Freelander 1 2003 K-Series Freelander wont run?

Hi all, I'm hoping the members of this website can help me.
Our 2003 K series freelander cranks over, starts for 2-3 seconds, then stops, and wont start again but will crank over?? We've left it for 10 mins/half an hour etc but the same situation everytime!
However, it will run on easy-start (But obviously we dont want to do that for too long)

I’ve got fuel pressure, spark, and everything else but a running Freelander!
I think the injectors aren’t opening, so is that the immobiliser thats letting it crank but not start or something else, like a damaged ECU?

We had it running just two days ago, but now it wont start again....

Really hoping someone can shed some light on our problem, and (hopefully help us fix it!)
Thank you in advance

When did the issue start? Was it just it wouldn't start one day, or did it conk out and not start?
Have you checked the actual fuel pressure?
Have you read any codes or live data from the ECM?
Normally if the immobiliser isn't allowing the engine to start, because it doesn't recognise the key, the engine won't crank over.
However there is a particularly error, where the ECM is out of sync with the immobiliser, in which case the engine will still crank, but the ECM doesn't recognise a correct run signal in a couple of seconds, so kills the ignition and fuel injection, stopping the engine.
However as the engine fires on easy start, this suggests there is a spark, and so the immobiliser issue is unlikely.

Nodge68 said:

When did the issue start? Was it just it wouldn't start one day, or did it conk out and not start?
Have you checked the actual fuel pressure?
Have you read any codes or live data from the ECM?
Normally if the immobiliser isn't allowing the engine to start, because it doesn't recognise the key, the engine won't crank over.
However there is a particularly error, where the ECM is out of sync with the immobiliser, in which case the engine will still crank, but the ECM doesn't recognise a correct run signal in a couple of seconds, so kills the ignition and fuel injection, stopping the engine.
However as the engine fires on easy start, this suggests there is a spark, and so the immobiliser issue is unlikely.

Click to expand...

Hi Nodge, thanks for your reply. We havent checked the exact fuel pressure figure, but certainly have pressure. We've sort of narrowed it down to the injectors not opening when we go to start it.

The fuel thats seeped in, is what the engine runs off for the few seconds it does.

We just dont know now, why or how the injectors arent opening.

Nodge68 said:

When did the issue start? Was it just it wouldn't start one day, or did it conk out and not start?
Have you checked the actual fuel pressure?

Have you read any codes or live data from the ECM?
Normally if the immobiliser isn't allowing the engine to start, because it doesn't recognise the key, the engine won't crank over.
However there is a particularly error, where the ECM is out of sync with the immobiliser, in which case the engine will still crank, but the ECM doesn't recognise a correct run signal in a couple of seconds, so kills the ignition and fuel injection, stopping the engine.
However as the engine fires on easy start, this suggests there is a spark, and so the immobiliser issue is unlikely.

Click to expand...

This just started the other day. One minute running, next minute not. No codes really showing that are of any concern.

RJMX37 said:

We just dont know now, why or how the injectors arent opening.

Click to expand...

Have you got a multi meter to check the ECM is pulsing the injectors?
It does sound like the fuel pressure is too low. If fuel is seeping through the injectors, then they are likely being pulsed, but if the fuel pressure is insufficient, they won't spray fuel, it'll just drip instead, which isn't good enough for the engine to fire.

Nodge68 said:

Have you got a multi meter to check the ECM is pulsing the injectors?
It does sound like the fuel pressure is too low. If fuel is seeping through the injectors, then they are likely being pulsed, but if the fuel pressure is insufficient, they won't spray fuel, it'll just drip instead, which isn't good enough for the engine to fire.

Click to expand...

We've just checked, the injectors are pulsing.

RJMX37 said:

We've just checked, the injectors are pulsing.

Click to expand...

The it suggests the fuel pressure isn't sufficient.
There needs to be about 60 PSI on the fuel rail.
The fuel filter is known to clog, often causing the fuel pump to overheat and fail.

Nodge68 said:

The it suggests the fuel pressure isn't sufficient.
There needs to be about 60 PSI on the fuel rail.
The fuel filter is known to clog, often causing the fuel pump to overheat and fail.

Click to expand...

I've changed the fuel pump and filter, plus the gauze filter. I even mopped the tank out haha

RJMX37 said:

I've changed the fuel pump and filter, plus the gauze filter. I even mopped the tank out haha

Click to expand...

Can you hear the pump priming for a few seconds after turning on the ignition?

Nodge68 said:

Can you hear the pump priming for a few seconds after turning on the ignition?

Click to expand...

Yes