V8 idling issues!

Hey guys!
New to this forum and land rover ownership and guess what?!
Unsurprisingly, my first post on here is regarding my first problem with it! Shocking right!? lmao

Anyway I wasn't sure whether to post this in the V8 section or here, toss up landed in here so, I'm having some issues with my 1994 3.9 V8 mk1.

With next to no mechanical experience and not wanting to go to a garage and possibly being labelled an over worried parent or a prick or whatever, I thought Id ask the people that know first...

Now I've already established she doesn't particularly like short stop start journeys...Gets all cranky with me and gurgles when idling as the revs drop so low it almost stalls! Hasn't actually stalled yet but I know right at the wrong time, she will! so I thought Id ask if anyone might know why this might be and what I can do to stop it...?
When this happens if I try to put my foot down she chokes and jumps forward until I can get the revs up then I can drive...?
It happened today as I had to run some errands for work and stop starting made it happen pretty bad, still didn't ACTUALLY stall but Im sure she was going to if I had to sit in traffic any longer!

I have an LPG conversion with twin 32L under slung tanks, and I'm currently driving just on petrol as I cant be bothered to go to the other side of the city to fill her up with LPG!
I know... Dont!

So its no issue with the system as Its the petrol that seems to be the problem atm...

So if anyone could enlighten me I would be eternally grateful because other than this worry I love it!
And I never say that so soon into a relationship

Thanks in advance for any pointers, or advice!
And nice to meet you all!

Darryl

Someone must have had the same problem, I'm hoping its an easy fix...

I for one was bored reading you post, "with twin 32L under slung tanks, and I'm currently driving just on petrol as I cant be bothered to go to the other side of the city to fill her up with LPG!"
So whats that got to do with poor idling?.

Suggest that you search the V8 section as it appears to be a common problem and there are a few things to check.

For me I just use an injection cleaner in the fuel if ever my idle gets a bit iffy.

discool said:

I for one was bored reading you post, "with twin 32L under slung tanks, and I'm currently driving just on petrol as I cant be bothered to go to the other side of the city to fill her up with LPG!"
So whats that got to do with poor idling?.

Suggest that you search the V8 section as it appears to be a common problem and there are a few things to check.

For me I just use an injection cleaner in the fuel if ever my idle gets a bit iffy.

Click to expand...

Thought it might be a vital piece of information, had I said it was when running it just on LPG youd have been bang on it....thanks for the advice. didnt think of that somehow

The V8 engine is particularly sensitive to mismatched or poor quality plug leads and seems to run best on Bosch plugs. My 95 3.9 V8 had copious quantities of injector cleaner poured into it at every service before I bought it and still the idle was poor. Changing the plugs and leads improved things significantly.

I would suggest you invest in a GOOD workshop manual ie a Landrover
publication ,then remove the idle control valve and hose, clean , replace the gasket and refit,check for correct operation ,adjust the base idle , check, clean and reset the air flow meter.A new set of plugs , air filter and check the plug leads .Thats what I did to mine when I had the same problem and it now idle's at a steady 750 revs hot or cold . It's all explained in the manual and its not that difficult to do.With these cars a good manual will save you a fortune.

Cheers guys, Ive read into a particular thread elsewhere and taken your advice, me and a buddy are gonna give it a sort this weekend so well have a look then and once ive checked and cleaned out all of the above ill set about replacing the plugs...Although this seems to be a fairly common problem with older V8 discos, it doesnt seem to be restricted to any one resolution...If this is unsuccessful I will set about retuning for petrol as I said it does run on LPG also but not particularly well, I assumed because of the cold it was constantly misfiring but maybe not.
Thanks again guys

I've just been through the erratic idle issue saga, mine would hunt whilst idling practilally stalling every time the revs dropped, then shoot up again, currently I have it down to the airflow meter connection being bad, I think it was working loose so I have put cable ties around it to secure it, since then no issue, but I'm not going to start the party just yet, I'll at least run it for another month before I pronounce it solved.

Do the basics first. New leads, new plugs, new airfilter and fuel filter New dizzy cap and arm. (do this as much because it's a new car to you and good practice) Check the ignition timing too. If it improves matters when you retard it then it's too far advanced because it's been timed up incorrectly. Easier than you might think.