Dead D3 4.0l V6

[Stevie]

Hi Everyone

My permagrin has vanished! bought it at a dealer (non Landy) full service history and checked by my Landy Indie mechanic.

Few days later fault codes - which from the forum seemed to be either battery, bulb, starter motor.

Changed bulb and car started, next day similar transmission errors so I changed the battery to a new one. All good then went on holiday with now problems or fault codes.

Thursday night didnt start and fault codes came up (trans, etc) started second turn of the key.

Friday started first turn and went to work 15-20mins away. Leaving work it wouldn't start 15 mins later and 10x attempts it roared into life. Stopped at shops and then drove home.

Saturday didn't start have tried approx 10-15x to turn the key and nothing but a click!! All the light on the dash come up as normal No error codes.

Just checked the battery and it registers 12.33v, it also appears that I should have gotten Landy bulbs as I changed a supacheap one (I've subsequently been to Landy and they gave me the wrong bulbs!!!

So my predicament is:

- Is the bulb causing the non start, given there are no error messages at the moment?
- Have I drained the battery to low to start the car with 10-15 attempts
- Surely my driving to and from work is no different to thousands of other D3 owners surely Landrover would have designed a car for all types of driving i.e. not every trip can be over 15 mins.
- Is it possible for me to use a spare yellow top to jump the car?
- I've got a Traxide on the way from Tim, will this allow me to do my trips to work etc due to the backflow effect of the battery if indeed this is the problem

This forum is great and there is an enormous amount of knowledge here which has help me with my D2 (luckily I still have it) apologies for the rant but this is frustrating, before I start sinking $$$$ into the car if anyone is local I'll buy the beer...

Lots of questions but thought I might as well get most of them out the way from possible problems on the forum.

I really like the car when its go'in

Cheers

Stevie

[Graeme]

Sounds like the starter solenoid has a problem with its contacts.

[Stevie]

Thanks Graeme much appreciated

[Graeme]

There could also be a loose battery cable at the starter motor.

[kiwirich]

Probably best to start with the Fault codes ..........
I've found that I quickly run out of logical progression when just trying to "Think" what the cause may be.
The D3 is entirely reliant on Battery Power. Without it, all sorts of insanity happens.
EG. If the Brake light switch is faulty, you get restricted performance and finally, complete shut down. Apparently the car thinks there's an issue with the ABS...

I'd be starting with recharging the Battery.
Change the Brake Light switch
Check the Brake Light lamps ( all 3 )
Read the fault codes
Reset the Faults & start from there.

Good luck & let us know how you go.
Richard

[Ashes]

I went through a similar phase with mine with all the cheap things being eliminated firstly. bulbs/brake light switch/battery charge/earth connector cable and finally got the starter motor replaced which fixed it.
Seems there was an intermittent fault (but getting worse) with the starter motor or solenoid. Even though my car was initially starting first crank, the SM was causing some dramas and causing errors and it eventually got to the stage where it could take 10-15 turns of the key for it to crank the SM and turn on.
Unfortunately a bit of a fiddly and labour intensive job to do if that is the problem as it is hard to get at.
You will find many varied and weird faults if you have a problem with startup as many of the tansmission related systems decide they wont enable. eg HDC disabled, limited gears etc.
Any other time I've had faults it has always been related to low battery charge which can cause any number of interesting lights and messages.

[Stevie]

Thanks Ash looks like you and Graeme are spot on. My scenario is just like yours and today the Racv chap came out and long story short - ran diagnostics, was asked to check wires etc and then took a large wrench and banged the starter and she fired up and has every time since.

So crisis averted we don't need a new starter just a large wrench that should save approx $700 :)

Anyway the starter will have to be replaced I believe, better to do it than get stuck in the high country!

[Graeme]

... took a large wrench and banged the starter and she fired up and has every time since....Anyway the starter will have to be replaced I believe, better to do it than get stuck in the high country!The hammer idea had crossed my mind, having used it on several occasions on other vehicles in years past. Its probably the solenoid attached to the starter rather than the starter itself - they're often replaced rather than the whole starter motor. However if a complete starter is cheap enough then perhaps don't bother with just a solenoid.

I bought a new $400 solenoid for my header (hate to think of the cost of a whole starter motor) after having to hit it almost every time to get it to work, only to find the 2 bolts holding the starter motor together had worked loose. The restocking fee made it an expensive exercise.

[Ashes]

From memory..which is getting a bit vague now.. The solenoid can be replaced independently however still requires as much labour as a full starter motor replacement. I don't think there was a huge difference in just doing the solenoid vs doing the solenoid and starter motor once labour costs are taken into account. Bear in mind that Murphy's law says that if you replace the solenoid, sure enough there will also be a fault with the actual starter motor that will need fixing a short time later.
If you are capable of doing the job yourself, consider doing just the solenoid. According to my LR guy, getting to the Starter motor is more difficult on the v6 compared to the diesel.

[Stevie]

After many hours with the D2 in the engine, under the engine in the engine, under the engine in the engine, under the engine in the engine, under the engine in the engine, under the engine.

Decision today was off to my indie LR guru for the starter tomorrow. Very time poor right now with kids, life, work etc. so for the next couple of days I'll be driving the D2...so that's not bad ;) I'd like to drive this one a little before working on it too so that I can retain the permagrin :D

I'll keep you updated

[p38arover]

Secondhand cars over certain value still have a selling car dealer warranty. Is yours still in the warranty period?

[Stevie]

Hi Ron

Yeah my used car warranty in Vic had expired. Anyway my indie replaced the starter motor and she has purred like a cat since :)

Permagrin has been restored, so for the price of a new battery and starter I can live with it...had shopped around for a while so was happy to spend a little given the cars condition (very good) and price paid.

Again the forum came good with sage advice, thanks chaps

Cheers

Steve