Mud-club

Vehicle & Technical => Discovery => Topic started by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 17:28:07

Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 17:28:07
It's been a while since i posted, but i have a major problem with the "skip".
Basically, it won't bleedin' start.
It's getting fuel & a spark. It does try to start but only on about 4 cylinders. Checked the cap, no cracks.
Pulled the plugs & the electrodes were tan, but the threads were pure black as if it's running rich.
It certainly beats me & i'm LR trained !
Need to get it running quick, as my youngest has health probs & sometimes needs to get to sick kids asap !
Thanks guys.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: dave_2A_2.25Turbo on February 11, 2007, 18:55:26
tried a compession test (or eight)?
Title: Re: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Dizzy Dave on February 11, 2007, 19:38:33
Quote from: "diamond dave"
It's been a while since i posted, but i have a major problem with the "skip".
Basically, it won't bleedin' start.
It's getting fuel & a spark. It does try to start but only on about 4 cylinders. Checked the cap, no cracks.
Pulled the plugs & the electrodes were tan, but the threads were pure black as if it's running rich.
It certainly beats me & i'm LR trained !
Need to get it running quick, as my youngest has health probs & sometimes needs to get to sick kids asap !
Thanks guys.


i had the same thing, it turned out to be the earth leads.........
i had it in the garge and they couldn't find out what is was, i trailered it back home and thought "what the heck i might as well clean ALL earth leads to the body"......... what do you know........ it worked and now it runs as sweet as a nut, go on...... try it what have you got to lose........
Dave.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 11, 2007, 21:49:37
Any reason the timing could be out?

You could try retarding it anyway to make it easier to fire up.

Also try heating the plugs in the grille before starting it if it's been stood a while.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 21:54:11
It was running fine last night when i parked it, so i can't see the timing being out.
The more i think about it, the more i wanna get rid as it becoming a liability.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 11, 2007, 21:57:43
Have you tried using easy start?

Just to recap, it was running fine, you've touched nothing since.  You have checked for a spark (hope it's a nice blue one and not yellow) and you are sure it's got fuel, how did you check.

Ids the battery good, mine won't start if it's a bit flat, it churns over but no sign of life.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 22:01:08
Quote from: "Range Rover Blues"
Have you tried using easy start?

Just to recap, it was running fine, you've touched nothing since.  You have checked for a spark (hope it's a nice blue one and not yellow) and you are sure it's got fuel, how did you check.

Ids the battery good, mine won't start if it's a bit flat, it churns over but no sign of life.


Easystart ? never used the stuff in a petrol before, only stubborn old ford trucks
Spark is good
Stunk of fuel after winding her over for 1 min & playing with the throttle.
Battery was a wee bit low, so had a boost pack on to back it up. Normally starts 1st time.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 11, 2007, 22:04:45
Stinks of petrol? take the plugs out and stick them in the grille for 10 minutes on a low heat, put them back in whilst warm.  Have you got another car you can jump from? I have a booster pack and I think it's useless, I hope yours is better.

If you're having this much trouble though I don't blame you for wanting rid of the thing.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 22:07:50
It's my only form of transport rrb.
I tried it again tonight after work & it's still the same.
If it was a horse, it would be shot !
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Skibum346 on February 11, 2007, 22:08:35
Quote from: "diamond dave"
It's my only form of transport rrb.
I tried it again tonight after work & it's still the same.
If it was a horse, it would be shot !


At least you can eat a horse...!

 :lol:
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 22:10:12
Quote from: "Skibum346"
Quote from: "diamond dave"
It's my only form of transport rrb.
I tried it again tonight after work & it's still the same.
If it was a horse, it would be shot !


At least you can eat a horse...!

 :lol:


The still saw'll eat into this pile o tin easy enuff m8  lol
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 11, 2007, 22:33:54
I wish I could think of something clever to say mate, but you've tried most things I could think of :?   If it's got fuel and a spark, something should be happening.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 22:35:18
Yeah, i know.
Beats me too   :(
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 11, 2007, 22:56:22
Clutches for straw, have you tried towing it? I've seen my dad do this on occasion when all else fails.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 11, 2007, 22:57:47
Gonna try that tomorrow  m8.
Thanks for your help
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Wireless on February 12, 2007, 00:32:22
I had this trouble with a dodgy ignition coil.

