Because I'm ready to cut it off with extreme prejudice. Trying to isolate why my 97 Disco will not start after a head gasket job. I am trying to see if I can jump the starter motor directly using the positive connection, but the heat shield is in the way. Being the faithful DIYer I consult RAVE and lo and behold there's a section on removing it. So I grab my funky wrench and remove the O2 sensor on that side and I still can't get the sheild off, but I can reach the + connection on the starter. But then I thought I shouldn't try and start the truck w/o the O2 sensor in. I didn't actually unplug it when I took it off, but thought I should for tightening it back. You can imagine how thrilled I was to find the plug for it inaccessable below the coil pack. So I just pre-twisted the O2 sensor wire (I'm sure that's good for it) the opposite way and reinstalled. Now I'm back where I started. Is it time to concede defeat and have it towed to my local LR mechanic?

 

Isn't that pesky shield held on by a bolt in the middle of the passenger side motor mount?

 

Yes there is a 10MM bolt IIRC that holds it on, it's a pain.. I swear the first time I did a starter it took me more time taking off and putting that thing back on than the rest of the job..


I take it the truck is not cranking since you are checking for power at the starter? Have you first verified you have power at the battery?

 

Yea, I got the bolt out first - it was actually easy. But I can't tell from RAVE if the shield should be able to be taken all the way out or not. It just says "manoeuvre heat shield rearwards and around starter motor". What do you do when you fit a new starter? From the tech section it looks like no.

 

I did not take mine off, just pushed it around once it was free. Seem like at the junk yard (harvesting the starter) I was confronted with same issue.

 

If you took the bolt out just pull on it and back towards the back of the truck. It should pop off if not just rip if off and buy one off a parts guy

The hard part is getting it back up there and lined up with the bolt hole. But before you go taking that off have you tried jumping the battery to make sure you have enough power to turn the starter?

 

I had the battery tested before it went back in and they said it was good. I am getting lights, radio, etc. but it will not crank - no sound or anything, just nothing. The dome lights don't even dim when you try to crank it so it seems the battery has some juice at least. I even tried to jump it with the same result. I thought immobilizer, but the LED comes on when you lock the truck and goes off when you unlock it.

 

Try putting the truck in Neutral...

If that doesnt work clean up the starter ground on the frame first.

Also do another mental check list of everything you did just to make sure you didnt miss anything..

 

Thanks. I tried neutral, but same thing. I did notice that when I tried to start the lights under the gear shift and the led on the mirror went completely out, then back on when I let up. The dash lights did not even flicker nor did the dome. Does that mean something?

 

I would check grounds, It's sounds like it's not sending power to the starter at all when you turn it over? There is also a starter relay... I would read the rave instructions for truck not turning over see if maybe it gives you another clue.

I would also try starting all the random stuff like disconnecting/reconnecting battery, ecu etc and retrying it.

As strange as this sounds I had the same thing happen when I did an engine swap. Then I put in a different matching numbers ECU and it started and ran for a while. Then I left it, got lunch came back and it wouldnt start.... SO I put the original ECU back in and it started again first crank and has ran fine since. I still have not been able to figure out why.