Cutting-out problem - Help?
Discussion
Sorry this is a long topic. Help required.
I had the worst sort of problem develop yesterday in my 4.3 Chim. Intermittent and random. It first emanated as we were entering the PH car park at Pfest when the engine died while traveling slowly. Still coasting I tried to restart on the key and it would fire-up but not run. After about five attempts it caught and was OK until we parked up. At the end of the day the car started up OK and was fine until we got into some traffic about 5 miles up the road. Same symptoms, but it fired up and ran on the first or second attempt. This happened a few times in the traffic. Once we got going it ran OK for a while then would cut out whilst cruising at speed – then catch, and continue OK. Something relevant here may be to note that when it died, the rev-counter immediately fell. Then as the engine fired the tacho would resume it's position. Once onto the M40 it seemed to run further before hic-cupping but always managed to keep going. We hit traffic again near the M25 junction and it started it's cutting out again where I had to pull onto the hard shoulder to restart it. On at least one occasion when it died, I noticed that the dash warning lights did not come on (relevant?). But when stopped I turned the key off then on and they came on again and it restarted. Some times it took a few attempts before it would fire. It had a few fits again on the M25 but managed to keep going as long as I could maintain momentum. Pumping the throttle made no difference or encouragement at all. Turning off the M25 to drop my brother off it ran like a sick dog coasting downhill on a local road, "hunting" until I dipped the clutch and gave a few heavy blips. Then it was OK again. I left there about 7.00pm after some refreshments etc (for me) and got back onto the M25. I hit traffic again after the next junction but was moving about 40 mph then it died again. I couldn't start it on the key so had to coast onto the hard shoulder. I tried several times to resuscitate it to no avail. I left it for a couple of minutes – nothing. It would not fire at all. I took the key out, locked it, left it a couple of minutes, unlocked and tried to restart – not a spark. I was now beginning to think it could be serious and though about giving the AA a call. I got out and lifted the bonnet just to check for obvious clues and wiggle the LT leads and check plug leads etc. All looked OK. I had a cigarette to contemplate the next move. After about 10 mins I tried again, and it started! So, bonnet down and off I go again. Holding in lower gears now to keep up the rev range but it's still cutting out on a constant throttle – a bit more violently now but I manage to get back to my area. It's a 30mph around my way which is difficult in anything higher than second but I notice it just didn't "sound" right in that or third – seemed to be mis-firing now, but idling and revving OK. Importantly I get home and put it in the garage.
Any ideas anyone? (Steve H?). Is it FUEL – or – SPARK? Or neither?
Background: I topped up at J4 on the M40 at ASDA – 40 litres of regular unleaded. Car has been serviced fairly recently but discovered one duff plug lead – temporarily repaired. I cleaned the stepper motor about a year ago (thats about 1,000 miles for me).
Thanks
I had the worst sort of problem develop yesterday in my 4.3 Chim. Intermittent and random. It first emanated as we were entering the PH car park at Pfest when the engine died while traveling slowly. Still coasting I tried to restart on the key and it would fire-up but not run. After about five attempts it caught and was OK until we parked up. At the end of the day the car started up OK and was fine until we got into some traffic about 5 miles up the road. Same symptoms, but it fired up and ran on the first or second attempt. This happened a few times in the traffic. Once we got going it ran OK for a while then would cut out whilst cruising at speed – then catch, and continue OK. Something relevant here may be to note that when it died, the rev-counter immediately fell. Then as the engine fired the tacho would resume it's position. Once onto the M40 it seemed to run further before hic-cupping but always managed to keep going. We hit traffic again near the M25 junction and it started it's cutting out again where I had to pull onto the hard shoulder to restart it. On at least one occasion when it died, I noticed that the dash warning lights did not come on (relevant?). But when stopped I turned the key off then on and they came on again and it restarted. Some times it took a few attempts before it would fire. It had a few fits again on the M25 but managed to keep going as long as I could maintain momentum. Pumping the throttle made no difference or encouragement at all. Turning off the M25 to drop my brother off it ran like a sick dog coasting downhill on a local road, "hunting" until I dipped the clutch and gave a few heavy blips. Then it was OK again. I left there about 7.00pm after some refreshments etc (for me) and got back onto the M25. I hit traffic again after the next junction but was moving about 40 mph then it died again. I couldn't start it on the key so had to coast onto the hard shoulder. I tried several times to resuscitate it to no avail. I left it for a couple of minutes – nothing. It would not fire at all. I took the key out, locked it, left it a couple of minutes, unlocked and tried to restart – not a spark. I was now beginning to think it could be serious and though about giving the AA a call. I got out and lifted the bonnet just to check for obvious clues and wiggle the LT leads and check plug leads etc. All looked OK. I had a cigarette to contemplate the next move. After about 10 mins I tried again, and it started! So, bonnet down and off I go again. Holding in lower gears now to keep up the rev range but it's still cutting out on a constant throttle – a bit more violently now but I manage to get back to my area. It's a 30mph around my way which is difficult in anything higher than second but I notice it just didn't "sound" right in that or third – seemed to be mis-firing now, but idling and revving OK. Importantly I get home and put it in the garage.
