Please help! Freelander Td4

Hi all, I've been searching the net for some time now but can't find the answers on my own so I hope you could help me out...

I've got a Freelander Td4 04reg which I have bought few months ago. It had few issues from start but I have sorted most of them out, like changing prop shaft bearings, rear diff mounts, new brakes and so on.... I've changed the oil, all filters, breather and etc. as soon as I've bought it because it seemed to be a bit neglected and it was always running fine, in just over 3 months I've done nearly 12000 miles and was well happy with it until one day it just refused to start!

One or two days before that I've noticed that it took just a little bit longer to start than usual, and then one day I've jumped in to go to work, twisted the key and it just didn't start. It was spinning fast (even a bit faster than usual if anything) but it would not even try to fire. The battery was fine, showed 13.4v after quite a few long tries, it just seemed as if there was no fuel delivered to the engine. I've got my mate to give me a bit of a push (there was a slight downhill) and it fired up with engine running as normal with no changes to performance or anything...

I had it running for some time to warm it up, switched engine off tried to start it - same thing, doesn't even try to start. left it there for a day to cool the engine off, tried again - no chance, gave it a push - fired up straight away.

I took it to my mate who is an ex mechanic and a bit of a diy enthusiast to scan it for faults and found a fault which just said ''1620 security'', I have surfed the net trying to find what it means but just couldn't...

I was suspecting it was low pressure fuel pump under the wheel arch because I have had similar problem with my e46 bmw so was expecting it to show up on live data but it was around 360psi and that seems to be more than enough. it didn't seem to drop while depressing the accelerator sharply as it used to on the bmw so I had to rule that out.

I've gone through ''Rave'' an tried searching the net but couldn't find any info on what normal operating values of low/high pressure fuel pumps should be or anything in that matter so I was hoping someone here could help me interpret them:




Then I was digging around the engine bay trying to find something obvious like damaged cable or a vacuum hose and foud that:



It looks exactly like a set of cables that go to the rail pressure sensor but it was cut lean off and was covered with a bit of cheap electrical tape

the other thing I found was that:



this little filter was just hanging freely behind the engine and I have not yet identified where it is coming from and what should it be connected to

If you could possibly help me to interpret the live data readings or give me an idea of what those cables and/or that filter is I would really appreciate it as at the moment I am completely lost...

Hi.
Firstly...... The filter - It is connected correctly - this is the vaccum filter and SHOULD be left open at one end..
The wires.... I would look to see if the cut off wires (not the ones connected at the fuel rail) go to the harness junction which is covered with a plastic shield slightly above and to the off side of the starter motor at the front of the engine - it looks like there may have been a wiring fault at some point, and the existing look have been left in place - or another engine fitted and the wiring not replaced, but fitted without removing the old....
the startiing problem and the error code..... I wouldn't be surprised if the immobiliser or the transponder in the key has gone faulty... have you got another key for the car???? did you by any chance swap keys about a week or so ago????

I have got another key, but haven't used it before the problem apeared. I have thought it might be the case and tried to start it with another key and it worked! I thought that's the end of it but just to make sure I tried the original key to confirm it was faulty and to my surprise it worked as well. I took it for a spin, stopped and started it 10-15 times, seemed to take a bit longer to start than it used to but it was working. Until I've gone to the shop to get some bits and it happened again. Called my missus to bring the spare key to try it again - no chance. Had to pull it to start. None of the keys worked since.
The thing is though, if it was the immobiliser fault I believe I wouldn't be able to push start it either. Otherwise it wouldn't be a very good imobiliser would it?

My key died... and would only start on one key, or from a bump start.... it was strange.... almost like the immobiliser only took the starter motor out.
if you have a friend with the software / cable - ask him to see if he can check the keys and immobiliser status.
on closer inspection of your photo with the wire... it looks like it is routed directly into the ECU housing and not via the main engine loom.
several things to look for 'm afraid. and looking at the wiring loom repair... you would need to check each connector is fitted correctly. unplug the MAF sensor too and see if that helps you start up better.... (sounds stupid... but it may get you sorted) - if you do find the MAF sesor being unplugged sorts out your issue.... ONLY get a BOSCH sensor if not a bosch.. do NOT buy a cheap 25 quid unit of eBay - they are garbage and will fail within weeks - if it works at all.

Cheers mate, will give it a go.

Shame you aren't closer... I would love to assist.

{edit} - It looks like your steel coolant pipe will be leaking soon pal.. - just double check it.... it looks badly corroded from the pic.

(look at my threads and you will see the challenge I have - of my own)

The wiring is the old fuel sensor wire they fail sometimes and a new version is fitted ie the green plug, the wiring should go to the ECU so I doubt it would be that, is this happing from cold or warm, as sometimes the cam sensor can give trouble or the crank sensor, how doe's the starter motor sound ? changed the contacts on mine recently and a few other members on their R75 M47 engines, when you changed the filters did you change the fuel filter ?

here is the engine manual for the BMW M47 engine quite a good informative manual

That is a superb download! Im a sad anorak when it comes to engine/tech manuals!
Very good descriptions of the system operations.
Just wonder how many LR techs have read it!
Mark