Weird electrical issue (won't start)

Hi.
Just had a 300tdi fitted to replace my 19j and the temp gauge was reading high. So after numerous sender unit swaps I decided to get a vdo gauge and sensor... this too reads high... but then I noticed if I put my wipers or lights on it went even higher and then dropped (still high) when turning them off.

Anyway.. I took the clocks out and checked all the wiring and now it won't start, but the engine turns over if I turn my lights on full and if I turn the side lights on they go off if I turn the ignition on.

I've changed the ignition switch for a new one but it's still the same.

Any ideas??

Cheers

I'd start by checking all of your earths, clean and tight. Try running a new temporary earth straight to the battery to see if it helps. It might be your ignition switch or other crossed/touching wires behind the dash but start with your earths.

As above check chassis to battery earth lead and put a heavy duty earth cable from engine/gearbox fixing point to battery negative and see if that sorts it.

The wiring behind the dash is a real rats nest, it's easy to accidentally disconnect something. When I sorted mine I found the dash lights stopped working so I went behind the dash to fix it, afterwards, not only were the dash lights not working but the indicators stopped too. It only takes one short from a loose wire to cause all sorts of inexplicable problems. On series, there is a ballast resistor thing behind the dash, if it goes wonky it will affect the temp and fuel readings.....I think.

I should say at this point that recently my memory has deteriated and I keep forgetting the names of things.

Col

Thanks guys. It was indeed just an earth. I added another from the battery did the body and everything is back to normal.
Amazing how one wire can cause all those Bizzare symptoms!

lofty69 said:

Thanks guys. It was indeed just an earth. I added another from the battery did the body and everything is back to normal.
Amazing how one wire can cause all those Bizzare symptoms!

Click to expand...

You can never have too many earths on a Landy, gearbox and engine separate too ...

lofty69 said:

Thanks guys. It was indeed just an earth. I added another from the battery did the body and everything is back to normal.
Amazing how one wire can cause all those Bizzare symptoms!

Click to expand...

Great that you got it sorted quickly and cheaply.