Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 16

Thread: III stalls and revs then dies

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bozeman MT
    Posts
    705

    Default III stalls and revs then dies

    Hey y'all!
    I've been pretty fortunate to have a rather stable and reliable III for the past few years. I try never to take the good days for granted 🤣

    Recently I've had some problems and could use some thoughts about where to start. Here's the symptoms:

    I'll be driving and out of the blue stepping on the gas produces the opposite of the expected effect. The engine starts to stall. If I floor it, it'll rev back up.

    If I go into neutral and/or pull over, it is in some kind of rev/stall cycle. Like every 3-5 seconds it'll almost stall and then rev back up.

    Having the choke engaged helps a little and can often get me home.

    Occasionally, when I do get home, it will "Diesel" and chug for 30 seconds before finally shutting down.

    When I go to re-start it, it won't start again for some period of time (I usually give it a day). When it does start again, it runs fine like nothing happened.

    It may be reliable again for a week (100 miles) or only a day (5 miles).

    I assumed it was a dying fuel pump and ordered one. But now that I've spent some time under the truck with a flash light, I can see that the inline filter (after the pump) is full and remains full. The manual pump also works just fine.

    So now I'm at a loss. I can't imagine it is an ignition issue - but maybe? Could it be the carb? This truck has the rare 2.5L petrol and that carb is strange. The one on it is only a few hundred miles old.

    The only other consideration is ambient temperature. We're in the hot sunny days of summer here in Montana. But that was true last summer and I didn't have any problems then.

    Thanks for sharing any thoughts or tips you may have for troubleshooting!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    300

    Default

    Is the carb. by any chance a twin choke Weber , this would be standard on a 2.5 Litre out of a Ninety or One Ten ?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bozeman MT
    Posts
    705

    Default

    I'm embarrassed to say that it has been running so well so long that I've since forgotten a lot of the painful and intimate details of this truck. For the life of me I cannot remember what the carb is... I know it is a strange and rare one. And I recall, for a long time at least, our hosts didn't have it. I searched my old posts because I recall having this issue 15 years ago, but I couldn't find anything helpful. That said, it was briefly in may dad's custody and he had someone looking at a brake line issue - that guy ended up replacing the carb ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ... so that tells me 1. that it is quite new (less than 1000 mi) and 2. it is attainable

    I'm attaching some pics.

    I'm mostly curious what leads you to thinking it is carb, based on my description? Could it be the distributor (points or failing condenser?)
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Library - 1 of 3.jpeg 
Views:	99 
Size:	73.8 KB 
ID:	14048
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Library - 2 of 3.jpeg 
Views:	106 
Size:	46.6 KB 
ID:	14049
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	Library - 3 of 3.jpeg 
Views:	105 
Size:	51.6 KB 
ID:	14050

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    300

    Default

    The fact operating the choke sometimes helps could point to fuelling. I had an early One Ten , about 1983, and the carburation was an issue from new , part of which was gas vapour locking . Land Rover dealer had it back numerous times and fitted all sorts of new parts before it was eventually cured . A number of symptoms were similar to yours and your carb. looks like the correct Weber for that engine. It may be worth checking the two electrical solenoids are working correctly. One is to stop the running on, " dieseling" you experienced and the other is to help with hot starting by changing the air venting. I wouldn't discount a faulty condenser and that is an easy thing to change , even if it just eliminates it as the problem. Pic is of a new carb which I think matches yours.
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	s-l500.jpg 
Views:	86 
Size:	18.2 KB 
ID:	14051

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    395

    Default

    carb! engine rpm changes you are not initiating ....... gotta be carb!

