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Tom Fioretti
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 08:09 am: | 
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96 Disco ! Ran through a car wash, engine cut off. Would crank but would not start. Towed home, opened up all elec connectors I could find, everything looked dry. I let it sit for 2 days, giving the starter a few cranks each day to see if it would start, finally started on the third day.
That was a couple months ago. Just had a huge thunderstorm yesterday. Disco sitting in car park at work, came out of work a couple hours later, same problem. Crank but no start. Left it at work. Next morning, fired up on first crank. What the hell ? Only happend twice, but I fear a trend has started. Any commets or advice appreciated. |
brian kluge
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 09:17 am: |
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Well, it's gotta be something electrical grounding out. When's the last time you replaced spark plug wires and ignition coil (does the '96 even have a coil)?
Are you familiar with the spray bottle mist test?
Bri |
Milan
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 09:48 am: |
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Check the PCM connections on the PS fender near the firewall, under black plastick cover. Dry them out and see if it helps. That's what it was/is on mine. |
Blake Luse (Muddyrover)
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 12:57 pm: |
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is it making a clicking noise when you turn the key once but before you try cranking it in the passenger side sounding like it is coming from your floorboard? |
Tom Fioretti
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 06:27 pm: |
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Thanks for the responses. Here are some answers:
1) Bri : Plug wire were replaced about 25K ago. Never replaced the coil. I'm at 98K. Not familiar with the mist test, please explain.
2) Milan: I'll check the PCM connectors tonight. Thanks for that tip. Any trick to keeping them dry, besides staying out of water..?
3) Blake: No clicking noise. Just a very normal crank.
Thanks again for the help! I'll post my results. |
doug james (Dgj95lwb)
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 08:50 pm: |
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If your windscreen is leaking-common on Discos- then the water is perhaps tracing a drainage route to a criical connector. Takes the day or so to dry, all's well again...until the next rain. The reason I believe this is it is that the 'parked in the rain at work', added to the carwash event, ...makes sense to me.
Safety issue: one day while driving, it will/may happen, and that will be a serious safety event !!
Remove the under dash knee bolster trims and the pillar trims, quarter trim panels to help find it. Or get it professionally looked at...cheers- doug |
tom fioretti
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 09:10 pm: |
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Thanks, Doug. Haven't noticed any windscreen leakage, but I'll look where you suggested. I did notice the black plastic cover for the PCM connectors (of which Milan wrote) was not tightly fitted to the PS fender wall. Had a 3/8" gap. I had removed this last year whilst replacing the antenna and apparently the plastic fasteners were weakened. I've now applied a bead of RTV to the entire edge of the cover and re-fitted. If that was the problem, it should stay in place now, I hope. Thanks for the advice. |
Milan
| | Posted on Friday, May 03, 2002 - 11:13 pm: |
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I don't know where my reply went but I suggested that many people silicone the cover to the fender. It seems to help with car washes where the hood stays closed and water only drips down. It does not seem to help in river crossings or if you pressure wash th eengine compartment. I ripped mine off so I could get to the connectors easier. |
tom fioretti
| | Posted on Saturday, May 04, 2002 - 08:05 am: |
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Milan, What are you using, if anything, as a replacement cover ? I would think you would need something for protection from rain and puddle splases. I'm considering taking the entire unit and sealing it somehow. Maybe wrapping with plastic, suitable for the temps, and zip-tying the ends, with a gob of RTV where needed. |
Milan
| | Posted on Saturday, May 04, 2002 - 10:10 am: |
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I'm not using anything and have to say that it stalled on me in an automatic car wash even though the hood was never opened. However it also dries out quicker this way. I think the only way to do it is to use dielectric grease on the connectors and then seal the connectors or the whole unit. On my Bronco I used tupperware box and sealed the whole ignition box in it. It's not water proof but very splash proof and it could be made water proof by siliconing the drain hole I made and the hole where the wires enter the box. There are more plugs on the LR unit, so the box would be very cut up but still just one side. Wrapping everything in strong plastic, ziptying around the wires and siliconing there should work also.
Another alternative would be to use more wterproof connectors. The GM connectors with the rubber seal are very good or the regular trailer hitch flat (or other) connectors might work but that's a lot of splicing. However, I bet it would be a one-time effort.
Hope this helps. |
tom fioretti
| | Posted on Sunday, May 05, 2002 - 08:10 am: |
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Thanks, All.
I checked for windscreen leaks and found no indication of one. I'm going to try the plastic bag wrap and I'll post back if I have any more trouble.
-Tom |
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