Completely and utterly flabbergasted

Dear Enthusiasts.
On Saturday we decided to give our more or less stock standard Disco II, TD5, 2004 model a major service.
I started draining coolant, replaced all water hoses, fan belt and tensioners, Camshaft cover gasket, etc. I then progressed changing the oils (Engine, diffs, transfer case), both oil filters, fuel filter. We also removed the EGR-unit and replaced it with a much neater free-flowing pipe. We removed the solenoids and blocked off the vacuumtubes.
We started the car and found a exhaust leak on the blanking washer that came with the kit. We made up a copper washer and all went well. I've got a Rovacraft diagnostic tool and it didn't show any logged DTC's.
Sorry for the long introduction but I think it might become important.
Then we progressed doing the auto gearbox oil change. First we drained the oil (It was rather black and off but not unusual in appearance). Once I pumped in the fresh ATF until it was overflowing we then lowered the hoist, started the car, went through the gears and left the car running. We brought the car back up whilst it ws idling and continued filling the gearbox until it just started overflowing.
But then, all at a sudden, the engine made a bit of a rumble (Like running on choke) and then stalled. Hmmm, that was unusual. Lowered the car, tried to start it: It cranked but won't fire! After the third attempt, all at a sudden, the hazard lights came on and stayed on without pushing a button.
Ahaa! I thought this was related to the inertia switch (They are a bit dicky). Removed the inertia switch, checked and cleaned contacts, even bridged the switch but same result: Cranking but no firing, although it gave us the impression it was about to fire. As we replaced the fuel filter that morning, I thought it might have been air in the system. So, we went through the cycling process (5 times throttle down)(Multiple times). Still no result. Maybe there was something wrong with the new filter, so we put the old filter back in place but same result.
Maybe the fuel pump had died? Well we could hear it running and there was pressure (Holding the thumb on the drainhole of the fuelfilter). I even compared it with an other identical and functioning discovery; same result.
So: Inertia switch OK, Fuel pump and filter OK.
We decided then to try some Start-You-Bastard spray. During cranking it fired up briefly. So, it seems there is no fuel going into the combustion chambers. I have to remind you the car was perfectly fine until we started replacing the oil in the auto gearbox.
The battery became weak and also the M+S lights started flashing, so we pulled out a new 900 CCA battery from the other Discovery, still same result.
I was running out of options now. Could it be the notorious XYZ-gearbox switch? Removed it, opened it up, cleaned it, checked all tracks on continuity, etc, put it back together but same result.
So, when we are going through the gears: P, R, N are all good but the moment we hit Drive or the lower gears it only shows a flashing "D".
Maybe there was no communication between BCU and auto gearbox. So, we locked the doors by plip, opened the doors by key multiple times. During the process sometimes the car alarm went off but could be silenced by the plip. We then disconnected the battery for more then an hour (Whilst we were surfing the Land Rover forums for more ideas). Still no improvement.
We backtraced every possibility of the stuff we had done so far and replaced the new parts with the old parts again, but still no result.
We also swapped identical relais around, checked all fuses for continuity.
My diagnostic tool hasn't shown no DTC's logged in the ECM, BCU nor SLABS. After two days of trying every scenario we are coming to the point where we need some advice.
By the way, the fuel pump has been replaced a couple of months ago.
How is it possible that during changing the gearbox oil all at a sudden the engine dies and won't start again???
We are truely puzzled and every bit of advice is very welcome. Many thanks in advance.

Oil in red plug on ecu perhaps

can't you communicate with the transmission(EAT) ECU with your scanner?...cos that would be relevant in this case, it seems very like XYZ input failure... as long as you have flashing M & S there must be a fault code stored in the EAT ECU(unless the ECU itself passed away) maybe it was disturbed as you moved through all positions several times to complete the oil change procedure

Just a quick reply:
-No there is no oil in the red plug and there are no problems with the injector wireloom.
-I can communicate with my Hawkeye diagnostic tool to the gearbox. It doesn't show and DTC's. I also re-set the adaptations settings of the gearbox and that went without a glitch. When I went through the gear shifts I pause in between position to allow componenst come to standstill before reversing in direction. I only went once through the gears and left it then in Neutral. The engine kept running for at least three minutes before it stalled (It took some time to go through the gears, rise the car on the hoist, unscrew the filler plug of auto gearbox and start pumping ATF until it overflows.)
Thanks for the suggestions.
Luc

