Thread: V8 intermitant no start

Have you taken the cap off and looked for condensation? Any moisture in the dissy body will evaporate and condense out on the underside of the cap.

Another check is when it doesn't go, use a multi meter to check the resistance across the magnetic pickup in the dissy.(you need to disconnect it from the module) If it intermittently goes open circuit you won't get a spark at times. I had a pickup coil die on me the other day. It's less common than module failure but it happens often enough.

Yeah mate I actually replaced dizzy cap and rotor button as I though maybe they were partly the problem . So can you buy the magnetic pickup in the dizzy separate ? Cause I've noticed whole distributors are not to cheap haha

So last week I de greased under the car , wrapped a bag around dizzy so no
water could get to it and what do ya no but it wouldn't start once I turned it
off .

Eventually started again

When it started again did it start on some cylinders than over a couple of minutes go onto all, or did it start on all cylinders straight off.

If it started on some cylinders, it says to me that wetting the plugs is the problem. if on all the dizzy or maybe even the coil HT lead where it enters the coil.
My 3.9 has absolutely no problem in water and a 3.5 I had stopped once in the last bit of the "lake" in the Nissan trials with water OVER the LH bonnet corner and then restarted enabling me to back out.

I would replace all the leads including the coil HT lead, and use Dielectric grease to seal the plug caps and the coil HT lead. Check that the terminals to the module are waterproof. Some 'liquid electrical Tape" on all connectors is a good idea.

In other words the only V8s that had problems in water are the old points dizzy ones. All recent ones have no problem as long as they are well maintained.
Regard sPhilip A

Originally Posted by Neesaan1via

Yeah mate I actually replaced dizzy cap and rotor button as I though maybe they were partly the problem . So can you buy the magnetic pickup in the dizzy separate ? Cause I've noticed whole distributors are not to cheap haha

Never tried but you can often find dissy's with stuffed advances and get them for cheap, raid them for parts.

Google search found Rimmer Bro's site in the UK:

Discovery 1 Engine Electrics - Ignition System at www.rimmerbros.co.uk

Yer when it starts it runs perfectly , it's never missed a beat once it fires up . It now hasn't really done it since last Saturday which is good , but I know it will sooner or later happen again . Il have a look into the things you guys have said and see what happens

Cheers for the info !

I recently had a similar issue - after much changing of parts it turned out to be the new ignition switch I put in a couple of months ago was failing intermittently. Would run fine for weeks at a time then every second time I tried to start it it wouldn't go. My auto electrician did some creative wiring and it now runs like a dream again.

John

So new distributor fitted . Thought it fixed it then bam stupid heap of **** discovery wouldn't start again . What the **** else can be wrong with this thing ? Do they have some kind of alarm or something ? It doesnt have central locking or anything . I knew I should have bought a patrol !!!!

Originally Posted by Neesaan1via

I knew I should have bought a patrol !!!!

Don't blame the car .... as your just replacing parts to fix the "symptom" rather than finding the "cause" ....

Like ALL electrical problems ... A multimeter is required, along with a wiring diagram to identify which part receives / sends power to each component.



If it has a LR immobiliser .... Then use search words such as "Spider alarm" .... a bypass plug is available .... 20 odd $

TIP......
With CARE ... Spend time having a good look at all connections of wire terminals within the engine bay .... and have a good check of ALL earth straps.


Try ... Unplug the MAF electrical connection next time it plays up to see if makes a difference. (Don't drive with it unplugged, as it will use petrol at a fast rate)
Try ... Clean the MAF terminals


The coil .... Is it a fresh 1 ?? ... Check the colour of the spark ..... Is it a healthy Blue ...or a dull orange??
..... Sure hope your not using a GT40 type .... the best is the original style black can when using the Lucus ignition module.




Try ... a different approach to starting procedure

1 / Turn key to ON position for 3 seconds ... Crank motor for 1/2 second ... turn key OFF
2 / Turn key to ON position for 3 seconds ... Crank motor for 1 second ... turn key OFF
3 / Turn key to ON position for 1 second ... Crank motor to start


.....

Cheers
Mike