gasman wrote:

Quite a few people are steering towards a leak back issue for this fault. If this was the issue, surely it would be a hard start almost every time. If it has stood for about an hour, it will start straight away. I really don't know at what the maximum time is before it acts up is.
Any more thoughts.

@Airportech welcome to the forum. It's great to have input from people with different backgrounds of experience.
How long have you had your FL2 ? Jules

Welcome Airportech.
It seems quite a feasible idea.

(Do we have a prize winner?) FL2 XS SD4 Auto 2010 2012-2017 (21k - 91k miles) (MY2011)
FL2 Metropolis SD4 Auto 2014 2017- (16k - 76k+ miles) (MY2015)

jules wrote:

@Airportech welcome to the forum. It's great to have input from people with different backgrounds of experience.
How long have you had your FL2 ?

Hi Airportech.
Welcome to the forum and the discussion.

With regards to your first suggestion, it was something that I have considered. When you release the fuel filler cap there does appear to be a slight vacuum. I have tried leaving the cap undone but this appears to make no difference.

With regards to the primer bulb, I can't remember if I have tried that. I do have one made up that I sometimes use after changing the fuel filter.
I will try that again anyway just to rule it out.

This has been going on for so long now, I am beginning to lose track of what has been tried.

All suggestions welcome though.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Quick update.

I did try Airportech's suggestion ( I believe it was tried some time back ) . Again no difference, still very stubborn to start.

New thought.
Could it be a software issue ?

My thinking being, we have an engine that runs ok but struggles to start when left to stand. Crucially there are to fault codes. What is it that determines things like fuel timing and air fuel mixture, the ECM or PCM whatever LR call's it. What is it that sets and records the fault codes, again the ECM. All engine issues should produce a code. Therefore could it be the ECM or the software within it?

Just speculation on my part, or clutching at straws but is it worth considering?

Anyone like to comment./ Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

A code will be produced when a value fed back from the plethora of sensors is outside of the expected range
This does not mean that no code = no fault
It's just it thinks everything is OK
It also doesn't have sensors to look for every possible fault so some things can go without throwing a code

1 other important consideration is not all code readers are made equally my own readers are limited in what they can read compared to the more expensive ones that are available
For example I have a glow plug circuit A code or something similar on a reader at a garage but my own doesn't find it and the fault comes back as soon as deleted so its a genuine issue that needs addressing

Hi Pinhead

I have JLR SDD on laptop and an Autel code reader. Neither shows a code, plus the LR specialist can't find a code.
But thanks for the explanation.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Thought I would take Airportech's suggestion a little further, just to try and rule out some sort of fuel leak back.
Disconnected the feed connection to the fuel filter and fitted a pipe from there to the filter containing a priming bulb and an electric fuel pump.
Primed the system with the bulb as fuel had run back after disconnection.
Turned on electric fuel pump to give some pressure to the fuel line.
Started engine...........no difference, still long crank before start up.

Surly this must rule out the leak back theory.


 Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Head above trench time again just wondering I cant remember if I have read it or not what is your live data reading for fuel rail pressure without cranking the engine I mean with a cold engine?

Last edited by I Like Chips on 10th Jan 2022 9:29 am. Edited 1 time in total

It is mentioned somewhere I think.
Engine cold fuel pressure 0
Start cranking pressure 317bar almost instantly.
Idle 246bar
Switch off drops to 0 almost instantly.

Hope that helps your train of thought.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

These are the readings from my engine SD4 2011

At Cold key in but not cranked (last run was yesterday evening) 4.1 Bar

At Idle slightly variable I could have frozen the frame but around 44Bar

At 2,000 revs again slightly variable 92Bar

I don't know what the pressures should be, probably need to recheck them later

Hi Chips

That is very interesting. When Alex posted he said engine cold would be 0.
It's getting very confusing now.
I have taken the car back to the garage this morning for them to continue.
They now seem to think it could be the high pressure fuel pump leaking back. I am sceptical of that.
Surly if the pump was at fault I would have other issues.
Once started the car drives very good. No hesitation during acceleration, in fact for me it is very quick.

Beginning to wonder if it will ever be solved.  Now at the point when I learn something new something old is lost out the other side !
Now retired so it doesn't matter anymore.
Freelander now gone.

Wondering if others would be so kind as to read their fuel rail pressures live data from cold.

If you can advise me how to do that using sdd, I would be happy to oblige ( at the weekend ).