3.5 efi ignition issue

Hi all, first post here.
Got a 1986 3.5 Edi Range Rover which has been sat for about 3 months without starting. Charged the battery ok and gave it a go but it just clicked with no turn over. The starter looked terrible, all rusty and as I had a new one just sitting there I swapped them over thinking that could be it but still no turn over.
Ignition comes on ok, and I can bump start it fine and then it runs great.
So can I eliminate any earth issues? How about alternator? I guess it could be wiring to Starter?
It makes a click when I turn the ignition but it’s hard with just one person to see if this is the solenoid or maybe a relay?

Where should I start to diagnose the problem?

Thanks in advance.

Bro4dsword said:

Hi all, first post here.
Got a 1986 3.5 Edi Range Rover which has been sat for about 3 months without starting. Charged the battery ok and gave it a go but it just clicked with no turn over. The starter looked terrible, all rusty and as I had a new one just sitting there I swapped them over thinking that could be it but still no turn over.
Ignition comes on ok, and I can bump start it fine and then it runs great.
So can I eliminate any earth issues? How about alternator? I guess it could be wiring to Starter?
It makes a click when I turn the ignition but it’s hard with just one person to see if this is the solenoid or maybe a relay?

Where should I start to diagnose the problem?

Thanks in advance.

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It may be that the battery is is fecked, do the dash lights dim or go out when you turn the key to the start position?
Check the battery voltage.
If the battery is OK, then a bad earth engine to chassis, a duff ignition switch, a dodgy relay if there is one in the starter circuit or the feed from the battery to the starter, the wire can corrode away inside the insulation. It will not be the alternator. I have no wiring diagrams for your car so I cannot be more specific.

Thanks for that. I’ll go through each of those. I rebuilt the top end of the engine about 6 years ago and replaced most of the earths but it has been sat semi outside for a while. It had new relays then too, new amplifier (that little bastard gave me run around for ages until I twigged what it was!)

The lights do dim when I try and start it. The battery charged up to 100% on my charger and it said the voltage was 13.3 when it finished.

Is there a way to bridge the wires and bypass the ignition just to test that the starter is working? Like take a feed from the battery direct to the solenoid?

Bro4dsword said:

Thanks for that. I’ll go through each of those. I rebuilt the top end of the engine about 6 years ago and replaced most of the earths but it has been sat semi outside for a while. It had new relays then too, new amplifier (that little bastard gave me run around for ages until I twigged what it was!)

The lights do dim when I try and start it. The battery charged up to 100% on my charger and it said the voltage was 13.3 when it finished.

Is there a way to bridge the wires and bypass the ignition just to test that the starter is working? Like take a feed from the battery direct to the solenoid?

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Yes, you can take a jump lead direct from the battery to the solenoid, and if the starter still doesn't work you can put the jump lead direct to the motor with care in both cases that the jump lead does not short to the body of the motor.

I assume the click u hear is the starter relay so check that the relay has switched voltage to the starter solenoid, is the solenoid engaging to switch voltage to the starter ? and so crank the engine.
13.3v seems ok following a full charge it will settle to around12.8v … depending on how accurate you test meter is.
lights will dim due to the electrical load when cranking, but as soon as the engine starts the alternator takes over so no problem.

Check the switch and starter circuit continuity with multimeter first, remove starter motor and connect to the battery to see if it spins.

Wiring diagrams can be found in another recent 3.5 RRc thread lower down in the on this forum page.

I assuming there’s nothing wrong with the starter as it’s brand new, but I’ll check it anyway. (It made the same clicking noise with the original starter in there)
So if the clicking noise is the relay (which I’ll check when I can grab someone to help) then can I assume there’s an issue between the relay and the solenoid? The relays are all about a year old, and I did swap them around to check.
I have a Haynes manual but my relay box doesn’t really resemble any of the pictures in there.
I think the 1986 efi was a sort of bridge year between the old body style but new injection system so finding info is tricky as I’m never quite sure if it applies.

The solenoid clicks and it has its own issues with its contacts, if u can hear it in side the car, if your still using the original item.
So from ignition switch to the relay I forget at the moment where it was but there was a relay under the bonnet that I removed some times for vehicle a security, although it may have been for the fuelling … is a long while a go.
I have a Haynes manual which has a few wiring diagrams so a bit of a mine field, but I’lll look in my Genuine Parts book as it shows the position of relays better than Haynes

Maybe check the 12v feed via its fuse to the starter relay contacts also.

There is a dirty trick you can do at the starter, get yourself a 2.5mm (minimum size) wire and touch it on the heavy live wire from the battery to the starter and touch it to the trigger wire. This will fire the starter motor up. If not the starter could be buggered.
If it clicks the solenoid the starter itself is pooped, if no click from the solenoid then it's the solenoid that's donejust be sure it's not in gear when you try it

Bro4dsword said:

I think the 1986 efi was a sort of bridge year between the old body style but new injection system so finding info is tricky as I’m never quite sure if it applies.

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EFI was introduced in October '85 for the '86 model year, although SU carbs could still be specified for around another year.
Good luck with your efforts in solving the problem, which I'm sure will turn out to be something basic.

Mark Piercy said:

There is a dirty trick you can do at the starter, get yourself a 2.5mm (minimum size) wire and touch it on the heavy live wire from the battery to the starter and touch it to the trigger wire. This will fire the starter motor up. If not the starter could be buggered.
If it clicks the solenoid the starter itself is pooped, if no click from the solenoid then it's the solenoid that's donejust be sure it's not in gear when you try it

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Corroded solenoid contacts can be added to that, the solenoid will click but pass no power to the motor.

Datatek said:

Corroded solenoid contacts can be added to that, the solenoid will click but pass no power to the motor.

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Very true.

Mark Piercy said:

Very true.

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Had the solenoid issue with my own. Which is a 1986 3.5EFi ZF auto.
Click but no turn over of engine.
Checked on the bench & it just span very gently, one in GWO needs holding down as it will try & dance all over the place!

That said, don't assume the battery is good. Substitute a known good & fully-charged-with-a-battery-charger battery. If it's too big to fit the battery bay connect with good quality jump leads.

Also try connecting your battery earth terminal directly to a good clean metal part of the engine block with a good quality jump lead.
If the engine then turns over it points to an earthing strap issue.

Manual wise, neither the Haynes nor the RAVE disc adequately cover this model. I have both. You need the LR factory manual which is a big thick paper one which I also have.
SRR660ENWM All petrol & diesel models 1986 to 1989. (Includes both VM diesels, but not the 200TDi)
Not cheap, but sometimes used ones turn up on ebay.
I have no idea if some of the download pdf discs on ebay cover it.

There is a Part One and Part Two currently on ebay with that number at £45 each but I don't know what is covered as mine covers all & reading the ad suggests that Part One is petrols & Part Two is diesels. It MIGHT be that Part One is all you need but I'm guessing.
There is also one the same as mine at £62.10 https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/352598604059, they're usually around the £80 mark.

Don't know where you are, I could loan you the factory manual but it weighs 3 kgs & the postage would be expensive !