Hi All

Well a few hard weeks getting settled into the new state (Tasmania) and the Disco didnt miss a beat but was very thirsty on fuel so I decided to give it a birthday. New plugs (bosch) dissie cap, rotor button, leads, coil, fuel filter, air filter and oil change/filter and was running as smooth as a watch. Did a few hundred km's then next morning absolutely no start and it smelled flooded so called Automobile Club....plugs fouled and he mentioned that bosch plugs tended to do this. So fitted a set of NGK and nothing...not even an attempt to fire
The engine is spinning over quickly...no fluids in oil...good spark so its got me stumped so before it get towed I thought I might ask the question amongst the learned people on the forum.
I was starting to love this car....even though it was drinking fuel before the tune up items (makes my M5 look like a Golf Diesel for fuel economy). 106,000km base model no mods, auto

 

I had a similar problem with my 98 disco 1, I had to replace the main relay which was also attach to my fuel pump relay under the hood on the passenger side. I had spark but wasn't getting no power to the pump. Since your getting spark all you need now is gas and air. There should be a little valve like a tire valve to check for fuel pressure. Have you tried reseting the interia switch it is located along the firewall under the hood on the passenger side.

 

the strange thing is I have fuel and spark and the AA guy was at a loss to work out why it wouldnt start. As I mentioned previously it was running perfectly then next morning nothing. There was unburnt fuel on the Bosch plugs and the NGK plugs....WTF?

 

Are you able to check to see if there are some codes stored in the computer. Sounds odd you have spark and fuel and you said it spins but won't crank. Other people have had similar problems and they changed out the crankshaft sensor. From what I've read it either works or it doesn't. I'm not saying this is your problem but it might worth while checking. Also you can jump the inertia switch, maybe somehow it tripped itself during the tune up. It's a quick 5 minute check to rule it out.

 

How did you determine you have fuel?

 

Checked via the valve on fuel rail and wet plugs. I cant find the inertia swich as yet but the Auto Club thinks the oil has washed out of the oil rings as she is spinning over like it has no plugs in it. I am going to squirt some oil into each cylinder to see if that helps.....shops cant even look at it for at least a week and being in the middle of renovations this is a PITA

 

i do not have a dizzy on mine but things to check

check the wiring going to the distributer and the wiring going to the crank sensor, or see if the sensor is loose

how good is the spark strong blue spark? maybe the coil is dying? skipped or broke the timing chain?do these use an ign module for the distributor?

if you have spark and fuel it is a timing issue or the sparks to week or the injectors are dumping wide open all the time

you mentioned it was using way more fuel then normal, check the fuel pressure regulator, pull the vacum hose see if it smells like fuel


either way as soon as this is remidied change the oil so the bearings don't get wiped from the gas in the oil

 

thanks for all your help....have fuel, spark (weak?) changed out the coolant temp sensorso have given up and getting shop to look at it so will let you know what ultimately was the cause...

 

well the local mechanic dropped by and it now appears that it is losing spark or spark strength from the distributor to plugs....I now question how good the mechanics that work for the automobile club breakdown service.

So I know it has new leads, new plugs, new cap, new rotor, new coil, new coolant temp sensor....I just want it running as an M5 isnt exactly a great car to cart building materials in. Has anyone run into the same situation?

 

Well resistance on the wires could be too high, cap or rotor can be **** quality, coil going bad