Kangarooing series 3!

I picked up my series 3 today, (1981 88' SWB 2.25 petrol) and whilst driving home, it started "kangarooing" in 3rd and 4th gear when accelerating, before spluttering and cutting out. :doh: Wouldnt restart, until I had left it for 10 minutes or so. It would then restart and drive a short distance before doing it again. It was absolutely fine when I left the sellers home, and only started playing up after I had stopped at Tesco and put a tenners worth of super unleaded in it, about 5 miles away. Its had the head changed for unleaded, and the seller said it ran better on super....hmmmm. I had test driven this vehicle twice before buying it, and there were no problems with it running. The engine needs a tune, and it has a stupid "unleaded catalyst" fitted along the fuel line to the carb. Carb h is a weber ICH34. I had planned on changing all the pipes, removing that fuel catalyst thing, and fitting a see through inline fuel filter. It seems to be running a bit rich/overfuelling, but the plugs, dizzy etc seem all ok. Any ideas? The seller put some unleaded in it from a green fuel can prior to me getting there. Im thinking it could be bad fuel if there is such a thing! I finally got her home, but it was too dark to poke around and I was ****ed off.
Am planning on changing the pipes tomorrow, as the current ones are old, and will probably get some carb cleaner. As Im new to Landy ownership, any tips on these Weber carbs and experience of similair problems will be much appreciated!

Dont dispair.....I broke down 3 times bringing mine home for the 1st time, she's now my daily (and only) drive

Dont know alot about petrols but it does go 'off' though I would have thought putting more in would've helped not make it worse. Sounds like fuel starvation so changing filters and checking/changing lines is a good place to start.

You'll get it sorted I'm sure then you won't be able to wipe the silly grin off your face

If the fuel was really low its worth checking the end of the pipe in the tank for crud as well

blue beasty said:

If the fuel was really low its worth checking the end of the pipe in the tank for crud as well

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Yes - the fact that it started misbehaving after you filled up. You might have disturbed crud or water in the bottom of the tank. Worth popping the drain plug off if it's got one and seeing what comes out.

If it plays up after being run for a bit, it could be a hairline crack in the manifold. The crack opens up when it heats up but closes when it cools. Hopefully it is a fuel problem though but worth considering.

Exactly what mine did. Traced it to the fuel pipe from the pump to the carburettor being too close to the engine. When it is parked warm it vapourises the fuel in the line and causes an air-lock. You can drive ok until the float bowl is empty but then it takes ages to re-fill.

To stop it absolutely dying change UP! This is counterintuitive but changing up lets the revs drop and gives the float more time to fill...

This nearly killed me twice on the motorway as I'd set off from the services to have engine cut out just as I pulled out in front of an artic!

I re-routed my fuel line along the top of the radiator cowl and it is much better now and has altogether cured in the colder weather...however before next summer I'm going to fit an electric pump and return to tank. That makes it all sound easy - it took me a lot of time, replacing every fuel part from the tank right through to rebuilding the carbs before working out the problem.

This didn't use to be a problem with older fuels but now there is bio-ethanol mixed in with petrol this vapourises at a lower temperature and with a large expansion ratio causing problems, especially in non-return carburettor systems.

Dom

Hi, Thanks to everyone for their replies. owing to limited time today all I have managed to do, is replace the fuel line from pump to carb. On removal, a fair bit of fuel flowed from the pipe, so Im not overly concerned about the pump. I have re routed the pipe round the front of the engine temporarily to try to minimise vaporisation of the fuel. I managed to get her started, but didnt like the choke being pulled on her, so dropped it back in about halfway, and kept the revs with the accelerator. After a few minutes, she was spluttering enough for me to run round and get the revs up with the throttle linkage. I noticed that the K & N airfilter is just sat on the top of the carb. It just sits there and isnt tight around the neck. I twiddled around with what I think is the mixture screw, and the idle screw. It started running abit quicker, but as I turned what I think is the mixture screw in it started to stutter etc, to unscrewed it. Got it sounding ok, but must admit from the exhaust it sounds a bit blowy every 5 to 1o seconds, and if I hold my hand near the exhaust it smells a bit of petrol. After turning it off, and trying to restart only a few minutes later, I need choke etc all over again. Even though the engines nice and warm. Having no clue about landrovers, I think I need to sort out this weber carb! I will check for all the other bits you have all suggested hopefully tomorrow!

have you checked the state of the spark plugs, is there one thats blacker that the others, might be a weak spark, for what they cost might be worth replaceing them...

I'd try and minimise the number of things you try at once. At best you will never know what cured it, at worst you'll try and cure one mistake with another.

Leaking at the top of the carb shouldn't make it stop working, though is not a good ideas as then muck can be sucked in. Leaking at the bottom of the carb will make it run lean, sometimes lumpy and sometimes worse when warm. I found my carb wasn't bolted down tight enough and caused a bit of lumpiness at tickover.

Running a bit rich is probably not a bad idea while you sort out your kangarooing then get hold of a timing light to set the timing and then set up your carb as per the instructions. (I think they're all similar and close to what you have tried).

Did you try going for a run? and see if you got the kangarooing problem after re-routing the pipe? When mine was bad it was pretty easy test: run up to temperature on the road, park for five minutes with bonnet closed out of the wind, restart and drive off bouncy bouncy bouncy stall!

Cheers

Dom

Just an update on things really. All the advice given on here has been great, and really helpful in getting to know my way round the engine! Had a little time spent under the bonnet today, and have got it running much better. Thankfully the manifold appears sound (phew) No apparent leaks from the bottom of the carb etc. It was running a bit rough, but out of sheer frustration I revved it quite hard a few times out of temper:frusty: and it seemed to smooth out! adjusted the idle screw, and the mixture and all seems much better. Ran it up to and at temperature for a while, before switching it off, while I took off the roof rack and rear ladder. Then came the "test" . Previously, when restarting it at a warm temperature, I would need some choke, almost as though starting it from cold. Turned the key, gave it a little throttle and it started first time, and sat idling. Finally!! Im sure that a new exhaust will help smooth things out a lot, as this one is rusted to F**K, although I cant see any holes, but I quit while I was ahead for today!
Hopefully this has sorted the issue out, so I can move onto sorting out my wobbly gearstick, and extremely oily coated gearbox, and diffs. (God help me) But on a plus side, I did find a little cubby hole I hadnt found before, complete with jack, spare fan belts, and the biggest tire iron Ive ever seen!

Thanks everyone for all their input. Owning a landrover sure is a great experience! Every landy that drove past me today waved and hooted! One guy in a series 3 even stopped to help! Fantastic!!!!