steve200TDi

I've just swapped out the ignition amp as I had one and I hadn't anything to loose....... It now revs to 5000rpm and pulls like a train with no popping and banging! That makes one happy Steve! I make that get it ready for the Comp Safari in September! Steve

I've cleaned the contacts on the coil, but not swapped the coil or ignition amp out. Maybe I'll have a go at that first! It is true what you say, it'll be good to find the problem!

So Jon Lane popped round yesterday to have a look over the engine. He couldn't find anything obvious, it all looked good. We check the advance when the engine was rev'ed and it did advance. Jon thought it might be an ignition problem and so recommended I change the plugs. So new plugs in this morning and yes it runs better, but it's still not right. It now revs happily to 3000rpm and does pull now if you drive it up the drive, but the popping and banging are still there every so often and it does sometimes pop and bang when driving it up the drive. Part of me wants to find the problem and cure it, but this will take more time. Fitting Megasquirt will (hopefully) cure the problem and make it run better. I can do low speed tuning at Slindon and once I'm confident on the tune I can then record a couple of comp safari laps and process that. I've had a look in the engine bay and I will have to make my own coil bracket because of the coolant pipes in the way. I can hopefully reuse the HT leads if they're long enough. What i don't want to happen is I fit Megasquirt and the engine still doesn't run! Steve

Haha, I thought it had happened last weekend, so I can safely say that no one has posted any coverage to youtube yet!

I have opened the lid of the air box, with no change. The new exhaust is a straight through box, but yes I could remove it as that is something that I've changed. I don't think it shakes when misfiring, although that what I think it's doing! It sounds like it spluttering, choking on it's own fuel, but it does look like that the coolant temp sensor is working. I haven't changed any of the ignition system for this problem, I've only checked under the distributor cap and checked the HT leads. I have a spare ignition amp I can try, but no coil. The distributor pick up? I'm guessing that's inside, I haven't looked in there! Any pointers as I've read that you can damaged it if you take it apart! Steve

I was thinking the same thing! It does sound similar! Steve

I had another look at it yesterday. I plugged the laptop in so I could see if all the sensors where working. They all appear to work (coolant and fuel temp) and the throttle moves up and down (0-100%) and the MAF increases when I rev it. The fuel pressure stays constant when you rev it. I've checked the timing which is 9 degrees BTDC. But it still doesn't rev above 2000rpm and sounds a bit lumpy. So I've checked everything I can, so I will enlist one of my mates who's good with V8's to have a look. If he can't find a problem or cure it's likely I will have to go down the megasquirt route, which of course wouldn't be a bad thing! Steve

Very nice Paul! It's a bit straighter than mine. Any more pics?.......under the lids etc... Steve

The fuel pressure dies instantly after the relay unclicks when you put the ignition on, but does stay constant when the engine is running. the fuel pressure does increase if you rev the engine. It could well be something to do with the ignition. The engine has been sat in the garage for 6 months and not started, what things could mysteriously change in this time? I have started by removing the injectors and testing those again at work, then I can move onto ignition timing and checking for spark etc. I read one of you previous posts JU about the voltage not being enough due to alternator issues. Mine seems to be producing 14 volts at the alternator. Steve

That's good to know....I have two right hand ones that I'm trying to get rid of! Steve

I thought so! It didn't do that before and as you know I've just had all the injectors out at the end of last year to sort a rusted terminal! That's annoying! The fuel pressure when the engine is running is stable but as you say there is some leakage, so I need to find where it's going. I have installed megasquirt myself before so if I have to go down this route it's not too much of a problem, but if I can get it running without large expenditures then great! The small pipe I was refering too is a mod that keeps the distributor dry I believe, but some people say that it could do the opposite and creat moisture! Thanks Bowie, looks like I'll be getting the multi meter out tomorrow! Steve

A mixture of good and bad news..... The good news is that I've had a productive few days getting the racer sorted so that I can take it to Slindon tomorrow. I've finished the snorkel, with a temporary drain pipe end to stop water coming in. Battery is clamped down, front shocks are installed and the bonnet is all boxed in. I think the bonnet doesn't look too bad, I know a fibreglass one would look good, but that will (maybe!) come down the line. And best of all its all made from scraps of ali and steel! I was on course to swap the tyres over and fit the rear shocks but.......... The bad news The engine fires up and idles fine, I drove it out of the garage to let it warm up fully and to swap the tyres over then came the problem. The engine seems to rev up ok to 1900rpm if you just blip the throttle, it's actually quite responsive! But trying to rev it over 2000rpm it doesn't want to know and just stays at 2000/2200rpm making a horrible noise. Not sure if its a running rich noise and it's getting bogged down with too much fuel or a lean noise and not getting enough air. I did remove the air filter, but there was no change. I guess I should have a look at the fault finding manual in the tech archive, but it always seems a right pain having to jab multi meter probes or paper clips in the plugs! Do say if there's an easier option! Any suggestions would be gratefully received. A few things I have noted which are different from when I started the shock build at the start of the year are as follows: - When you flick the ignition on the fuel pressure is produced, but disappears instantly after the relay stops - this didn't happen before, so I puzzled why now....could be fuel escaping past the pump or relief value (I doubt it's the relief valve) - Originally there was a tiny pipe going from the inlet manifold to the distributor bowl and another from the distributor bowl to the intake pipe. It's not going to the intake pipe now and I have blocked it off. Really I should cap and bung it all as some people say it's not a good idea! - The alternator is charging - I'm seeing 14 volts at the back of the alternator. So I wont be going to Slindon tomorrow, I'll be either sorting the Racer or maybe popping along to the trial at Capel held by the Southern Counties land Rover Club! Oh yes and no I wont be going to Megasquirt just yet as it was running fine last year! Steve

