kevinp wrote:

Your new alternator box has the same info on it that mine had.
Diesel engines have a lot more compression than petrol engines so will be quite hard to turn over.
Your COSV valve has the old style nut attachment. There is a revised part for this. Put a vacuum on the hose and make sure it opens fully and closes with a clunk.
Good luck.

johnboyairey wrote:

I had my turbo actuator valve off when I took the cowl off to do my water pump. I got about a tablespoon of oil all over me. It was typically black though. I guess whatever makes it’s way down there, is never going to come through to the engine, so will pool. My engine has 200,000.
Is there a chance, that your new oil going in, flooded the upper engine valve area, and overspill into a breather and dropped down to pool at the turbo actuator valve? If it was there for some time, then it would go dirty-ish to some extent with fine dust…
May I ask how much one of those mega fuses cost, as it’s something I might just keep as an emergency type thing.

Sounds like a plausable explanation. Certainly cannot think of any other way that a fresh oil would get in there. After thinking about it more, if the oil got there through the turbo oil feeder pipe, it would be black as it would inevitably mix with some of the old oil which would be in the system. The oil that came out of that hose looked absolutely brand new (go figure)! Either way, I still don't get it as even if the new oil found it's way in there, I would still expect it to mix with whatever old oil had collected in there during its 136k miles of driving which should have made it look much darker.

I managed to find a genuine Land Rover MEGA fuse on eBay for £5.99 incl. postage, but it was a one off. However I also found the following non genuine one which looks like the same spec. and cheaper:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/122534235359?_t...BM9u_h1Ytg

The fuse finally arrived this morning so I didn't waste any time fitting it in. I put in a brand new/ fully charged battery, cleared all the codes with my GAP IID tool and tried starting the car. The starter started spinning the engine but the engine didn't fire up. So I tried three more times and on the third time I managed to blow the brand new 400A MEGA fuse again! So I'm back to blown fuse stage again. Not quite sure right now what to do next.. I ordered two more (non genuine) MEGA fuses, but don't know if it's really a tight engine causing this, in which case is it an engine rebuild? or could it be a weak starter? Any ideas would be appreciated with gratitude

Was it spinning fast or struggling to turn? 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Quote:

Was it spinning fast or struggling to turn?

At least it's spinning which is a good sign. I'd bypass the mega fuse and run a thick cable direct from battery to starter motor. On a diesel if it's turning and not firing then the obvious next place to look is fuel delivery. 2012 TDV8 Vogue (L322)

Did you check that all the pulleys, a/c compressor and PS pump turn when you had the belt off?

How did you test the starter motor - that it runs or was it load tested? An auto-electrician should be able to do a proper test.

GraemeS wrote:

Did you check that all the pulleys, a/c compressor and PS pump turn when you had the belt off?

GraemeS wrote:

How did you test the starter motor - that it runs or was it load tested? An auto-electrician should be able to do a proper test.

If it's spinning properly it should spin over very quickly.

My guess is if it's blowing the 400A fuse when trying to crank then something is very tight. I'd do as suggested above, either replace the fuse again or bypass it. I'd then remove the aux belt and try again to see if it sounds any different or spins over any faster.

If it doesn't then you've ruled it down to either the starter motor being lazy and drawing more then it should or the engine being tight.

Wish you were closer, I'd love to have a look at this one with you

David. 2002 4.6 Vogue SE - Alveston Red with Lightstone Leather
2012 Range Rover 5.0 SC Autobiography in Indus Silver with Jet/Ivory Interior
2012 Range Rover 4.4 TDV8 Autobiography in Baltic Blue with Sand Interior

It’s not difficult to release the serpentine belt tension, and allow engine to run with it slack, by turning the tensioner nut, and unhitching the belt… and with a new fuse in etc. maybe do a YouTube again of it trying to spin. The previous history/post mentioned the low oil level. It possible you have run the crankshaft bearings… that is fixable. If one of the connecting rods has broken, and smashed through the block as mentioned/guessed earlier, it’s 99% not fixable. I shouldn’t worry about it not starting, too much, but just getting a diagnosis of what it might do…. Ie spin over faster/normal…. Or slowly struggle on a melted bearing(s). Have you lifted the front, removed the under trays and had some lights up the sump area? I’m also wondering if you remove the oil filter, and inspect it, if you have any ‘silver sparkles of doom’ in the webs of the filter? (Bearing material).

Edit.. Can’t remember, but does the AC run on a second belt? You would want that off too. Not easy to remove as it’s not tensioned, just a really tight fit? And if compressor bearing toast, it could be dragging the amps up, with belt unable to slip. I’d even consider a hacksaw for now!

dhallworth wrote:

If it's spinning properly it should spin over very quickly.

My guess is if it's blowing the 400A fuse when trying to crank then something is very tight. I'd do as suggested above, either replace the fuse again or bypass it. I'd then remove the aux belt and try again to see if it sounds any different or spins over any faster.

If it doesn't then you've ruled it down to either the starter motor being lazy and drawing more then it should or the engine being tight.

Wish you were closer, I'd love to have a look at this one with you

David.

johnboyairey wrote:

It’s not difficult to release the serpentine belt tension, and allow engine to run with it slack, by turning the tensioner nut, and unhitching the belt… and with a new fuse in etc. maybe do a YouTube again of it trying to spin. The previous history/post mentioned the low oil level. It possible you have run the crankshaft bearings… that is fixable. If one of the connecting rods has broken, and smashed through the block as mentioned/guessed earlier, it’s 99% not fixable. I shouldn’t worry about it not starting, too much, but just getting a diagnosis of what it might do…. Ie spin over faster/normal…. Or slowly struggle on a melted bearing(s). Have you lifted the front, removed the under trays and had some lights up the sump area? I’m also wondering if you remove the oil filter, and inspect it, if you have any ‘silver sparkles of doom’ in the webs of the filter? (Bearing material).

Edit.. Can’t remember, but does the AC run on a second belt? You would want that off too. Not easy to remove as it’s not tensioned, just a really tight fit? And if compressor bearing toast, it could be dragging the amps up, with belt unable to slip. I’d even consider a hacksaw for now!

The under trays are off, but I didn't inspect the sump area as it doesn't look easy to get too without removing the diff first which sits underneath the sump. When I drained the old oil (only around 5l that came out) I tried to run a magnet at the bottom of the container to see if I pick up any debris but nothing obvious to see. The oil filter was a total mess (see attached photo) but given the state of it, It went straight to the bin.

Click image to enlarge

also just for FYI, here is the difference between a genuine Land Rover 400A MEGA fuse and a non genuine one I picked up from eBay. The one on the left is the genuine one

Click image to enlarge