V8's n stuff

I think you may be in the right area - but it does also sound like fuel starvation as happened on mine. Remove the filter element (just for testing purposes) from the fuel filter - does that make any odds? Also have a look round for in-line fuel filters (mine had one hidden under the floor where it could not be seen!) - if there are any, change them - they can look pristine but be partially blocked.

That should take care of this afternoon and avoid having to visit Granny.......

Richard

On or around Mon, 29 Aug 2005 09:51:52 +0000 (UTC), beamendsltd enlightened us thusly:

since it's on carbs, the symptoms could match one dodgy carb or one carb starving.

do they have oil dampers in 'em? if so, check there's oil; lack of oil in the top of carbs which should have such is a source of all manner of ills.

Has it got stromberg carbs? If so may be worth checking the rubber diaphragms.

Now I'm out of my depth with petrol engines, give me a diesel any day to

Haven't accidently given it a dose of diesel, have you?!!

For excellent V8 help it's worth signing up to

Wondered if it might have been fuel. With diesels it generally is, however with my limited experience of petrols, it has always seemed to be electrical. Will give it a whirl. Thanks.

Only just got in from work (3pm) so both are out. A cold beer in the garden might be the order of things shortly!

Graham

Er, not sure, as I said petrols really aren't my thing. Call me stupid (I'm waiting) but how would I know? Any particular type of oil needed?

Give me a tractor engine any day. Would have stripped and re-built it by now :o)

Graham

???? Pass, like I said, treat me like a novice on this one.

You're the second person to suggest that, but no, deffinately not. As I said this has been an ongoing problem that appears to have got worse. My first instinct was points. I know from experience what an effect worn points can have. I'm fine with nice simple things like that, I can even cope with the whole spark plug and ignition thing, but carbs and diagnosis with petrol engines and i'm affraid it might as well be a foreighn language. I've taken lawnmower carbs to bits to clean them, but thats about as far as it goes. Generally take Martyn's approach and get a "warren" if carbs are involved.

Graham

I find this on my Ambi and now I'm looking towards two potential causes.

Having finally got the dizzy bolted down tight (the Ambi compressor prevented it being tightened previously) I've now slowly begun replacing the odd spark plug lead. I fitted a full set and started to get symptoms like yours. The main give away was that once the engine is off remove one lead at a time and see if it's any worse.

Does she get worse when hot? This is probably the leads breaking down due to the heat.

The biggest give away was running the engine in the dark with the lid off. The thing lit up like a christmas tree! I replaced two or three of the new leads with come from a donor engine that were as old as the ark and we've been relatively ok since.

I now have to sort the O rings on the carbs as they are creating a strong pong of petrol and I'm sure they are leaking so it's pointless trying any further tunning until thats sorted. Find out what carbs you have. The Haynes Range rover classic manual should assist with this or check to see if they are the same as the standard 101 ones on the free to download mannuals.

I'm saving coppers for the dogs wotnot leads as we speak.

Also worth checking vacume advance hoses haven't come adrift or perished.

Lee D

Did you have the lid off at Malvern? Could someone have leaned on the dizzy?

Also check the inside of the dizzy cap.. they need to be clinically clean.. The run may have dislodged something pooey.

It could also be the cam shaft on the way out but I'd expect that to be a more gradual symptom.

Lee D

If you can see the tops the Strombergs usually have Stromberg or Zenith on them. If they are, the diaphragm controls the fuel/air mixture for all engine speeds - if the diaphragm on one carb has torn it will affect 4 cylinders, hence the feeling it is only running on about 5. The faulty carb will usually be reasonable at tickover but as the engine load increases it gets worse.

Also, it can start as a small tear in the rubber and grow over a few weeks.

If your v8 has SU carbs instead then forget all the above as they don't use diaphragms!

If you can get the plugs out, that might tell you something. If any are wet they have been getting fuel but no spark. If they look OK they may have been sparking but have no fuel to burn.

I think you need to work out when the problem occurs whether: all cylinders are struggling - possibly fuel supply (pump/filter), coil/points/condenser ie something common to all pots.

