It wont start :( any ideas?

[v8rangie]

Bought a 3.5 V8 rrc last weekend but it wouldnt start but the battery was almost dead so thought that was the problem.


I have charged the battery and its now turning over a lot faster and started to almost fire but after a few times it now cant be bothered at all.

any ideas on what to check etc... obvious spark etc but are there any stupid little things worth checking?



Cheers

[clbarclay]

I expect the plugs will be wet and need a clean, the water temp sensor for the ECU is a common item to fail and cheap to replace but a PITA to change. It is tucked in behind the thermo time switch and some hoses on the intlet manifold.


The symptoms sound very similare to my V8 when I first got it (used to start on clean plugs but then go down hill and stall, take the plugs out and they were soaked). I lose track of what I've done to sort it out, but the moment I got it fueling right it then started buring engine oil :lol:  :roll:

[v8rangie]

seemslike one of those problems that never has an obvious answer just trial and error.

il give the plugs a clean and i have put the battery back on charge over night to get lots of juice in it.

[Range Rover Blues]

I think you have to take heart from the fact that it's trying.  Just make sure every thing you can is checked and charge the battery right up.  Ours won't start if the battery is down, the ignition module sulks.  That said they always jump start well even if they'll only just turn over.  Weird :?

Anyway, if you think you have a good spark then a teaspoonfull of fuel into the inlet might get some sort of reaction.

[v8rangie]

Checked the plugs quickly after work when we had a bit of light and they look normal with a slight bit of petrol on the end.


charged the battery right up and tried again and it only tries to start when the pedal is about quarter depressed (accelerator pedal :) )


theres is quarter of a tank of fresh petrol in it so thats not a prob.

[Mark_Solesbury]

sounds like fuel related then..

Fuel pump ok?  In my 87 V8 you can hear it hiss from underneath.

If not that, is the filter ok? I once put one in back to front... Took me hours to figure that out :oops:

[v8rangie]

gonna have to wait till the weekend i think and strip everything pout and put it back together and make a BIG shopping list

[Spacemud]

Yes, take the fuel pipe off under the back wing after the fuel filter, quick flick of the starter to see if anything is coming out. That was the problem with mine as spookily predicted by RRB!

Got a s/hand pump off ebay and with a certain amount of fiddling dropped the tank and replaced it.

RRB - correct me if there is a better way to diagnose  

[Wolfie_]

Try changing the spark plugs I had same problem with mine and was given this advice and it solved the problem.

[v8rangie]

checked the spark tonight and seems ok and a strong smell of petrol so that should be ok.

ill check the dizzy saturday and possibly start by changing the plugs then work from there.


Cheers :)

[v8rangie]

woo hoo its now running :)

took all the leads and plugs off and cleaned them up. cleaned the dizzy and arm and it fired up first turn of the key.

No funny noises no flat spots nothing :)

its not 100% happy so will be buying some decent plugs leads and dizzy end of the month at least i know it will be reliable when it gets a bit wet then .