It won't start!

[gords]

Posted on behalf of my brother, Paul (bit late), based on conversations -

It's a RR 3.5 V8 EFI and it's refusing to start. The battery is fine, the inline fuel filter is new-ish and the fuel pump can be heard.

The strange thing is, Paul reckons that it doesn't smell of fuel after attempting to start it. Does that mean there's no fuel arriving at the engine? If so, why not, if the pump can be heard?

I'm going up there on Sunday, so I'll have a look with him - so any ideas, pointers, suggestions ... offers of help  greatfully received :)

[Colin 009]

Blockage in fuel pipe, air in the pipe. Fuel tank empty.

[Range Rover Blues]

Quite possible that the injectors arn't opening, could be any one of a number of things wrong with the EFi.  Try spraying easy-start into the plenum and see if it coughs at all, if it does then it's the EFi somewhere.

[gords]

I understand that the EFI control unit (ECU?) was changed recently - not for a brand new one, but for one that was supposed to be OK.

[gords]

Quite possible that the injectors arn't opening

Do you mean as a whole - i.e. all of them? Or could one (or two?) faulty ones cause it not to start?

[Range Rover Blues]

Quite possible that the injectors arn't opening

Do you mean as a whole - i.e. all of them? Or could one (or two?) faulty ones cause it not to start?

The injectors open as a bank of 4 anyway, if one or two were blocked I'd expect something to happen.  On the 3.5 the injectors are wired through a resitor block under the airfilter housing (I think).  Check for a voltage at one of the injectors during cranking.

The fact that the EFi was swapped makes me suspicious, what was wrong with the old one?  any disturbance in the EFi followed by a breakdown should have alarm bells ringing, the longer it lasts without fault the more reliable it is.

[Merlin]

What about the connection behind the N/S rear wheel, against the tank it's a plug the same as the spotlight type.  I mention this as mine wouldn't start & had everyone beat.  I had blasted the connection apart when I was pressure-washing.  At least worth checking--Cheers--Cogs

[DaveS]

Mine had similar fault, ECU was loose causing bad earth also bad earth connection on the engine, took ages to find fault. (Local garage did it in the end), I ran out of patience!!
Check fuel relay(under seat) apparantly it needs an earth puse from ecu to start. Fuse also needs checking.
Mine started ran then cut out, then would occasionally fire but cut out.
Garage took 2 hours to find it!
Good luck :roll: :

[Merlin]

Another possibility is the fuel cut off switch under the passengers seat  Put the seat forward & from in the back it is on the right hand side, under the seat.--Cogs

[gords]

He's now been told that it might (?) be the air flow meter (sensor?) - Paul is looking for one on ebay.

He's been told that it needs to be set up on a machine after fitting. Is that right and if so, why?

[Thrasher]

Eh? If the AFM has gone down the engine will not start - or rather it will try to start, hunt and stop. I have a spare AFM somewhere ..

Not sure why you'd have to set it up again?! Mine is for a hotwire system - is his hotwire or flapper?

[gords]

is his hotwire or flapper?

Pardon? :shock:

I could ask but I'd like to be able to explain what the f* I'm talking about  Can you have a look and confirm tonight/tomorrow AM? as the e-bay item ends soon I think...

[oakeedokee]

try the simplest thing first - disconnect fuel line and see if any fuel is coming through. If it ain't and the fuel pump can be heard running, then you've got a blockage, most likely in the gauze filter at the base of the fuel pump.

[Thrasher]

I have A hotwire AFM.

[gords]

I have A hotwire AFM.

Well, I'll pass that on ... but it means zero to me! :oops: