Thread: P38 Hesitation/Stopping Issues

Might be worth taking your coil packs out and having a look to see if there are any cracks in them or other issues like power supply to them, loose leads etc.

You may be correct... however getting to the Coil Packs is a nightmare thanks to the LPG Installation (Coolant Hoses etc).

I'm just going to continue to drive with the Fuel Pressure Tester connected until such time as the issue re-occurs so I can completely count that one out of the situation.

I'm picking up another HSE GEMS P38 tomorrow... (Glutton for Punishment) so that will at least give me something to swap pieces with

I'm gonna throw a random suggestion out there... Gearbox fault (when there is none) usually occurs at low voltage.

Bad earth or terminal clamp? Dying battery?

I'm probably wrong but nonetheless that's my input!

Cheers
Keithy

Could it be something in the LPG wiring? Does the car stall/falter whilst on LPG?

LPG is and has been out of action for about 2-3 months due to some issues with Pressure/Gas Injectors. Being running on Straight Petrol for the last 3 months.

I had a similar sounding issue once, and it bugged me for a few weeks, every few days car just cutting out and occasionally hesitating at high revs - pulled over after a cutout on the side of the road at night and found an arcing lead.

Just an idea. Same as coils just mentioned.

Finally got the heads off my (Thor) P38 to the machine shop today... was talking to the chap there at length about Rover heads...they do a lot of work for local LR dealers and independents.

For later engines with a high mileage, a fairly common cause for an intermittent "miss" (other remedies having been tried and failed...e.g. fuel/ignition/sensors have all been replaced $$$$...and problem still there ) ..is carbon fouling of exhaust valve stems, causing them to stick...so they don't close properly and things spiral from there. Then they seemingly behave OK and the problem goes away...for a while... another hint being persistent "tapping" of warm engine

A re-designed exhaust valve profile was introduced somewhat later to try and solve the problem -a so-called "carbon trap" built into the stem (a short section of thinner diameter) but they can still play up...especially when they have heavy mileage on them. The only way to check is to either pull the heads off...or to remove the rocker cover and release the exhaust valve such that it does not fall into the cylinder and try and wiggle it up/down by hand and see if it is sticking.

At 300,000 km it's probably reasonable for a top end overhaul anyway.

Hope this helps!

ps read also: http://www.robisonservice.com/servic...n_fouling1.pdf

Would a long highway drive help to remove carbon? Get the engine nice and warm for a few hours, overtake a few semi's? Give it a general flog?

I would do this on my torana once a year when it started to get a bit sluggish/rough.