Its all good, things I tell myself all the time lol!

I guess I should have explained a bit more about this disco. This is a truck I found in a scrap yard and traded a barn find gyro copter for. The motor was in pieces and a big scratch down the drivers side...other than that it only has 94,000km on it and a lot of surface rust underneath because it had been sitting for a very long time.
I never did have it running. I bought a 98 disco with a decent motor in it for $600. and an ARB front winch bumper for another $400.. was hoping for an easy in and out with the motor but no such luck lol. Anyways I have about $1200. into it thus far and if things do not work out I'll atleast get my money back from scrapping them and selling the bumper.

 

So I have the new timing cover installed and found the problem with the oil line....has a rubber O ring that was preventing the line to seat properly. Took the O ring out and put it onto the line end and in it went no trouble. Feel kinda stupid now lol.

So everything is where it should be engine harness wise and hooked up the battery to try and turn it over and nothing. There is a click under the dash but that's it. Gear selector moves full range but the light stays in third....could that be preventing it from starting? Also has a little red light on in the instrument cluster.

So close and yet still very far...was hoping I'd hear this thing run by now lol.
Does the anti theft system prevent it from turning over? I also installed an aftermarket stereo but I don't think that would affect it from starting?

 

Those green wires are grounds for the fuel injector harness. I just put them on the bolts for the coil so they are contacting metal.

 

Probably not the stereo... I have started mine with the stero removed.

What is the red light doing? Fast or slow flash, or steady? If your alarm is having an issue it should be flashing fast, but also other lights would be flashing and maybe the horn blaring.

The transmission selector switch could be the issue, if it is still showing in gear even though you have it in park. Also, the brake switch, which is next to the selector rod in the console.

I'm at a little bit of a loss because I haven't had that symptom.

 

The red light is steady on...I can disable the alarm with the key fob button and unlock/lock it with no issue. The alarm arms itself when the key locks.

The other issue which makes me think it has something to do with it still being in gear is that I cannot remove the key from the ignition switch unless I disconnect the battery. To me that also indicates that it is somehow stuck in gear even though the lever is in park. And I have no idea where to begin to get it out of gear.

 

I found the problem with the no start/shifter issue...the linkage cable is broken. I got underneath and moved the selector manually with a wrench and put it into park and now it turns over:-)

But it still might be heading to scrap tomorrow as I do not have a cable. And this brings a entire new problem with it. It means that it was towed to my place in 1st gear and not neutral with the rear wheels on the ground.....so maybe the transmission is screwed now?

I scanned the codes and it is coming up with P1668 as the only code...the anti theft system.

 

If the light is steady on I think you're okay. Good find on the cable.

Surely they didn't tow it in first gear. That would be horrible. The zf transmissions are pretty stout but dang. I'd just put it in Park underneath, start it, push the solenoid out of the way on the shifter, use the E brake, put it in gear, and see if it goes. Be sure that e brake is tight so it doesn't roll over you!

 

Yup it was towed on a dolly in gear...I was the one who brought it home. But I had no way of knowing them that the cable was broken...I reached in and moved the selector to neutral and thought it was good to go. I guess tomorrow I'll see if it starts and runs then once I bleed the brakes I'll test the transmission.

I literally picked this truck out of a scrap yard lol so I had no way of know everything that was wrong with it other than it needed a motor, abs pump, and a front bumper. And I have no experience working on land rovers...so its been a learning process as well.

 

Well I have been working on mine for years and I never would have guessed that the shift cable was broken, either, if hats any consolation. Further consolation: zf transmissions are a dime a dozen. Final consolation: I bet it is fine.

 

I hope so...I am not looking forward to accessing those upper bellhousing bolts again lol.

On a good note..it fired right up today, no hesitation or anything...just installed the plug wires and it started right away. Not bad for a motor that's been sitting a few years. But that found a leak in the line going to the tranny cooler that took some creative tinkering to solve.
So tomorrow I'm going to try and install the tranny cable if it fits from my '98 parts truck and see if it goes into gear. Brakes are next and finding out what is causing the transfer care linkage to not move.
That brings on another question....I have read that the 98 model should have a center locking diff?? How can I tell if it does or not?