Land Rover Repair: Discovery relay, fuel pump relay, massey ferguson

Question
John, thanks for being there.

I have a 96 disco which I've owned since it had 19,000 miles, 1997, and now has 185,000. It has been very reliable , but I fear the Prince of Darknes has decended, as most of the time it refuses to start. It turns over just fine, and every other day starts up and runs great.  My local mechanic suggested the fuel pump relay, or  another relay which escapes me at the moment, but which is conveniently located next to the main fuse panel under the bonnet.  I naturally replaced it and at the same time I bought a fuel pump relay but I can't find where to stick it. ( By the way the other relay didn't fix it).

I am mechanical, I was an electronics mechanic in the RAF, I ran an HVAC service company for 29 years, and I just finished rebuilding a Massey Ferguson 30B tractor.

I have the Factory manual and a Haynes manual which both tell me that the fuel pump relay is a 5 wire relay with the same colours in each manual.  The factory manual shows a bad photograph of its location (right footwell)
but there are no relays that match.

To help find this elusive little sucker I offer the following information.  I live in Southern California and the car is a California car.  It is the basic no frills Disco, no electric seats, no sunroofs, no rear jump seats, what they marketed here as the SD.

I suppose they change relay locations according to how many options are available, but I just wish there was somewhere other than the dealers that knew what was what!

Once again, Thanks for being there.

Peter Thompson.

Answer
Hi Peter,

my 1995 Disco has a Fuel Pump Relay with a BLUE Base and should be located in the driver's footwell, top row.  The main relay has a BLACK base.

Other possible causes could be the spark amplifier module, the immobiliser unit (controls almost everything associated with starting) or coil about to fail.  A normal coil should be warm to the touch but never hot.

Since North American models have some adjustments due to placement of the steering box, it may be relocated to the passenger side but I doubt that.

Best of luck,

JohnMc