Freelander 1 Still suffering a drain somewhere.

Hi everybody how are we all doing? Well after a move and a few problems I am now finally able to get back on here. I think from my previous posts pretty much all the issues I had are resolved. Couple of little things to tidy up, oh and one that is becoming very annoying. As the title suggests I have a power drain coming from somewhere. I've had someone out to look at it and they said it was the ecu not switching off the injectors? Didn't sound right to me. Land Rover mechanic seemed to agree with me too that it was unlikely. For a while I was either jump starting the car or disconnecting the battery to try and make things easier and then I thought about fitting a battery cut off switch, not as a permanent solution though. The first switch I bought turned out to not be the right one so I ordered a large switch with a red key for it. I will upload a picture when I can. I went and wired it all up and it disconnected the battery like it should, when I put the key back in the dash lights worked but it wouldn't start. It went like it wanted to start but wouldn't. Any ideas what I'm missing/doing wrong?
Info - Battery is brand new, car is FL1 1.8, 1998.

Sorry for the long post but hopefully someone can assist.

Many Thanks

Matt

this is like the one I bought.

'98 FL1 1.8 is the same as mine. So it cranks but doesn't fire? You haven't accidentally knocked the coil lead off have you. Check all is secure on the distributor and the coil. Check the exhaust system too - a blockage won't let the engine run. Other than that it may be that the immobiliser could be active and has turned off the fuel pump. Do you hear it humming when you turn the key on? That red warning LED stops flashing when you unlock? Other things which may be a factor: spark plugs in good condition? Rotor is in the distributor and all contacts clean & bright? Timing set correctly - has the timing belt been replaced recently?

Electrical power drain: Do all the door locks operate as they should with the remote? Luggage light remaining on? Radio/ ICE system wired in correctly - not wired directly to the permanent live system?

You have triggered the immobiliser by cutting off the power

@htr It runs perfectly when I don't have the cut off switch attached. As soon as I add this to it it will crank but not run, if that makes sense? When I remove all the wiring for the switch and connect the original negative to the battery terminal it starts up straight away. @freelance I had another loo at it today and still no luck. I would have thought that if when the red key is in the switch and I arm and disarm the system that this would also disable the immobiliser? It didn't start, just cranked slowly.

If it cranked slowly with your isolator switch in place, but cranks rapidly when it is all removed then it would suggest that the isolator switch is High resistance and unable to pass the required current?

@DanClarke If I shorten the length of the wires I am using would this make any difference? At present they are going from the battery into the passenger footwell.

NewFreeLandy said:

@DanClarke If I shorten the length of the wires I am using would this make any difference? At present they are going from the battery into the passenger footwell.

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I couldn't say. But it sort-of sounds like the cut-off circuit is NOT capable of delivering the amps for the starter for cranking does it?

@DanClarke Thanks. Will have a play around with the circuit tomorrow to see how I get on with it.

NewFreeLandy said:

@DanClarke Thanks. Will have a play around with the circuit tomorrow to see how I get on with it.

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A valid question might be to assess the gauge of the cabling on the isolator switch in comparison to the gauge of the native cabling.

@DanClarke I did notice earlier today that the cabling I am using is slightly smaller than the native cabling. It came from a set of heavy duty jump leads.