View Full Version : 3.5 V8 Help
Jock The Rock
26th September 2008, 03:00 PM
Gday
A mate of mine has a '96 Defender with a '91 Disco Fuel Injected V8. Its on gas
Since he has bought it, it has slowly been taking longer and longer to fire when turning the key. When he first bought it it would fire almost straight away.
Last night he rang me up. Not starting at all. 
I went down and he said it was parked on a hill with only quarter tank of fuel. I thought this would mean not enough fuel getting to the motor because of the slope. So we put 20 litres in. Didnt make a difference. 
Now i tried turning it over while pumping the throttle this should make the tips of the spark plug wet with fuel right? Pulled one out and was dry as a bone tried another was the same.
I never touched a injected petrol engine before so I left it at that and suggested he take it back to his mechanic; as Ive only worked on a series petrol engine and numerous small motors. 
What could be the problem? Is it likely to be simply dirty or dirt in the fuel?
Or something far more complicated and expensive?
Thanks
lambrover
26th September 2008, 04:02 PM
the spark plugs don't get wet from pumping the throttle on a fuel injected car
as the injectors are controled by the ECU (computer) and tells them when to release fuel, the throttle cable is connected to the throttle body that sensors its position electronicaly and the computer use's these inputs to know how much fuel to deliver. A carby will spray fuel when you pump the throttle though.
lambrover
26th September 2008, 04:07 PM
is it hard to start on petrol or gas, if petrol it could be a fuel pressure problem blocked filter or stuffed pump. MAF sensor playing up(air flow sensor) or a air leak after the sensor can cause problems usually rough running though.
Jock The Rock
26th September 2008, 05:34 PM
the spark plugs don't get wet from pumping the throttle on a fuel injected car
as the injectors are controled by the ECU (computer) and tells them when to release fuel, the throttle cable is connected to the throttle body that sensors its position electronicaly and the computer use's these inputs to know how much fuel to deliver. A carby will spray fuel when you pump the throttle though.
oh righty shows how much i know about injection systems :)
only worked on old series' and the like.
he thinks it will start on gas tomorrow so we are goin to fill it up with gas and try again. Personally i dont think it will but hes that kind of bloke im not going to stop him its his car :cool:
either or he starts it on petrol 80% of the time. see how we go tomorrow
lambrover
26th September 2008, 09:19 PM
I have a 97 v8 disco dual fuel, when the engine runs of gas it bypass' some of the sensors and runs alot like a carby engine by drawing the gas in, as dose a carby knowing this you can isolate it to a area, if it runs on gas it is not a dizzy or coil problem as it runs on gas so it must be working. Let us know what the out come is. :)
lokka
26th September 2008, 11:13 PM
with what you have posted about taking longer and longer to fire id be firstly looking at the ignition set up ..
Being a 91 disco engin it should have electronic ignition BUT being a mix and match it could be anything from points in the dizzy to a aftermarket set up like i run whats the ignition set up it has and have you checked that its getting good blue spark at the plugs ????https://www.aulro.com/afvb/
The symtons sound like the coil may be geting a lack in power and it could be anything from a dodgy earth at the coil to https://www.aulro.com/afvb/a dodgy power wire at the coil use a multi meter to check voltage at the + terminal of the coil while cranking if its an electronic set up it should get at least 12V and if its a points set up it should get 12V while cranking at first then drop back to 9ish then once running drop back to 6V https://www.aulro.com/afvb/https://www.aulro.com/afvb/https://www.aulro.com/afvb/electronic should stay around the 12V mark at all times ....
Best of luck with it hope ya get the beasty fired up and running tomoro :D:D
big guy
27th September 2008, 07:52 AM
Hi
 Had similar happen to me.
My pump was not buzzing.
Check if you can hear fuel pump.
Check if its turned to petrol on switch over from gas.
Happened to me also, mate came by and switched it over, hey presto.
Quite often new LPG systems give 2 seconds of petrol when starting on gas. Check wiring for the Gas computer under the hood.
The timing might be out.
Gas likes to run on 12degree before TDC. Prevents backfires etc.
I think a tune up might be in order.
Firstly I would check fuel pressures, pumps often seize. 
