Electrical - starting fault/issue (seeking help/advice) - 1996 Defender 110 300TDI

Oliverryan96 · 2024-11-18T16:00:09+0000

Hello Landy Zone,

A new defender owner here with little to no mechanical experience (soon to change for better or worse I imagine....). I've recently bought a 1996 300 TDI which is suffering from some electrical/starting issues so I'm looking for some assistance!

Hoping for some help with the issue I'm facing.

Backstory:

Last week the defender wouldn't start - when ignition was turned it would crank but wouldn't start and the lights and power were working fine, I am very new to mechanics so I resorted to utilising my AA breakdown cover - the man who attended done a number of checks re. the starter motor, battery health/charge, solenoid & others. He was getting rather stumped at what was causing the issue as all checks appeared fine, so I contacted the previous owner to double check there were no hidden immobilisers - they advised they had a similar issue that was linked to a broken/faulty relay. We then swapped the full beam relay into the starter relay and that worked - happy days!

This worked fine for a few days, then when I went to start the Landy a week later and it had the same issue - so I went and bought two new brand new relays from halfords to resolve the issue and replace the existing ones, this again worked for a couple of days. I've now just went to start landy this afternoon and I'm coming into the same issue again now with both of the new relays.

Can anyone assist in what could be causing this issue and a remedy? Its greatly appreciated!!

Anaconda · 2024-11-18T16:33:50+0000

Have you checked its getting fuel when you crank it?
If its the same as a 200tdi there will be a fuel shut off valve on the back of the injection pump with one wire going to it.

miktdish · 2024-11-18T16:59:39+0000

When you say it won't start do you mean it doesnt turn over the engine or that it does turn the engine over, but doesn't fire up ?

Oliverryan96 · 2024-11-18T17:14:55+0000

Anaconda said:
Have you checked its getting fuel when you crank it?
If its the same as a 200tdi there will be a fuel shut off valve on the back of the injection pump with one wire going to it.

Thanks I’ll check for this!

Oliverryan96 · 2024-11-18T17:15:49+0000

miktdish said:
When you say it won't start do you mean it doesnt turn over the engine or that it does turn the engine over, but doesn't fire up ?

So the engine cranks but doesn’t fire up.

Thinking it may be something electrical due to the new relays solving the issue twice but then also breaking again

Hicap phill · 2024-11-18T17:25:44+0000

Is the engine starter relay a 5 pin & lights a 4 pin?

lynall · 2024-11-18T17:52:40+0000

I would say the relay though fixing it, is a red herring covering the real issue.

julianf · 2024-11-18T18:02:09+0000

Have someone sit in the car, and turn the key - not to cranking, but just before.

Whilst they do this, put your ear close to the injection pump. Do you hear a click from the back of the injection pump as they turn the key?

If the engine cranks, it's a fuel or air issue (or lack of compression).

My bet is the stop solenoid on the injection pump not opening properly (ie no fuel).

julianf · 2024-11-18T18:04:03+0000

They can also do a real frustrating thing where they do open, but then, if there's other stuff going on, they can close again when it's cranking.... And then open again when you stop cranking.

Anaconda · 2024-11-18T18:04:06+0000

Oliverryan96 said:
Thanks I’ll check for this!

It needs to be live to let fuel through.
For testing purposes you can get a length of wire from the battery live terminal, or other live, and connect to the shut off valve. Then try starting it, if it starts you have a wire problem for the shut off valve.
You will need to pull the wire off to stop the engine.

Oliverryan96 · 2024-11-18T18:08:36+0000

Oliverryan96 said:
So the engine cranks but doesn’t fire up.

Thinking it may be something electrical due to the new relays solving the issue twice but then also breaking again

Hicap phill said:
Is the engine starter relay a 5 pin & lights a 4 pin?

They old ones were both 4 pin

Oliverryan96 · 2024-11-18T19:04:57+0000

Oliverryan96 said:
Hello Landy Zone,

A new defender owner here with little to no mechanical experience (soon to change for better or worse I imagine....). I've recently bought a 1996 300 TDI which is suffering from some electrical/starting issues so I'm looking for some assistance!

Hoping for some help with the issue I'm facing.

Backstory:

Last week the defender wouldn't start - when ignition was turned it would crank but wouldn't start and the lights and power were working fine, I am very new to mechanics so I resorted to utilising my AA breakdown cover - the man who attended done a number of checks re. the starter motor, battery health/charge, solenoid & others. He was getting rather stumped at what was causing the issue as all checks appeared fine, so I contacted the previous owner to double check there were no hidden immobilisers - they advised they had a similar issue that was linked to a broken/faulty relay. We then swapped the full beam relay into the starter relay and that worked - happy days!

This worked fine for a few days, then when I went to start the Landy a week later and it had the same issue - so I went and bought two new brand new relays from halfords to resolve the issue and replace the existing ones, this again worked for a couple of days. I've now just went to start landy this afternoon and I'm coming into the same issue again now with both of the new relays.

Can anyone assist in what could be causing this issue and a remedy? Its greatly appreciated!!

By way of update - I have gotten a new relay to test if that would allow the Landy to start - with a new relay it has started perfectly fine first time no issues whatsoever.

@julianf is there a chance this would be linked to fuel/air issue you suggested or would it of been unlikely to start at all if this was the case?

Wondering if something is causing the relay to blow at all?

Electrical - starting fault/issue (seeking help/advice) - 1996 Defender 110 300TDI

Oliverryan96

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Anaconda

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miktdish

Guns n Chainsaws

Oliverryan96

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Oliverryan96

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Hicap phill

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lynall

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julianf

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julianf

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Anaconda

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Oliverryan96

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Oliverryan96

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