I have an intermittent starter circuit problem; usual thing, turn the ignition key and all you hear is a click. I at first suspected the starter motor/solenoid and therefore used a meter to look at the low current feed to the solenoid (activated by turning the ignition key). In circuit, the wire failed to exceed a fraction of a volt. Hence, the fault must be earlier in the circuit than that.

I wanted to check the starter relay (that feeds the solenoid) behind the passenger footwell panel. However, all the wiring colours were wrong as compared with the Haynes manual wiring diagram for pre 94 discos (mine is J reg 91/92). I have attached a picture of the relay positions. One thing to notice is that there seems to be two relay positions instead of one as in the diagram. The other is that someone has done a real cowboy job on it by replacing the relays with wires poked in the contacts, completely failing to see why the relays were originally there [ to protect the ignition switch from the damage of arcing current ].

Does anyone have a better wiring diagram as to what connects to where with matching wiring colours ? Is the reason that the relays are missing that the relays can't be obtained anymore ?

 

1. You can get that style of relay in parts stores and pull outs from junk yards, or dismantlers, pretty basic.

2. RAVE has drawings back a few years, but may not have your exact one.

3. If truck was working with this bypassed for some period of time, perhaps there are other places to look. Certainly there would be the small gauge wire leaving the starter, which is the (+) volts to activate the solenoid, which will intenally switch on the starter to the large cable to the battery, about a 300 amp drain for a brief period on the main cable. If you are note getting 12 volts to the solenoid, have to work back from there. Of course, start with clean battery lugs and terminals, and take a peek at the ground bond at the end of the (-) battey terminal cable, straight down on the frame below the radiator. And cables at and near starter. Relays may also have been part of immobilzation, but I can't say for sure. You are correct that using the light duty contacts in the ignition switch to directly control the solenoid would not last forever. You may have to clean up the wiring, and even add your own starter relay.

 

You need to download the RAVE manual, it is the same repair manual the dealership uses, it is free.

So they took the relays out?
Why? They are cheap.
Relay - Multiple Applications (Yellow) (YWB10027L Same Fit As Genuine Part # YWB10027L) - Land Rover connector\relays\flasher from Atlantic British
Relay - Fuel Pump (AFU2913OE Same Fit As Genuine Part # 0 332 014 112) - Land Rover connector\relays\flasher from Atlantic British

 

Also check your frame ground chassis connections for both battery and starter cables to chassis. Corrosion at the ends or in the cables will give you problems.

 

Let's assume for a moment that it turns out to be a burn't out contact in the key ignition rotary switch. I can do a test start by turning the switch to position 2 and then manually flashing the wire at the relay position to +12 volts.

Now having established this, for the long term, I want of course to replace the wire hacking with proper relays. However, is it practical to replace the rotary ignition switch or should I be pragmatic and wire in a separate starter switch as a switched 12 volt start signal to the starter relay (a bit like the very old mini ).

 

People can and do replace the starter switch. In case the RAVE is difficult to download, here's the pages that cover starting, and color code for wires.

The relays in question might be part of starting, or might be part of another sub-group, like ignition and shift interlock. That could explain relation to starting, but colors being wrong per reference guide. The RAVE has photos of location, and connector pin outs, it is possible with Adobe to even do a search for a wire color, like UK, which would be "blue - pink", etc.

 

DLS Independant Landrover Centre in the UK (01629 822 185) has a new ignition switch for 29.95 so there really is no reason not to just replace the rotary ignition switch if that's what you need.