A non starting V8 disco.Ideas please!!!

TerryM · Feb 21, 2009

Hi there
I'm new to this forum. I've owned 3 range rovers and now have an R reg Disco I 3.9 V8( for the seven seats).
Basically it won't start. There's petrol in the fuel line and sparks at the plugs but won't fire when cranked. It spins but doesn't start. I tried the tip of connecting a cable from the battery to the +ve side of the coil to isolate the immobiliser, but same result. The spark from the coil (held to earth) looks a bit yellow, could the fault be a weak coil ?
It was running fine, I parked it on Wednesday night, then Thursday morning nothing, nada, sweet FA, not a flicker.
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Cheers
Terry

colinl · Feb 21, 2009

check the wires going to the dizzy and also the air gap inside the dizzy cap under the rotor arm. also check the air flow meter

TerryM · Feb 21, 2009

Thanks for the reply. I'm not sure what you mean by checking the air flow meter. What checks can I do? I have a multi meter if that's any use.
Thanks for your help
Terry

mrnice · Feb 21, 2009

when i 1st got My 96 V8i it didnt start either, it would turn over fine but just wouldnt start. When i put jump leads on it or bumped it, it started straight away, I changed the battery and the problem stopped. My old man seemed to think that it was because it was such a large engine it needed that little bit more "ooomph" to get it going, I had always driven vehicles with smaller engines which would have started if the starter was turning over that much. Just a suggestion.

pandj · Feb 21, 2009

If the spark is weak or absent, and the Dizzy end of things is ok, then I would be looking very hard at the famous imobiliser spider. Egzacerly the same thing happened with my Disco - weak yellow spark at the coil, next to nothing at the plugs........£5 for a spider bypass unit, and 2 hours under the dash sorted it fine.

demitrious1973 · Feb 21, 2009

put some petrol down the spark plug bore see if it will start up with some petrol in there. could be ht leads.

classic kev · Feb 22, 2009

:search: There has been a spate of similar queries in the last week or so, the answer is out there!

It will be something daft, you might be in for a bit of time getting intimate with a multi meter and your wiring loom.

TerryM · Feb 22, 2009

Thanks for all the ideas chaps.
I tried a booster on the battery, no difference.
The spark from the coil is indeed weak, so I'm going to try a new coil before the immobiliser spider route.
Any know where I can get a new one? I live in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Cheers
Terry

TerryM · Feb 24, 2009

Thanks to everyone for the ideas. I tested the resisitances through the primary and secondary windings and they were correct as was the voltage on either side. Nevertheless I tried a new coil and bingo! started on the button!
Again thanks for the ideas,
Cheers
Terry

A non starting V8 disco.Ideas please!!!

TerryM

New Member

colinl

New Member

TerryM

New Member

mrnice

Loading.....

pandj

New Member

demitrious1973

New Member

classic kev

Well-Known Member

TerryM

New Member

TerryM

New Member

Similar threads