HELP - Disco 2 Td5 cranking but not starting - Fixed?

sierrafery said:

manual or auto... usually the harness/oil in ECU causes running issues not non-starting, for complete non-starter the battery, crank sensor or starter are the prime suspects... check voltage while cranking, if it drops under 10V it will not start, you need nore power then, the starter also used to develop an internal fault as to disturb the crank signal, try to bump start it and if it starts replace the starter, check the crank sensor's plug too... and find somebody with tester

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Drove it for a while and not starting again we measured the power of the battery while starting and it goes under 10 volt. Does this mean the battery has had it or is it a result from the starter motor draining it?

the starter is not supposed to drain a good battery to make it drop under 11V cos if the battery is strong such drain should blow the fuse... that battery is weak...but did you check the charging?

Didn't get the chance as it didn't start again, I drove it for 20 minutes switched it off and it wouldn't start. We tried starting it with jump leads from another Disco but we couldn't get it going.
I have ordered a new battery anyway as this one looks like it hasn't been replaced for a long time. Once I get it started I again will test the charging immediately.

I will try bump starting it if the no battery doesn't help.

I will try bump starting it if the no battery doesn't help.

sierrafery said:

yes, it should leave a "noisy crank signal" code logged... though it doesnt happen all the time

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OK put a new battery in and it doesn't go under 10.5 volt anymore. That is sorted and excluded. However it is still not starting. I have bought a nanocom and it arrived today so I will hang the car to it today. I will also try and bump start it.

Failing that; how do I check if any diesel comes into the engine?

first of all check the fault codes if you have nanocom, it can be the crank sensor faulty as well but dropping below 11V is not good sign, when you try to bump start it remove the starter relay and turn ignition to crank at the same time... we'll speak about fuel supply then cos as long as the pump is running it's quie unlikely to be fuel related

sierrafery said:

first of all check the fault codes if you have nanocom, it can be the crank sensor faulty as well but dropping below 11V is not good sign, when you try to bump start it remove the starter relay and turn ignition to crank at the same time... we'll speak about fuel supply then cos as long as the pump is running it's quie unlikely to be fuel related

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Will do, thanks you!!!

sierrafery said:

first of all check the fault codes if you have nanocom, it can be the crank sensor faulty as well but dropping below 11V is not good sign, when you try to bump start it remove the starter relay and turn ignition to crank at the same time... we'll speak about fuel supply then cos as long as the pump is running it's quie unlikely to be fuel related

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Work took longer than I wanted on a friday; I didn't tow it yet but did the nanocom. It gave said "no fault codes stored in ECU".
One question arose though; when we start the engine and keep cranking it didn't seem to register the engine speed (rpm) on the nanaocom.
Is that normal or not, we tried to see it on another disco but it just started too soon to see.

the engine speed reading is based on the crank sensor signal, you should see around 300rpm on live data while cranking... if it doesnt start towed replace the sensor but if it does the starter is the problem cos usually a bad sensor would have left a fault code logged and affect the engine running once started

sierrafery said:

the engine speed reading is based on the crank sensor signal, you should see around 300rpm on live data while cranking... if it doesnt start towed replace the sensor but if it does the starter is the problem cos usually a bad sensor would have left a fault code logged and affect the engine running once started

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cheers!! thank you for all your info!

will report back after have done the towing

btw, what kind of new battery you've got? AH , CCA = ? ... cos a good one is not supposed to let voltage below 11V only of the starter has excessive draw... and then it disturbes the crank signal too, good for D2 = min 110AH / 900CCA

I

sierrafery said:

btw, what kind of new battery you've got? AH , CCA = ? ... cos a good one is not supposed to let voltage below 11V only of the starter has excessive draw... and then it disturbes the crank signal too, good for D2 = min 110AH / 900CCA

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I got a bosch T3 036 110Ah can't read the cca

OK went back to the car today and tried to start it. It still didn't start.
What I had done was check some connectors and found some oil in the plug tot he harness.
Tried again, not starting.
Moved some yellow relays about, not starting.
loosened the battery to tell you the above.
I was getting ready to bump start it and tried one more time to start it and the $£%** started.
Now it started a few times, however after the third drive the engine felt a bit jerky.
put the nanocom in; no fault codes stored.

I really don't understand it now.
Checked the charge straight away and it was 14.10 volt however it sometimes goes to 13.97.

.

the charging is ok... you should have read the live crank signal when it refused to start... the oil in the plug might cause the running issues but it's not the root of complete non starting... i'm not gonna repeat everything i said untill now, when it refuses to start again after a rest put ignition on II, fully depress the theottle 5 times then wait untill the MIL stops flashing and crank it then... if it starts right away it might be a fuel supply issue, if it doesnt start dont insist with the starter try to bump start it.... if you dont do things in a logical order you'll not have any clear result... though if you want to do it the hard way by swapping relays randomly or what ever it's your choice

sierrafery said:

the charging is ok... you should have read the live crank signal when it refused to start... the oil in the plug might cause the running issues but it's not the root of complete non starting... i'm not gonna repeat everything i said untill now, when it refuses to start again after a rest put ignition on II, fully depress the theottle 5 times then wait untill the MIL stops flashing and crank it then... if it starts right away it might be a fuel supply issue, if it doesnt start dont insist with the starter try to bump start it.... if you dont do things in a logical order you'll not have any clear result... though if you want to do it the hard way by swapping relays randomly or what ever it's your choice

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I didn't really swap them on purpose. I had to wait on the bump start help and decided to check any connections while I was waiting. I just looked at the relays if they were corroded and swapped them that way more by accident as one guy handed me one and I handed him one back etc. They were absolutely not corroded by the way. I also doubt that it is a fuel problem because it drove perfectly the firs two journey's after it started.

I was going to bump start it when the F&%$*r decided to start again. I am now waiting till it doesn't start again and I will try all you said. In order I will try to purge first and then crank and failing that I will bump straight away. Stupid thing is that I towed the bugger home the first time and should've tried while towing. Didn't think off it.

Glad the charge is OK. that is at least one thing excluded.

I just try to tell you exactly what I have done.

I appreciate your help so far enormously.

sierrafery said:

the charging is ok... you should have read the live crank signal when it refused to start... the oil in the plug might cause the running issues but it's not the root of complete non starting... i'm not gonna repeat everything i said untill now, when it refuses to start again after a rest put ignition on II, fully depress the theottle 5 times then wait untill the MIL stops flashing and crank it then... if it starts right away it might be a fuel supply issue, if it doesnt start dont insist with the starter try to bump start it.... if you dont do things in a logical order you'll not have any clear result... though if you want to do it the hard way by swapping relays randomly or what ever it's your choice

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Not starting again. Did the purge, no joy.
I organise a bump start tomorrow.

.... and the crank signal with nanocom?

sierrafery said:

.... and the crank signal with nanocom?

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If it starts again when I organise the bump start I have to contain myself!! I get and engine speed when it was running fine, is that what you mean with the crank signal but no engine speed when i turn the key and it isn't starting. Just tried it there again.

If it starts again when I have organised a bump I kick the bugger!!! LOL