Disco starting oddity....

Hi folks, I'm a newbie here so please try and be gentle and I will try and not be annoying!

I have an L reg Disco 200tdi and have had it now for a couple of years (it is my first Landy since I got fed up with the string of unreliable Lightweights and Series Landies I have owned over the years) and so far it has been absolutely faultless, but......


Since the bitter weather a couple of days ago she has been acting up. She firstly stalled on me amid a squealing of fan belts and a shudder of gears, but she started straight away and I put it down to low fuel ( I live in rural Norfolk and its not uncommon for the stations to run out!)

She ran fine for a couple of days but I noticed that when she was cold the rev counter would show absolutely no revs and the engine speed was slow, then when starting her in the morning, in varying levels of cold or mild, it started slow and then as before the rev counter stayed flatline but if I kept the accelerator depressed the engine ran as normal, if I let go it would splutter a little but by no means stall.

After running a little while it picks back up and then runs is fine for the rest of the day.

Someone said it may be waxing of the fuel, but it happens even when mild and while its cold as hell up here in Norfolk, its in no way cold enough for that.

Any help would be very appreciated because its been such a loyal car upto now and I want it to long continue.

Thanks in advance.

First, before starting, check your fan belt isn't loose. Secondly start the engine and check the voltage from the alternator. I suspect your belt is slipping until it warms up.

ratty said:

First, before starting, check your fan belt isn't loose. Secondly start the engine and check the voltage from the alternator. I suspect your belt is slipping until it warms up.

Click to expand...

The belts feel quite tight, certainly no more slack than before, I have been working in the middle of nowhere recently and have to cross 3 fords to get there, two are very deep and always knock the battery light on regardless of how slow I go through them.


How would I check my Alt voltage?


Oh and cheers.

Bluedog said:

The belts feel quite tight, certainly no more slack than before, I have been working in the middle of nowhere recently and have to cross 3 fords to get there, two are very deep and always knock the battery light on regardless of how slow I go through them.


How would I check my Alt voltage?


Oh and cheers.

Click to expand...

The light is coming on because the water is making the belt slip. Probably where it is worn.

Get yer hands on a multimeter measure the voltage across the battery terminals. It should read around 13.8-14.8 volts. If it is much less than the 13.8 your alternator is at fault.

ratty said:

The light is coming on because the water is making the belt slip. Probably where it is worn.

Get yer hands on a multimeter measure the voltage across the battery terminals. It should read around 13.8-14.8 volts. If it is much less than the 13.8 your alternator is at fault.

Click to expand...

yep i know all about that dont i ratty ................
if your alternator needs replaceing it will cost you around £160 but shop around as the prices will vary main dealer was the cheapest belive it or not plus you might get a deal with the old unit

robint said:

yep i know all about that dont i ratty ................
if your alternator needs replaceing it will cost you around £160 but shop around as the prices will vary main dealer was the cheapest belive it or not plus you might get a deal with the old unit

Click to expand...

Fingers crossed his being a 200tdi it should be cheaper.

I would change the belt first though. It sounds like it's worn to me.

Thanks for that, I will have a play at work tomorrow.

How will I see if its worn? Will it be obvious?

Bluedog said:

Thanks for that, I will have a play at work tomorrow.

How will I see if its worn? Will it be obvious?

Click to expand...

The triangles on the back will be flat instead of pointed. They may be slightly burred too.

thanks a million.

Bluedog said:

thanks a million.

Click to expand...

No probs. Don't forget to post back your findings to help others in the future.

definitely, and while I hope I don't have to ask many more questions about it going wrong I do hope to stick around a bit.

Bluedog said:

definitely, and while I hope I don't have to ask many more questions about it going wrong I do hope to stick around a bit.

Click to expand...

glad to hear it.

right, not checked the voltage yet but had a good look at the belts and they are all fine, one is a little slack but good all the same.
While under the bonnet I have a bit of a squirt of WD-40 and for some reason the problem has not reoccurred, I have a mate coming over next week and he said he would bring his volt thingy.

So... bit odd really, I will say that it doesn't run at the same revs when you first start it as it always did, but it picks up quickly, so I can only assume its the cold doing that. This morning it was so cold that the roads are still frozen and I went out with the gun very early and it started straight away.


Could it be because I have had it service twice a year up to now and this year it is yet to get a service?