Weird Electrical issues !

I have a 01 Disco auto and i thought the battery was going as opposed to the alternator as it did not like the cold and after being left for a few days would not start. I recharged the battery and would appear fully charged after 4 - 5 hours. I also had a loss of power on 1 or 2 occasions when travelling on a long motorway run where the engine light came on in the dash and when i stopped, the disco would drive normally.
I eventually replaced the battery with a new like rated battery but the connections were farther away fron the leads and i had to disconnect what appears to be a small auxiliary earth from a body bolt (only a small bracket off the lead).
Now when i stop i get erratic engine notes at time and i also get main beams and clock/internal lights. I also irregularly get air suspension lights (both) coming on sometimes after starting the engine and often when i depress the brake pedal. Can someone please point me in the right direction.

Enda

Take it one step at a time, try and find a piece of wire and reattach the earth that you have removed.
Could be as simple as bad earth, had that one before!!

Stu

heggars said:

Take it one step at a time, try and find a piece of wire and reattach the earth that you have removed.
Could be as simple as bad earth, had that one before!!

Stu

Click to expand...

Thanks Stu,

Have just tried that one and will have to wait and see. I will revert in an hour,

Enda

Best thing I ever did was not worry about what earth leads were fitted and added a couple of my own. Battery to chassis, chassis to engine ... good quality cabling, good (paint removed) holes and decently tight nuts bolts and washers, then Siliconed over. I now simply don't get electrical problems unless they're 'real' ones ...

endbru said:

Thanks Stu,

Have just tried that one and will have to wait and see. I will revert in an hour,

Enda

Click to expand...

Stu,

So far so good !

Thanks

Paul D said:

Best thing I ever did was not worry about what earth leads were fitted and added a couple of my own. Battery to chassis, chassis to engine ... good quality cabling, good (paint removed) holes and decently tight nuts bolts and washers, then Siliconed over. I now simply don't get electrical problems unless they're 'real' ones ...

Click to expand...

Endbru
Glad it's working out so far. But as Paul D said it won't hurt to get some more in there. I helped my mate with his about 2 weeks ago, It always finds the shorted route to earth.


Stu

heggars said:

Endbru
Glad it's working out so far. But as Paul D said it won't hurt to get some more in there. I helped my mate with his about 2 weeks ago, It always finds the shorted route to earth.


Stu

Click to expand...

Stu,

Thanks again - tomorrow now accounted for with drill and silicone !!!!!
did you ever come across the problem of the dash engine light coming on after a decent run on a motorway at high reasonably high revs where it is okay again after restarting. I am going to change the fuel filters again to see if that remedies it.

Enda

Have had very similar to you, and even more problems with our 300TDi for the past fortnight, after checking every bloody cable, fuse, alternator etc. it turned out to be a dodgy battery to chassis earth, which led to the handbrake cable earthing.

Sorted the dodgy earth and bought a new battery yesterday (as the battery although charging was not 100%) and so far the problems seem to have gone (crossed fingers). All I need to do once it stop's pi$$ing down outside is add another earth from the chassis to the engine and I'll be happy

I was amazed how a poxy cable could totally knacker the Disco though.

If it was only happening after a long run at highish revs I would be inclinded to look at the o2 type sensors, and I'm sure that after you restart it clears the EML until it detects it again. "don't quote me on that bit", I know it does on my Vectra

Stu