Stranded, dead electrics, please help!

Guys, I'm new on here so don't really like to shout out for help, but I'm a bit desperate. Just driven about 80 miles and almost home, stopped to pick up some food and went to restart the Landy (Defender 90, 1987 with Isuzu 2.8 TD). It's totally dead, no lights no dash lights, no nothing, it's as if the battery has been disconnected. However, I've checked the battery and the earth, all appear good (using a meter). Thinking about it, there were a couple of glitches where we seemed to loose all power for a moment on the journey home, so perhaps it was something loose?? Any ideas on a quick and dirty fix to get me home (2 miles away) or ideas as to what it could be??

Huge thanks in advance!!

Ignition switch??

redhand said:

Ignition switch??

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Bloody hell, that was quick, thanks!

If there was a problem with the ignition switch, would nothing at all work?? Is there a quick fix I can try??

Cheers!

Problem is with a 25 year old Landy with a conversion your lecky bits aren't likely to be very standard

Feed into fusebox?

Have you no lights at all? Not even side lights?

blue beasty said:

Have you no lights at all? Not even side lights?

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No lights at all, nothing.

side lights should work can't remember if dipped beam works with ignition off. ?? Horn works with ignition off.

check the 100 amp fuse in engine bay

davesdisco said:

check the 100 amp fuse in engine bay

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Sorry, where will I find that??

sounds like completely fooked battery or no earth or live feed from battery. If you've got a jump lead try earthing the battery using the jumpleads

redhand said:

sounds like completely fooked battery or no earth or live feed from battery. If you've got a jump lead try earthing the battery using the jumpleads

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Thanks, but I've tried that, used a jump lead to create a temp earth, no joy. The battery checks out ok with a meter, this is weird!

SteveJones said:

Sorry, where will I find that??

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It'll be close to the battery (if you have one)

not 100% where it is on your 90 as i got a disco.

Assuming it int been moved Passenger side wing. under bonnet

Ok, cheers guys, got a bunch of things to check now, really amazed by the response, you're all complete stars!! Virtual beer for you all, I'll report back ASAP.

wherebouts in Barks are ya. PM me aprox loc & contact no if yu need more help.

as other have mentioned, if you have dick all power getting t the ignition and the battery checks out it shouldnt be too hard to find.

at only 2miles to my house and at 11pm at night with no tools id be locking up and going home i think. come back in the morning.

Good luck whatever you do.

First of all, huge thanks for your support, really appreciated!

Well, got a lift back to the Landy at 7:00 this morning and tried a few diagnostics and ideas supplied by you guys. Long story short, no joy with fuses, temp earths, starter motor connections etc and was just about to take the steering column apart to get to the ignition barrel when I had a sudden, stupid, thought. When out and about yesterday I remember hearing the radiator cooling fan a few times immediately after stopping the engine, which I haven't noticed before, I also know that the temp gauge doesn't read correctly (always goes well into the red, due to the re-engine I am told). Anyway, my stupid thought was, perhaps it's the temp sensor, so I disconnected the engine sensor, and the bloody thing burst into life!! Now I'm home I've reconnected it and everything works still, so my thoughts are that it's sheer coincidence and that I still need to keep looking for the cause. Unless anyone knows any different...

no idea

temp sender is an easy fix, just need the sender swapping to match the fender guage, no idea if theres an off the shelf for your conversion (probably is, it used to be a popular choice)