V8 heater fan - and thanks

Just like to say thanks to the people on here.

I interfered with Rover V8's during the 1980's but nothing since then till a mate bought a 1990 Discovery last year. Few niggles but nothing major until two weeks ago when it wouldn't start. Occasionally one cylinder having a quick go but nowt else. Looked for posts on here and it seems that injected V8's can flood from cold . So yesterday we checked all the simple stuff like leads, cap, rotor etc - few things we made better but still no more than a single pop now & then. Read here this morning about taking the plugs out, drying them & spinning over with the plugs out and fuel pump disabled. Did that and when our eyes had stopped running put the plugs back in and straight away it ran till the fuel pressure ran out. Fuel pump back on line and no probs since.

Well, a few.

1) How's the idle controlled on slow running? When it starts it sometimes needs the accelerator held a bit till the idle stabilises.

2) The heater fan will only start on aircon position on the panel and then stay running on next position along to the right (auto?) but does nothing on recirc or heating positions though we can hear relays clicking behind passenger side dash. How do we get to the relays? PS, it did get very wet through the heater box the other month due to going too fast through a ford.

thanks,

Bernie

Hi,
Idling
Is it a Rover v8? If so the idle speed is controlled by a stepper motor. Location is towards the rear of the engine bay on the LH side as you look at the engine. The stepper motor look like a 1 - 1 +1/2 inch bolt - normally black in colour.
Removal of this will give you a cone shaped end. (DON't forget to remove the electric plug to the unit before turnig the nut) This gets clogged with carbon particles - blackened in colour. I have found cleaning with petrol/thinners cures idling problems on Rover v8s.
Cold start
Rover V8's do suffer from flooding. I always wait until I hear the solenoid/relay click off (if you turn on the ignition you will hear the petrol pump on. After a few seconds you shoukld be able to hear a "click" - the relay stitching off when the fuel line is pressurised.


L