Diesel woes

What happens when you don't move your vehicle?

It doesn't start. Naturally. Especially when it is a cantankerous 3.5 diesel.

Anyway we got some great advice from LRUK so set about sorting the filter first and then bleeding the system.

Old filter


New filter


When we changed the filter, emptied and cleaned the sedimenter, the fuel was clean. Then we bled the system. Didn't work. Still wouldn't start.

Sedimenter


The lift pump was not pumping. At all. This then became the main suspect. Had a look round on internet for prices. Some cheap, some dear.

Lift pump


Still wasn't convinced it was the lift pump though, but couldn't work out what it was.

Went into the back of the vehicle and took off the cover plates over the fuel tank. Checked all the pipes were clear, they weren't gunged up and then re-tightened all the jubilee clips. The fuel in the tank was clean.

Access plates to fuel tank in back body


Electrical connections and pipework


Pipe feeds, note the clips in the metal frame -
exactly the same as on our Series


Then we followed the pipework through, checking there were no breaks, there was no intermediate filter on the chassis that could have been blocked. Everything seemed in good order. Had another go at bleeding just for luck, but still no joy.

We wanted to get it moved so in the end we got one of the local garages to come and have a look. They walked down but they couldn't get it started either, so towed it back to the garage.

How embarrassing.
Small van tows giant Land Rover Santana


How many guys does it take to push a 3.5 truck?


Fast forward to the solution. The fuel system was in order, no problems with lift pump or injector pump. As we knew, the fuel was clean - there was no obvious pipe blockage or build-up of gunge. The nasty diesel bug didn't seem to have taken up residence either.

So according to the mechanic, the problem was a faulty cable that ran from the ignition to the injector pump. It had no voltage on it. So they replaced it.

And she happily started so we drove her away.

But the next day, would she start? Not without Easy Start. Although only a very tiny spray. Of course, she does start when she's been warmed up. So naturally when we had picked her up from the garage she had started good as gold as they had driven her out onto the street - she was still warm. Don't know how they had started her though..Easy Start?

At the time, we had pointed out the glow plug light was not working, but the mechanic said not to worry about it.

Should glow red - doesn't


So now apart from anything else we have to screw back the dashboard which the garage didn't bother putting back. And then we have to work out whether there is a loose cable, a loose connection, a cable totally pulled off, or a blown fuse.

Then when we have gone through all that we will be checking the glow plugs.

Glow plugs and injectors


A serious big thanks to all the guys on LRUK Series Forum who have put up with our inane questions and patiently answered them all.

When it stops raining we'll be tackling it. Sometime after Christmas probably, given the three days continuous rain we have had.