Eightpot Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Haven't had a rangie for a few years, but went round to help a mate last weekend who's just picked one up (a very nice 88 EFI). It was a cheap ebay bargain, had been stood for a while in a farmers field and when he went to collect it the guy couldn't get it started. It's been trailered back and it did fire up and run for a bit once, and went very well by all accounts, but it was only a quick spin up and down the road and then turned off - hasn't started again since. I started by checking the fuel - on my 3.9 you could always hear the fuel pump buzz up when the ignition was turned on, but couldn't hear anything on this, though of course it may already be at pressure. I loosened one of the clamps on the fuel pipe/rail and fuel came squirting out when cranked so I guess this is ok - plugs are also wet with fuel. leads and plugs look new - I did have to make an improvement to the earth strap as it was very poor, but this didn't make any difference. I took a plug out and checked for a spark - it seemed a bit intermitant and sometimes very weak, sometimes didn't spark at all, though iperhaps I wasn't holding it firm enough against the block? so I'm suspecting the amplifier module - is this a fair assumption? (haven't had one of these type before so not sure what the deal is with them) everything else looks ok and when it spins over on the starter it just doesn't make any attempt to fire up at all, not even a blip. If it hadn't started up a few days before I would have suspected someone had put all the plug leads on in the wrong order or static timing was miles off. Any ideas?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 The fuel pump will only run for a couple of seconds unless the engine is cranking over, the ECU turns it off after the initial prime. Are the plugs clean? V8's really hate poor plugs and the spark is as weak as an asthmatic kitten as standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V8david Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 I've got a 1989 efi. It had been standing for a while before i bought it, had the same problem. Mate checked spark, coil, ecu, fuel pump etc like you but it was the amplifier module on the distributor in the end. Perhaps the old girls don't like standing around too long! Only ignition problem i've had since was a dodgy earth lead, but you've done that so definitely amplifier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 Alternative to a Lucarse amp module - a bit of work but on my RR I've had one on for thousands of miles with a silly sports coil and it's been fine: GM amplifier upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbeaumont Posted November 28, 2007 Share Posted November 28, 2007 If it's been standing for a long time, could it be as simple as damp ignition? Doesn't take much more than a high altitude cload half way across the next continent to knock the standard ignition out at the best of times... Have you tried pulling it all apart and liberally spraying with WD-40? New plugs (NGK BP6ES), leads, rotor arm and dizzy cap (all three genuine OEM) would be the next thing to try - even if they aren't the cause of the problem it'll be a worthwhile investment in getting it running reliably. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eightpot Posted November 29, 2007 Author Share Posted November 29, 2007 Thanks for the info there guys - The plugs/leads/dizzy cap are all new, which did lead me to think they'd been put on wrong, but apparantly it has run a couple of times so that dismisses that theory. I'll give it a go with another amplifier then and see what happens.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discojmz Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 check that theyre all actual genuine parts, for some reason, these engines have a bad habit of not liking pattern or equivalent 'OEM' parts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orange Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Coil! I had exactly the same problem the day before leaving for Seven Sisters in September. It ran fine the weekend before, but when I came to start loading it up, it wouldn't go at all. Fuel, air and spark were all there, just the spark wasn't big enough. New coil and suddenly there was a bolt of lightning at each plug and she roared into life! Took me about 8 hours of fiddling and then the RAC man with the right diagnostic tools was called!!!! He had all sorts of lights that plugged in all over the place and you could see the spark getting smaller and smaller at every step of it's journey to the plug. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 Need to agree with the GENUINE only parts being used. I have a thread that has been running in the range rover section under "too much fuel" and "too much fuel? part 2" There's loads of info on there that should help you. In the end as you will see my RRC EFI is now running great. My problem was a mixture of dizzy itself having springs loose and bob weights not set right. So it was stripped and reset. Timing was checked against TDC to make sure rotor arm was on correctly. Then new leads, cap, plugs, rotor arm all GENUINE lucas parts where bought. It made a great difference in the running and it starts ace now first time every time. Have a read through that post, it'll make life a little easier. DC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paintman Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 And its easily understandable Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted November 29, 2007 Share Posted November 29, 2007 It is indeedy Mr Paintman................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardthestag Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 plugs are also wet with fuel. I'll add to the list of genuine cap and rotor (from Land rover stealership themselves) as nothing else worked for me. Pattern rotors even look rubbish!! Pattern caps can be blue and carp at the same time hense going to LR parts counter!! Secondly when I had problems starting my high mileage range rover I found that it would flood really easily and if that happend it would be a right PITA to get started. If the plugs are wet, it is flooded and will be a b'stard to start.. Bit of a stoopid question but I guess that you never heard it run, not saying matey is a liar but if you haven't might just be worth checking for an ECU (high value and nice and easy for Farmer to shift on e-bay last year sort of thing), that might slow things down a bit Also worth checking that there is no aftermarket immobiliser fitted, i.e. break to the low tension circuit, unlikely if you are getting a spark I know but worth running some ecu diagnostics - never been in ecu diags so can't offer advise. My starting problems were rubbish pattern ignition parts and subsequent flooding - got there in the end though. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 If the plugs are wet there must be an ECU to fire the injectors, likewise there shouldn't be an immobiliser in circuit as the ECU wouldn't inject fuel if the signal from the coil was cut off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Dont know how long it's been sitting but could it also be that the fuel is off? Worth even sticking some decent V power petrol in and see if it helps..................can't do nothing but good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DC_ Posted December 1, 2007 Share Posted December 1, 2007 Any luck with your problem so far? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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