Thread: Lack of power

From what I've heard in this thread the problem you are encountering could possibly be a fuel starvation issue leading to a very lean mixture that is subject to either heating up and malfunctioning of an electrical component or build-up of vacuum in the fuel tank or a combination of both (Reasoning: If you push the accelerator it misfires until you ease off to a point where it will go – Suddenly loss of power and chugging and misfiring).

In order to determine in which direction to look for the problem do the following. Connect a pressure gauge into the fuel supply line and run it to the outside of the vehicle in front of the windscreen where you can see it and leave it connected while you are driving. When the vehicle starts to loose power note the fuel line pressure. If it maintains fuel pressure at that point then you have eliminated the fuel pump and vacuum build-up in the fuel tank and can concentrate on other factors.

If it looses pressure due to build-up of vacuum and you release the fuel cap and the fuel pressure is restored then the issue is related to tank breathing. If you still have limited fuel pressure after loosening the fuel cap then there is a possibility of a failing electrical component due to heat buildup in the component causing it to break down. As you have just replaced the fuel pump the initial component that I would look at would be the fuel pump relay.

Give us an update when you can mate..

Hi all,

Well, the Rangie has been through the wringer and back and now that I know what has been going on, I understand why the car has not been performing well.

Firstly we changed the MAF and that didn't cure it, then I changed the Crank Sensor back to the original I had replaced and the car stopped dead (the old CPS was knackered), so dug deeper into the Cam Sensor (praying please not let it be the $$$$$ cam sensor) - well it was the cam sensor and the MAF sensor and the replacement Holden fuel pump I put in last December - all 3 had decided to stop work at the same time!

Whenever we replaced a single item, the other two would keep the car off-balance which is why we kept going around in circles

So, the MAF was knackered and worn out, the Cam sensor had corroded connections and had to be replaced and the replacement Holden fuel pump that I fitted last December had deteriorated to pump out only 20psi.

As I write I'm waiting on a replacement fuel pump that are only 40 quid from Island 4x4, but they're in England so I really am still just chugging around and hoping it doesn't give out on me.

What a palaver, this episode really tested my patience and I must say that I would have probably lost it a bit without the support of my mate Heath (on here as Business Connected).

Special mention also goes to Pat and American British who worked it all out for me and charged a very very reasonable amount for his time and parts - well recommended

when you wrote that i hope you were, throwing salt over various shoulders, touching some wood, watching out for black cats and not saying "landrover" 3 times out loud, or horror of horrors "thats it then, fixed!"
you may also need, a bell, a book and a candle.

well done Insp Poirot

Originally Posted by Rupert Prior

when you wrote that i hope you were, throwing salt over various shoulders, touching some wood, watching out for black cats and not saying "landrover" 3 times out loud, or horror of horrors "thats it then, fixed!"
you may also need, a bell, a book and a candle.

There were times that I thought the Devil was riding shotgun!

Originally Posted by Hoges

well done Insp Poirot

Merci

Well I think my '95 4.0 SE has just developed a very similar fault.

It's been getting more and more difficult to start over the last few weeks. When it does start it is a little lumpy for a few seconds then is OK. If I turned the ignition on/off a few times before trying to start it will start easier. (prime the fuel line)

Yesterday I was driving and it lost all power. It would accelerate very slowly at light throttle. As soon as I would press the accelerator a little more, power would drop off further and all acceleration would be lost. I managed to limp home. I also had intermittent Fuel Sender Fault on the message display with the needle going to empty. The tank is half full. There have been a few times (4-5) during the last 6 months when the fuel gauge showed less than it should have but never empty and it would come back within a few minutes, never a message on the display.

Once in the driveway I tried full throttle in neutral. The revs climbed steadily from idle to about 3000rpm then died off suddenly. When it got back to idle the revs climbed as they did previously. The engine continued this cycle with the accelerator all the way to the floor.

I'm suspecting the fuel pump. I know that the fuel pump/sender are one unit but it is it strange to have both parts of this unit fail simultaneously? I haven't yet but I should probably check earths and power supplies to the unit?

Cheers
Pat.