V8 3.9 Turns over but won't start

Hope someone can help. Have a 1998 model V8, noticed on the weekend that the lead from the coil to the centre of dist cap was almost burnt through at the rubber. Use some tape on it to see me through the weekend, by Sat night had to wiggle a bit to get spark but it would start. Sunday it was completely dead. Monday, put on new lead from Land Rover and nothing, Tuesday put on new dist cap and rotar, still nothing. I turns over but does not fire. Checked spark plugs, all fine. Every once in a blue moon it seems to get close, runs a bit lumpy for about 10 seconds but dies as soon as I touch the excelerator pedel. There is a spark from the lead attached to the coil and there is petrol in the tank. Doing my head in now as live miles from the shops and schools etc :-( Any help greatly appreciated.

I asked you a question in the discovery section

Hello Ricks My V8 has the exact same problem you have , did you find out what was causing the problem , i have changed everything i can think of to do with the electrics , i have a 1991 v8i 3.5 discovery and like you it turns but will not fire , ive got leads on ok , firing order is ok , replaced coil, and leads and dizzy cap but still nothing , any help on this matter would be good
cheers Jim

not sure if i can help dont know too much, but i have had a problem for a few weeks with my disco not starting was getting spark but no joy, wiggled wires everywhere then hey she started, one minute she fine the next nothing, i know you have fuel in but is it getting through, there is a little bleed valve by the injectors looks like a tyre valve lol, there was no presure there at all on mine when you press it fuel should come out, searched this forum and found some good advice firstly turn on your ignition and make sure you hear the fuel pump relay click off, mine didnt changed the relay mint for a couple of weeks then did the same again, so checked to see if power gettin to fuel pump (rear boot) turns out the plug connection is dodgy either brake in the wire or bad connection . hope this helps sorry if it doesnt just tryin to do my bit lol as i said am no great mechanic but i like to have a go,

Hello Buster , sounds good , ill check that out , i can hear my fuel pump turn on then off when i turn the ignition , im baffled with it as i have changed the coil the dizzy , the dizzy cap , ht leads , lambda sensors, engine coolant sensor , ecu ,checked earths and just about gave ever wire a shake and pull , its doing my head in , shes been sat out on the drive now for 2 months, it turns over no prob just wont fire , its like i have an immob problem but i dont have one on the disco , arghhhh , ,

If you've got a workshop manual run ignition system checks. If you don't have a manual download Rave (do a search there is a link for it somewhere). Have you checked ignition amplifier. If you have replaced you distributor, is the pick up air gap set correctly. Is the vac advance working properly. Have you got a genuine rotor arm or a pattern one? Are you sure you are getting good strong sparks at the plugs? Have you tested the coil? Is your timing correct?

Hello Kev , im in the process of checking all of the above , ill keep up dating this as i go when i find out what im doing wrong , ill probably kick myself once i find out hee hee but thanks for all the advice everyone , keep it comin

zrxjas said:

Hello Ricks My V8 has the exact same problem you have , did you find out what was causing the problem , i have changed everything i can think of to do with the electrics , i have a 1991 v8i 3.5 discovery and like you it turns but will not fire , ive got leads on ok , firing order is ok , replaced coil, and leads and dizzy cap but still nothing , any help on this matter would be good
cheers Jim

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Yes......turned out to be the fuel pump. The way I checked was to take out rear mat, undo the plate, undo the two fuel pipes, careful to replace them the correct way round again, one is in and one is out. Then took a screw driver and hammer to the big round cap that holds the top on. Take out the fuel pump and poor the expensive stuff back in the tank.
Now you can submerse the unit in a bucket of water so your not mucking about with the flammable stuff, running a + and a - connection direct from your battery, connect to the red and black connection that supply power to the small pump in the unit. This way you are by passing all the electrics etc. If it works and it spurts out water then the pump is good, and it is something before the pump, if not then replace. I found the cheapest for a new one was mansfield 4x4 who will deliver to you, and you get a 1 year warranty. It was just over 40 quid I think.

Let me know how you get on as there were a number of things I had to check (all thanks to this site) that may assist you.

Good luck

right guys , i had a recent problem with my LSE, i changed everything, ecu, dizzy, cap sensord, see mt thread, lse over fuelling. it turned out to be the spark plugs, and they had only done around 900 miles.
good thing is the car runs spot on now with all the replacing and checking.