Multiple issues with a Disco 3 after body off chassis

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diesselxxl16

New Member
Posts
7
Location
Bucharest, Romania
Hello there. Please if someone can help with an advice , here is my issue:

2009 Disco 3 with manual transmission and just over 300k km on the clock needed a clutch and flywheel replacement. The shop opted for a body off chassis procedure. I supervised all the operations as I like to research the internet, given the fact that the mechanic haven’t done a job like this on a disco3. Did all the steps involved, while we were there we replaced the small belt on the back of the engine and the appropriate tensioner, and also rear propshaft bearing, steering shaft joint connection (because it had play), and both rear brake pipes because they had corroded in the back of the vehicle. We also blew all the holes in the lower of the body and a lot of dirt came out. After all of it was done, we mated the body with the chassis, connected all the electrical connectors, topped up the antifreeze, pumped up the cluth with fluid, and we have tried to start her up. The dash is like a christmas tree, hazards on and when you put the key in position 0, the gearbox light is red . I will attach photos. Radio works and the climate too. With the tester on the car, it cannot communicate with any computer exept hvac (with 1 error as we haven’t yet refilled the refrigerant), body, and aux heater. It says that all other computers are not even connected. We took the instrument cluster to an auto electronist and it’s fine. We also took the unit with the fuses to be checked and nothing (in the past i had water issues on the front right footwell from jammed condensation pipes - car doesn’t have sunroof - and i thought it could be an aftermath from when it had moisture). I checked all the connections around the fuse unit and they are all good, only 1 pin from a connector had small corrosion marks and a ground near the footwell. Cleaned those up. Also rechecked all connections in the 2 computers behind the battery, no corrosion there also but applied wd40 and a little compressed air just to be sure. This changed nothing. The grounds beneath te car (those in the front right wheel well and the one on the gearbox/transfer case) are connected as we checked all the steps needed after mating the body with the chassis.

In my opinion, i think a common connection between those computers is bad (either power or ground), but we cannot find the issue . Please if anyone can give me a piece of advise where to look, it would be greatly appreciated. Here are some photos.
 

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I would go over every single plug you have unplugged and recheck them, maybe even probe each wire each side to make sure you have continuity, take nothing for granted just because it looks okay does not mean it is.
Think logical, if fault was not there before, it is something you or your mech have done.

Plugs by left rear wheel, plugs at back of front left wheel, not sure what else needs unplugging to remove the body?
 
When you took body off did you miss a plug? might have pulled it a bit then unplugged it but have pulled a cable, if all was working when you took it off should all be working now so must be a connection I would think, good luck if you do find it please let us know as might help someone else
 
Of course i will keep you updated, i was hoping that someone familiar with the electrical circuit of the car and given the simptoms could help me where to look firstly. After we disconnected all plugs , brake hoses and everything else, we slowly lifted the body and permanently checked if we forgot something connected, and when the lift was complete we thoroughly inspected the body and chassis. As i remember, the plug in the left rear wheel well was damaged due to age and the plastic becoming brittle and now it does not connect perfectly, but we will secure it . The mechanic said that it probably is for the rear electric part of the car (rear lights, wiper, etc) and it does not connect on the can bus with computers.
 
Hi

Plus 1 what’s already been mentioned , make sure u check behind the passenger and drivers side head light

rear back passenger side wheel, another big connector

passenger side front wheel arch down inside the engine bay

Have u also done a canbus test with a multimeter as that can also help if it’s on the high or low side

plus make extra attention to the ABS module plug as a lot of system go through that

hope that helps a little and u get it sorted out
 
i was hoping that someone familiar with the electrical circuit of the car and given the simptoms could help me where to look firstly.

It's pretty much impossible to be familiar with the full electrical system on the D3, as it's one seriously complex vehicle electronically. Adding to this, lost module data will cause a huge variety of different issues.
It sounds like you've missed a plug, which likely contains a data bus. If the data bus is broken, then any control modules on that bus cease to exist.
 
