Thread: ECU dead after head repair

Use a Nanocom or other Land Rover specific diagnosis tool.
Where precisely are you, there's probably someone close by with a Nanocom, prepared to help.

It's pretty common to have a hard start after doing work where the fuel system is emptied.
There is a procedure to prime the injection which calls for turning ignition on then put accelerator to floor five times.
You may have to do this several times before it will start.
Unlikely that the ECU is crook if the fuel pump activates.
Regards PhilipA

.

I'd check the plug for oil. Mine gets heaps, it's never caused a problem though.

X2 - find a local with a nanocom

Originally Posted by Seagoat

I've recently bought a 2002 Disco 2 TD5 and have had the head + upper gaskets replaced. Before we did the work the car was drivable and the engine sounded great. When it was all put back together the car wouldn't start. All the electrics work, and the engine turns over by hand cranking. The starter motor works and the fuel pump activates and there is fuel in the vehicle. At this point my Land Rover mechanic who didn't have any diagnostic equipment, got sick with the flu quite badly, so I put the car on a trailer and moved it over to a "reputable" diesel workshop here on the North Coast of NSW so they could put the vehicle on their diagnostic equipment to pinpoint the problem. When I spoke to them at the end of the appointed day, they said that the ECU wasn't registering on their equipment at all, and they had spent 1.5 hours on the car trying to source the problem and were unwilling put any more time into it (Really??!!!!). Can anyone help me troubleshoot this problem ? It's been suggested that I should clean the contacts on the red plug power input into the ECU, on the firewall behind the battery as it sometimes gets fouled with oil. And check the under bonnet fuses, is there dedicated fuse for the ECU? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

While not impossible, it's unlikely that the ECU chose to go belly up.
The "reputable diesel workshop" may only have diagnostic gear that doesn't speak Land Rover so it's no wonder they can't see the ECU.

After doing all the work it's very likely that the fuel system is full of air. To purge it make good and sure that you battery is in top condition and fully charged. Turn the ignition on and pump the throttle five times right to the floor in quick succession. The MIL should start flashing. Let it do its stuff until it stops (a few minutes) and put the pedal to the metal and try and start it - no more than 20 seconds at a time. Still no go ? Rinse and repeat. When I did my FPR it took three cycles before it stuttered into life.
The purge procedure WILL flatten your battery so best to have another on standby...

Originally Posted by Markf

While not impossible, it's unlikely that the ECU chose to go belly up.
The "reputable diesel workshop" may only have diagnostic gear that doesn't speak Land Rover so it's no wonder they can't see the ECU.

After doing all the work it's very likely that the fuel system is full of air. To purge it make good and sure that you battery is in top condition and fully charged. Turn the ignition on and pump the throttle five times right to the floor in quick succession. The MIL should start flashing. Let it do its stuff until it stops (a few minutes) and put the pedal to the metal and try and start it - no more than 20 seconds at a time. Still no go ? Rinse and repeat. When I did my FPR it took three cycles before it stuttered into life.
The purge procedure WILL flatten your battery so best to have another on standby...

As above, what he said...

and... as it starts to stumble and start bring the throttle up half way, there should be lots of white smoke.

+1 for the 5 throttle purge trick described above, if it works with flashing MIL the ECU is probably OK... you must hear intermittent hissing sound around the FPR if the pump works OK... also measure the voltage on the battery while cranking, if it drops below 10.5V it will hardly start, you need serious power to start a Td5... if it's manual insist with a tow start cos in some cases that's the cure though if the ECU red plug is full of oil you need a new injector loom too

Originally Posted by V8Ian

Use a Nanocom or other Land Rover specific diagnosis tool.
Where precisely are you, there's probably someone close by with a Nanocom, prepared to help.

I'm in northern NSW, Byron Bay.

Hoping to organising a group of local D2 owners to collectively buy a shared Nanocom. If the ECU is dead, there's nothing to read.