am getting volts to each one. Not taken each one out and held it yet. I'm notbrave enough. I replaced them 3 years ago. how long do they last?

[BK]

Dunno mate but there only a tenner for 4 on ebay from island 4x4 so it might be worth it save messin about,i put some on mine when the cold weather started and it made a world of difference,but its up to you

[muddyjames]

I might get some then. It would ruel out one thing I guess! Also going to buy some bubble wrap me thinks to go round the battery and keep it warmer.

It just seems strange that the battery doesnt turn over the engine as fast as it used to do. Most of my driving is at weekends for hundreds of miles in it. So it isnt like I do tidly journeys.

[extreme90]

I might get some then. It would ruel out one thing I guess! Also going to buy some bubble wrap me thinks to go round the battery and keep it warmer.

It just seems strange that the battery doesnt turn over the engine as fast as it used to do. Most of my driving is at weekends for hundreds of miles in it. So it isnt like I do tidly journeys.

id think its a poor earth, but batterys dont like the cold, its strange though  :-.

200's dont need glow plugs, even in the coldest of weather all our 200s start with no heat, i give up on the 300 in cold weather  :roll:

to test the glow plugs, no need to remove them
get a piece of decent size cable that is long enough to reach the furthest plug ( no 4 cyl ) to the + on the batt
fix one end of the cable to the battery then with the other end brush it on each glow plug, if it arcs then that plug is fine
oh, you need to remove the hop rail ist though as it will give you a false sense as there all working

hope that helps
dan