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Thread: urgent V8 help needed

  1. #1
    jasper110 Guest

    urgent V8 help needed

    please help. the ignition on my '85 3.5 v8 has gone to pot. it happened suddenly, will hardly start and when it does, runs like crap. i've ruled out fueling as its lpg/petrol and does it on both fuels. i've swapped the ignition amplifier and coil and its made no difference. the leads are magnecor and the plugs are NGK all in good condition.

    the trucks at the garage and the man says it's getting a spark, the timing is correct. he's going to do a compression test. i don't know if its sparking on all 8 plugs.

    since the onset, i've suspected either the amp unit (now ruled out) or the distributor. some say the lucas 35dm8 can fail internally, i changed the rotor arm and cap a few weeks ago and it was running fine though ineeded a little more advance. could it be a problem with the wiring inside the distributor, a short or something to do with the pick-up. a signal is getting to the amp and coil but the engine isn't right.

    what else could cause such a problem within a space of a quarter of a mile.

    i'm very close to buying a new distributor, telling the garage to stop messing around and to fit the damn thing. i would go to dual points as its cheaper and gets away from an ancient electronic system that nobody can diagnose.

    is there something i'm missing?

    please help before i spend too much and make a potential idiot of myself!!!

  2. #2
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    failed reluctor, oil on the optical sensor?
    Dave

    "In a Landrover the other vehicle is your crumple zone."

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  3. #3
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    First thing I'd ask is.....DID YOU FIT GENUINE LUCAS PARTS Cap and Rotor????

    From my exprience there are NO other GOOD brands made for these.....I think the problem is that the very high voltages generated by the system results in cross firing and shorting.....I've even seen one new rotor burnt thru to the shaft in less than 500 klms!!!

    I suspect it may be the type of plastic used by Lucas.....don't know what else.....coz the caps don't have spark arresting ridges or anything special.....same goes for the rotors.....BUT THEY WORK!!!

  4. #4
    jasper110 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by byron
    First thing I'd ask is.....DID YOU FIT GENUINE LUCAS PARTS Cap and Rotor????

    From my exprience there are NO other GOOD brands made for these.....I think the problem is that the very high voltages generated by the system results in cross firing and shorting.....I've even seen one new rotor burnt thru to the shaft in less than 500 klms!!!

    I suspect it may be the type of plastic used by Lucas.....don't know what else.....coz the caps don't have spark arresting ridges or anything special.....same goes for the rotors.....BUT THEY WORK!!!

    thanks for replying. they were original lucas parts. would the dizzy still partially work if it had shorted?

  5. #5
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    did this happen just after you refuelled....?

  6. #6
    jasper110 Guest
    Quote Originally Posted by DEFENDERZOOK
    did this happen just after you refuelled....?
    no. just driving along and it started to cough and splutter. will hardly start now. does it on both gas and petrol, if i switch between the 2.

  7. #7
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    sounds like it could be an inlet manifold leak......

    start it up....and while its idling...start spraying some wd40 or carby cleaner or whatever is handy.....
    spray around the inlet manifold and listen for any change in revs.....

  8. #8
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    ok.....Not the coil or amp....checked the air gap?.....anything more and you really need to put it on an analyzer.....short of temporarily swapping a complete othe dizzy......it may NOT be ignition....I know it looks/ sounds like it is....but just check....

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by DEFENDERZOOK
    sounds like it could be an inlet manifold leak......

    start it up....and while its idling...start spraying some wd40 or carby cleaner or whatever is handy.....
    spray around the inlet manifold and listen for any change in revs.....
    mmmmmmmmm.............I was just going to suggest this!....you beat me to it Tony!

  10. #10
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    you were being too slow......

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