Any ideas anyone? (Steve H?). Is it FUEL – or – SPARK? Or neither? Background: I topped up at J4 on the M40 at ASDA – 40 litres of regular unleaded. Car has been serviced fairly recently but discovered one duff plug lead – temporarily repaired. I cleaned the stepper motor about a year ago (thats about 1,000 miles for me).
Thanks
Thanks Jigs, do you know if they are in any way special? I don't have access to a spare but could I use a Land-rover one? I do hope it's the spark because I bought a set of magnecor leads and new adaptors from Tim at the show. Maybe a new coil to go with them will do the trick?
Any other offers?
Any other offers?
Had a similar incident with very bad traffic which was diagnosed as fuel vapourisation and solved itself once the engine cooled sufficiently. Your problem could be either lack of fuel or lack of a spark, so I'd say you're best to get some advice from an expert before replacing too many things. If the car has been running fine up to this point, I'd be more likely to suspect circumstances you've not encountered before than anything seriously a miss.
Cheers,
Steve
>> Edited by Steve_T on Tuesday 1st July 02:13
Cheers,
Steve
>> Edited by Steve_T on Tuesday 1st July 02:13
Steve_T said:
Had a similar incident with very bad traffic which was diagnosed as fuel vapourisation and solved itself once the engine cooled sufficiently. Your problem could be either lack of fuel or lack of a spark, so I'd say you're best to get some advice from an expert before replacing too many things. If the car has been running fine up to this point, I'd be more likely to suspect circumstances you've not encountered before than anything seriously a miss.
Cheers,
Steve
>> Edited by Steve_T on Tuesday 1st July 02:13
I agree. It could be almost anything. I would suspect the electrics and it is easy to chcek that you have sparks where you need them. Could be the coil dying but also the ignion module, the rotor arm, dizzy cap etc. Could equally be the fuel side.
The bible 2 has a flow chart to help diagnose electrical faults. If the car is still misbehaving, then follow that. If that is OK then there is some other fault with the fuelling.
Thanks Steve/Steve. Originally suspected vapourisation as the car was v.hot queueing to get in PFest when it firs cut out. Last bout was around 9.00/9.30pm which much cooler engine temps. Yes, I agree it's either fuel or spark. I'll have a look in the bible tonight. Does the tacho die-ing instantly have any meaning? Where is it pulsed from?
Thanks guys.
Thanks guys.
Had exactly this problem on my 4.3. I think it was a plug extension thingy come loose as it hasn't happened since I made sure they were all on tight. I also had one replaced by Mark Adams as part of a rolling road tune as it was duff.
I had exactly the symptoms you describe with the rev-counter. Also, even though the engine was turning as the car was in gear the alternator/charge light came on.
Hope you sort it
Ed
I had exactly the symptoms you describe with the rev-counter. Also, even though the engine was turning as the car was in gear the alternator/charge light came on.
Hope you sort it
Ed
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