'96 Disco, no spark - no fuel

[kzack]

For about the last few weeks, when it rained the Disco would sometimes stall out or rev the rpm's high while at idle. A few days ago I was driving through several inches of water (slowly) and then continued on driving on wet roads and after a few miles the engine started missing badly and died. I towed it home. It cranks strong, but has no spark and the fuel pump does not come on. The check engine light also does not come on when the key is in the on position. I changed the crank sensor which was no help. I'm currently drying out the engine management system and will re-istall it in a few hours. Is there any other advise for me to look into? Don't think it matters, but it's a manual transmission.

Thanks, Keith Zack

 

[FIVESPDDISCO]

Sounds like a computer or the alarm system

 

[d1driver]

x2. Take the cover off your computer and dry that sucker out.

 

[kzack]

Sounds like a computer or the alarm system

Thanks for the advise. How do I check the alarm system? I haven't locked the doors or used the remote in years, lol, I don't even take the key out of the ignition...

I've dried the computer out with a blow dryer on low and it visually looks dry, but I installed it back in the truck and still nothing. The cicuit board looks fine to me, but just wondering if it could be toast? Any other ideas? I pulled the computer back out and will let it sit over night inside the house. Is there anything to 'reset' after plugging the computer back in?

Fuses are good. Crash reset button is good. Anything else?

Thanks again and Merry Christmas, May God Bless You.

 

[ptschram]

For about the last few weeks, when it rained the Disco would sometimes stall out or rev the rpm's high while at idle.

You have an intermittent or high resistance connection in the red connector going to the ECU. Classic symptoms. Clean the connectors up real well and hit them with some dielectric grease.

We had one in last week where one of the pins to the ECU connectors was rotted away. Can you say no-start?

 

[ptschram]

It's probably not the alarm as the first thing to go would be cranking.

Contact me about a 109 frame, I might just know where there is a good one available.

 

[kzack]

Thanks P.T., but that didn't work.

The pins visually look brand new. I did clean them though and then hit each pin with dielectric grease. Still no go.

How bout a relay under the glove box? Is it one relay that controls both the fuel pump and ignition spark?

Any other ideas?

Thanks guys, Keith Zack

 

[AfiRover]

ok go check fuse #03 under the dash as it runs the ecu report back

 

[kzack]

Okay, checked fuse #03. It was good, but changed it anyway...didn't work. Any other ideas?

Thanks

 

[Grant]

Check engine light? would the reader show what the problem is?

 

[kzack]

The check engine light does not come on and when I plug the reader in, it only displays "error".

I'm guessing I have a problem with the computer of some kind, but I don't know how to diagnose it from here. Taking it to a dealer or shop with more advanced equipment would be a logical step, but that would be atleast a fifty mile tow and I'm not convinced of their competency. I've owned the car for nearly ten years and always done my own maintenace and repairs and would like to continue.

Any other thoughts?

Thanks, Keith Zack

 

[kzack]

Okay, if there's no other advice, I guess I'll buy a used computer and hope that fixes the problem. One question...If I can only find a computer from an automatic disco, will that work? I'm not worried about dash lights. There's nothing electrical that goes to the manual gearbox so I'm thinking that it should be okay?

Any other advice before I pull the trigger on a replacement computer?

Thanks again guys.

 

[kzack]

In case anyone is interested, I've solved the problem. There is a fuse box under the hood, one of the fuses being a 60 amp for the ignition circuit. I checked this straight away and it appeared to be okay, but I replaced it anyway. That did not fix the problem. I moved on to check other things. Today I disconnected everything from this fuse box, cleaned it with electrical connection cleaner and put everything back together with diecetric grease. Nothing looked all that bad, but after doing this, the truck started right up and is running as it always has.

Thanks for all the help guys.

P.T., I pm'd you about the 109 frame, but havn't heard back yet. Any word?

 

[desertdude]

Hey glad you sorted out the starting problem. As a few weeks back I had a similar problem. The fuel pump was not energising. The car had been parked out in the rain without a windsheild. A lot of water dripped into the passenger side panels and there was already a lot of sand from a roll over accident, which was the reason the windsheild was missing in the first place.

Well after opening up the passenger side footwell panel. The sand and rain water had turned into a nice mud layer over the relay areas. So after taking out all the relays and cleaning each and every one. Specially the Aluminum cover relays the one for the fuel pump and one for the ignition. The car started right up.