'99 1.8 Freelander not starting in freezing cold.

My T-reg Freelander has been amazing in the snow over the last week, even bring our new born home from hospital at 2 in the morning yesterday! but unfortunately this morning it will not start.

We've checked for a spark, and I can smell fuel, (I may have flooded it!)

Any clues? Could it be the plastic throttle body? It was -9 this morning. Not much warmer now.

ETA: Can anyone point me in the direction of the cooling sensor?


Cheers.

what about immobiliser.

freelance said:

what about immobiliser.

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Hummm... I've noticed that the horn is sounding once when I lock it, could this be related?

Emeye said:

Hummm... I've noticed that the horn is sounding once when I lock it, could this be related?

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Unless you have a door part open / bonnet open / rear window down then this could mean something.

Try activating the throttle body manually from the engine bar, if the butterfly is opening and closing properly then it won't be that.

freebiker said:

Unless you have a door part open / bonnet open / rear window down then this could mean something.

Try activating the throttle body manually from the engine bar, if the butterfly is opening and closing properly then it won't be that.

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I tried opening the rear door but it was frozen - that must be causing the single horn.

Cheers.

Bit more info would be nice, Is it turning over and not firing or not turning over ?

ianda12 said:

Bit more info would be nice, Is it turning over and not firing or not turning over ?

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It is turning over, and occasionally it does have a slight attempt to fire.

If its intermittent and you have spark, I'd check the rotor arm, there is a resistor inside the arm, apparently they can 'act the maggot'.
It should be at least 670 ohms


Dizzy cap can give up the ghost at any stage, I always carry a spare.


If it's over fuelling try disconnecting the brown switch on the engine outlet stub,
see if it starts.


Oh and Congratulations

I disconnected the brown switch and it seems to get much closer to starting - any idea what this may indicate?

Cheers.

Emeye said:

I disconnected the brown switch and it seems to get much closer to starting - any idea what this may indicate?

Cheers.

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Anyone?!

Have you checked the rotor arm yet?

It could just be a weak spark, crank it over in pitch black and get someone to look for sparks along the leads and ignition coil

There are several sensors that control fuelling mainly lambda, but others have feedback to ECU.

Northern Irelander said:

Have you checked the rotor arm yet?

It could just be a weak spark, crank it over in pitch black and get someone to look for sparks along the leads and ignition coil

There are several sensors that control fuelling mainly lambda, but others have feedback to ECU.

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I'm gonna replace the leads, dizzy and Rotor arm tomorrow.

Cheers.

That cured it! Fired up first time.

Thanks for the advice.

Emeye said:

That cured it! Fired up first time.

Thanks for the advice.

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Good job, now rush out and stock up with sma supplies

Spoke too soon.

Freelander now starts, but idle is very lumpy, the Amber TC and HDC warning lights are on and the throttle response is very sluggish. Not sure what the problem is now.