Defender cutting out

hi

I’m currently having problems with my defender 90 cutting out for no reason. Engine is a 3.9v8 with a auto box.

I can be driving down the road and the engine will cut out completely no lights working, but the radio will carry on working as soon as I fiddle around with the passengers seat it will sometimes start up and drive on fine and other times it will cut out and die again yet still with the radio playing.

The battery terminals are tight and no wires exposed or touching the body. I’m lost on where to start looking or what to do the narrow down the cause.

Cheers Tom.

Does it have an immobiliser?

No it doesn’t have a immobiliser. I just went out to try and start it and it started cranking then stopped all while the radio was going

Toms820 said:

No it doesn’t have a immobiliser. I just went out to try and start it and it started cranking then stopped all while the radio was going

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Donkeys years ago, when my Landy still had the spider part of its immobiliser, when it cut out I could bang the passenger side seat box and the landy would start. The spider was fixed to the inside of the seat box.
I'd start with coil, HT lead, fuel pump and or its connections.

Ok I’ll take the seat up and have a look. What colour wires should I have a look for? I’ve just had the coil and ht leads apart and re done a few months ago and was running sweet till recently.

Toms820 said:

Ok I’ll take the seat up and have a look. What colour wires should I have a look for? I’ve just had the coil and ht leads apart and re done a few months ago and was running sweet till recently.

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I don't know if the V8's had the spider, but it's a black box, about 100mm square by 50mm deep riveted to the inside of the seat box.

Ideal thanks for that gives me a idea of something to look for when I get around to having a look

Check the connections on the Starter Motor, clean and tight.

Check any solanoids under the seat, pull each one and clean the contacts refit and ensure they are not loose.
Also check your earth straps under the landy for good connections.

So got it up and running there was a loose cable on the battery that I only found when the connection feel apart.

It’s startinng and ideling ok but just cuts out after 10 minuets

Check ignition switch to rule it out. Switch tends to get worn and loose at rear of the barrel. Had an issue where mine would suddenly cut out randomly or when I hit a bump or pothole whilst driving.
Took me about two weeks to catch on to what the cause was. A new switch solved this.

I’ve just looked at that and discovered a slightly loose and burnt out connection on the back of the barrel which every time I push down on I get power and everything works. So I will now spend the rest of Easter stripping the dash to resolve it and hope that’s the end of my problems.