Strange breakdown & loss of power!!

collasped intercooler pipe, drawn oil out of pipe and gave symptoms of engine running on until oil burnt away

Have you tried to reproduce the fault by turning the windscreen demister on again?

Im going to nip out now for a drive and see what happens.

LeadFarmer said:

Im going to nip out now for a drive and see what happens.

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I'll fire up LZIR

Thanks

check alternator plug,may have melted dont know why your throttle stuck does your fender hae mats/floor rubber?

THEengineer said:

check alternator plug,may have melted dont know why your throttle stuck does your fender hae mats/floor rubber?

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The mats were my first thought actually, but I pulled them out of the way whilst the revs were stuck on, but it defo wasnt the mats at fault.

Ive just had to cancel our caravanning weekend in Chester. And im due to drive to St Ives next week. Why me??????

Didn't take it for a drive last night, didnt want to risk breaking down. But I have removed the Carling switch to my heated windscreen and found the live wire had come out and looked to be touching one of the other wires.

Im guessing this could explain why my wipers suddenly went really slow, but could it be the cause of all the other problems? Oh, and how do I get the connector out of the Carling block so I can crimp another to replace it?

Connector is held in by a little tab....if you slide a small electrical screwdriver down the side of the connector it should slide straight out.

Done it, thanks

owl said:

Sounds like an earth fault to me which then shorted through the throttle cable making it stick.
Perhaps when you switched on the screen the poor earth was overloaded which caused a volt drop at the pump cut off solenoid causing it to close part way hence the power loss

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-Was my thoughts too - wife had a vauxhall that did this. earth loose and 'leccy' used throttle and clutch cable for earth. Clutch cable lost the battle and completely fused solid. (nice earth line though!)

owl said:

Sounds like an earth fault to me which then shorted through the throttle cable making it stick.
Perhaps when you switched on the screen the poor earth was overloaded which caused a volt drop at the pump cut off solenoid causing it to close part way hence the power loss

Click to expand...

Looks like you were right actually.

Ive got it back from the garage and they sorted the badly wired switch. But when dropping off the Defender with them, they did suggest exactly what you said, and it seems you were correct, they diagnosed a kinked accelerator cable which has now been replaced.

So, it would appear...

1) Faulty switch caused volt drop at fuel pump cut off solenoid.
2) Pump solenoid partially closed, resulting in loss of power
3) Faulty switch caused a short through accelerator cable.
4) Cable was damaged as a result, causing revs to stay on.

So, when the heated windscreen switched itself off (via timer) everything could return to normal (except accelerator cable)?

When the engine cut out, was it because the fuel pump solenoid had partially closed? Was this the reason it didnt restart straight away?