Initially it started easily while cold, but would occasionally fail to start when hot, when checked it had fuel and a spark, and nothing wrong with the timing!

Eventually it got to the point of being difficult to start while cold, if you didn't catch it first time it'd flood the plugs, and when it got warm it'd misfire under load, and eventually stall while on tick over.

Check the output of the ignition coil.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 12, 2007, 09:57:34
Thanks for that, i have a spare coil, so i'll try it.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 13, 2007, 19:00:25
Quick update
Looked at the skip again tonight & now it seems i have a pi55 poor spark. Seen it better in the dark. It's a new coil, so i fitted the old coil back on & its still the same.
Could it be the ign amp thats down the side of the coil ?
If so, where do i find a cheap one as its getting punted afterwards ?
Any other ideas guys ?
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Skibum346 on February 13, 2007, 20:08:37
Quote from: "diamond dave"
Quick update
Looked at the skip again tonight & now it seems i have a pi55 poor spark. Seen it better in the dark. It's a new coil, so i fitted the old coil back on & its still the same.
Could it be the ign amp thats down the side of the coil ?
If so, where do i find a cheap one as its getting punted afterwards ?
Any other ideas guys ?


If it's not the amp, you gotta owrk backwards.. only thing left is battery...

I'd go for the amp but can't tell you where to get them aside from the usual craddocks/paddocks type places.

Good luck wee man
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on February 13, 2007, 20:13:27
We had jumpleads on the battery when we tried it tonight & the engine was turning over like a windmill on speed  lol.
Looked in craddocks website & all they list is the ign module which is on the side of the dizzy.
MM 4x4 dont even list it !
Phone will be red hot tomorrow i think.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 14, 2007, 13:57:44
Or replace the Dizzy with a 3.9 RRC one, IIRC the dizzy on the 300 series V8 went back to having a separate amp module, well some did anyhow.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: JimsMowing on February 14, 2007, 23:21:59
3 things i know of to start an engine. Fuel/Spark/Air. All of you have suggested fuel or spark but noone has mentioned air. I am not well versed with the disco 3.9, but could it be anything to do with the airflow meter, i.e dodgy one? Maybe its just packed up?

Just a thought.

Hope you get it fixed. Failing that tow it to a garage and get a diagnostic put on it.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on February 15, 2007, 01:18:46
Poor spark by the sounds of it, and I can tell you from experience the 3.9 will start with the MAF sensor disconnected.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: JimsMowing on February 15, 2007, 07:59:55
Thats good to know, i shall remember that for future reference!
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Skippy on February 25, 2007, 14:21:45
My moneys on the Amp too!  HAs the same thing happen too me, i replaced the amp and i was amaze with how mych better it ran so it must have been on the way out for a while!
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: daveyravey on March 27, 2007, 17:49:03
It's sorted guys.
It turned out to be a dodgy rotor arm. I must have bought one of the dodgy far eastern made ones that are in circulation . Its a shiny back number with a brass rivit on the top & only fit for the bin in my mind. I boought it from Craddocks or all places  lol. Seems as though the spark tracks down the side & shorts out on the dizzy shaft. I only found out about them from JRV8 in Ireland. He's a top bloke & well versed in the woes of the V8's....... even fitted one into a grey fergie tractor  lol
Thanks for all your help guys.
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: JimsMowing on March 27, 2007, 23:54:21
Congrats on getting it sorted dude!
Title: Non Starting Disco v8 3.9
Post by: Range Rover Blues on March 30, 2007, 02:31:20
Oh cack, I just bought one from Halfrauds and it sounds just like that.  Mine still starts ok but I'm loosing power at full throttle and high revs, so I'm taking the rotor arm back off then the dizzy cap too before I do anything else.
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