It's been a while since I've been active on the forum, but I need some help. I just buttoned everything up after replacing the head gaskets, went to turn the key, and nothing. There isn't any power at all. The interior lights don't turn but the clock will flicker. The UltraGauge will turn on briefly but then turn off. The battery is brand new and I was confident that I reconnected everything but clearly I could be wrong. One thing I wasn't sure of was with the negative battery cable. The terminal on mine was corroded so I replaced the cable. It is grounded to the block like the original but does not have the center bracket to attach it to the mount between the battery tray and fuse box. Is this connection required? I thought it was just a mount but maybe it's an additional ground? And just to confirm, where are the connection points for the two small wires at the back of the engine? I can hear a very faint click from the fuse box when the key is turned but that is the only indication. It's driving me crazy...I'm mechanically minded, but I'm horrible with the electrical side. Thoughts??

 

I don't think would explain complete electrical black out, but did you reconnect the flat braided ground cable from the head to the firewall?

 

Are you talking about the two small cable coming off the engine harness behind each head? Those are what I was talking about when I wanted to confirm where they are connected. But yes, they are attached.

 

I think I know the part of the negative cable you are talking about and yes I do believe it is necessary. The negative battery cable supplies ground to the fuse box, SLS and other systems at that point.

Is it this point in the picture below?
If so you can see from the picture that the ground is jumped to the ground post at that point and goes off to various other systems.

 

Try cleaning your old cable up and putting it back on with the center connection to see if it helps.
and the braided cable that abran mentioned connects to the back of the head on the drivers side and connects to a stud coming out of the firewall right behind the head. The braided cable is flat and about an inch wide and 6 or 8 inches long.

 

Okay, I'm an idiot. I made a new cable to jump between the battery and he ground post next to the fuse box. Go figure, now it cranks strong. It would've been too easy if that took care of everything. It'll crank but I don't have spark or fuel. I have gone over everything, double checking at every point and the only thing I can come up with is the crank position sensor. I had a buddy that works in a garage over here come by and take a look and he thought the same thing. Other than the CPS, is there something I'm missing that could prevent both spark and fuel?

 

Are you sure there is no spark, do you have a spark tester? That little thing that has a half circle cut out you lay on the wires?

 

100% sure there is no spark. My buddy brought over his testing equipment. I was actually able to pick up a CPS from my local autozone...it's a duralast but the part number matches the Bosch part number. Not bad for $55. Unfortunately I won't be able to to see if this is the fix since I'm getting ready to go TDY for a week and a half.

 

If you have no spark then:

-check to make sure that you got the Crank position sensor plugged in all the way.

-make sure you got the plugs for the coils plugged in all the way

-Check the inertia switch to make sure it hasn't popped up.

-Check that all the grounds are on correctly.

 

Inertia Switch kills both.

I reset one on a newer LR that my younger brother bought for $1000. Didn't run, so he had it towed to his house. When I was on a Harley ride to Washington, we stopped and visited him. He'd had multiple mechanics out there over the past few months and all told him it was the ECU, Coil, Heads, etc, etc...

I pressed the switch, and started the truck. He was flabbergasted and frustrated with his mechanics. Shortly after, he sold it for a nice profit.