Loss of power!!!!! - Land Rovers Only

Kevin88RRC · 07-27-2006, 12:40 PM

DAMMMMMIT! I just lost all power. She was running fine after the rebuild, but I have been working on her timing and idle. So I fiddle with a the stepper and take for a test running. Running fine but lacking some power which I hoped to get with a new cam. Pick up some Lucas injector cleaner and fill her up with Mobil premium. In less than a mile she starts losing power. Now she has no power.... I had to limp home

Almost couldn't make up my hill!

Top speed was 20mph with very low RPMs. Even in park & neutral she'll won't rev above 3000. No lights on. She sounds fine. Fuel filter is newish. Could the fuel regulator have crapped out? What else to look at?

choffa@comcast.net · 07-27-2006, 01:13 PM

Check the obvious: fuel pressure, ignition wires, mass air flow sensor wiring. Another thing to consider is the alternator. When the diodes fail, it will send alternating current into the ignition system. This will piss off the engine computer & cause all sorts of performance problems.

Watch your tachometer, bouncing needle or no indication is a sure sign of a failed alternator. A voltmeter across the battery should have very low AC component (less than 1 volt AC).

Greg M · 07-27-2006, 01:45 PM

Kevin, two questions:
1) did this happen after you were working on the timing?
2) what did you do to the stepper motor?

Kevin88RRC · 07-27-2006, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greg M

Kevin, two questions:
1) did this happen after you were working on the timing?
2) what did you do to the stepper motor?

Really the only thing I did was reset the stepper by turning ignition on, unplug stepper, turn off inginition, wait for relay to click, and replug stepper. Did that twice and the idle improved some. Did not touch the timing today. It sounds decent, but I need to bring it in to get done properly.
I feel it is directly related to filling up with gas cause she was running decent before that. I did floor it while getting on the highway and that is when it started then got worse from there.

TerryS · 07-27-2006, 03:07 PM

Kevin, It sounds almost certainly like timing, as in very retarded. Did you have the vacuum advance unit off for any reason? Pop the cap, remove the flash cover, and see if the breaker plate moves, because if the rod from the advance unit comes off, the rotation of the distributor shaft will slowly move thr plate to something like 35 degrees ATDC.

Greg M · 07-27-2006, 05:03 PM

I have to agree with Terry, it sounds like it could be a timing issue. Of course it could be a number of things which are too big to list here, but start with timing. I know that when i rebuilt my engine, my first attempt at installing the dist. i got it one tooth off. It would idle great, but above 1500 rpms there was nothing, which sounds like an identical problem to yours.

Now, if you've been driving it around for a couple weeks and it was okay, then i would say fuel problem, but if not and you've been screwing with the distributor, i would say timing is off.

Kevin88RRC · 07-29-2006, 09:29 AM

Will definitely check out the distro... but I didn't touch it the day it happened. Nontheless, the timing may be off. I was hoping to get it close then take it to the shop to have them dial it in. Did not take the vacuum off. Maybe something did slip when I floored it to get on the highway.

I just associated it with a fuel prob since I just filled it.

Fortunately I can't look at her yet (for once).... cause we just bought our first house and are in the middle of the move. Luckily only four miles away so it might be time to use my AAA for a tow over. Maybe I can squeeze in a few minutes today for a look at the distro.

Kevin88RRC · 10-15-2006, 12:45 PM

UPDATE!!!

She is up & running again

Finally got around to replacing the fuel lines which had sprung a leak. And was still thinking it was the fuel pump or regulator. Or a major vacuum leak.

But I had also just received my new air intake hose (thanks Paul Grant) to replace my ratty looking old one. When I removed the old one, it had collapsed in on itself completely blocking air from getting in. <DOH!!!> No signs of a problem from the outside. Put on the replacement. Installed fuel lines. Checked for leaks. Primed fuel pump. Checked for leaks 4 more times. Then started her up and drove her around!

First time in over two months.

Glad I saw that hose on eBay.

MuddyRangeRover · 10-16-2006, 07:58 AM

Sounds like timing. I had a similar problem , it turned out to be the rotor.

