Our 1998 land Rover Discovery refuses to start after we have run it for awhile, if we let it sit for a 1/2 hour she starts right up. There is no sign of over heating, when we turn the key the ignition lights come on but the starter does not engage. Is theresome kind of sensor issue that needs attention? Thanks for any help.

 

Have you reset the inerita switch on the passenger fire wall? Try that first, how about your starter, does it make any noise, like a click?

 

Thanks for getting back to me, just a couple of notes to add. The starterdoes not engage at all (we know the bad starter clicking you are referring to and then tap it to get it to work repair). All the lights on the vehicle work so it's not the battery. I googled the inertia switch reset and got the impression that it shuts off the fuel pump but not the starter. It mentioned the spiderunit for the problem we are having, do you have any thoughts on this as you appear to be very knowlegable. http://en.allexperts.com/q/Land-Rove...ed-inertia.htm

Thanks for your help

 

I have not had to deal with the spider unit, but have heard it can cause this type of grief. Not sure how to test and verify before spending the money.
Let me know what the end result is.

 

Hi, I bought my 98 Disco with similar issue. It was the fuel pump which can be very pricey but not always. It has an AC/Delco pump in the assy. The pump runs around 82usd and another 10 or so for new hoses that have most likely become fragile and leaky due to crystallization. Getting to the pump is not bad. Seems that Rover builds them with owner wrenching in mind. Under carpet in back is a hatch with usually rusted screws. Once you get the hatch off the whole assy comes up through it. For testing fuel pressure there is a port looks like a tire valve on the injector rail. With key on you should see 36psi and be able to hear the fuel pump running. A solid whir is how it should sound. Once pressure is sensed where it should be you hear a clunk from passenger side foot area that is saying, "I'm ready to start." Mine is Left side driver so I mean the footwell on right side of vehicle. Hope this helps, my symptoms were it always started cold but once warmed up would buck and nearly stall. It wouldn't start when hot and fuel pressure at the valve on rail was about 20psi not 36psi as necessary to keep fuel level in engine high enough to run right. I've now had my bleu beastie over 3 years and it has pretty much been a champ. Only once left stranded due to no fuel. When you feed the wires back into tank take care to put in same place they were initially otherwise a wire will crush and short out, In my case it was fuel gauge. Good luck with the most comfortable solid 4x4 made.