| Author | Message | ||
     kevin sides (Sideshow) New Member Username: Sideshow Post Number: 1 Registered: 03-2004 |
ok, let me preface this post with the following info: 1996 disco with 129k miles. now, where to begin? ok, about a week and a half ago, my truck just dies. it wont crank after being driven for several hours. i find it kinda weird, but being the middle of the night, i wait until morning. i return with some basic tools, some info i gleamed from this board, and two new relays i had purchased thinking they were the solution to a totally different problem. anyway, after trial and error, and many failed attempts to turn over. i finally got it to crank. i started with the relays in the passenger side kick panel. i pulled one, and replaced it with a brand new one of the according type. then tried ignition. nothing. after about 30 minutes, i guess i hit the right one, and it fired right up. all was well, and it ran great (all things being equal) for about 4 days. then it died again. this lead me to believe that my "fix" was nothing more than blind luck that it cranked the last time. anywho, after trying my replace relays experiment, i decided to have it towed to the shop. where they proceed to tell me my fuel pump is shot. i knew it wasn't getting gas, and thought with the miles that was very reasonable conclusion. they replace the fuel pump to the tune of $500 -- i know that i could have done it myself, but wasn't "certain" that it was indeed the pump, so i let them have at it. i get the truck back the next day, and it runs fine, for less than 24 hours and cuts off on me. starting to get pretty upset at this point. being a sunday, and no other means of transportation, i'm in a bind. well i call the tow company and have it towed back to the shop at their expense. they are confused, and tell me that it needed another pump. uh, ok. so they put another one in. i get it back the next day, and it runs great that day, but won't start the following. starting to get REALLY pissed now. repeat towing to shop procedure one more time. mechanic tells me the old pump was discontinued and the new one has an adapter to connect it to the old harness. and supposedly the connection wasn't great and the check valve wouldn't close, thus allowing the fuel to drain back into the tank. seems logical, so they "fix the problem this time" again. i get it back the next day thinking "well i guess if it cranks tomorrow maybe it is fixed for real" well the next morning, it cranks, so all looks to be in order. then it dies that night. words cannot describe the level of pissed-offness i'm experiencing. i decided to have it taken to another shop, but my dad talks me into giving them one more shot before we have to coherce/threaten them for a refund. well i got it back today, and it didn't make it 100 yards before it cut off, and woudn't crank. what the heck? mechanic is in total disbelief, as am i. he says "ok bring it back, and if i can't get it right by tomorrow, i'll give all your money back" this is what i want to hear, since i wasn't looking forward to having to take him to small claims court if need be. my question is this: i know Lucas is known for some crazy stuff, but is this not absolutely freaking insane? are their any other horror stories similar. and what were the diagnoses? is it possible that the relays i replaced, even they were of the same exact type, could have escalated the issue. perhaps it was some other electrical problem to begin with which burned up the fuel pump. any help, advise, comforting words;) would be appreciated. thanks, kevin | ||
| Sergei Rodionov (Uzbad) Senior Member Username: Uzbad Post Number: 433 Registered: 08-2003 |
Kevin, i presume you talking about fuses, not relays. Those are totally different kettle of fish  However - obvious question - when was last time your fuel filter got replaced? Another thing to test - when it wont crank up, have you tried to open and the close fuel tank cap? | ||
| kevin sides (Sideshow) New Member Username: Sideshow Post Number: 2 Registered: 03-2004 |
yeah, i replace the fuel filter like 3 weeks ago, while changing the fluids. i also tried the unscrew the gas cap trick, and resetting the intertia switch too. all to no avail. it acted like it wanted to turn over, but had no fuel. i sprayed some starter fluid in the intake, and it would immediately crank, but die as it burned off the starter fluid. so this lead me to believe it was the fuel pump not pumping, or the injectors not injecting. either way it wasn't getting fuel. so i thought well maybe it something simple (wishful thinking i know) like a relay or fuse that's bad. well after checking every fuse on the rig, and they were all good, i moved onto relays. hoping for a solution. it was sunday and no shops were open and it's my only ride. so desperate times call for desperate measures i guess. | ||
| Felix Gumbiner (Felixthecat) Member Username: Felixthecat Post Number: 71 Registered: 02-2004 |
Have you talked to Land Rover yet? I had a similarly frustrating problem with my ABS sensor, and after 2 mechanics and several refunds LR was able to diagnose and fix the problem (at a great expense, unfortunately). | ||
| Joey (Joey4420) Senior Member Username: Joey4420 Post Number: 697 Registered: 04-2003 |
Kevin, when the Disco is not running  (sorry to hear that by the way) can you even hear the fuel pump kick on? I would check the electrics going to the pump, sounds more like a short in the Ground wire or a corroded connection somewhere. | ||
| Robbie Donaldson (Robbie) Senior Member Username: Robbie Post Number: 590 Registered: 02-2002 |
check the voltage at the plug for the pump? should read between 5-6v. |
