VN won't start

[outofplaceVN]

Hi all, Another VN that won't start -( yes I've read the other threads).

It's a VN series 1, 3800 engine ...in a series 3 Land Rover which is wired into the Landy dash, so I don't have an engine warning light for codes.

The car started straight away and ran fine for the past 2.5 years I've been working on this project car (bought the Landy with the conversion and mod plate already done). 2 days before roadworthy was booked it was getting hard to start. It ran fine once running, but sometimes be hard to start after the engine was up to temp.

The things I've replaced trying to sort this issue:
- spark plugs
-fuel pressure regulator (old one leaked)
- upgraded coil pack / dfi to a s2
(Car ran beautifully once after coil upgrade then never started again)
- fuel filter
- new battery
- crank angle sensor

The old crank angle sensor bolts weren't even finger tight, so for sure thought crank angle sensor was the issue. Installed the new one today
...still no firing

I don't think there's a separate fuse for the ignition that I know of.... I spent months fixing / replacing wiring in the thing (started and ran fine after electrics were done). It all seems to run through the Landy's 4 fuses..

Am I up to trying another ecu? Is there a way I can check with a multimeter? The spark leads look fine although I haven't replaced them yet, but it's not even firing once now ..turns over fast and normal sounding.

 

[Immortality]

I'd start by wiring in a engine check light and seeing what it says.

Checked for spark? You can use an induction style timing light. You can remove all the coils and put a test light across each set of output terminals on the DFI module and they should flash as you crank the motor.

Have you checked for power (+12 volts) at the DFI module plug?

Checked fuel pressure? Sure the fuel pump is priming with key on?

 

[outofplaceVN]

I'd start by wiring in a engine check light and seeing what it says.

Checked for spark? You can use an induction style timing light. You can remove all the coils and put a test light across each set of output terminals on the DFI module and they should flash as you crank the motor.

Have you checked for power (+12 volts) at the DFI module plug?

Checked fuel pressure? Sure the fuel pump is priming with key on?

Thanks for that,
Any idea on what colour wire coming out of the ecu is the warning light? I'd like to install one permanently anyway.

Yes it has fuel pressure, the pumps prime. And I checked for fuel on the other side of the filter after I changed it. Sparkplugs are wet, so it's getting fuel.

I'll have a look for power at the dfi. It did start and run after the coil upgrade - I triple checked the dfi plug and securing bolt was in place properly a few different times. But I'll poke around with the multimeter tomorrow and check for spark with a light

 

[Immortality]

This should help

 

[outofplaceVN]

Alrighty then.
I checked for 12v at the dfi plug (it was)...but then noticed my new dfi module was easy to wobble around, strange since it was still bolted to the mount. Further pulling it off revealed this (image)
I put the old coils on and it started right up and ran beautifully. My guess is that it was getting hard to start from the old loose crank angle sensor and in my hast to upgrade the coils (and not understanding how the base plate was connected to the dfi unit)...did a crappy job.

Now, is this dfi module save-able? I need to do more reading but can immediately see how the chip on the dfi connects to the rest of it


Thanks again for the help, good to here it run again.