stalling engin

[elazan]

I've just got the engine of my 2.5 TDI 1996 discovery, overalled.
1. since then I experinced severel times a sudden loss of the engine that stalled.
each time, I had been able to start the engine to run again within a minute or two. but during those two minutes, I had no respnse from the engine.
2. many times, turning the starter switch does nothing. only locking the car and unlocking it a few times, and waiting a little, gives it back the ability to start the engine.
3. using my key to lock or unlock the car, I usually have to be centimeters from the lock in order for it to function (I have new 2032 battary installed).

I'd love to get an advice from experts as to what the couse of these troubles and the cures for them.

[glacierboy]

Get the earthing checked.... It may be that your car is shorting out. The transmission is connected to the engine block (in electrical terms), so when you try and start, it will try to make an earth connection that way.

There is a habit on Disco's more than a few years old for thisd route to fail, at which point the transmission tries to earth through the handbrake.... which causes the engine to fail, and often stalls the car afetr a few hundred meters, if it allows the car to start at all. Be careful, if you try this too much, you'll cause the rubber coating round the handbrake cable to melt (making LOTS of smoke blow out from the cubby box!), leaving the handbrake either stuck on (as I experienced) or off, with next to nothing you can do about it!

What you will probably need is a new handbrake cable (£100 fitted, or so), and an earthing wire fitted between the transmission casimg and the chassis, to enable it to earth for ever.

Should resolve your problems ( I hope). If not, it is something more complex, I'm afraid

[elazan]

thanks for the quick reply.
unfortunatly, I know about trouble due to faulty earthing and it was one of the first I ruled out.

[glacierboy]

Oh ****** me then.... not sure what to suggest I'm afraid. Budgie is always good on the technical stuff....

Sorry its not the earthing of the transmission.... but it can't be TOO technical.... it is a Solihull special, after all.

Good luck!

[Newsreader]

Originally posted by elazan
I've just got the engine of my 2.5 TDI 1996 discovery, overalled.
1. since then I experinced severel times a sudden loss of the engine that stalled.
each time, I had been able to start the engine to run again within a minute or two. but during those two minutes, I had no respnse from the engine.
2. many times, turning the starter switch does nothing. only locking the car and unlocking it a few times, and waiting a little, gives it back the ability to start the engine.
3. using my key to lock or unlock the car, I usually have to be centimeters from the lock in order for it to function (I have new 2032 battary installed).

I'd love to get an advice from experts as to what the couse of these troubles and the cures for them.

I could be completely wrong here (likely!) - it sounds like exactly what happened to my Rover 100 when the ECU failed. Start up, run from cold, warm up, die. Wait a few minutes, temp drops, start up and repeat cycle. Had the ECU replaced and all fine.

I don't know if you have an ECU on that model but if so it may have failed or may need setting up better with the new engine?

On my Defender there is also an ECU in the alarm/locking system, may be connected too?