There have been a number of reports of problems with the earthing of the Discovery 4.
In another thread Oxford-boy suggested:-
Quote:
keep a spare earth strap handy
Some questions:-
How common is this problem?
Does it only affect particular model years?
I understand that the strap which fails earths the engine, body & chassis, and that replacing the OEM strap is not particularly easy. Might it be sensible to provide another, alternative, and easier earth? If so how.
If the earth strap fails what please is the part number for a replacement, and probable change from an indy to fit it.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
2nd Apr 2021 10:46 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14135
Hi
Apologises not familiar with the D4 but hope these links might help u regarding earth strap part numbers
If some of them are very difficult to replace I wonder if u can test other points using a multimeter from the engine to the chassis that has decent securing points , more knowledgable should be to advise if that’s ok to do
Interesting to read answers to the other questions which I have raised.
NJSSAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
5th Apr 2021 9:30 am
gstuart
Member Since: 21 Oct 2016
Location: kent
Posts: 14135
Ur so welcome
Sorry I can’t help with the recall notice , indeed hopefully someone else should be along to help
5th Apr 2021 11:38 am
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2814
Nigel Hi.
As you know I had this issue last year on my 65 plate HSE Lux.
Locally to us the only stock I could find of a new earth strap was Keith Gott, but didn't think to ask them until after I'd ordered one with a few days lead time from Guy Salmon, so I do have a spare in the garage if you need one urgently.
It's a pig of a job to do because of the position of the chassis end, the bolt is easy to get out through the wheelarch with a ratchet spanner, but too deeply buried(deeper than finger length) to put back in that way. You need to strip a few significant components from the engine bay to do it from above.
I gave up after an hour of trying to replace the bolt with a grease laden ratchet spanner.
I can't remember the exact details, but handily there is a bolt sticking out of the chassis in just the right place to add another nut after cleaning it up and bolt the end of the cable to the chassis that way instead.
Mine's been like that for a year and is so far OK.
Nasher.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
Last edited by Nasher on 13th Apr 2021 10:19 am. Edited 1 time in total
I don't have a problem, as yet, but wanted to investigate before there is a problem.
As I suggested earlier I believe, if possible, it might be sensible to provide another, alternative, and easier earth using industry standard cable etc.. rather than the JLR cable? If so how?
My concern is that in normal years probably about 70% of my annual mileage is either on shoots in the UK, or in the remoter areas of France & Spain, so a failure in these areas could be "interesting".
Regards
NigelAm I Gammon or Woke ? - I neither know nor care.
2016 Discovery 4 Landmark
2011 Mercedes Benz SL350 (R230)
1973 MG B GT V8 - 3.9L John Eales engine, 5 speed R380 gearbox, since 1975.
1959 MGA roadster - 1.9L Peter Burgess Engine - 5 speed gearbox
Past LRs - Multiple FFRs, Discos & a Series I - some petrol, some diesel,
none Electric or H2 fuel cell - yet.
There are 10 types of people in this world: Those who understand binary, and those who don’t.
13th Apr 2021 9:57 am
stick
Member Since: 13 Jan 2010
Location: hants
Posts: 604
I have a 03/15, and when I got the belts changed in december, I asked Keith Gott to check the earth strap was fine. They told me it was, and didnt change it.d4 HSE
13th Apr 2021 10:00 am
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2814
Nigel
I needed to move my D4 to do the work on it, as I'd parked it close up to a fence.
I simply used a jump lead between the Battery -ve and an exposed bracket on the engine to start it so I could move it.
As I was only shunting it around my drive I left the jump lead attached, but you should be able to remove it to drive somewhere after it's started.
I know you always turn your stop/start off anyway, but for anyone else, if you've started the car as above, please remember to turn it off before you get to your first junction.
Nasher.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
13th Apr 2021 10:18 am
OvalAutos
Member Since: 28 Dec 2018
Location: Cradley Heath
Posts: 382
Nigel, any kind of earth strap will do in an emergency. We've even used a jump lead to recover a stranded car. As you can see from this photo, we repair them cheaper than buying new from LR. They can break off the terminal at either end.
For a longer term (short fix), you can buy a halfords strap with 8mm terminals and use that to bridge the break - chassis to body or body/chassis to engine. Any available bolt on the engine will do and you can either bridge chassis direct to engine or even battery (negative) to engine.Joe
13th Apr 2021 10:41 am
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15264
My D4 SDV6 is having its timing belts changed next week [sadly with covid and distance I cann't do Disco Mikey ]
But reckon it's the ideal time to have my earth strap checked out .... or is it nowhere near the area being worked on?
