stops for no reason

[klaatu]

i just wondered if any one could help i have a 1985 rangie i bought this last year to get back on the road it has being stood 5 year and i have worked on it another year so nearly 6 years in all off the road i changed the head gasket and other things it needed to get it back on the road last week it was trailered to the mot station it failed on minor things had them fixed now its got 12 months mot on her but on the way home it stoped i had done about 6 miles i tried starting it and it started straight away then it stoped about a mile again then started this happened about 3 times any body got any ideas i am going to change the fuel filters this week .

thanks steve

[V8 Freak]

Steve,

It would be very helpful if you gave some more information about engine, fuel, transmission etc. so others can help you with yout diagnosis.

When it stops / stopped, did the engine just die, splutter to a halt etc. ?

Neil

[FridgeFreezer]

Assuming it's a V8, ignition amp is a prime suspect. More info would be handy though.

[klaatu]

sorry lads its a 3.5 carb manual there is no coughs or bangs just dies like fuel cut off or ignition shut down i have started it today and while it was still on the choke i reved it and after a while it died again then started straight away while it was running it was crisp just had timing done new plugs leads dizzy cap coil

thanks again steve

[SteveRK]

If its ignition related then check the low tension wires from coil to distributor and from ignition key barrel out to the coil.

Stopping dead on carb' engines suggests electrical rather than fuel.

[milliejasper1111]

My old rangie gave me a right head ache cutting out for no reason, i put up with it for a few weeks, replaced every thing electrical, had the carbs off nearly every other day, then replaced them, still no joy.

found out in the end it was the fuel filter in the tank, the fine gauze one, on the pick up pipe!

Previous to me getting my hands on it, it too was sat around for a few years off the road!

Well worth a look and only takes 10 mins!

[klaatu]

thanks steve and jasper to be honest i was thinking of changing all the fuel filters first just to rule them out it has run out of fuel a few times as well so might of pulled some muck through

i didnt realise there was a filter in the tank as well thanks for that will keep you posted

thanks steve

[klaatu]

just a update i have changed the fuel filters in line and the one in the engine bay i checked the one in the petrol tank but it didnt have one there so all the filters are new

the distributor on mine doesnt have the amplifier on the side mine is the first one i believe they started fitting with pick ups in instead of points but befor they started fitting the amp on the side i just have 2 wires going to the coil from distributor

then from the coil 2 wires go back into the wiring loom one of them goes into a alli small box looks like a relay i have two of these behind my washer bottle can any one tell me what they are i can try replacing those

thanks again steve

[Highway_Star]

Put a test lamp in the cab on a long lead on the LT side of the coil, you'll be able to see if you're losing LT when it stalls.

Does it have a points dizzy?

I'm wondering if what you're describing is a Lumenition kit.

Does the ally box look like this?

[klaatu]

no its not that one i think one of them is the starter relay other is the same shape match box size laid on its longest side 4 or 5 spade ends coming out of them if you take the dizzy cap of it looks like a normal contact one but where the points were its a black box small i think this is the pick up for the coil instead of the points opening and shutting but there is only 2 wires comming out of this box going to the coil the later ones had a amp on the outside of the dizzy i will try and put pics on thanks steve

[klaatu]

there are the pics of dizzy cap on off coil and the alli box the coil wire runs into its the one with the in line fuse hope this helps

[tjolliffe]

Check the silly things you might not think of aswell, make sure you have good earths, battery terminals are all clean and giving a good connection - if one of these intermitantly fails it would cause the engine to cut out.....Do you loose all dash lights aswell?

[Highway_Star]

OK

That is a points dizzy, in the first picture you can clearly see the screw for adjusting the dwell.

It's some kind of electronic ignition kit I am not 100% familiar with. It's not Lumenition. Sparkrite maybe?

I think the relay in question may be the starter relay, not totally au fait with the '86 model electrics. Anyhoo, slightly earlier ones had a starter relay which applied 12v to the coil, effectively bypassing the in-line resistance that is in circuit when running. I seem to recall some variants of V8 wiring that also had the supply to the coil switched by the oil pressure, ie no oil pressure = no sparks. That too was by passed during cranking.

[klaatu]

thanks for the reply lads i think i will try a new starter relay and the other relay that sits under that one if i can identify it the other option i have is a spare dizzy i got with the spare engine i bought this one has the amp pack on the side like in the later ones i presume i can buy the legnth of wire that would come from the coil with the socket on to plug into the amp pack

i have tried all the connections battary is new as is the spark plugs leads rotor arm and dizzy cap

would it be a big job to swap the dizzy over for my spare to see if this would cure it

thanks again steve

[klaatu]

i think i might have found the problem when it was running i was checking the fule pipe and pump i could hear it judder so i knocked it a few times then it stopped but the car kept running longer than it has before so i will just change this before going any further with the wiring will let you know how it is when i have replaced it thanks steve

[Highway_Star]

If it's the old Facet type pump near one rear wheelarch, they are known to suffer after 25 years, and often a knock gets them going again, for a while.

I had a Mini Cooper S in my yoof that had this affliction, I carried a short length of 4"x2" in the boot for remonstrating with the pump until I could afford a new one.

[klaatu]

ha thanks highway_star it is one of those it hasnt done bad i suppose after that long i will keep you posted cant get one today bank holiday so should be on in the next week

i hope this will cure it this should see it running spot on i can get on with the cosmetics i am going to spray it myself any advice on a good easy to work with paint for a begginer thanks again steve

[klaatu]

well thanks lads i have just replaced the fuel pump and it seems fine now not been on a run yet but it kept running for half a hour so looks like its done the trick thanks again every one who helped out