Hello all,

Here's a doozie for you guys!

My wife's daily driver : a 2003 SE-7 auto 4.6 Disco 2.

Twice in the last month, when the weather was around minus 25 Celsius the day after a pretty nice and warm day. (Around minus 5 Celsius). She got in the truck in the morning, started it, let it warm up for 5 minutes, then backed down the driveway to the street. As soon as she turned the steering wheel to turn left in the street, the engine died suddenly. Exact same spot both times. No sputtering or anything suggesting a frozen gas line.

Then she tried starting it again. It cranks, but doesn't start. She tries 2-3 times, but no cigar. Then she turns the key all the way back to get it out, turns it back in, and it starts normally. No error code, no CEL. All back to normal. Battery is brand new, charging voltage was 14.2 V just last week.

I'm away on business for a few days so I can't diagnose, but my initial feeling is the wiring in the steering column, maybe condensation of some sort on the rotary coupler caused by the sudden shift in temperature.

Anybody ever seen this?

Any suggestions?


Thanks guys!
Georges

 

Yeah, this is an interesting one.
I'm thinkimg either the Crank Position Sensor or fuel pump. Typically, you hear when the CPS is on its way out it won't allow the engine to crank cold.

When you return from your trip Scan the ECU for stored codes and let us know what you see.

 

if it is in the rotary coupling it should do the same just by turning the wheel in the driveway.
I don't think it is the CPS because the truck is already running, when this happens.
It could possibly be a fuel pump problem I did have one that would idle just fine, but did not have enough pressure when moving.

 

I've got a dollar on fuel cut out

 

good suggestions so far, I'd just say don't drive on that spot any more. bad juju or somethin'...

 

have her back into the driveway and see if it happens the next time. What will that accomplish? Nothing probably but she will think you are having her do something.

 

^^^^^^ Coffee just went thru the nose!

 

Crankshaft position sensor will absolutely stall a running truck. The odd part is the temperature; more often the CKPS won't allow a truck to start or run when it's warm but it will then start right back up when cold. Still, my money is on CKPS although it could be some fueling problem. Do you when or if the CKPS was last replaced?

 

As far as I know the crank position sensor was never replaced and the truck is nearing 100,000 miles. I'll certainly look into it.

As for avoiding that spot, we would have to move cause that spot is right in front of our driveway! Then I'd lose my garage... not good. At all. :-)

Finally, even before it was suggested, I asked her to do a few tests before going to work this morning :-) like turning the steering wheel before moving (she backs straight down the driveway without having to really turn the wheel) and if it stalls I asked her to turn the wheel both sides from stop to stop, then try to start, then reset the key, then try again. Try to find a pattern...

Anyway thanks for all the suggestions. I'll get it in the garage when I get back and scan for codes with my Hawkeye.

 

Interesting one. Some years ago when the D2 was near new I had a similar strange experience. I had to visit the hospital one night as an emergency and parked right outside near the A&E. When we came to leave the D2 wouldn't open on the fob or key. To cut a long story short, the tow truck guys arrived and said they'd experienced similar in that parking bay before, it's caused by the EMF from the radiography department. Of course I said, yeah right
anyways, they towed the truck along two hundred yards and bingo, it opened on the keyfob and started first hit. Strange but true