An expensive morning!

Took the Disco in for a new centre section exhaust this morning, should have been routine. However, the car stalled at some traffic lights in the town centre and would not re-start, after several attempts it finally turned over and started but the handbrake then went wrong, the lever sprang up and wouldn't lock down. Limped into the garage assuming I had jammed it etc.

They did the exhaust and replaced the battery which I assumed to be the cause as it has been struggling to turn the engine over in recent days. Then they stripped the handbrake thinking the cable had gone. Just got a call from them saying the starter motor was knackered hence it not starting, I was surprised and asked them to double check. Then they called back to say that the problem was actually a bad earth and the car was earthing via the handbrake cable which had melted!

They are not LR specialists and the bill is rising (exhaust, battery, handbrake cable lots of labour and maybe a new starter). Does this earth issue sound plausible??

Andy

Reply to
Andy
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Yes. Same thing happened on my Disco II 4.0, I thought the battery was starting to "go off", then one day it wouldn't start so I put the jump leads on it and promptly melted the handbrake cable when I tried to turn it over! The culprit was the engine earth lead going to the front drivers side of the timing cover - it looked perfectly clean with no corrosion, but on reassembly I moved it to a more convenient bolt higher up the timing cover and I now check it every oil change!! Badger.

Reply to
Badger

It's practically routine! Checking the earth (using a jump lead from battery -ve to the block) should be done as soon as starting problems occur, particularly on V8's. If it's not too late, get them to try the jump lead thing - there's a good chance the starter motor is actually ok, but not being LR types they may well not be aware of the fault.

Richard

Reply to
beamendsltd

Hi Andy,

This is a know problem. Had it on my 90 about a year ago - very sluggish starting but luckily no molten handbrake cable. Cleaned up the earth strap and the starting was transformed.

The handbrake cable has melted as it was trying to carry the starting current..... Probable that you did not need a new battery.

RichardB

Reply to
RichardB

"beamendsltd" wrote >

I was wondering if it's worth bolting on an earthing strap between the starter motor bolts and the battery earth connection (which is obviously causing problems) so that there is a proper circuit.

Reply to
Bob Hobden

Well, I've certainly heard of it a few times before.

Reply to
Tim Hobbs

Who is it matey?

Reply to
Nige

Drive-In at Shipley! (I know, I know....)

Only went there for the cheap exhaust! Will ask them to put the original battery back on and hopefully won't need a starter.

Reply to
Andy

On my 90 I have an additional strap from battery to gearbox and gearbox to engine block. No further problems.

As has been said it is worth checking connectivity regularly. Also worth checking for corrosion on the starter motor terminals.

RichardB

Reply to
RichardB

I think the battery earth goes to the gearbox already if I remember correctly so I'll fit another from the engine block to there and see if it helps with the sluggish starting. Starter motor was new a year ago, fitted after my 90 was stolen and starter removed, never been the same instant start since.

Reply to
Bob Hobden

My Dad used to swear by them matey!! Sounds like your problem has been found, the starter will be fine i reckon.

Reply to
Nige

Nige uttered summat worrerz funny about:

On the bright side they do sound rather honest.... how refreshing for a Garage, maybe I'm just synical, I seem to be getting some good service in recent times too.

Lee

Reply to
Dr_D

Wow. I have my V8 110 booked in on Monday for starter replacement and i aslo noticed that my handbrake does not really do that much last few days. Can it be the same problem...

Please tell me, how do you "try the jump lead thing"?

Thank you

beamendsltd wrote:

Reply to
Lev

Lev uttered summat worrerz funny about:

Lead on the neg "-" terminal and other end on the engine somewhere solid such as the lift hooks.

Basically making a sound connection where currently (pardon the pun) the existing one may be poor.

Lee D

Reply to
Dr_D

Just a thought, but if the engine earth is knackered, it won't be charging too well either.

Reply to
rookthorn

Andy Hi,

it is a problem which has happened before on people I know.

Main reason for something like that happening is the main earth cable connection to the chassis oxidising.

So it does not appear to be just a trick from their side to rob your hard earned.

Take care Pantelis

Reply to
Pantelis Giamarellos

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