Is the TD4 different to the K Series? On the K Series the starter relay is triggered from the ignition switch and that earths through the immobiliser - there's no 'feed' from the immobiliser.

You should download the Rave manual and find the wiring diagram. If you study it for a bit it should become clear how all the feeds/earths/fuses are laid out. You need to check all the supplies and earths. Its quite possible that a fuse has now gone and your intermittent problem is still there.
 
Greetings everyone, time for an update. Thanks for all the helpful comments so far. With respect to Grumpy's latest suggestion, it turns out that I had in fact blown the green 20A fuse in the engine compartment fusebox, explaining why I started getting nothing at all when I turned the key, but replacing it did not fix the original problem.

Just before Christmas I was put in touch with a Discovery enthusiast who works locally as a mechanic for John Deere, who agreed to have a look last week. He swapped out all the relays under the hood and tested the battery and alternator; took out the starter, exposed and inspected the brushes and liberally shot a WD40-like cleaner throughout the assembly before re-installing; replaced the clip of the exciter wire with a new one (I may be translating that incorrectly, it's the wire going to the small tab on the outside of the starter); and carried out a number of other checks and tests. In all he spent five hours on it without finding anything concrete. The engine would start more frequently with the key, but still nowhere near reliably. In the end he put in a double tab contact at the starter for the exciter wire and ran a wire from the exciter contact through the firewall and to a momentary button (fuse protected) inside the glovebox under the steering wheel, with a second wire in from the battery. If ever the car won't start with the key I have this button as a back-up.

When I left to go home I had to use the button to start the car, but since then it has started with the key every time.

I wonder if it isn't just the battery after all. The reason it wasn't starting reliably in my friend's garage could be just that the battery was a little drained from all the attempts at starting even though it was still turning the motor over; could be now that I'm driving it and keeping the battery charged it's resisting the load better.

I tried to test the battery's amperage with my multi-meter this morning by attaching the meter in series between the battery and the positive cable (disconnecting the cable from the positive post and attaching my meter so as to make the juice from the battery flow through the meter before reaching the cable) but I got no result when I turned the key so I must have been doing something wrong. I put the cable back on the battery and was able to start the car no problem.

We've been in touch with the president of the local Land-Rover club (whose existence I knew nothing about until now :rolleyes: ) who will be in touch if he can think of anything, and maybe one of you bright sparks will think of something to chase down but for now I'm happy to leave it be until and unless the situation changes somehow.

Thanks again for all your input.
 
Greetings everyone, time for an update. Thanks for all the helpful comments so far. With respect to Grumpy's latest suggestion, it turns out that I had in fact blown the green 20A fuse in the engine compartment fusebox, explaining why I started getting nothing at all when I turned the key, but replacing it did not fix the original problem.

Just before Christmas I was put in touch with a Discovery enthusiast who works locally as a mechanic for John Deere, who agreed to have a look last week. He swapped out all the relays under the hood and tested the battery and alternator; took out the starter, exposed and inspected the brushes and liberally shot a WD40-like cleaner throughout the assembly before re-installing; replaced the clip of the exciter wire with a new one (I may be translating that incorrectly, it's the wire going to the small tab on the outside of the starter); and carried out a number of other checks and tests. In all he spent five hours on it without finding anything concrete. The engine would start more frequently with the key, but still nowhere near reliably. In the end he put in a double tab contact at the starter for the exciter wire and ran a wire from the exciter contact through the firewall and to a momentary button (fuse protected) inside the glovebox under the steering wheel, with a second wire in from the battery. If ever the car won't start with the key I have this button as a back-up.

When I left to go home I had to use the button to start the car, but since then it has started with the key every time.

I wonder if it isn't just the battery after all. The reason it wasn't starting reliably in my friend's garage could be just that the battery was a little drained from all the attempts at starting even though it was still turning the motor over; could be now that I'm driving it and keeping the battery charged it's resisting the load better.