Check inertia switch wiring is okay as another idea

Hi Fanatic,

The inertia switch is functioning properly. I was suspicious to that switch straight away the moment the hazard lights came. However, as explained in the original posting, this switch is functioning properly. As a precaution I took it apart and tested it. The ball locks the switch when it moves. I also bypassed the switch alltogether and I can hear the fuel pump humming.
The wiring loom for this switch has been inspected and found in good condition. We also applied electric contact cleaner to make sure.
Thanks for the suggestion anyway.
Luc

so how's behaving now?... engine starts and runs ok at idle?, do you get the M & S and flashing D immediately after you start the engine? if it's so go for a ride with it in limp mode then read the codes again in EAT ECU... it must register something otherwise imo the EAT ECU is fubar'd...also check fuse F24(interior fusebox)

Hi Sierrafery,
I wish you were right but the situation hasn't changed. The car sits there and won't start. The only thing it does is: You switch on the ignition, it goes through the initial cycle on the dash, the moment that cycle is completed the M and S lights are flashing at a frequency of about 1 Hz. When the ignition key is turned into the start position the engine cranks at full speed but it won't fire, not even a rumble.
When I move through the gears I've got the flashing D the moment you select D, 3, 2 and 1.
If only it would be running, it would make life much easier.
Cheers,
Luc

Try bridging the fuel pump relay and try and see if it starts . relays die in defenders and I've had problems with the loom breaking down in the past

Thanks 5cylindertimebomb (I like your name ). This is something I haven't tried yet!
I haven't got access to the vehicle now but will check soon.
Cheers,

Luc

I can't remember what number terminals to bridge on the relay but they are wired up the same as any other relay . you could whip the plate off the boot floor and check the wiring on the pump . black is pump earth red is live and I think the other 2 are blue . they run the fuel gauge . sounds similar to a td5 90 I had a few months ago that the loom gave up in . I just pulled some 2 core through the chassis and wired it from the pump to the relay . worked spot on and was a cheap fix

1. if you hear the pump running with ignition on pos . 2 improvise a fitting to a gauge and screw it in the FPR instead of the sensor... you must get 4 bar if the pump is good

2. unplug the crank sensor, put a digital multimeter on AC voltage low range and measue on pins while cranking... you must get 2-3V then

by the way measure voltage on battery while cranking, if it drops below 10.5V it will not start

the fact that it ran a bit on spray doesnt mean anything, it just exploded on it's own in the chambers

That is excellent advice!
Many thanks. I will check it out as soon as I can.
Cheers

X2 on the crank sensor.

Peter

Read page 1 and thought of crank scensor. Now see others have thought the same on page 2....so anyway.... x3 on the crank scensor.

i'm a bit worried though cos the crank sensor won't trigger the M & S warnings but on complete failure it should bring the MIL on... just that a L.R. can have mysterious ways

Yes, I eliminated the problem with the CPS as it wouldn't throw up the M+S lights. Nor would it show a flashing "D" when going through the gears. Also, there are no DTC's listed in the ECM, gearbox, BCU or SLABS.
I might order one in just to make sure.
I will call an official LR-dealer to obtain the EKA-code. This might reset the BCU and hopefully allow communication between gearbox and BCU.
Thanks for the suggestions, much appreciated!
Cheers,

Luc

the EKA is only for immobiliser, not the case here cos an immobilised car won't crank at all also you can't communicate with te BCU then... according to the built in protocol M + S lights must let a stored code in the EAT ECU memory, that's the gist of it...BUT... these warnings will be triggered by a wrong input through CAN from the engine ECU too which might not let traces, dont you have a pal with an auto to try with his EAT ECU...it's plug and play

Did you fill your new fuel filter up with fuel before fitting it? Silly question I hope but if you didnt it would explain your stall after a few minutes, once the slug of air reached the injectors. There is a procedure in owners manual for purging system through to injectors which involves pumping throttle pedal a few times with ignition on.

Hi Musky, we have the bled the system at least ten times (Ignition on, pressing throttle five times). We also removed the new filter and used the old fuel filter again to eliminate possible defects with the new filter.
We can't hear any "gurgling". This wouldn't explain why the M+S lights are switched.
Cheers.