Freelander won't start after re-fitting alternator

Here's a little story, its sad but true.

I NEED HELP!

The bottom bolt came off my alternator last night, so this morning I took the alternator off altogether to check what length bolt I needed. After finding that the only bolts I had were a fraction too short, I refitted the alternator using the shorter bottom bolt just to hold it in place so I could drive to the car spares to get the right sized bolt.

Started the car up just to make sure the belt wasnt slipping too much and revved it. Engine did just what you expect, then stopped and wouldnt start.

Tried cranking it - Nothing

Then I noticed I couldnt hear the fuel pump whirring when I turned the ignition on. So i tried it without the fuel line connected - Still nothing.

Checked all the fuses and they seem fine, even tried the inertia fuel cut off switch - Still nothing!

Does anyone have a clue whats going on??

On the off chance its an ecu issue, I've disconnected the battery for a couple of hours to see if that'll solve it.

Silly suggestion but could be that the lead that goes from the alternator to the starter is loose. I'd check to be 100% sure.

No, one of the first things I checked was if the tag that goes onto the alternator terminal wasn't shorting on the alternator body. I wasn't sure if it was or not so I loosened it and turned it so that it DEFINATELY wasn't shorting.

Once I refitted it, the engine did start then stopped after about 20-30 seconds (which I'm guessing is how long it took to use the fuel in the fuel lines.

WHen I try and start it the engine IS cranking but the fuel pump is not pumping. When I find my multi meter I'll check the voltages at the pump, but I've got a feeling there'll be 0 volts there.

Is there anything that could cause the ECU not to supply power to the pump, but still allow the starter motor to activate? (IE, if the alternator feed cable WAS shorting, would that trip the ECU and how would I clear it if that was the case?)

Strangely my intank fuel pump refused to start after I changed my alternator. I guess a period of inactivity can allow a 50/50 fuel pump to stick fully. Just sods law....

I had success stripping mine down to the motor and blowing it out with compressed air. You could try thumping the inspection cover to see if it brings it to life.

I've already had the pump out and tried giving it a tap or two on the motor. It had only been stood a matter of half hour between pulling up in the car at home, and it not starting

Just been out to try it after leaving the battery disconnected for a couple of hours - Still nothing.

Checked volts at the tank end. Between ground and one of the wires about 6v (which I think is the tank sender supply)
Between ground and the other wire (which is a thicker wire so I guess thats the pump supply) 0 volts. so it looks like there's nothing getting to the pump.

Also when the ignition is turned on, I just noticed that the light on the Air Con switch is on and does not turn off when you press the switch.

Could these both be symptoms of ECU failure and how would I confirm this?

If so, what's involved in replacing it (apart from obviously unbolting one and bolting a new one in) and any ideas why it may have failed??

Try locking the vehicle, leave it locked for about five minutes and unlock, might help.

I guess you're thinking maybe an immobiliser problem? I'll give that a try.

Just been poring over the circuit diagrams to see if I could get some power to the fuel pump in case it was the relay that was stuck or something. The fuse for the fuel pump is directly below the one for the rear window wash(or wipe - Cant recall) and F1 had 12v at one of the terminals so I ran a wire from there to the fuel pump side of F19 to see if the pump/wiring was ok. Turned ignition on and off the pump whirred, but still no engine start (turns over but wont fire up)

I'll go and try it in a few more mins to see if it was immobiliser.

Fingers Crossed

Ok, just been out again after leaving it locked for well over half an hour. Unlocked it, key in ignition, turn, and..... Still nothing. It cranks but doesnt start. The fuel pump doesnt run and the Air Con indicator on the switch won't go off.

Do I take a sledge hammer to it now, or do any of you learned sages on here have any other ideas???

You might have disturbed the wiring, check again and also give the fuel cut off switch another good press.

TBH, I'm not sure which wiring I COULD have disturbed cause i don't think theres anything apart from the fan wiring that is near the alternator.

This morning the car was fine apart from the squealing alternator belt (due to the bottom bolt coming out) and all I did was undo the thick red charge wire from the alternator, the top bolt, and move the alternator to one side so I could check the bolt size.

Refitted everything (the reverse of what I did to take it off) then started it up. It ran then cut out and since then it wont start.

I know it's a bind but if it was running before it'll be summat daft that stopping it going again.
Check the alternator plug.

I'll have a look, but is that something the ECU would shutdown for.

The only thing I can think of that could have caused a problem is if the tag on the alternator main power lead shorted onto the alternator body and maybe crashed/corrupted/blew the ecu (non starting & Air Con light on), but then if it HAD shorted, I would have thought it would have blown the 120A fuse in the engine compartment fuse box too.

I'm flummoxed

Me too, wi out seeing it mesen, a short like that would've flashed did you see owt?

think you need it plugged into a diags machine, you could be chasing it for a while otherwise....

markyzs180 said:

think you need it plugged into a diags machine, you could be chasing it for a while otherwise....

Click to expand...

Agree and it's always like the Freelander to break when you've tinkered with something else making you think it's something you've done. There like women these cars

Have you trawled through all the posts on here relating to non-starting? lots of good tips.

You haven't said what engine is in your hippo either (unless I missed it?) which will help folks on here help you out.

Have your tried disconnecting the battery to see if that resets something?

Richard Martin said:

Have your tried disconnecting the battery to see if that resets something?

Click to expand...

See post #6

Freelaner said:

See post #6

Click to expand...

Sorry....I blame my age and lack of short term memory, I must have forgotten I had read that by the time I got to the end

A Diag reader is one of those things I just don't have. I prefer the days when you had a battery, a switch, a coil & a dizzy!

I was out in my SIII one night, I'd left the side lights on and by the time I got back the battery was almost flat (turn the key - click click!)
Anyway, I wasn't stuck. Turned the ignition on, stuck a brick on the throttle pedal, and got cranking with the starting handle. Started first time

Another time I parked up forwards at the local Makro, got my shopping and came back out. Got into the SIII, put it into reverse and the gear lever snapped flush with the ball. Still drove it home! Got a screwdriver out and unscrewed the tunnel. Levered the gear selectors into 3rd gear with the screwdriver, and drove it home in 3rd gear using Low, High and Overdrive Can't do that with a modern car!

I'm gonna have another look in the morning and see what happens. Hopefully the ECU will have had a long had think about things overnight and be a good little electronic box and behave itself.

Sods law however states that the ECU has given up the ghost and gone to the place that all good ECU's go when they die!

If anyone has any other ideas what it could be (It's the Air Con light that won't go off thats puzzling me!) please feel free to post their thoughts, and thanks to those that have already posted suggestions.