Thread: tried towing with the 3.9!!!!!

Whatever you do, don't ever drive a late-ish model 3.2 litre diesel Pajero...

I've only towed a 5x8 open cage trailer with my new toy, 95 Vogue SE / 3.9 - but the fuel useage did'nt change toooo much....

*Only* 10 or so litres extra for 200 km..

Nor is it overly-endowed with power... a VW diesel van left me for dead at the lights last week... and after 2 km and LOTS of numbers on the speedo he was still drawing away.

We have to face the reality that the 3.5 & 3.9 Rover/Buick V8 is at least 30 years behind the more frugal / more powerful V-6's of the last 5 to 10 years.

Grumpy (but realistic) Old James in Gosnells.

PS, - but would love to be proved wrong !

The EH, Classic 95 Vogue SE with *working* Air suspension !

Just a quick thought whilst I was trawling through Atlantic British USA (nice exchange rate at the moment!)

- would your oxygen sensors be past their use-by date ?
- Dunno what the "reality" life-span is, nor whether data from elderly O2 sensors would affect power as much as fuel thirst.

Cheers,

James in G.

The 'EH' 95 Classic Vogue with working EAS, and ABC.

thanks again for all the replies,

tried setting the timing at the weekend, marked the 6 degree point to make it easier to see and got it spot on, Rangie then ran like a three legged donkey, struggled to get to 40kph away from the lights, tried again with the same result, never been anything like this bad before.

then I read the plate on the engine, this said that due to the emissions control system the timing should be set to between 1 and 3 degrees, did that and we are well and truly away, has anyone had this?

so if 6 degrees doesn't work try 2, it seems to have done the trick for me!

Originally Posted by finallyrangie

thanks again for all the replies,

tried setting the timing at the weekend, marked the 6 degree point to make it easier to see and got it spot on, Rangie then ran like a three legged donkey, struggled to get to 40kph away from the lights, tried again with the same result, never been anything like this bad before.

then I read the plate on the engine, this said that due to the emissions control system the timing should be set to between 1 and 3 degrees, did that and we are well and truly away, has anyone had this?

so if 6 degrees doesn't work try 2, it seems to have done the trick for me!

To me it sounds like you marked the AFTER side to 6 degrees, you need to double check as you want the BEFORE side. The crankshaft '6' mark should be to the right of the TDC mark. I never met a RR which didn't run better at 6 to 10 degrees advance.

ditto
It is virtually impossible for a RV8 NOT to make more power with more advance.
The limiting factor is detonation.
The reason it is 2degrees is all to do with emission regulations and reducing NOX which used to be a major concern back then as it is an ingredient of smog. Remember when people were concerned with smog?
Regards Philip A

Hand Turn the crank so the TDC marks are at the bottom
Lay under the car and clean up the TDC markers with "wet n dry"
You will notice that the markers go .... 12 6 T 6 12 .....
grab a "white out pen" and put lines on the 9 degree spot

Now start the motor and advance it to 9 degrees .... Fairly easy to work out if your going the right way ... because the motor picks up revs, as you move it towards the 9
If it drops revs as you move towards 9 ... then you are retarding the motor ....

.... Piston #1 is passenger side of motor ....

You need to advance it ....



Was the vacuum advance working? ... Did you check that the plenum side is not blocked?

thanks so much for the idiot guide, I'm the idiot who needed it, was indeed going the wrong way, everyone (non rover owners) told me after TDC, know better now thanks to you lot.

getting pretty quick at setting the timing now, and at 6 degrees BEFORE TDC, and using the right plug for no1 (was on drivers side before), Rangie is now running better than I thought they could, new plugs and leads are next then we are ready for another go at towing the van!

might try 9 degrees to, just to see how that goes!

thanks again

Any advance on 6 degrees ? - Sorry, could'nt resist that !