Best of luck, its usually something simple.
lambrover
27th September 2008, 08:29 AM
there shouldn't be any points in that system the efi engine run a electronic dizzy. if he is trying to start on petrol and want go but dose go on gas then you rule out the dizzy or coil as being the problem. I was told 12 degrees is correct for your timing on gas as well, as was mentioned.
lokka
27th September 2008, 02:51 PM
with what you have posted about taking longer and longer to fire id be firstly looking at the ignition set up ..
Being a 91 disco engin it should have electronic ignition BUT being a mix and match it could be anything from points in the dizzy to a aftermarket set up like i run whats the ignition set up it has and have you checked that its getting good blue spark at the plugs ????file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-4.jpg
The symtons sound like the coil may be geting a lack in power and it could be anything from a dodgy earth at the coil to file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.jpga dodgy power wire at the coil use a multi meter to check voltage at the + terminal of the coil while cranking if its an electronic set up it should get at least 12V and if its a points set up it should get 12V while cranking at first then drop back to 9ish then once running drop back to 6V file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpgfile:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.jpgfile:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/ADMINI%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-3.jpgelectronic should stay around the 12V mark at all times ....
Best of luck with it hope ya get the beasty fired up and running tomoro :D:D
Buggered if i know how them extra bits got in there sorry bout that one of the downfalls of late night posting id say :angel::angel::angel:
Jock The Rock
27th September 2008, 06:15 PM
well wouldnt start on petrol so i towed my mate out to legana. 10ks away. and filled it up with gas. 
turned it over a few times and away it went. my mate thought all good so drove it back into town and pulled up switched it off and died again. 
so towed him back out to legana to his old mans place. when we got there is started again :mad: switched it over to petrol and it ran fine.
mate once again thought oh she be right and took off to his brothers birthday party. wouldnt start again :mad: so towed him home again :mad:
finally i got a bit fed up because it wasnt going to go so i left it at his mechanics place. 
now the last time it wouldnt go he rang up RACT and apparently the bloke thought something was wrong with the switchover between petrol and gas. how could this be when it was working fine earlier in the day
:rocket::bangin::bat::soapbox::censored::wasntme: 
Any ideas?
What are the chances its his injection system? and how much are they to fix/replace?
Thanks
Just remembered we checked the fuel pump and it working
PAT303
27th September 2008, 06:24 PM
well wouldnt start on petrol so i towed my mate out to legana. 10ks away. and filled it up with gas. 
turned it over a few times and away it went. my mate thought all good so drove it back into town and pulled up switched it off and died again. 
so towed him back out to legana to his old mans place. when we got there is started again :mad: switched it over to petrol and it ran fine.
mate once again thought oh she be right and took off to his brothers birthday party. wouldnt start again :mad: so towed him home again :mad:
finally i got a bit fed up because it wasnt going to go so i left it at his mechanics place. 
now the last time it wouldnt go he rang up RACT and apparently the bloke thought something was wrong with the switchover between petrol and gas. how could this be when it was working fine earlier in the day
:rocket::bangin::bat::soapbox::censored::wasntme: 
Any ideas?
What are the chances its his injection system? and how much are they to fix/replace?
Thanks
Is the switch gear for the gas/fuel under the bonnet were it can get hot?.Sounds like the heat is playing around with the electrics to me.Switch between the two and feel if the relay-soleniod is clicking.    Pat
Jock The Rock
27th September 2008, 06:27 PM
Not sure ill have a look tomorrow and see 
Thanks
lambrover
27th September 2008, 07:43 PM
could be a bad earth, my car did that the other week and I wiggled the wires at the tank and it worked. If you don't have power at the gas/petrol switch then the solanoid for the gas want work and when switched to petrol but no power the injectors don't get power to them. check the wiring every connection to do with the gas tanks and the switch.:D
Jock The Rock
29th September 2008, 05:42 PM
my mate took it into his mechanic. they reckon its the wiring in the ignition, because apparently they said they can start it if they wiggle the wires round. goes about every seventh time 
so hopefully wont be too expensive for him ;)
lambrover
29th September 2008, 08:25 PM
yep thats how mine was, hope it dosn't cost to much.:D
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