1996 Disco no start - please help!

smar

Member
Jan 19, 2018
9
1
NV
There is also one attached to the t case. The ground that p m is showing you is important too. It's grounding your whole truck directly to the neg battery post. He mentioned that the picture is of a rt hand drive vehicle. So that big bracket won't be there, it will be on the left frame rail supporting the panhard rod. But the ground is going to be there.
The ground back by the t case is probably giving you your problem because when trying to crank the engine the starter ground is the block. The block needs that ground strap at the t case.
I've seen the smoke from the console. Back in the 90's I would have the trans out of one of these about 3 times a week. So a couple times I would forget that ground strap and get the smoke. All those cars were fine, yours is probably fine too.

No Ken, I'm not lying

Thank You for that information. I think you are correct as far as the t case ground. Im going to take all the grounds off and clean them just to be safe. When i was under that disco today i couldn't seem to find the t case ground. Where about is it located? Again, thank you!
 

Swedjen2

Well-known member
Sep 12, 2018
594
127
California
From a Rovers North tech forum of 2011 -


Q: "...I just pulled the starter to have new brushes installed and have it bench-tested.

Upon re-installing, I found it was VERY sluggish in turning the engine over...almost as if the battery was dying, but the battery was fully charged.
I also noticed with the starter turning over sluggishly, the throttle linkage to the carburetor got hot and started to smoke..."


A: "...the hot throttle linkage is classic sign of failed ground strap to engine. Thus you having forgot to reattach the bonding strap/wire would be accurate. The engine mounts are rubber so the engine is really well electrically isolated from the chassis without a bonding strap. All the electricity trying to flow through the starter followed the path of least resistance the throttle linkage which isn't a very good conductor because of all the gaps between the parts. If you were so inclined you could even throw on a couple extra bonding straps besides the one so if you lose one there would be another.

Attaching to one of the starter mounting bolts is good, but you can attach additional bonding straps to anywhere on the engine. Chassis to engine side motor mount bracket bolts for example because the engine block is a great conductor as long as there is a path back to the chassis."

Hope this helps.
 

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discostew

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2010
7,706
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Northern Illinois
I was under one of my discos last weekend and I think I mis spoke. I might have been thinking about defenders. There is a braided ground strap coming off the lower starter bolt. Check that.
 

robertf

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Jan 22, 2006
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I think theres a second braid that goes to the upper starter bolt. Might only be for 94 and 95.
 

robertf

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Jan 22, 2006
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Actually now that Im thinking about it the only engine ground for a 96 and up is off that upper starter bolt and for 94/95 its on the drivers side of the block to behind the drivers headlight.

The thing PM posted is the battery cable and doesnt bolt to the engine, only the inner pass fender via a splice and the chassis
 

p m

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Apr 19, 2004
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Actually now that Im thinking about it the only engine ground for a 96 and up is off that upper starter bolt and for 94/95 its on the drivers side of the block to behind the drivers headlight.

The thing PM posted is the battery cable and doesnt bolt to the engine, only the inner pass fender via a splice and the chassis
Robert, where does the other end of the ground strap go then?
 

robertf

Well-known member
Jan 22, 2006
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Right side body mount in front of the radius arm bracket.
Just confirmed 95 has it there too. Maybe the ground strap to behind the headlight was part of a ICM relocation recall? Mines been that way since at least 98.
 

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