1995 Land Rover Discovery 3.9 Spider Unit HELP

This is driving me absolutely crazy, my 95 disco v8 3.9 (america built w/120,000 miles) has all the symptoms of a "spider box" failure. However, I haven't been able to confirm that 1995's with one button alarms even had the darn thing. I'm not hip on buying the radio removal key and tearing out the front console unless I know foresure but after 5 month of being left high and dry occasionally it might be simply worth the time to check. As a last resort, I'm posting this threads.

In the event, it is a spider unit, I understand they don't make them anymore (AM4889) and I can't get (local land rover delearship) a Immobiliser "spider" unit bypass (AMR4956). I'll have to repair the box as described in many thread on the internet.

If this type ans year of Disco doesn't have a spider box. Is it possible the Main ECU could be the cause of my symptoms. Again, the standard symptoms are intermittent non start (vehicle is completeyl dead, no alarm, no light, no locks, no dash light, just like if you disconnected the battery-nothing) or cutting out whislt driving, if i leave the vehicle for between 2 minutes and a few hours it will start right up.

points of note:

occasionally, I can turn the lights on and that will trigger something in the dash to illuminate, then it may start or may not. When light in off position the digital clock will work, when engaged clock goes out along with everthing else.

occasionally, I hear a clicking in the Flasher relay under the RH dash, if I get it started.

OBD code is 02-Which i think means ECU reconnected.

I had left the vehicle in a non-start posiiton and accidently hit the alarm, nothing happend but it got cold at night. Down to about 5 degrees and the alarm went crazy in the middle of the night, I woke up and grabbed the keys and simply pushed the button and it disalarmed. The next day I went out the start and nothing.


If anyone can help me out, great! if not, have a good laugh for me cause I need one.

Battery is less than 2 weeks old and tests out fine. Alternator was tested out good by 2 different shops . All grounds were checked.

When I first got the problem, I immediately thought it was a ground issue (like ground strap), then I thought ignition switch and I don't have a clue. I'm going to check the ECU connection for corrosion and then check the seleniod starter area again.

Thanks for the feedback
Skinny

First off , I'm listening and thank you thank you and thank you

Secondly, BTW-IT IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY YOUR TRUCK WAS BUILT IN AMERICA! I strongly agree, I could have used spell check on my original post.

To answer your questions or to clarify:

The vehicle came with a rather old battery, took it in to NAPA and they said I had a bad cell, bought brand new battery and that's been in the vehicle for about 2-3weeks and still has same problem.

The alternator test was a bit tricker to test but after the testing unit had the correct leads it tested fine. both at NAPA and local garage.

The vehicle was not last owned by an old lady and I take long trip <SMILE> so the ignition switch would seem to be fine but should not discard the thought.

I agree the location of the ECU on the '95s makes them much less likely to suffer from the corrosion issues that plague GEMS trucks, but I will check.

This is a bitch to get to, but I'll check. The only connections at the solenoid are a battery cable and the starter switch wires, none of the rest of the circuits you've described as being non-functioning are associated with the stud on the starter.

It this point I'm going to go with: the suggestion to Go back to the battery connections. The cable from the battery to the fuse box needs to be replaced.

Could also be a bad ground?
I orignal thought that but there is only so many ground spots. How many earth straps are there on this one? I can see and check only one from the engine to to frame just next to the coil. I found about 3 addional traditional ground s; 1 from back of starter to frame mount, 1 from neg battery to frame, 1 from neg battery to frame between the battery and the fuse box.


I appreciate the feedback.
Skinny

So I go out to the dead vehicle today to do some examining of the things you guys spoke of in this thread. But before I start in i get this stupid idea in my head. I decided to clamp a jumper from my neg terminal to a spot next to the light housing and bingo everything turns on. Go in and it immedately starts and of course everything is illuminated; dash, clock, radio, etc.. the whole salami. So, I disconnect the lead and the vehicle continues to run fine. I shut it off and try again but no go. I put jumper back in place and the thing starts like a charm. Can it be so simple? If so, what a vicious mental ride, since that's were I started.

update: Had some issue other issues with sounds from belt area and tach fluctution and I ended up re-routing the Serpentine Belt (correctly), seemed to corrected the tach drop issue and the sounds (and stopped the belt from chewing up the fan shroud). Makes sense, not sure how long the belt was on incorrectly.

Resolution: I took it to my buddy shop to have load test on battery, alternator and the general state of the electrical system. We read the tester at 12. 56 which told us that the system was not charging itself. We ran a ground from battery to chassis. The tester read, 14+. System Charging, Alternator takes load, battery great. Problem solved.

The mechanic at the shop had worked on Rovers alot and said that the grounding and wiring are crap. I told me I should build my own grounds. Anyway 6 months of my life for 5.24 cents at the hardware store.

Lesson learned for me. Don't think you know, when you don't dumb ass.

Regards and thanks for the input you saved me on teh spider box theory.

Skinny