Thread: CLEANED SOME EARTH POINTS NOW IT WONT START (TD5)

2002 Disco 2a with TD5

Whilst taking my brother and his partner around the area on friday, we suddenly encountered starting difficulties. All would indicate fine and the starter would clink but no more.
After a few attempts it would, some times all getting out, locking up, waiting 30 secounds or so till the red flashing light went out, unlock and try again would help.
We had this on our first disco and a mate said it was a bad earth on the starter motor. I cleaned and never again had the problem.

I cleaned the earth on the starter when we got home and no difference, still had problem. I called my friendly Land Rover mech and he siad 'ah, you need the solonoid kit' I search AULRO here, picked up the kit saturday morning, fitted by lunchtime and all was good.

We have also for some time had the three amigos coming on, until recently they would come on with the red handbrake light and stay on. Now, we can be driving along with no change and they will come on. Other times stationary.

This go me thinking, i wonder if there is a bad earth some where? We have checked all the other areas of the system and all checks out fine.

So this morning I pulled the plastics from the engine bay, had a good look around and cleaned the following earth points :-
Three on right hand side of engine bay
two on inside of engine bay behind left hand head light and in front of the airbox
one on right hand side of engine bay aft of engine fuse box (i think this was installed when previous owner installed spot lights (since removed))
one for the battery negative to engine block on underside of engine

I also removed the air filter box as I wanted to wash the engine bay and its dirty under there. (I didn't have much to do this arvo and find it theraputic)
I did disconnect and remove the bonnet closed sensor, the vertical post with rubber boot that detects the bonnet is closed and reinstalled it.

I did each one one by one, unscrewed the fastener, wet and dry or brass brush clean, wipe clean with shellite, very small smear of DC4 Silicone grease (DOW CORNING® 4 ELECTRICAL INSULATING COMPOUND).
I then reassembled the earth point connection.

I then stopped for lunch, had a break.

I then went out to move it on to the grass to wash and nothing.
All the dash panel lights come on as expected. The fuel pump primes.
I can hear a clicking from the drivers side fuse box area but no start.
I am not able to lock it either.

I then went over every earth point I worked earlier, dissassmbled, cleaned all the DC4 grease off, re-assembled and tried to start - nothing.
I then checked the related fuses and all are intact.

I then put a new battery in the key fob as well.
I also pressed in the top of the sensor on the aft firewall for the engine immobiliser in event of head on incident.

I checked the connection to the starter that I had off yesterday, all is ok there.

What I expected to be a nice steady job for a quiet sunday has all of a sudden become a problem before work on monday.

Some what puzzeled, wont start and cant lock?

Please help!

Thanks
Hay Ewe

PS I have even paid my karma forward giving away a cargo blind!

Ok, sort of closing this thread with a conclusion.

This morning I checked the battery and it was at 12.3V. Seemed good to me and its less that 12months old. Sure it could be a duff battery but remember that I was not able to lock the car or was I event getting a thunk or anything at the starter.

I called my ever helpful LR Mech and we concluded that that the vehicle had immobilized him self.

I then went through the EKA procedure as detailed in the handbook and success, except now I cannot lock him.

My EKA code is letters and numbers where
B= 11
A = 10

It was a bit busy this morning at the specialists and so we shall solve the locking situation another time.

Ekolism - thanks for the suggestion on the battery
Road Stone Jerry - thanks for checking. It is odd. Maybe its a common panel and used on other models or varients?

Hay Ewe