V8 3.9 elf - not starting but turns over

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Toddy99

Member
Posts
25
Location
Dorking, Surrey
The back story: car was running ok, jacked it up put new shocks and springs on it. Started it up wouldn’t not start so put new fuel pump on it and spark plugs started first time. Took if for a drive 30 mins into the drive the car just turned off lost like power and stalled and everything since has not wanted to start??

I don’t know what to do, somones told me to replace the idle valve but what’s that to do with it not starting?
to add I have put a new battery on it as well brand new

It shows the lights on the dashboard I wait 10 seconds then try to start it but it turns over but like no roar to get it started and engine running

sorry about my spelling and grammar in advance I know Its treble but I’m dyslexic

please could anyone help me or any comments of what to do
 
You may have disturbed a wire when jacking up the 90 to do the springs and shocks?
Is the feed to the starter solenoid ok? Fuel pump wiring? Sounds intermittent and if you've replaced the fuel pump and plugs and it started ok then died after a run sounds like a loose connection. Don't see why the idle valve should just pack up; if it is playing up you'd have irregular or rough idle, stalling or stalling under load; I don't think it should affect starting.
(Disco 3.5 efi V8 in a 90)
 
Hi thanks for the comment what wires do you recommend looking at? Please and I can check them

the car does sometimes not idle right like will die down then up again to 1.2 revs down to like 0.6/.7 so don’t know if this is the ideal valve? Needs changing do you think

Cheers
 
So unplugged a wire and it started still a b it rough and took a bit of time but started after 10/15 seconds, had it running for 5 minutes then it cut out and stopped? Didn’t move it just left it alone

do you think idle valve???

any thoughts cheers
 
Idle valve problems will cause rough running or fluctuating idle but so will a leak in any of the air hoses, air flow meter, plenum etc.
Have a look through these .pdf articles for more guidance:
 

Attachments

  • Check procedures for the 3.9V8Efi copy.pdf
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  • ECU_test_data copy.pdf
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  • Base-idle-air-gap copy.pdf
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  • Setting the Air flow sensor_etc copy.pdf
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Ok I’m going to do all this and come back tomorrow eveing and see if it changes, I’ve read over it all and got 40 odd pages to go through tomorrow with what I need to do probably be at it most of the day

thank you I’ll let you know what happens
Cheets
 
Hi, done loads of bits and clean up parts nothing and just noticed the fuel filter is leaking it’s a cheap plastic fuel filter that was on it before, it’s leaking so I took it off staight piped it without a fuel filter to see what would happen and then dryed the spark plugs and started up in a second.

would the fuel filter that was leaking of caused this? I’m guessing it was letting air in and fuel escaping would this be 1 of my problems for it not starting? Or the main problem as it started frist time after I did that I’m guessing leaking fuel out and air getting in it’s not ideal?

also idle wise it’s a bit funky will hover around 650-800 is this correct? like will dip down to 650 then seem like it’s about to stale and go back up to 700 then sometimes 750 pushing 800 then after a minute it calm down will drop back to 650 and seems fine for 2 mins then sounds like it’s going to stale and go back up to 700 what’s that all about?
Sounds better when it idles at 800 when cold starting but when warm wanta to air 650 but sounds like it’s going to stale??

also I think it’s got a hole in the exghust is that affecting anything?

and the coil is a cheap Chinese one I’m going to put a Bosch one on this week

please let me know should I replace the stopper motor? And temp sensor and coil? And new fuel filter and see what happens then? Or anything eles anyone know why the idle is a bit werid?
Cheers
 
I'd guess that a leaking fuel filter would cause a pressure drop and affect the injectors (someone who does know will confirm or refute this!) but cutting out completely sounds electrical.

If it was running fine before you jacked it up to do the springs and shocks I really think a wire or an air hose has become loose; air leak would affect the idle. I can't see why the idle valve, stepper motor et al should suddenly play up.

Several threads on various fora re unsteady idle:
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-ro...tting-out-rough-idle-and-running-rich.238755/
https://forums.lr4x4.com/topic/34970-39-bad-idle/
https://www.lrukforums.com/threads/3-9efi-v8-90-cold-idle-problem.154648/
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/yet-another-3-9-v8-with-rough-idle-advice-please.212453/
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/discovery-1-a/132852-3-9-surging-idle.html
 
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