I posted this to the D1 section, but I figured that I should try my luck here as well.

My '96 Disco has an issue where the engine will turn over, but it will refuse to fire. To fix the issue, I remove the negative terminal from the battery and wait for around 10 seconds and then reattach the terminal, and it starts right up. At first, this would happen every time I tried to start the truck, but I tried resetting the fuel cut-off switch, and I thought that had fixed it. After I reset that switch, I was able to run the truck around 6-7 times without having to reset the computer, and then the issue came back.

Now it does it intermittently. Sometimes it will sit all night and start right up the next day, and sometimes it needs a reset. Sometimes it will start right up while the engine is still warm, sometimes it won't. The occurrence completely baffles me because I haven't been able to find anything like it; and yes, I have the RAVE. My guess using the limited knowledge that I have is that it would be the crankshaft position sensor. I did a quick test, and when it turns over but does not start, there is no spark at all; yet the fuel pump does activate.


A search of the forums and internet alike has yielded zero relevant results, but does anyone have any ideas as to what could cause this? I do have a check engine light, saying that my coolant temperature is incorrect, but I've been monitoring the engine temps for about a week now and nothing is abnormal. Other than that, the truck runs nearly perfect. It doesn't have any leaks, no excessive play in the driveshaft, and it hardly has any rust, so maybe I should take the good with the bad .

 

You seem to have done enough diagnostics to point at the CKP sensor. The reset voodoo dance is really not doing anything, the sensor is just intermit. If you have the older model with distributor there is an igntion amp that can act the same way sometimes.

 

well I don't have a distributor so it wouldn't be that. You're right though, I do believe that the only logical conclusion is the CKP.

 

Did you ever find out the issue? I have this problem as well.