I tried to test the battery's amperage with my multi-meter this morning by attaching the meter in series between the battery and the positive cable (disconnecting the cable from the positive post and attaching my meter so as to make the juice from the battery flow through the meter before reaching the cable) but I got no result when I turned the key so I must have been doing something wrong. I put the cable back on the battery and was able to start the car no problem.

We've been in touch with the president of the local Land-Rover club (whose existence I knew nothing about until now :rolleyes: ) who will be in touch if he can think of anything, and maybe one of you bright sparks will think of something to chase down but for now I'm happy to leave it be until and unless the situation changes somehow.

Thanks again for all your input.

I wouldn't be surprised if you've blown the internal fuse (for current measurement) in your meter as the starter can draw up to a couple of hundred amps (which is why the cables are so thick). I know of no DVM that can do this unless using an external bridge resistor of very high wattage !

ebt...........
 
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I wouldn't be surprised if you've blown the internal fuse (for current measurement) in your meter as the starter can draw up to a couple of hundred amps (which is why the cables are so thick). I know of no DVM that can use this unless using a external bridge resistor !

ebt...........
LOL, was thinking the same but didn't like to say.
 
Fair assumption. I did open it up to look for a fuse but saw nothing untoward (i.e. blackened or melted). The meter appears to remain at least partially functional as I've since tested the battery during output. DCV starts out at 12 or so and drops to between 8 and 10 while starting. From what I've read 8 DCV is low and would indicate a weak battery. Next step is to stop by the garage where I bought this battery a few years ago and see whether they'll test it for me so I can be sure.
 
Too true, yet typical of past behavior I'm afraid -- I have a talent for doing things the hard way. It's just that this doesn't match my expectations (born of limited experience I admit) of what a weak battery acts like. Either a car starts or it doesn't, and it is usually pretty obvious when it's the battery.

It's also true that I've been told both on and off this thread to for the love of Mike GET THE BATTERY CHECKED and I still haven't done it. Too easy I guess.
 
To test amperage draw on a battery you need an amp clamp ... a DVM won't handle that sort of current.

You tale emphasises the importance of checking the basics ... the battery (I always throw a boost pack on no-crank/no-start and crank/no-start vehicles just to be sure), and the powers and grounds.
 
OK, put a new battery it in two days ago, after the old one tested weak at about half its rated amperage on demand. Since then, it has started right up each time.

That said, I've been told that it wasn't the battery, it has to be either the ignition or the starter contacts. Well I guess we'll just have to see because right now it ain't broke so I sure can't fix it. Thanks again for everyone's input, much appreciated.
 
Bad batteries can cause all sorts of weirdnesses to happen. If it works, it works. Happy motoring!
 
Alibro, you can say that again.

BTW read with great interest your recent thread re: your new Freelander. Fantastic work, and good luck keeping it under £500.
 
Thanks but it looks like I boobed and it will go over. :(
I thought I had the brake discs ordered but seems I was being a dumbo. I had ordered everything but the discs so with having to buy a battery too the price is currently around £550.
I probably could have kept it down more if I'd ordered cheaper parts for the service and brakes but that's not my way. The discs are Brembo, pads are Pagid, Shoes are Bearmach and I ordered a spring kit too. Then I got Magnetic Oil and didn't go for the cheapest timing belt kit and water pump either. I could probably have got everything for close to half the price but when the car is so important to us it isn't worth scrimping.
 
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Besides, even at twice as expensive you're still not spending all that much considering what you'll have at the end.

I guess turning the disks was not an option.

ETA: did you replace the brake pistons too?
 
Err, not sure what you mean by pistons, I'm only replacing discs and pads at the moment, if the calipers need a refurb then maybe the pistons will need replaced but I'm hoping not. As for turning them I could have cleaned them up and they probably would have been fine but they are very rusty around the edges, probably worse than normal because the car was sitting unused for three years.
 
I was thinking of the pistons that apply lateral pressure to push the brake pads against the disk, maybe that's not the best term.

Noted for the disks, nothing like new parts for peace of mind.
 
I think I knew what you meant but I didn't answer properly. To be honest replacing the pistons never occurred and I'm hoping a clean up will do.
 

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