1995 Range Rover P38 2.5 DT won't start.

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Here's a mystery. Went out this morning and the car won't start. There's plenty of fuel in the tank and the immobiliser / alarm light goes out. If I look at the fuel line from the fuel filter to the pump it appears to contain fuel. No warning lights or messages on the dash.

I'm new to diesels but as far as I can tell all you need is fuel, air and compression. When I turn the key I can hear the lift pump working. Air shouldn't be an issue and the compression was fine last night.

Possible mitigating factors: the central locking has been playing up. The drivers door locks all other locks but only opens itself (and the fuel filler and the boot, and disables alarm etc.) To open everything you have to press the blipper button too.

Bit strange that it was perfect last night which leans me towards an immobilser issue but the light on the dash goes out, both with the key and the blipper. Then I read a post on here about the BECM and engine ECU going out of synch and the synchmate tool and I'm a little worried! Is there anyway to test this? Or rectify using EAC or similar?

Am I thinking too complex and there is something simple I am missing? Stop solenoid, maybe? Glow plugs? What's the most likely thing to go wrong and how do I start troubleshooting which is the actual problem.

Cheers,

J

gencybay · Aug 14, 2012

Is it turning over and not starting or not turning over?

G~

Saint.V8 · Aug 14, 2012

If it is BeCM to Engine ECU sync - I am not sure but on some model years, the Check Engine Light doesn't illuminate and on others it remains on after the bulb check...

Also depending on year - some times the engine will crank over and over and the later models it won't turn at all....

If you put your location down, there maybe someone out there with either a Diagnostic Device or the Diesel Syncmate to help out....

The Loss of Sync on Diesels is rare compared to the petrol, but it can happen....

Also is your battery nice and strong??

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Just for future reference, is there anybody with some sort of reader that will read a 1995 model in the Buckinghamshire area?

gog · Aug 14, 2012

does the engine actually turn over and does the glow plug light up on the dash

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Yes, it is turning over. I've turned it over so much now the battery is getting tired so I've placed ti on trickle-charge while I do some research on here and maybe pop into town!

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

gog said:
does the engine actually turn over and does the glow plug light up on the dash

Yes, all lights as normal. I even tried heating the glow plugs through 3 cycles before turning over as the Landy glow-plugs can be a little feeble.

gencybay · Aug 14, 2012

Before the battery was flattened, did it turn over faster than usual?

G~

gencybay · Aug 14, 2012

Grrrrrr said:
Just for future reference, is there anybody with some sort of reader that will read a 1995 model in the Buckinghamshire area?

Big place is Bucks. Which bit?

G~

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

gencybay said:
Before the battery was flattened, did it turn over faster than usual?

G~

Ah, here we have an issue. It was the missus who found out and had a go before I was called out. When I got out there it seemed pretty normal though.

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

gencybay said:
Big place is Bucks. Which bit?

G~

Now you're asking! If I post that the CIA might be able to track me down!

Slap in the middle in sight of the council's Elephant Foot.

J

aerofabrique · Aug 14, 2012

Usual stuff like fuel filters injectors clogged? Use supermarket diesel or with high bio content?

Suspect it has to do with your central locking but let us know where in bucks you are .

gencybay · Aug 14, 2012

Mine's an early model. Had sudden no start issue. Changed glow plugs - no joy. Turned out glow plug relay fuse had gone as well.

You can see it by removing lid of ECM behind the battery. This is a symptom, not a cause. Something went wrong that popped an 80 amp fuse. I presume it was one of the glowplugs but never found out because I'd changed them.

G~

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

gencybay said:
Mine's an early model. Had sudden no start issue. Changed glow plugs - no joy. Turned out glow plug relay fuse had gone as well.

You can see it by removing lid of ECM behind the battery. This is a symptom, not a cause. Something went wrong that popped an 80 amp fuse. I presume it was one of the glowplugs but never found out because I'd changed them.

G~

OK. Thanks. I'll pop out and have a look. It has the hot-start fix on it and the fuses on that looked fine. However, I'll take the top off and look inside.

Cheers,

J

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Hold it a sec! If the glow-plug fuse had gone, wouldn't the dash-lamp fail to work?

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

aerofabrique said:
Usual stuff like fuel filters injectors clogged? Use supermarket diesel or with high bio content?

Suspect it has to do with your central locking but let us know where in bucks you are .

Oddly enough I have a fuel filter in the shed just ready to go on. Probably wouldn't hurt to fit it.

Fuel was from Esso last time. Full tank of it about 4 days ago. Done 60 miles or so since.

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Progress (or lack of) report.

The glow-plug fuses all seem to be present and correct. I've changed the fuel filter. The lift pump definitely pumps fuel to the injector pump fine. There is a click from the fuel pump area when someone turns the key in the ignition so I assume the stop solenoid is getting a message. What I am unsure about is whether that translates into fuel being pumped further. Somewhat suspicious because when the lift pump stops pumping the air bubbles left from when I changed the fuel filter flow straight back towards the filter. I'd love to be able to crack off one of the high pressure outlet lines from the fuel pump but there isn't a lot of room to move a spanner. That'll be my next check but I'm waiting for the battery to recharge again. Then again. Might try chucking some easystart down the air-intake and see if anything fires!

Datatek · Aug 14, 2012

Check you have voltage at the glow plugs. The car will start with 3 out of the 6 glow plugs working if they are in the right order, so it only needs one more to fail and you have a no start situation. Glow plugs would be my first step. If they are OK I'd bleed the fuel line, after that I would try a re-sync.

Grrrrrr · Aug 14, 2012

Datatek said:
Check you have voltage at the glow plugs. The car will start with 3 out of the 6 glow plugs working if they are in the right order, so it only needs one more to fail and you have a no start situation. Glow plugs would be my first step. If they are OK I'd bleed the fuel line, after that I would try a re-sync.

Thanks Datatek. Exactly the kind of advice I need. OK. Back to the glow-plugs it is. I'll take the cover off them and see if I can slip a probe from my voltage-tester in there.

J

gencybay · Aug 14, 2012

Grrrrrr said:
Hold it a sec! If the glow-plug fuse had gone, wouldn't the dash-lamp fail to work?

No. The wiring is Battery->Relay->Glowplugs so nothing shows on the low current side of the relay.

Seems it is not that anyway so as per Datatec's advice above.

G~

1995 Range Rover P38 2.5 DT won't start.

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

gatvol

Dyed-in-the-wool 100% RR Junkie

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Active Member

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

gatvol

gatvol

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Active Member

gatvol

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

Well-Known Member

Technician, Bodgit & Scarper Ltd

gatvol

Similar threads