| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) advanced member Username: Mrbieler Post Number: 176 Registered: 02-2002 |
On Wednesday, during LA's big rain storm, my wifes '97 Disco started acting up. Started fine at 7:30AM and she drove to the baby sitters to drop off our son. When she got back in the car, it would not start. A relay in the right/passenger side foot well will click and then the engine will turn over, but there was no spark. I left work to go rescue her. Tried the inertia switch, checked a plug wire next to a manifold to check for spark, etc. Nothing. Then, after sitting for 2 hours it mysteriously started. She drove to work. At 2PM, she came out to leave and it would not start.. I went down and drove her home and we arranged for a tow truck in the AM. At 7AM the next day, the truck started right up. This time we drove to the dealership. Before we did, I ran a OBDII scanner on the truck, but no faults came up. The dealer has had the truck for 2 days and it's running fine. No issues to be found. My wife is understandably reluctant to drive the truck with our 20 month old son. She doen't want to get stranded. Any ideas? It sounds like a bad relay or a security system misfuckulation, but the techs say both check out fine. I could use some help. Jeff | ||
| Brad Noviski (Bradnoviski) New Member Username: Bradnoviski Post Number: 2 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jeff I had a similar problem with my 96 Disco. The problem was electrical. A few lose grounds and the wire harness for the fuel pump was crapping out. You may want to check it out Good luck | ||
| Milan (Milan) Advanced member Username: Milan Post Number: 127 Registered: 10-2002 |
On mine it turned out the ECU when there was no clicking in passenger foot well. When there was clicking, and the pump was OK it turned out to be the multi-solenoid module (black wedge shaped box under hood on the PS fender, next to the ECU). Hope this helps. | ||
| John Houseman (John_houseman) New Member Username: John_houseman Post Number: 4 Registered: 02-2003 |
I'm with brad check for corrosion on negagtive battery cable at battery and frame Maybe could be some where else any light bulbs inside work only someof the time check the ground wires | ||
| Brad Noviski (Bradnoviski) New Member Username: Bradnoviski Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2003 |
I believe there is a total of six grounds on the truck. A couple under the bonnet, one on the starter and one or two by the gas tank fill tube. Can't remember exactly where they are. Also the main relay could be the problem (black wedge shaped box under hood on the PS fender, next to the ECU). I also had to replace the main relay under the bonnet. When my relay went the car would not start at all. If you have a multi meter, you can check to see if you have the correct voltage at the pump. It should be 12v when you turn on the key. Start at the fuel pump or where the fuel pump wire harness is connected under the left rear wheel well. I actually hard wired the connection in under the wheel well, which eliminated the problem. | ||
| Jeff Bieler (Mrbieler) advanced member Username: Mrbieler Post Number: 177 Registered: 02-2002 |
Thanks. All the electrics work EXCEPT the ignition problem. Lights, windows, AC, door locks, alarm, etc. Fuel pump activates when you turn on the ignition (you can hear the whine at the rear of the truck). Everything is OK except for the lack of spark. I'll take a look at the module next to the ECU. Jeff | ||
| Brad Noviski (Bradnoviski) New Member Username: Bradnoviski Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jeff If no spark is the case, have you checked the ingintion switch? I have read that sometimes they fail due to the weight of bunch of keys. Did any fault codes appear? Just a thought. good luck Brad | ||
| Brad Noviski (Bradnoviski) New Member Username: Bradnoviski Post Number: 6 Registered: 02-2003 |
Sorry I just read the original post and saw that there were no fault codes Brad | ||
| Brian Friend (Brianfriend) Senior Member Username: Brianfriend Post Number: 419 Registered: 09-2002 |
Jeff, just a thought....it is possible that she splashed water high enough to get the ecu wet. It really freeks out the system when that happens but once it dries out it will be fine, like nothing happened. The fact that it started once and then didn't start the next time but now is fine leads me to think the gremlins are water. I have had this same situation come up before in my own 97. | ||
| Normorsch2 Unregistered guest |
I had a similar problem with a '95 -- every once in a while, it would refuse to start (no spark) and leave me stranded somewhere. Then for some reason after sitting a while it would start right up. More often than not, it seemed to happen after a big rainstorm. It did this several times, which drove me nuts. Then, someone on this board suggested it might be a malfuntion the security system. The short term fix when she refused to start was to turn the security system on and off with the key fob several times in rapid succession, which seemed to reset the security system so she'd start again. The long term solution was to take it into the LR dealer and get the security system reprogrammed. It's been several years since I've had this problem. ---Norm |
