strange event

[siii8873]

Drove my rover today, shut it off and starter it a few times. After the second time and it being off for about 15min, I started it up drove about 1/2 mile and it quit / stalled. I cranked it , pumped gas nothing, would not fire. Got out checked coil connection battery connection (new yesterday) all good. Cranked it some more, starter good battery good, no start. Pulled air filter off carb did not smell much gas.
Got back in put it in first gear let off parking brake and cranked it a touch. More or less confirming that the starter was engaging which I was sure it was. The car lurched forward a little a fired a touch. Pushed in the clutch and it started and ran fine?? Don't quite undestand what went on here. Think it must be coincidental that it started this time. Can't imagine what having the gearbox engaged would have to do with the car starting. Puzzled on what happened here, is it going to bite be in the you know what down the road?
BTW I drive this rover just about every day it is my main vehicle.

[bkreutz]

Yes, it will probably bite you in the ... down the road. I'd suspect a loss of voltage to the ignition, either in the switch or a failure of some part of the circuit (coil, points, etc.). Tough to impossible to diagnose if it's starting. I'd take a voltmeter (or test light) along so if it happens again you can verify voltage to the coil when in the "no start" mode. Intermittent electrical problems are the toughest to deal with, I've been a mechanic for over 40 years and it hasn't got any easier. Good Luck.

[artpeck]

I had almost the exact set of symptoms in my D-90 (and I think if you search you will find a similar thread to this one).

It will come back and bite you. Nothing "heals" despite one's desire that it might. Mine bit me when I was navigating a winding hilly road and it quit and I wasn't expecting no power steering. And then again in the left turn lane at the busiest intersection in town on a Friday afternoon. Awkward.

With mine issue I ultimately "fixed" it (which is as you know a relative term with a rover) by going through every connection in the ignition loop and cleaning each one, crimping to insure they were tight and using dielectric grease. Since doing so it has never stalled nor failed to start immediately. Obviously I did this after eliminating fuel as an issue and component failure in the ignition system.

The hard part of this is that you never really know what you fixed so you only know it if it stops happening.

[SafeAirOne]

SIII ignition switches are notoriously lousy, and a pain in the arse to change, to boot.

I bet that the next time it happens, you'll find that there's no power on the white wire that's supposed to be feeding the coil 12v when the ignition switch is in the "run" and "start" positions. This is the same wire I use to power the fuel shutoff solenoid on my diesel conversion.

I've had enough trouble with the SIII ignition switches that I've non-destructively bypassed mine altogether.

I use a small box with 2 switches on it: a master switch, which simulates the key in "run" position and a 3-position momentary-contact switch which is dead in the middle position, energizes the glow plugs in the left position and energizes the starter in the right position.

Haven't had a failure similar to the one you describe since I changed over.

[printjunky]

I wouldn't totally discount an intermittent fuel pump. Unfortunately tough to diagnose until it's not working. Just got surprised/stranded by this a week or so ago. And leading up to the failure my SIII was acting WEIRD. Unfortunately it also was quickly followed by a disintegrating rotor which also damaged the cap.

[RoverForm]

And then again in the left turn lane at the busiest intersection in town on a Friday afternoon. Awkward.

i absolutely HATE the left hand turn intersection stall. i get nervous every time...

[Tim Smith]

Sounds like it started while the truck was rolling. Which kind of sounds like a bump start to me. Which means it started firing after the starter motor was off. Which then leads me to wonder if the coil is getting full voltage while the starter is engaged.

Test for that and see if you notice anything odd.

[siii8873]

It's back, would not start again today. At least it is in the driveway so I need to do some diagnostics. The car does have an electronic ignition which could comlicate things.

[siii8873]

Well did some checking today. Unhooked the coil wire and hooked up a test light, all good. Poured a little gas in the carb and it started, ran a little, stalled. Did this again and it ran fine. Why would it not start but then run when it's primed with a little fuel?

[LaneRover]

Well did some checking today. Unhooked the coil wire and hooked up a test light, all good. Poured a little gas in the carb and it started, ran a little, stalled. Did this again and it ran fine. Why would it not start but then run when it's primed with a little fuel?

Either a small blockage in the fuel line or fuel filter that cleared or maybe a pump about to give out completely?

[Les Parker]

Bob,

Has the problem now been resolved?
Let us know if moving the fuel filter was of assistance.

Happy New Year to all.

[siii8873]

going to make that change today heated up the garage.
I'll let all know how it goes. Just so everyone knows I am moving my inline filter from down near the pump to just in front of the Tstat housing in a horizontal orientation. Thinking it could be a vapor lock.

[siii8873]

Pictures

Some pictures of rerouted fuel line. KISS attachment for filter. Time will tell.

[siii8873]

since I rerouted my fuel line I have not had any more problems (Thanks Les)

[siii8873]

Well I spoke to soon, jinked myself. The rover quit on me this AM.
Started it up fine, let it warm up a little and started on a drive over to Vermont (about 8 degF). Got about a mile from home and it started to loose all power. If I backed right off I could keep it going a little but it got progressivly worse and then would not run at all. Tried a little fuel in carb as worked last time and it ran for real short time and quit again. Could not even drive it in 1st gear. Went back to the truck after about 15 mins, it started and went for about 100yds and quit again. The truck has run great until today only difference is that it is cold out.