Help Defender TD5 Starting problem

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Help Defender TD5 Starting problem

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Help Defender TD5 Starting problem - 7/2/2007 7:21:08 AM

Mitzela

Posts: 1
Joined: 7/2/2007
Status: offline

I am currently in a remote area of Greece 2 hours off-road to the nearest village. My Defender will not start. Battery is in good shape, when I turn the key to position II the normal red lights illuminate, However, none of the amber lights illuminate - no coil light/no engine management light etc, The engine turns over but will not start. All other electrics work fine. Plenty of juice in the battery, This is coming to you via a satellite internet link. Any ideas please.

Gary.

Post #: 1

RE: Help Defender TD5 Starting problem - 7/2/2007 3:57:48 PM

Adz

Posts: 317
Joined: 11/19/2006
Status: offline

Ok - TD5 is a diesel, all you need for it to run is fuel and air.

Lack of air (clogged filter or blockage in induction piping) isn't likely to stop the car completely, just make it run rough and chuck a load of black soot out the exhaust.

Fuel is the candidate you're looking for - if it doesn't even attempt to fire, there's absolutely none getting through - check the lead to the stop solenoid on the injection pump is attached.

If it sounds like its trying to fire but failing to 'catch' then air in the fuel system is more likely, you'll need to bleed it out if this is the case - have you done any maintenance to the car recently, particularly changing the fuel filter?

It might sound obvious, but does the car have an imobiliser? If so, might it be armed/malfunctioning?

Lack of coil light on the dash might be a pointer - it's the preheat or glow plug light on my Tdi, mine will start without preheating but I'm not sure about the TD5 as it's significantly more computer controlled.

Have you tried any other forums? If not I'll relay the question to a few I know of if you like. Let me know how you're doing.

Cheers,

(in reply to Mitzela)

Post #: 2

RE: Help Defender TD5 Starting problem - 7/12/2007 1:21:56 AM

bushtoy

Posts: 6
Joined: 4/25/2007
Status: offline

What year is your TD5??

Check your ECU under the drivers seat. There is a red plug on the right. Disconnect battery then pull the red plug and check for oil in the plug. Normally comes from the 5 yellow wires on the bottom right of the plug. These go to the injectors, and oil somehow works its way down each wire to the plug and then into the ECU, bringing with it traces of copper from the wire. The oil is now an electricity-carrying medium and shorts out your ECU. Mine did the same, but got lucky...just cleaned out the ECU and replaced the harness at the injectors under the cam cover and running fine now. The only way to stop this happening in future is to drill a small hole at the bottom right of the red plug where the injector wires connect so that oil will run out there and not work its way into the ECU.
If it aint that, then as suggested b4, have your immobiliser checked out. Dont think it will be that though cos it would not swing if it was.

(in reply to Adz)

Post #: 3