It's pretty much impossible to be familiar with the full electrical system on the D3, as it's one seriously complex vehicle electronically. Adding to this, lost module data will cause a huge variety of different issues.
It sounds like you've missed a plug, which likely contains a data bus. If the data bus is broken, then any control modules on that bus cease to exist.

hi mate

plus 1, wondered if a canbus test might be able to assist , ie on what circuit the ohms reading come back correct

but indeed there’s so many connectors on these vehicles it’s as always the case if going through them one by one

know when I done my feelander 1 it took me ages as 1 x connector had tucked itself under it self so had to remove the carpet and start all again, was for the front heater matrix replacement, plus replaced the dashboard as the other one had a slight mark across it and drive me nuts so restored a second hand one

5CCFD5A0-8ADD-47A4-80AC-A43B8322E30B.png
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I understand there is no known cure for masochism.:D:D:D

you’ve got that right , get myself in all sorts of mods , think how hard can it be , days later with wires coming out my ears and a bag of tea bags i think , oooooppps, should I have done this, lmao

got a few more I want to get done, boot sliding floor, front A bar and some tasty 3 inch round rock sliders , should be interesting when I park in the supermarket car park as I’ll lower my suspension so if someone opens there door there hit the rock sliders first and not my paint work as it’s immaculate

D46F13AB-9173-4F6D-9D5F-3321B15EC52C.png
 
you’ve got that right , get myself in all sorts of mods , think how hard can it be , days later with wires coming out my ears and a bag of tea bags i think , oooooppps, should I have done this, lmao

got a few more I want to get done, boot sliding floor, front A bar and some tasty 3 inch round rock sliders , should be interesting when I park in the supermarket car park as I’ll lower my suspension so if someone opens there door there hit the rock sliders first and not my paint work as it’s immaculate

View attachment 242408
Now THOSE I understand as they is mechanical!
But electrical sh!t frightens me stiff.
Can only really do it on kit cars! where as far as elelctics is concerned less is more.
My first kit car only has 3 fuses and no relays, the starter works through a trad solenoid switch.:D:D:D:D
 
Now THOSE I understand as they is mechanical!
But electrical sh!t frightens me stiff.
Can only really do it on kit cars! where as far as elelctics is concerned less is more.
My first kit car only has 3 fuses and no relays, the starter works through a trad solenoid switch.:D:D:D:D

sounds like some of my old motors , ie, zodiac, triumph etc , even learnt back then how to replace and set the points , lol, whilst sitting on the tyre with the bonnet front up, thinking back was heaven with all the room, kit car sounds awesome

think ref electrics I got into them as boilers and central heating systems got more and more complicated so had to keep up with them , feel it’s put me in good stead with the disco , as in finding / tracing a bad wire

learnt also how to trace wiring very quickly from controllers to the end of the connectors using the loom itself , was the same with heating if wires went 100 x feet in linking the wires to make a quick testing circuit, of course I’ve never wanted to come across as a clever clogs, just things I’ve learnt
 
Not wanting to sound negative and I hope the good gents above will find a solution to the issues you are experiencing but...

Why have you removed the body to replace the clutch and flywheel?

wondered that myself as indeed can also replace the crossover pipe with the gearbox out, don’t have to lift the body then

taking of lifting bodies have u seen what this guy done, talk about an an awesome way to do it on ur driveway, if u scroll down can see the start of his rig

https://www.disco3.co.uk/forum/rusty-boot-floor-body-removal-189350.html
 
sounds like some of my old motors , ie, zodiac, triumph etc , even learnt back then how to replace and set the points , lol, whilst sitting on the tyre with the bonnet front up, thinking back was heaven with all the room, kit car sounds awesome

think ref electrics I got into them as boilers and central heating systems got more and more complicated so had to keep up with them , feel it’s put me in good stead with the disco , as in finding / tracing a bad wire

learnt also how to trace wiring very quickly from controllers to the end of the connectors using the loom itself , was the same with heating if wires went 100 x feet in linking the wires to make a quick testing circuit, of course I’ve never wanted to come across as a clever clogs, just things I’ve learnt
I grew up on traditional wiring where wiring diagrams made sense. Now, you don't get wiring diagrams and it really gets my goat.. you've got connector A but where does it go!? You've got to read paragraphs to learn it disappears into aloom going who knows where and terminates at connector G1234 but no clue where that is located FFS
 
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