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Symptoms

Journey from Torbay to Folkestone (UK) 340 miles approx. Just made it back.

100 miles into the trip with an '87 240 suddenly had minute "outages" from the engine. These gathered in frequency to add up to some serious power loss. 40mph at full throttle (2.3 engine). Pulled in to Gordano services, had a coffee... "Do we call out Britannia Rescue? Well, we tried to carry on. Surprisingly, things went fine for the next 140 miles. Fuel consumption up though. Then it started again. Power loss, engine still smooth, just gutless. Down to 40mph on the M25. Pulled over again, waited 2 or 3 minutes, tried to start her up and it seemed fine... 20 miles and it went again. Had further to go till an exit this time. Down to 10mph by the time we chugged off the motorway. Filled up the tank, should've had enough to get home but it was on the red sector on the fuel gauge. Anyway, filled up, set off... same story. Fine for 10 or 20 miles, cruising at 80mph then as the mystery problem struck again we had major power loss, engine even though, not lumpy. But as soon as we pull over, give it a few mins we were fine again. I've checked HT leads, all connected. Distributor cap seated well. Fuel tank full. Oil level ok. Battery terminals fine. Engine temp normal throughout. No dodgy smells, no abnormal exhaust. Recently had it in the garage and had distributor, points, fuel filter, thermostat (had been inoperative for years), air filter renewed.

Any ideas? We have one major theory but don't want to tell before we hear some others in case we send someone in the wrong direction if you know what I mean.

Les

Reply to
Les & Claire
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My 87 240 did something similar the day I bought it. It turned out to be a blue wire rubbing on the metal bracket that holds the ignition coil. Insulation had been worn bare and eventually it shorted completely, stopping the car dead.

Pete

Les & Claire wrote:

services,

consumption

Reply to
peterjorourke

I'd check the air mass meter. Sounds like the car is going into "limp home" mode.

Reply to
Tim McNamara

UK spec 1987 240 would have K-Jet.

I'd suggest the symptoms are more typical of an ignition problem. Check under the distributor cap, make sure the wiring to the Hall Effect sensor (I doubt you have points) are sound and the rotor arm is OK. Also check the coil - if possible swap it for a known good one.

Reply to
Stewart Hargrave

On 5/1/05 4:13 PM, in article snipped-for-privacy@individual.net, "Les & Claire" decided to come out from under the bed and slurred: .

Does this machine have a fuel pump? Listen to hear if it is running when the next outage occurs.

Best of luck

H
Reply to
Hamish Alker-Jones

consumption

Can you tell us what engine exactly? If its a carb'd 2.3 i'd put rather alot of money on it being carb icing- perfect symptoms.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

An interesting possibility! It "fixing itself" after a couple minutes of idling is strong support for that theory.

Risk factors for carburetor icing include fairly high humidity and temperatures somewhat above freezing, even mild. The ice is caused by the temperature drop in the venturi frosting the jets with moisture from the air.

Mike

Reply to
Michael Pardee

I would suggest either fuel tank not vented properly, or more likely, clogged exhaust system.

Reply to
Mike F

Yes, carb 2.3 Gritters were salting the roads and we has fog as well...

Reply to
Les & Claire

We were thinking that if when the fuel filter was replaced some crap was dislodged and fell down the pipe then as we drive the filter clogs slowing the fuel until it start to starve the engine. Then when we stop gravity clears the filter and it clears again... as the new filter is half way up the engine with the fuel feed pipe coming up from below to meet it.

But the carb icing could mean we were in just the exact wrong conditions for the car... steady 80mph, lowish outside temp with high humidity. Any way of curing carb icing? It would be one thing out of the way...

Les

Reply to
Les & Claire

consumption

Water in the fuel??

Reply to
Steve n Holly

Yes, fix the exhaust stove and check the thermo valve moves to the "hot air" position and that th pick up tube is present (!) and connected ok.

Tim.

Reply to
Tim (Remove NOSPAM.

Exhaust stove? So, thermo valve means some kind of automatic flap or something. OK, thanks.. I'll spend tomorrow morning taking the air intake assembly to bits. I think the garage changed the air filter recently so that area has been disturbed recently.. could I test with a hair dryer and see if the flap closes? I've not seen these parts before... off to browse the Haynes manual..

Les

Reply to
Les & Claire

Look inside the air filter box for the system that connects either hot air from around the exhaust or cold air from behind the grille. There's a wax pellet thermostat that moves that door back and forth. Interestingly, they usually fail into the hot air position.

Reply to
Mike F

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