97 Discovery V8 4.0L Manual won't start. :(

Hello all,

I been searching and reading problems people had in the past about their discovery not starting. I just bought my Land rover about 5 days ago. Two days ago it was raining most of the day but I was able to drive normally. At the end of that day I park it, went to bed, and the next morning I went to start and all I got was a loud "click" from the starter. I hear the piston shooting but the engine will not turn. Like a mention I been searching on this forum and similar ones for hours. I check the battery, cables, fuses and everything looks fine. Everything works except the engine. I have read that the motor may be stuck with the bendix gear engaged in the flywheel and by moving the vehicle back and forth in gear it should release it but how common is that or is that even true? Any suggestion is welcome; at this I am willing to try anything that doesn’t involve a tow to the shop. Thank you in advanced

The most simple thing that could be wrong is that the starter solenoid is failing to engage.As a simple test you could try getting an assistant to give the body of the starter solenoid,(the metal bit,not the plastic end cap) a sharp tap with a hammer whilst you turn the key.The difficulty is that the starter is not very easy to get at so you need to plan a safe way to do it first. If it starts the best thing to do is get an exchange starter,if it doesnt then you really ought to get a garage to look at it.I doubt it is an immobiliser issue or you would not get power down to the starter which you are because of the click.

Well I try taping it with a hammer and got nothing. Just the same loud snap, click sound. I even tried moving it forward and back while in gear and it did no good. Is there anything else I can try before trying to get it to the shop. If the starter gets wet would that prevent it from cranking the engine? If so can it be dried up and still work?
Thank You

I went to give it one more try before I call the shop and I turn the key I didn't even hear the starter. Just a click from a relay and the dash lights went really dim. Then I check the battery and I hear some sizzling noise coming from it so I am guessing that the battery may be at fault here or there must be a short circuit. The dome lights come on but when I check on the headlights every dies. I am charging up my booster to try to see if it was the battery or not. I check it with my voltmeter and when I try to turn the engine on or the head lights it kinda goes down to 11.9 volts and goes back up to 12. It may be a bad cell. Or the other 100 things.

Well I was able to get it started after almost three days. Once the day was nice enough. It was working fine for about a week now and today I woke to cloudy and fogy day, the same conditions as the last time when it didn't want to start, and it gave me the same loud click again. I installed a new battery and nothing but the dam click. I know it has to be related to the weather but what can it be???? If it is the started then why only on rainy, humid, fogy days?? Has anyone gone through this? Could this be cause by a relay?

Hi there, I had a similar problem to you with my car (not a land rover Im affraid but never the less) in that occasionally when I turned the key all the lights went out on the dash and got nothing from the engine not even a clunk. I put a new starter on it and it has been working perfectly ever since. I would check all your wiring is ok first to your starter, good earth and all that, but you might have to get a new starter I think.

vision3 said:

I went to give it one more try before I call the shop and I turn the key I didn't even hear the starter. Just a click from a relay and the dash lights went really dim. Then I check the battery and I hear some sizzling noise coming from it

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It sounds like the starter is jammed or shorting out. Remove the starter and clean everything up making sure all the moving parts including the solenoid are free.

Good luck.