Range rover p38a 2.5 2001

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B

BigAd

Active Member
Posts
72
Location
Leeds
issue I have is the car wont start, I had a new starter put on and it ran fine until I parked up and realised It was making a tapping noise when at low revs, went to go and start it to have another listen and it is kicking out white smoke when trying to start and turns over but no sign of life.

Anyone know if there is a good auto electrician near leeds or anyone local with a nanocom or syncmate I could borrow as I'm at a loss on how to fix this, its been off the road over 2 months ‍♂️
 
Damn it, does the smoke smell of anything?
Oil level,
Coolant level,
Any mayonnaise on the filler cap,
Mpg difference recently,
Any other work carried out recently?
 
I was using it daily until I had the starter changed it does about 20mpg, oil level is good though it does need changing, coolant level is good there is some residue on the side of the reservoir but I havnt noticed any lost power so doubt its the head gasket.
As for fuel there's sufficient to start it and I can hear the pump click and run.
The smoke smells like diesel
 
BigAd said:
I was using it daily until I had the starter changed it does about 20mpg, oil level is good though it does need changing, coolant level is good there is some residue on the side of the reservoir but I havnt noticed any lost power so doubt its the head gasket.
As for fuel there's sufficient to start it and I can hear the pump click and run.
The smoke smells like diesel
Click to expand...
Who did this job and did they disconnect battery correctly? Could be a sync problem. Gurus will know
 
I'm with Data on this, glowplugs first. These won't start without most of them working
 
Rubberknees said:
Yeah but did he turn ignition on first then off and then remove it within 17seconds as per Rave and in handbook
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He just drove it in turned the car off disconnected the negative then changed the starter, back on and fired up sweet as a nut, got off the motorway and noticed it was making a ticking noise at low revs but suspect that might be a separate issue of the power steering line coming away from the clip and sitting against a belt
 
BigAd said:
Are they known to go suddenly it would start hot or cold on the first turn of the key usually
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It's possible, I think you need something like 3 consecutive cylinders preheated for it to start (from cold). You could easily check they are getting power using a bulb on a bit of wire if you don't have a DMM. Also a small sniff of easy start should get it going if glowplugs are the problem
 
BigAd said:
He just drove it in turned the car off disconnected the negative then changed the starter, back on and fired up sweet as a nut, got off the motorway and noticed it was making a ticking noise at low revs but suspect that might be a separate issue of the power steering line coming away from the clip and sitting against a belt
Click to expand...
That's good, others will guide you better than me
 
Kev12 said:
It's possible, I think you need something like 3 consecutive cylinders preheated for it to start (from cold). You could easily check they are getting power using a bulb on a bit of wire if you don't have a DMM. Also a small sniff of easy start should get it going if glowplugs are the problem
Click to expand...
Next port of call was a bit of easy start, it's hard to describe the smell coming from the exhaust when I try cranking it but it doesn't smell healthy :eek:
 
Most diesel engines will start eventually with a puffing of black smoke until it clears and runs even with duff glow plugs.
If the white smoke is as bad as you say, possible unburnt fuel.
You need to get a second opinion before chucking money at it and find out the loud ticking as well.
 
Last edited:
BigAd said:
issue I have is the car wont start, I had a new starter put on and it ran fine until I parked up and realised It was making a tapping noise when at low revs, went to go and start it to have another listen and it is kicking out white smoke when trying to start and turns over but no sign of life.

Anyone know if there is a good auto electrician near leeds or anyone local with a nanocom or syncmate I could borrow as I'm at a loss on how to fix this, its been off the road over 2 months ‍♂️
Click to expand...

Could be loss of sync but a bit surprised by the white smoke. Wouldn't think any fuel would get through with loss of sync.

You could check the Landyzone International Rescue map and see if it shows a Nanocom near you.

Tapping noise before parking up and then won't start but white smoke out the back? Is an injector stuck open?
 
Grrrrrr said:
Could be loss of sync but a bit surprised by the white smoke. Wouldn't think any fuel would get through with loss of sync.

You could check the Landyzone International Rescue map and see if it shows a Nanocom near you.

Tapping noise before parking up and then won't start but white smoke out the back? Is an injector stuck open?
Click to expand...

The thought about an injector stuck open did cross my mind as well, but remembered these are all-mechanical injectors fed from a unit injection pump if I remember correctly.
Those don't usually cause such starting issues when stuck open, it's the piezoelectric injectors on common rail systems that tend to bleed off system pressure into one or multiple cylinders with stuck/open injectors.
As said, smell of unburnt diesel could be glowplugs not coming on. I believe that engine has indirect injection as does require some glow plug action to get going. With sufficient quantities of unburnt diesel within the cylinders, don't expect it to get going immediately with a shot of starter fluid..... I suspect that's the unhealthy smell you describe coming outta the exhaust; starter fluid trying to burn off the diesel.

Or I could be wrong and you may have a much bigger issue after all......being a land rover
 
ifloochies said:
The thought about an injector stuck open did cross my mind as well, but remembered these are all-mechanical injectors fed from a unit injection pump if I remember correctly.
Those don't usually cause such starting issues when stuck open, it's the piezoelectric injectors on common rail systems that tend to bleed off system pressure into one or multiple cylinders with stuck/open injectors.
As said, smell of unburnt diesel could be glowplugs not coming on. I believe that engine has indirect injection as does require some glow plug action to get going. With sufficient quantities of unburnt diesel within the cylinders, don't expect it to get going immediately with a shot of starter fluid..... I suspect that's the unhealthy smell you describe coming outta the exhaust; starter fluid trying to burn off the diesel.

Or I could be wrong and you may have a much bigger issue after all......being a land rover
Click to expand...

Yes, you're right they're mechanical, not piezo.

@wammers reckons it needs at least 3 consecutive glow plugs working to get it to fire. That tapping noise is a tad worrying, especially as it preceeded the white smoke and non-starting.
 
Three consecutive glow plugs are needed for a cold start and it is an indirect injection engine. It only needs one of the three to fail and it will no longer start. I've heard one that sounded like a bag of nails, it was the FIP timing out.
IMO the white smoke is unburnt fuel. If it will not fire on a light misting of Easy Start I would be getting worried.
 
Datatek said:
Three consecutive glow plugs are needed for a cold start and it is an indirect injection engine. It only needs one of the three to fail and it will no longer start. I've heard one that sounded like a bag of nails, it was the FIP timing out.
IMO the white smoke is unburnt fuel. If it will not fire on a light misting of Easy Start I would be getting worried.
Click to expand...
Right I've managed to get it going with some easy start after a few goes, it looked slightly low on oil on the dipstick so I've filled that up a tad, sounds absolutely horrible when it started like metal was hitting metal so turned it off after about 10 seconds it idled ok at 800 but was very loud and didn't sound healthy at all, not a clue what it could be, would a loose starter when it got fitted cause this noise?
It started once without the easy start after that and then again I had to use it to get it going.
 
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