Intermittent Starting Issue (TD4 '07)

Just wondered if anyone has experienced a strange starting issue such as I have at the moment?

Completely and out of the blue it either will or won't start no matter how long it's been stood be it 2 minutes or overnight. The issue has come completely out of the blue in the last 24 hours. There's no running issues at all when it starts it runs perfect, when it won't start it just spins over not even firing. Simply went an errand last night, got back in and the troubles began.

Obviously I'm aware it could be any of a number of problems, but just wondered if anyone has had a similar issue and could offer a "yes I had that happen and it was............." !!!!!

Being self employed I can't afford the down time and as I use it for my job I'll have to source a replacement vehicle if I can't get it going so I'm desperately looking for any pointers !!!!!

First check the fuel side first.
1. Can you hear the fuel pump working before starting the engine.
2. Do you have any leaks along the fuel line.
3. If leaks on the ground you more than likely have air in the system.
4. Do you have any warning lights such as the a orange spring on startup
5. If not you got a problem on glowplug side.
6. Do you have fuel
7. Stop solenoid faulty
8. Fuel injection faulty.

saxavordian Thanks for your suggestions. In reply................

1. Can you hear the fuel pump working before starting the engine. Yes, pump is working fine (or sounds like it is!)
2. Do you have any leaks along the fuel line. No leaks what so ever.
3. If leaks on the ground you more than likely have air in the system.
4. Do you have any warning lights such as the a orange spring on startup No warning lights being displayed.
5. If not you got a problem on glowplug side. Would this effect a hot engine? As problem still occurs.
6. Do you have fuel A lot more than my sanity level. Actually that's not too much really.
7. Stop solenoid faulty Interesting suggestion.
8. Fuel injection faulty. I hope not.

Since posting original question it sprung to mind that the problem occurred on the first dark night I've been working. I do a lot of stop start (more than what's good for it really, although the engine gets a good run coming home and there's no indication of smoke etc), and it's the first time I've been using lights and heater etc a lot more than usual, and parking leaving the side lights on which sometimes I have to do. The battery went flat pretty quick trying to start it (yes I know it's a diesel etc!), so I thought is the battery on it's way out? In an act of desperation I went and bought a new one and it started straight away. I've read on here about current draw on a poor battery being an issue so I'll see what happens over the next 24 hours. I'mhoping it's not an injection issue otherwise there's going to be a Freelander going cheap !!!!!!!!

and parking leaving the side lights on which sometimes I have to do

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LED side lights and tail/brake lights use much less electrical current than the regular filament types
( have a look at "auto bulbs direct" website )
possible downside is that the heat from the headlights is said to shorten the life of the side light LEDs
( i cannot confirm as i don't get to use my headlights much in day-to-day driving .. most of the time
( as for tail/brake lights .. the two lower ones on mine are LED type .. while the central high brake is the filament type ..

and heater etc a lot more than usual,

Click to expand...

and IF your freelander be the same as in your avatar pic .. ( 'cause header states td4/07 )
if no fuel-burning-heater is fitted .. then ..
its probably got the standard PTC heater .. that's turned 'on' when the heat dial goes past midpoint .. or a bit after
you can hear a 'click' from the micro switch as you turn the dial ..
and the idle rpm normally jump up an extra 100 rpm after a second or two to compensate for the load on the alternator
said PTC heater draws a Lot of electrical current ..
you can temporarily disable the PTC heater by removing its solenoid from the in cab fuse box ..
it be the small solenoid at lower far left of the fusebox
( downside .. cab takes a bit longer to heat up as it's relying on engine coolant heat only )

easy to replace the solenoid once the weather gets really cold ..

Some interesting points there hd3 thanks.

It definitely is not fitted with a fuel burning heater, but I'm not sure about the PTC. I've never noticed a click or rise in rpm whilst turning the heater dial. I'll take a look in the fusebox later and see if the solenoid is there, if it is and it clicks I'll take it out as I'm not bothered about speeding up cab temperature.

I've thought about replacing the bulbs with LED's before. If the problem has been cured with the new battery (which up to now it has) I'll definitely do it. Prices on that website don't look too bad at all.