Thread: My Dodgy Disco, an update and a plea for advice....

A few other things to check,

Fuel pressure regulator, and fuel injectors themselves. A blocked/ dirty set of injectors will cause serious running problems, poor and over rich starting due to dribbling fuel in after shut off. Also, make certain someone hasn't conected the fuel temp sensor plug onto the coolant temp sensor and vis-a-versa. Don't laugh, I have seen it done.
A fuel pressure gauge is a good start. A Schrader valve should be on your fuel rail on the drivers side of the engine. If the fuel pressure is below 30Psi idling, and drops off quickly after switching engine off, then there is a problem with either the fuel pressure reg or leaking injectors.

Good luck, Ask questions, and don't worry, just think how you'll feel after you get it going well!

JC

Originally Posted by Mattskii

Mine was far from cheap. I have been so stupid!

You are here asking all the right questions - not so stupid me thinks.

Just remember there are no stupid questions. Only un-asked questions are stupid.

Thank you so so much everyone! :O) I am feeling mor possative now.

OK, so I am putting Monday asside for a day of mechanical learning and V8 exploration! lol As I am on a small budget, and as I left all my tools and stuff back in the UK rather than pay expensive shipping, the day will start with a short shopping trip. What are my priorities? I was thinking a torque wrench, a feeler gage, a multimeter. That will probably cost more than I want to spend all together, but I reccon a good start. I'll check the spark plugs, and if I can't clean them (If they need it) I'll buy new. (I don't really know what to ask for, reccomendations anyone?)

Then I wil try and discover what all the things under the bonnet are, cross referencing with the RAVE disk and the Hayes Manual which I got with the vehicle.

Thanks again everyone. If there is anything I can do for any of you..... I work as a welder/fabricator, but used to be in IT for the last 20 years. Long story, but ask if I can help in any way! :O)

Cheers

Don,t get to overwhelmed at first, I had no idea of how things worked under the bonnet of a Disco when I started but after having to work through my problems and reading and asking info form the forum I have a pretty good understanding of how it fits togerther now.

I'm not to far from you and could possibly drop past and have a look over it one afternoon/night next week if you like. I have quite a few spares and know a few things to check. Let me know if this will suit you and PM me a contact number so I can call if thats ok..

Now if I could only workout why mine keeps burning out coils, but that's for another thead.

Hey Mattskii
The problems you have are pretty typical for a vehicle 15 years old if it hasn't been looked after well. Unless it has been thrashed they are pretty indistructable but can mess with your head with all the little niggly things that they can throw at you.

I used to take mine to "professionals" to get fixed when I first bought mine 14 years ago (it's a 94 V8 disco) but soon learnt that in Darwin there wasn't actually an expert or professional at that time, lots of $$ later and no better, I got a little wiser, so much of the work done on her ended up being done by myself.

It has been an interesting learning curve and I still ask questions on here as there are some fantastically knowledgable people here who are only to happy to help.

Good luck with it, and I must say it is very reqarding to fix something yourself and it runs better afterwards.

Originally Posted by Mattskii

Thank you so so much everyone! :O) I am feeling mor possative now.

OK, so I am putting Monday asside for a day of mechanical learning and V8 exploration! lol As I am on a small budget, and as I left all my tools and stuff back in the UK rather than pay expensive shipping, the day will start with a short shopping trip. What are my priorities? I was thinking a torque wrench, a feeler gage, a multimeter. That will probably cost more than I want to spend all together, but I reccon a good start. I'll check the spark plugs, and if I can't clean them (If they need it) I'll buy new. (I don't really know what to ask for, reccomendations anyone?)

Then I wil try and discover what all the things under the bonnet are, cross referencing with the RAVE disk and the Hayes Manual which I got with the vehicle.

Thanks again everyone. If there is anything I can do for any of you..... I work as a welder/fabricator, but used to be in IT for the last 20 years. Long story, but ask if I can help in any way! :O)

Cheers

The IAC valve which is on the back of the Plenum, that aluminium rectangular box with the fins on it in the middle of the engine can cause many problems like you have described. It is bolted to the back of the plenum by 3 allen bolts, and often comes loose, it has a large pipe and a smaller pipe. If it is not loose remove it and with some carby cleaner spray the cone and spring and the seat in the plenum, remove any caked on residue and refit. Use the carby/throttle body cleaner (available from Supercheap and the like) to spray the hotwire, which is in a small hole in the top left hand corner of the MAF which is the block of aluminium in the centre of the hoses from the air filter box to the Plenum, this block has a multipin socket and pin attached, pull it off and on a few times to make good contact with the pins inside.
Don't pump the accelerator pedal while starting do as previously described, good luck, Regards Frank.

Hey mate, congrats on joining the disco club.
I too bought a bit of a dud, but after some work and some $$ she's coming up nicely.

The best thing i can reccommend is spend some money and buy a haynes manual. I bought one as soon as i got mine and its a great aid if you dont know a diff from a transfer case. Mine was $37 off ebay (delivered).

I've found a heap of second hand parts through the marketplace here, ebay, the 4x4 wrecker on frankston dandenong rd, theres a place in adelade that has heaps too, and a fellow in Seaford who has alot of stuff.

If you are going to see a mechanic i highly reccommend Peninsula Rangie in Frankston, its a hike and their flat out busy but their really good and dont bs. They rebuilt my gearbox, injector pump and did the timing belt. I'm in the northern suburbs too but it was well worth the trip.

Goodluck

Originally Posted by justinc

A few other things to check,

Fuel pressure regulator, and fuel injectors themselves. A blocked/ dirty set of injectors will cause serious running problems, poor and over rich starting due to dribbling fuel in after shut off. Also, make certain someone hasn't conected the fuel temp sensor plug onto the coolant temp sensor and vis-a-versa. Don't laugh, I have seen it done.
A fuel pressure gauge is a good start. A Schrader valve should be on your fuel rail on the drivers side of the engine. If the fuel pressure is below 30Psi idling, and drops off quickly after switching engine off, then there is a problem with either the fuel pressure reg or leaking injectors.

Good luck, Ask questions, and don't worry, just think how you'll feel after you get it going well!

JC

Does anyone have a picture of what color wires and or color plug is connected to each of these sensors as I think I may have mixed them up on the engine rebuild as Im having some idle problems since the rebuild