07-27-2006, 12:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Kevin88RRC Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Portland, Maine Posts: 657 Gallery: 0	Loss of power!!!!! DAMMMMMIT! I just lost all power. She was running fine after the rebuild, but I have been working on her timing and idle. So I fiddle with a the stepper and take for a test running. Running fine but lacking some power which I hoped to get with a new cam. Pick up some Lucas injector cleaner and fill her up with Mobil premium. In less than a mile she starts losing power. Now she has no power.... I had to limp home Almost couldn't make up my hill! Top speed was 20mph with very low RPMs. Even in park & neutral she'll won't rev above 3000. No lights on. She sounds fine. Fuel filter is newish. Could the fuel regulator have crapped out? What else to look at? __________________ Kevin 88 RRC "Audrey"

07-27-2006, 01:13 PM	#2 (permalink)
choffa@comcast.net Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Suburbs of Philadelphia, PA Posts: 60 Gallery: 0	Check the obvious: fuel pressure, ignition wires, mass air flow sensor wiring. Another thing to consider is the alternator. When the diodes fail, it will send alternating current into the ignition system. This will piss off the engine computer & cause all sorts of performance problems. Watch your tachometer, bouncing needle or no indication is a sure sign of a failed alternator. A voltmeter across the battery should have very low AC component (less than 1 volt AC). __________________ CJH 1990 Rangie Philadelphia, PA

07-27-2006, 01:45 PM	#3 (permalink)
Greg M Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boise ID Posts: 219 Gallery: 0	Kevin, two questions: 1) did this happen after you were working on the timing? 2) what did you do to the stepper motor? __________________ Greg M 1987 RRC Rovers haven't made it to the far reaches of the Earth worrying about warning lights.

07-27-2006, 05:03 PM	#6 (permalink)
Greg M Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Boise ID Posts: 219 Gallery: 0	I have to agree with Terry, it sounds like it could be a timing issue. Of course it could be a number of things which are too big to list here, but start with timing. I know that when i rebuilt my engine, my first attempt at installing the dist. i got it one tooth off. It would idle great, but above 1500 rpms there was nothing, which sounds like an identical problem to yours. Now, if you've been driving it around for a couple weeks and it was okay, then i would say fuel problem, but if not and you've been screwing with the distributor, i would say timing is off. __________________ Greg M 1987 RRC Rovers haven't made it to the far reaches of the Earth worrying about warning lights.

07-29-2006, 09:29 AM	#7 (permalink)
Kevin88RRC Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Portland, Maine Posts: 657 Gallery: 0	Will definitely check out the distro... but I didn't touch it the day it happened. Nontheless, the timing may be off. I was hoping to get it close then take it to the shop to have them dial it in. Did not take the vacuum off. Maybe something did slip when I floored it to get on the highway. I just associated it with a fuel prob since I just filled it. Fortunately I can't look at her yet (for once).... cause we just bought our first house and are in the middle of the move. Luckily only four miles away so it might be time to use my AAA for a tow over. Maybe I can squeeze in a few minutes today for a look at the distro. __________________ Kevin 88 RRC "Audrey"

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07-27-2006, 03:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
TerryS Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bloomfield, CT If I died today, I lived there all my life. Posts: 2,062 Gallery: 0	Kevin, It sounds almost certainly like timing, as in very retarded. Did you have the vacuum advance unit off for any reason? Pop the cap, remove the flash cover, and see if the breaker plate moves, because if the rod from the advance unit comes off, the rotation of the distributor shaft will slowly move thr plate to something like 35 degrees ATDC.

10-15-2006, 12:45 PM	#8 (permalink)
Kevin88RRC Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Portland, Maine Posts: 657 Gallery: 0	UPDATE!!! She is up & running again Finally got around to replacing the fuel lines which had sprung a leak. And was still thinking it was the fuel pump or regulator. Or a major vacuum leak. But I had also just received my new air intake hose (thanks Paul Grant) to replace my ratty looking old one. When I removed the old one, it had collapsed in on itself completely blocking air from getting in. <DOH!!!> No signs of a problem from the outside. Put on the replacement. Installed fuel lines. Checked for leaks. Primed fuel pump. Checked for leaks 4 more times. Then started her up and drove her around! First time in over two months. Glad I saw that hose on eBay. __________________ Kevin 88 RRC "Audrey"

10-16-2006, 07:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
MuddyRangeRover Where is my Black Son? Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Aurora/Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 496 Gallery: 0	Sounds like timing. I had a similar problem , it turned out to be the rotor. __________________ 1996 Disco 1 SE7- Stock(Awesome sound system) DD/Range Rover hauler. 1990 RRC SWB Camel Trophy Inspired- ARB, Hella's, Bosch's, AR's 15X8, 32"MTR's,Equipe suspension stuff, Skids, waiting for more...

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