Also just thinking, as these are prone to wear/snap, [and imagining the cost of the part isn't too high], would it not be prudent to fit two straps to the same anchoring points?...... always on the road less travelled 🚧
13th Apr 2021 11:04 am
Nasher
Member Since: 07 Mar 2009
Location: Clanfield, North of Pompey - UK
Posts: 2814
I've remembered that the 'handy' bolt end sticking out of the chassis is to big for the Earth cable to fit.
So I made a small adaptor plate drilled one end for a bolt to fit the cable, and the other end to fit over the handy bolt.
Sorry, I don't have any images.
I agree that any large earth strap will do the job, and now a year in that I'm less precious about the D4 I'd probably fit something other than a genuine LR one that was I seem to remember a little pricy.
Nasher.Heaven doesn't want me, and hell is afraid I'll take over.
I had the earth strap fail on my MY11 on 18 April while I was at the shops. Symptoms beforehand made me think the alternator was on the way out again - with low voltage (~13.1V) being produced. I ordered the new alternator and then the earth strap completely failed.
When I got back into my D4 and pressed the start button, the dash would light up but no action from the starter motor. After some faffing about, a mate whom used to be a LR tech suggested the earth strap. I got a lift home and grabbed my jumper leads - attached one end to the winch earth plate and the other to a bolt at top front of motor and it fired up and drove it home.
After I got home I disconnected the earth winch cable at the winch and attached that to a bolt hole at the top front of motor. (The winch bolt was the right size for that hole!)
While it now starts and creates good voltage from alternator, the issue I now have is all sorts of weird DTCs - so I suspect that while I have a good motor-to-body connection, the chassis-to-body connection is still no good, and some of the earth points used by other ECUs are not from the body.
Last weekend I pulled the right front wheel off and inner guard - trying to find that earth strap. As mentioned above, the end that connects to the body is readily accessible but I lost the will to do any more dismantling to find the chassis end.
It would be appreciated if someone posted a photo of where else an alternative chassis mounting point would be! TIA.
Cheers,
Rob
Last edited by jonesy63 on 22nd Jul 2021 1:41 am. Edited 1 time in total
21st Jul 2021 10:47 pm
Oxford-boy
Member Since: 07 Sep 2015
Location: Oxford
Posts: 1111
OvalAutos wrote:
Nigel, any kind of earth strap will do in an emergency. We've even used a jump lead to recover a stranded car. As you can see from this photo, we repair them cheaper than buying new from LR. They can break off the terminal at either end.
For a longer term (short fix), you can buy a halfords strap with 8mm terminals and use that to bridge the break - chassis to body or body/chassis to engine. Any available bolt on the engine will do and you can either bridge chassis direct to engine or even battery (negative) to engine.
For me the above has nailed the issue...
My take on 'at the roadside fix' is often what one needs to know with the more common faults than can affect the LR model. A case in point is the recent failure of my own boot release catch actuator. Knowledge from this forum led me to my Indy (MID Engineering) pretty rapidly and the problem was solved. But this was not a trip ending issue (just a real pain given I had a luggage/dog cage on board).
What about proper faults/failures that cause a 'breakdown'?
The earth strap seems to me to blip on the radar of such possible faults. I have a folder in in the car with 'how to adapt and overcome' to keep me going but I also carry a selection of spares that a garage could use there and then to rectify the issue and have me on my way.
My trips are big miles and I don't want to await parts.
The knowledge on here is tremendous. Armed with a few posts and jump leads I am sure most could be on their way if a broken earth strap is the issue.
Trip curtailment is what I seek to avoid.
Which begs the question, what else is on the list of 'good to carry spares'?
Maybe I'm just a little over prepared....
Jim
2014 Discovery 4 XXV SDV6 Causeway Grey
2016 Discovery 4 HSE Lux SDV6 Loire Blue - now gone
21st Jul 2021 11:22 pm
M3DPO
Member Since: 22 Sep 2010
Location: Notts.
Posts: 8227
How about these for starters.
No.1 basic tool kit.
No.2 Iid tool.
No.3 Brake light bulbs, if you have bulbs not LEDs.
No.4 Jump leads.
No.5 Emergency puncture plug kit.
No.6 Extra long forceps to change fuses.
No.7 30amp fuse(s) these can be difficult to obtain in a hurry.
No.8 Mini size fuse pack.
No.9 Ctek battery charger(more for campers/caravaners)
No.10 Brake light switch.
No.11 Roll of extra wide Gorilla type tape.It can when others can't,
It will when others won't,
It goes where others don't.
22nd Jul 2021 7:08 am
rogc1
Member Since: 29 May 2020
Location: Newark
Posts: 16
Earth Strap
My sons 2010 HSE failed to start earlier this year. We figured it was the engine - chassis earth that had failed.
Took the OSF wheel arch liner out and just pushed my finger through the earth strap,completely corroded through. It was the bare metal braid type, replaced with two sheathed earth straps from the local motor factors nad has been fine since.
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