Hi all, I have a 1995 Disco, 3.9l with 95k km's and today for whatever reason she won't turn over. Its like the neutral switch or (?) has engaged or something. Everything has full power, lights, heater etc, but she just won't crank. But before I go taking the console out and all that for the neutral switch, I was curious if there were some troubleshooting tests I could do first. Just keep in mind that electrical is not my strong suit, decent with mechanics though

Thank in advance.

 

So you turn the key and nothing happens?
No click, nothing?

First trying starting it in neutral.
Then take and put it back in park and pop the trim piece off of the gear shift **** and tighten the nut in there, then try and start it.

 

Hi, thanks for the response. I tried what you said and it was loose as a goose, but tightening had no effect.

When I turn the key, all the pumps etc initialize but thats where it stops. Its like when you turn the key to start without actually starting it. So no click or rrrrr nothing.
I know that the battery is fine and there has been no issues previously with starting other than yesterday when it did the same thing so I jammed the gear shift and wiggled the wheel and then it started. Figured the gear wasn't in park all the way sort of thing...

 

Next I would look into your battery cables being corroded at the starter.
It might be a good idea just to replace them.

 

OK, I'll take a look. Thanks

 

Do you have an alarm that will shut down the starter if armed and not turned off correctly?

 

Hey Chris-Bob, I'm actually waiting for shipment of my new starter as when I was taking the old one out the post busted off the solenoid because of the nut being corroded.

The cable from battery to starter was not in the greatest of shape as Spike pointed out. So I'll get that stuff changed out as soon as I receive the new starter. But I will be surprised if that was the issue, cause as I said before, its like the starter has no ground or has been disabled. The only alarm on my disco is the stock Land Rover one.

Cheers

 

If the ground connection was corroded severely, that was the most likely culprit. A high resistance ground is about the same as no ground.

I had the same issue with my 97 Discovery until I replaced the battery ground cable competely and reterminated the starter ground. I cut off the existing terminal, stripped the end of the cable, crimped on a new terminal and mounted it to a new location on the side of the frame member. I took a deburring tool and abraded the frame to raw metal surface, drilled a pilot hole and mounted the new terminal using a large self drilling bolt directly into the side of the frame.

My replacement starter is sitting on the shelf in my garage, as I had purchased one from a lcal salvage yard before I found the corroded terminals.

 

Hey guy I need guidance. I just had a major tune-up and my car was running great. I went to change out the master brake cylinder. I started the car it was idling fine and while i was bleeding the brakes. it just started to die and then it was hard to restart. when i could get it started it would just start to die again. now it will not start.