I'm not sure about accessibility on 101's so can't suggest where to start first, but ignition bits are really service items anyway so there's no effort wasted there. Carb diaphragms are very easy to change and even easier to check, you don't have to remove the carbs from the engine.

I've no idea why, but I've noticed on my v8 if one plug stops firing the power seems to drop to about 25 per cent of normal! On a 4 cylinder it only seems to drop to about 75 per cent!

Andy Fox

Look at the top of the carbs, there's a little black 'bung' in the top. Unscrew this and feel for some resistance as you pull it out. If there isn't any, put some oil in the pot (engine oil is alright) then replace the damper. This is more an issue with LPG drying the pots out - but could easily be an issue for your petrol engine.

So far as the filter on the fuel pump is concerned, yes, check it.

The pump is in the fuel tank, so you'll need to get access from the hatch in the back. Lift the pump out, you'll see a 'sock' on it, this is the filter. Take it off, clean it and get a small piece of metal (coathanger type is fine), bend it into a 'V' to keep the sock 'open', then replace it.

Leads, points, plugs and coil can also need attention. I would go for electronic ignition - luminition or newtronics are pretty much the same - and the better the spark, the better the running.

I've got magnecors, expensive but worth it IMO.

cheers, will try that.

That sounds like a right pig to do! I'll add it to the check list though. Process of elimination though. Will start with the electrical bits first I think.

hmmm, might have to order a kit then. What does it consist of?

Red or blue?? Who is a good supplier? Found one online who specialise in spark plugs doing a blue set delivered for £81 or a red set for £91. Figured the blue would probably be sufficient.

Graham

Recon they are SUs, but wouldn't like to stake my life on it.

Good thinking, never gave that a thought, it would be like adjusting the mixture in a chainsaw.

I'll start there, trouble is, do I buy the electric kit or the points to begin with? ...prob elec kit...

Cheers

Graham

Definately worse when hot. Not cosistantly worse though if you get my meaning. Sometimes its ok sometimes not. However, she did get a lot hotter on the run home than in the morning (weather was roasting), so I guess that would follow.

Trip to halfrauds then.... :o)

They ain't cheap for sure. They were on the list for the rad bod, but looks like the GS is going to get all the toys first. Hadn't bargained on doing both of them this side of christmas though :o(

Are they small pipes off the carbs about 1/4 inch diameter? If so it hasn't got any! The little tubes the go on are there but the pipes never have been. They are present on rad bod, but didn't happen to note what they did or where they went.

Graham

You must be joking, its a proper t##t to get off so it stays on as much as it can do.

Someone told me that you have to replace them at 60000 miles. Someone else said he did them once and found it a waste of time and wouldn't do another one. Both my 101s are getting close to that. I'm hoping the latter bloke is right.

The rad bod concerns me slightly as it is absolutely gutless, you have to rev the pants off it to move. However, its been stood for a couple of years so fingers crossed a fecking good service, elec ign kit, and magnecor leads will see it right. I can see a trip to see the bank manager coming on...

Graham

On or around Mon, 29 Aug 2005 21:26:46 +0000 (UTC), "Graham G" enlightened us thusly:

blue are easier to fit; the red ones, being fatter, don't fit the plastic clippy thing that the leads clip into.

Richard

i reckon a good start would be to get out your timing gun (if you don't have one, get one right away and go for one of the good induction type ones which you just slip over the lead instead of putting into series with the lead) then check the spark on all cylinders, in this case 8.

I have had similar probs with my landy and it was the points. front cylinder was working perfectly which put me off the scent for a while. then i checked spark on the rest and that explained things. a very easy thing to check, rather than pulling apart fuel lines and filters etc. this is the first thing i check when he starts getting a little stroppy and has saved me a fair bit of time.

Cheers.

Sam.

You don't need points with electronic ignition - a part of the kit replaces them.

Visits increase expotentially with the number of Land Rovers you own, add a few 101s and the bank will give you your own parking space outside and send you Christmas Cards...