85Santana3

Active Member

• May 23, 2020

• #1

Hi everybody
My landy won't start. Here are the symptoms:
1. I turn the switch lights in the dash comes up
2. there are no clicks or any other sounds just like battery is loose or ground/earth is not connected
3. I tried tightning the battery heads (did not help)
4. battery is charged and starter and alterntors were changed 3 months ago
5. fuses are ok.

The fact that there is no sound at all not even a click should give a hint but what?
Where is the ground in this truck I have been searching for it and can't find anything.
How do you know if your earth is working or not?
Any halp is greatly appreciated.
thnx

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 23, 2020

• #2

Check the small wire that goes to the starter soleniod from the ignition switch, I think it might be white and red. If thats not connected or broken thats a problem.

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 23, 2020

• #3

Thank for the reply Joe. Where can the ground wire be? (how should it look like?) Probably this sounds like a dumb question but I really can't figure out what the last mechanic has done when installing the new alternator.

 

Last edited: May 23, 2020

tottot

Well-Known Member

• May 23, 2020

• #4

Just follow the negative line from the battery to find the main earth. There will be another earth line from chassis to engine/gearbox. On my 2a it was near the n/s engine mount. No guaranty where such things are on old trucks that have been worked on. Go with Joe's suggestion, common issue.

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #5

OK, we solved the problem of stasrting (wiring to the key and the key thing itself as weel as a lot of wiring inside the dashboard are changed) but now there is another related problem. The car heats up. The gauge shows right at the border of red all the time. Something is not getting powered. I recall on the last drive before the car wouldn't start this problem existed. The fan rotates what else can it be?
thanks in advance

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #6

85Santana3 said:

OK, we solved the problem of stasrting (wiring to the key and the key thing itself as weel as a lot of wiring inside the dashboard are changed) but now there is another related problem. The car heats up. The gauge shows right at the border of red all the time. Something is not getting powered. I recall on the last drive before the car wouldn't start this problem existed. The fan rotates what else can it be?
thanks in advance

Click to expand...

Make sure the temp gauge is powered from the voltage stabilizer and not direct from the loom.

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #7

Rodeo Joe said:

Make sure the temp gauge is powered from the voltage stabilizer and not direct from the loom.

Click to expand...

Thanks Joe. We did not change it. It is as it has always been so why is it showing too hot now? Also what do you mean by direct from the loom?

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #8

85Santana3 said:

Thanks Joe. We did not change it. It is as it has always been so why is it showing too hot now? Also what do you mean by direct from the loom?

Click to expand...

I just meant not from a 12v supply from the battery, the stabilizer lowers the voltage a bit so the gauge reads accurately.

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #9

But however it was connected before it is still the same way connected. I willl look into that none the less.
Is there somethign else (electrical) that could be disconneted and resulting in high temp?

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #10

85Santana3 said:

Thanks Joe. We did not change it. It is as it has always been so why is it showing too hot now? Also what do you mean by direct from the loom?

Click to expand...

I am having a lot of trouble getting my gauge to stop shooting straight to the red.......its not overheating it seems the sender and gauge are not compatable. But mine has an engine change.
If you're worried about overheating get one of those cheap infra red themp. guns off tinternet and check it out. Very useful thing to have, especially at the moment.

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #11

Did the gauge work correctly before you rewired bits of it?

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #12

that's a very good idea, however what temperature should it read at the engine (37.5 ?

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #13

Rodeo Joe said:

Did the gauge work correctly before you rewired bits of it?

Click to expand...

The last drive I had before car not starting I noticed temperature was too high bordering red.

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #14

85Santana3 said:

that's a very good idea, however what temperature should it read at the engine (37.5 ?

Click to expand...

Well mine doesn't seem to get above about 75deg anywhere except the exhaust manifold.

 

R

Rodeo Joe

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #15

By the way does the fuel gauge work ok, if not the stabilizer is probably faulty.

 

85Santana3

Active Member

• May 27, 2020

• #16

I imagined engne getting a lot harder than that. Thanks for the info.
So there are no other pumps or anything anywhere else to help cool that could be not getting powered? There must be a water pump somewhere (if it is electrical) may be it is that not working ?

 

wireman

Well-Known Member

• May 27, 2020

• #17

The water pump is bolted to the engine block and is powered by the fan belt, its the pully directly behind the fan. If the water pump isn't working the engine will overheat very quickly. How hot does your top hose and bottom hose feel, when the temp gauge reads 'red'? Your radiator could be blocked if both hoses are very hot.