You might also want to beef up the underside with some plate so that the casters don't try an work there way through the floor. I have bumpy concrete at work and have stuck to pieces of 10mm plate on mine: Plus a full tool box can be quite heavy! For reference this is a snap on 40 inch roll cab, I have the top box at home. Steve

Thanks Soren! I thought about not doing it, but then I wouldn't be happy if something bent or cracked, so I went for it! Right.....Steering in..........Brake pedel in...........brake lines fitted...........brakes bled.............front shocks in..........air intake and snorkel in...........front springs in too! Lots of progress this week, we're now getting to the little finishing bits like p clipping the brake pipes to the chassis, fitting the horn etc. I had ticked off a lot of things so I thought i'd cut a little bit more out of the bonnet before welding some bits back on and making it fit! It now closes! And you may notice a cardboard divider between engine and wheel arch, I'll be using a thin sheet of HDPE for this. And some good old cardboard aided engineering (CAD) More progress next week!

After some black paint was applied I was ready to start final assembly! I started at the rear and fitted the new heat shield and exhaust. Then added the fuel tank and strut brace. I even fitted the new tomcat springs too!! Then the front got steering and strut brace added and the front axle got some primer. Steve

(whisper) It looks sunny this weekend (whisper) Can't wait! Should be a good weekend! See you all there Mike! Steve

The heat shield material is indeed what Les has linked too, albeit I had some off cuts/used bits from work! The exhaust was like that, so I've just reused it! It'll poke through the rear body work with ab exhaust finisher and look all nice Steve

Today the racer came out of the garage for a wash ready for more priming. And I remade the exhaust heat shield over the rear section as the strut brace fouled the existing one. More paint next week and maybe some reassembly.........some brake lines........ Steve

Yes, I have a second reservoir for more fluid (not fitted), but last year I didn't have any problems with steering. But as you say Dave and Mike, I could be a bit quicker so may need to look at cooler for the steering. The engine and box has captive engine mounts that look like they use a radius arm bushes. The original exhaust was mounted like the rear hanger I've made and no, although it does look like a piece of wood, it's in fact a piece of rubber! Thanks Soren, it's always nice when you have to make a little bracket for something

Lots of progress this weekend! Mainly making little brackets for things. The snorkel is mounted slightly more inbound to miss the emergency cut off switch and bonnet pin. If I'm finding it impedes forward vision too much I'll move it, but I think it'll be ok. Reservoir brackets for the front, in the same style as the snorkel brackets with a little fold at the edge to prevent the jubilee clip sliding off. Little PAS bracket. And the front all done! All ready to strip down for more paint! The rear reservoirs are able to be fixed to the roll cage using the supplied mounting hardware which is a jubilee clip and a rubber spacer. And lastly the new rear exhaust hanger. So that's all the little brackets made, we're finally getting there. A strip down for primer and paint and I can think about final assembly, but first I'll look at the body work and wheel arches along with wheel arch/engine bay dividers. Steve

Yes, converting to serpentine maybe good, thicker belt and all, but as I understand it, there isn't an easy way to convert. I may be wrong, so do let me know if it's an easy conversion! Come on weekend, I want to play with the racer! Steve

New silencer, a lot smaller! Just need to finish the end section. And the racer has been sanded down and primered by my girlfriend! More painting next weekend and things might start to go back on! I've also ordered a flaremaster 2 from sykes pickervant. Steve

I've done a bit more this week. I still wasn't convinced about fitting the whopping great silencer I had purchased so found a smaller, cheaper box and fitted that! It's part number: NTC1665 and I'm much happier now! So its mounted and just need to sort out the rear most bit now. I also made a heat shield to go between exhaust and fuel tank to try and keep the fuel cool and had a look at where I'm going to mount the remote reservoirs. I would quite like to route the hose round the back of the shock hoops (this is the front) so they're protected if I get to near a tree!. I think i might have a plan, they'll either be mounted to the strut brace or new tube just above the chassis rails. Steve

After some sexy tube notching. The rear strut brace was done! Now onto the front. I already had bought the tabs to weld to the front hoops, so just need to make everything else! One tube. 1.5 tubes. All done! Now to fill in all the semicircles! Weld and grind smooth Still need to cap off the rear shock mount tubes! I made a start on the boot lid, by adding in a tube with some tabs to support the upper part along with a piece of ali angle to give rigidity. It'll all be shaped and the bolts changed, but you get the idea! And I chopped more out of the bonnet! And added in one tube! It's round 3 of the SCOR 4x4 Comp Safari this weekend and I'll be helping with time keeping as I wont be racing! Steve

I made a start on the strut brace today. Will be putting in a cross from the top tube down to the ends of the rear stays which will clear the winch and just need an extra funnel to refuel! Steve