I have had my 1998 Discovery v8i (3.9) off the road for about a year and a half now, I recently started it but it cut out. I have checked all the usual spark/fuel etc and these all appear to be fine but it now just turns over and doesn't give any sign that she is going to fire up. Does anybody have any ideas or pointers in the right direction to rectify my problem. Cheers!!!

 

Check fuel pressure at tire valve fitting on passenger side fuel rail, 32-34 PSI expected. Mud chiggers in the pump.

Check for spark with a spare plug and one of your spark plug wires - could be ignition amplifier.

 

Thanks for taking time out to read my thread and replying I have checked the pressure only by my own judgement but it does appear to be a reasonable pressure coming out. I previously checked the spark on all the plugs and they were all good, I am unsure if it could be a sensor or something to do with the automatic choke?? does any of these problems seem likely.

 

My 97 is a 4.0, so not sure where you are with a 3.9 in a 98. Good spark confirms that CKP sensor is working, if your model does not have a distributor with spark plug wires in front of the engine. The GEMS engines have a coil pack at the rear of the engine, before that there was a distributor in front (no crank position sensor) with an ignition amplifier module. But if you have spark it may be time to look elsewhere.

Don't believe there is an automatic choke as with old carb systems.

You can use a tire gauge to check pressure.

The ECU controls the fuel injection, and a positive voltage is applied to all injectors via the wiring harness. The ECU applies grounds to make injectors squirt fuel. So you could have a bad fuse (fuse 20 under hood on the MFI injection system, or fuse 7 for the NAS sequential injection). This would mean no fuel.

There are relays that switch this voltage on the injectors, one could be bad. The RAVE manual shows wiring diagrams and photos of locations.

Attached is a short booklet from Rover on their fuel injection systems, with pictures and values for the various sensors.

 

Savannah I really appreciate the time you have took out to give me all this advice, I have managed to rectify the faults.
The main fault as you rightly said was the distributer. The rotor arm had excessive movement which was knocking off the ignition timing. I removed the distributer to find a retaining spring had came off. Simply put it back on a re-assembled, the car burst into life ran for a while then cut out. This other fault is an intermittent fault with the pump so fitted another pump and all is good.
Thanks again for your time and knowledge,

 

Where are you with a 98 3.9 and distributor?

 

The discovery was originally situated at Guernsey one of the uk channel islands, so i am unsure why there are a few different parts fitted to this one. It is a land rover discovery v8i XS.

 

Thanks, that makes more sense now. Glad you got it purring again.