Hey folks!
I'm a new member. I've had my 2000 Disco II for about 2 months now. She has 230,000 miles on her, and she's been trucking right along, until today.

Over the past two weeks, I've noticed some difficult starts. It just seemed that the starting was getting weaker and weaker. Sometimes, I'd have to turn the key to start 3-4 times. Today, it barely started a few times while out shopping, so I decided to take it to Autozone and get a new battery.

Changed the battery, and now it won't even turn at all. I tested both the new and old batteries, and they came back as "good", so it probably wasn't the battery to begin with.

I've read numerous posts regarding this same issue. Tomorrow, I'll head back up to Autozone, and knock the starter with a hammer. But, since I'm not very knowledgeable with working on vehicles, that's probably all I'll be able to do.

I've read posts about replacing crank-shaft-sensors, starters, resetting the alarm, cleaning/tightening the terminals, changing the battery terminals.

If there are some other tests I can perform easily in the Autozone parking lot, let me know. Otherwise, if the hammer doesn't work, I'm going to have to have it towed to the dealer.

Any advice you all can give me would be great. Thanks!!

 

So the lights work, the stereo works but when you try and start it it does nothing?
No click? No nothing?

 

if all the lights come on the dash board and then go off like its starting then make sure the starter relay has power and then jump the relay to eliminate the xyz switch circuit. The ground for the circuit is the bcu. By jumping the relay you can get past the electrical and just isolate the starter circuit

 

Might also try and jump the battery, just to tule out and battery/alternator issues. If it starts, head straight to a parts store and have them do a charging test, should be between 13.6 and 14.4 volts.
If that is all good then, as already mentioned by-pass the relay.
Let us know what you find.
By the way, it is not the crank sensor, which has no control over the starter.

 

The AAA guy came out to tow it, but we tried knocking the starter first while trying to crank it. We were able to get the starter to finally turn after a few knocks, and she cranked right up.

We looked at the starter more closely, and found that the valve cover seal had been leaking oil down into the starter, and it was covered in oil.

Took it to the Land Rover dealer in Cary, NC this morning. We're going to tighten the bolts on the valve covers, degrease the area and watch for leakage.

The starter needs to be replaced. With a rebuilt one, it's going to run $775.00 for parts/labor. Does that sound reasonable?

The rebuilt starter itself was about $3xx.00. A brand new starter would have ran about $7xx.00.

 

No. A starter from AB is $209.95 Not that hard to install. Or you could find a local shop that would probably do it for about $100.

Eric

 

If you can replace it your self, pay to get your truck back from the dealer and do it yourself for $400 to $500 less with the same starter.

 

Thanks for the info!

Unfortunately, it's already ready for pick up. I guess the quick turnaround would be a good indicator that I was getting raped.

I'll have to take one up the rear end this time around, but I'll definitely take your advice on any future repairs.

Thanks for your help!

 

Next time you have issues that you don't want to fix yourself, Discovery Automotive in Cary is a very trustworthy shop, with quick turnaround.

 

For other who need a new starter you can't beat a Denso gear reduction starter from British Starters, http://www.britishstarters.com/Land_Rover.html