stumpyj
Active Member
- Posts
- 113
- Location
- Perth, Scotland
Hi everyone
I've lurked around this forum for years and read with great interest the different problems and challenges that Landy owners have. I had a Series 3 back in the day and after many years finally managed to buy a 20 year old Defender TD5 90 from a friend who has a local garage, I was actually at the auction when he bought it himself 5 years ago.
She worked all her life in a quarry and averaged about 3.5k miles a year and was well maintained. My friend spruced her up and got ready to sell her and then an intermittent immobiliser fault meant that he couldn't sell it without thinking that it would come back with the fault, so he parked it in a lock up and forgot about it. Over the last 5 years I have been on at him to sell it to me and one night over a pint he did. He also offered a lock up next to the garage and use of all his equipment which was immensely generous. Basically since August 2019 myself and my daughter have stripped her down and are completely rebuilding her mechanically. I want her to look like a 20 year old Landy to the eye but underneath I want her all new(ish). We aren't mechanics but have followed manuals and just kind of figured it out. My daughter has posted the story on Instagram landierestoration .
Yesterday she started up and I drove it round to the front of the garage as my friend was letting me to use his ramps and worked on her all day. At the end of the day she wouldn't start. I did notice that when i drove her in she chugged and spluttered abit and thought nothing of it. For the first time since I have worked on her the horn honked and she wouldnt start. She turned over and the fuel pump (new fitted 2 weeks ago) was making the right noises) but the gauge showed empty and she wouldnt start. We pushed her to the lock up and today I poured 2 containers of diesel in her and even did the fuel filter self bleed incase air was in the system. When she did turn over she didnt start. But she honked lot of the time. I did notice that even with the ignition on the gauge showed empty (when it could have been).
Years ago my friend sent the ecu to a specialist to remove the immobiliser which he says he also had to do something else to it when it was returned but couldnt remember. I found a blipper in the dash and changed the battery but that doesnt seem to have worked (to be fair Ive never needed it before and im not sure if its connecting). The bulkhead wiring loom isnt the best and the OBD plug has had some tinkering at some point in her life. I am getting a salvage OBD plug from ebay with some of the wire still on so that I can cut mine and solder the wires.
Sorry to have rambled, just wanted to give the full picture. Basically Im stumped why the immobilser problem has just come back. And how can I get rid of the immobiliser as I want to be able to trust it.
Ive attached some photos. Any advice appreciated, or suggestions welcomed. I live in Perth, Scotland and I really feel that Im on the final hurdle but just been kicked up the arse again!
Ive changed, fuel pump, main wiring loom, injector loom, all suspension, clutch, belts pulleys, all brakes, lights, indicators, inner wings, filters, fluids, rear crossmember, footwells, exhaust, brake pipes, the list goes on!
Any help really appreciated. Ive included some photos of the blipper and others to prove I'm really restoring her and not trying to steal her. As I said Im no mechanic so please be kind!
Stumpy
I've lurked around this forum for years and read with great interest the different problems and challenges that Landy owners have. I had a Series 3 back in the day and after many years finally managed to buy a 20 year old Defender TD5 90 from a friend who has a local garage, I was actually at the auction when he bought it himself 5 years ago.
She worked all her life in a quarry and averaged about 3.5k miles a year and was well maintained. My friend spruced her up and got ready to sell her and then an intermittent immobiliser fault meant that he couldn't sell it without thinking that it would come back with the fault, so he parked it in a lock up and forgot about it. Over the last 5 years I have been on at him to sell it to me and one night over a pint he did. He also offered a lock up next to the garage and use of all his equipment which was immensely generous. Basically since August 2019 myself and my daughter have stripped her down and are completely rebuilding her mechanically. I want her to look like a 20 year old Landy to the eye but underneath I want her all new(ish). We aren't mechanics but have followed manuals and just kind of figured it out. My daughter has posted the story on Instagram landierestoration .
Yesterday she started up and I drove it round to the front of the garage as my friend was letting me to use his ramps and worked on her all day. At the end of the day she wouldn't start. I did notice that when i drove her in she chugged and spluttered abit and thought nothing of it. For the first time since I have worked on her the horn honked and she wouldnt start. She turned over and the fuel pump (new fitted 2 weeks ago) was making the right noises) but the gauge showed empty and she wouldnt start. We pushed her to the lock up and today I poured 2 containers of diesel in her and even did the fuel filter self bleed incase air was in the system. When she did turn over she didnt start. But she honked lot of the time. I did notice that even with the ignition on the gauge showed empty (when it could have been).
Years ago my friend sent the ecu to a specialist to remove the immobiliser which he says he also had to do something else to it when it was returned but couldnt remember. I found a blipper in the dash and changed the battery but that doesnt seem to have worked (to be fair Ive never needed it before and im not sure if its connecting). The bulkhead wiring loom isnt the best and the OBD plug has had some tinkering at some point in her life. I am getting a salvage OBD plug from ebay with some of the wire still on so that I can cut mine and solder the wires.
Sorry to have rambled, just wanted to give the full picture. Basically Im stumped why the immobilser problem has just come back. And how can I get rid of the immobiliser as I want to be able to trust it.
Ive attached some photos. Any advice appreciated, or suggestions welcomed. I live in Perth, Scotland and I really feel that Im on the final hurdle but just been kicked up the arse again!
Ive changed, fuel pump, main wiring loom, injector loom, all suspension, clutch, belts pulleys, all brakes, lights, indicators, inner wings, filters, fluids, rear crossmember, footwells, exhaust, brake pipes, the list goes on!
Any help really appreciated. Ive included some photos of the blipper and others to prove I'm really restoring her and not trying to steal her. As I said Im no mechanic so please be kind!
Stumpy
