TD5 ignition woes

[MLD]

Hiya all,

I have a 1999 TD5 110. In the past 2 weeks I've experienced an odd phenomenon when starting the truck. The ignition lights on the dash come on and when I turn the key to kick her over nothing happens. No attempt by the starter motor like a flat battery. Just silence. The fuel pump is engaged when the ignition lights come on. The first time it happened i thought it was the battery and roll started. The second time was after driving for 3 hrs I stopped for a break. When I went to start, nothing. I pressed the reset button on the firewall and she fired without hesitation. The third time a few days later the same prob. Again i pressed the reset button on the firewall and she fired no problem.

It doesn't happen each time i start the truck, maybe 1 in 10 starts. And the passage of rest between starts doesn't seem to be a consistent factor.

I checked the lead to the reset button. It seemed securely attached.

The electrical system modifications to the truck are:

Traxide battery isolator installed at Xmas. Starter battery is 8 weeks old, aux battery was bought at Xmas.

I upgraded the ECU map Sept last year. But can't conceive the remap has anything to do with it. But what would I know. As usual it has oil in the harness but I haven't experienced any problems with ignition while driving, that i noticed out of the ordinary. She is a defender and each day is a different experience in her. I'll clean the harness again for good measure.

all the usual aux power attachments are connected to the aux battery and I can't conceive any influence from that circuitry.

It's not a massive problem since I have found a solution when it happens. That said I'd like to get to the bottom of it. Any ideas where to start looking and possible causes?

cheers Mark

[alien]

At first I was going to sugest the starter soliniod contacts.
Have you got fuel driping on the starter from a weaping fuel regulator(block)?
When I read further it sounds like a bad earth may be at fault.
If it starts after hitting the reset button maybe grab a Rave and see where the next conections/earths are.

When you do find whats causing this please let us know:)
It may come in handy for some one when searching the same issue.

[marty]

reset button on firewall ?

[Yorkshire_Jon]

I'd still be thinking starter motor solenoid, the roll over switch very rarely goes wrong. It would be strange for you to have an electrical problem up there too.

It recently happens to me, I was convinced that I'd found how to start it again, but then that stopped working too and actually had nothing to do with it restarting or not.

Starter Motor solenoid kits are available on eBay, about $40 from memory. It's an easy job, but those 1 of 3 bolts are a right PITA to get to!

R
J

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[bushrover]

Check the back of your ignition switch, they come loose. Symptoms range from delayed starting, not starting, cutting out,ignition lights on but not starting. I have had two switches in my current Defender and two in the County. The current switch has the back held on with cable ties. Strange you can reset it and it starts.

[MLD]

reset button on firewall ?

Hi Marty, It's a safety feature designed to kill the fuel and engine in the event of an accident. Not sure about the location for the second gen model TD5's, Puma and current model. Pic of mine.

cheers for the tips.

MLD

[BigJon]

Check the back of your ignition switch, they come loose. Symptoms range from delayed starting, not starting, cutting out,ignition lights on but not starting. .

This is quite likely the answer.

[sniegy]

Hiya all,
The first time it happened i thought it was the battery and roll started.
The second time was after driving for 3 hrs I stopped for a break. When I went to start, nothing. I pressed the reset button on the firewall and she fired without hesitation.
The third time a few days later the same prob. Again i pressed the reset button on the firewall and she fired no problem.

cheers Mark
Mark the common denominator here seems to be every time you check the reset button it has been activated?
If so I would replace the switch on the firewall as they are not that expensive & an easy fix to start with as they can become problematic on early vehicles. They seem to just lose there tension & the slightest bump sets them off.

Cheers

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