  6. #6

    Default

    You say your carb is only a few 100 miles old. There are lots of Chinese knockoff out there and they are 99% GARBAGE!! B absolutely sure it is Genuine WEBER!!! You may have a vapour lock situation and there are also MANY junk fuel pumps out there!! I recommend checking your fuel pressure....esp. when hot. S.B. between 1.75 & 2.5 # p.s.i. Post your results please so we can continue helping. When a client was having problems with his carb I sent this to him: I'm wondering if there might B something else lurking in the bushes....failing fuel pump ?? Leaking inlet manifold or other air/fuel induction system issue. Faulty ignition timing/advance...failing points, fouled plugs [remove and inspect, starting w/cylinder #s 3 & 4] nasty plug wires, poor or incorrect spark plugs, failing coil, failing condenser in the distributor, burned distributor points, low compression, leaking head gasket. Any of the above-mentioned candidates could even B an 'emerging problem'....1 not full-blown yet but problematic enough to make your engine run poorly. Also I tend 2 agree with the chap whose thoughts point to a carb problem but it's not unheard of that 1 kind of issue will mimic another 1 and that the actual issue is EXACTLY what we were absolutely certain it couldn't possibly be!!
    Last edited by charles1943; 07-29-2022 at 04:07 PM. Reason: more thoughts

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    395

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by charles1943 View Post
    You say your carb is only a few 100 miles old. There are lots of Chinese knockoff out there and they are 99% GARBAGE!! B absolutely sure it is Genuine WEBER!!! You may have a vapour lock situation and there are also MANY junk fuel pumps out there!! I recommend checking your fuel pressure....esp. when hot. S.B. between 1.75 & 2.5 # p.s.i. Post your results please so we can continue helping. When a client was having problems with his carb I sent this to him: I'm wondering if there might B something else lurking in the bushes....failing fuel pump ?? Leaking inlet manifold or other air/fuel induction system issue. Faulty ignition timing/advance...failing points, fouled plugs [remove and inspect, starting w/cylinder #s 3 & 4] nasty plug wires, poor or incorrect spark plugs, failing coil, failing condenser in the distributor, burned distributor points, low compression, leaking head gasket. Any of the above-mentioned candidates could even B an 'emerging problem'....1 not full-blown yet but problematic enough to make your engine run poorly. Also I tend 2 agree with the chap whose thoughts point to a carb problem but it's not unheard of that 1 kind of issue will mimic another 1 and that the actual issue is EXACTLY what we were absolutely certain it couldn't possibly be!!
    wow, my Series 3 has ALL of that! but runs good anyway. don't forget broken motor mounts ........ ok, don't get me started!!

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Oct 2011
    Location
    Mountains of Western Pennsy.
    Posts
    592

    Default

    Wow! That's a lot of stuff. Since it works sometimes with the choke engaged, try putting a vacuum gauge on it. Maybe a vac. leak or a stuck intake valve? An air/fuel exhaust tester might tell a story also. Do some testing first, throwing parts at it might mask the real problem(s).

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    395

    Default

    a intake leak is ez to find with a can of starting fluid ............... i'm still suspecting some part in the carb but a timing advance plate moving when it's not suppose to could be a culprit also .............. didn't see that one here yet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Bozeman MT
    Posts
    705

    Default

    Thanks yall!
    I've been moving into a new house which means that my Rover is both my workhorse and that I haven't had any time to dig in to the issues. It has made for a little bit of a stressful week driving back and forth between houses and hoping this thing keeps running.

    I fiddled with the timing a bit and —perhaps coincidently —the rev/stall cycle has gone away.

    I still have the most persisting issue which is when I first depress the gas, the engine wants to stall. I have to floor it and get the engine revving to keep it from stalling out. I took the air filter off and opened the throttle manually at the carb. At that early moment (when the gas would be initially depressed), I hear a massive sucking sound and the engine tries to die. If I go past that point, it revs back up.

    I have a mostly useless vacuum gauge on my dash and it seems to be living in the "poor" range on the dial rather than the normal drive or idle. That said, I'm not sure we should take that to mean anything.

    Lastly, I remember this happening 10-15 years ago and I'm fairly sure the culprit was points and condenser. I'm inclined to start there since it is the cheapest thing to test

    If I go the route of checking fuel pressure and vacuum, what's the best approach? Assume those are separate instruments?

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
About us
Unparalleled product knowledge. Our mission is to support all original Land Rover models no longer supported by your local Land Rover franchise. We offer the entire range of Land Rover Genuine Parts direct from Land Rover UK, as well as publish North America's largest Land Rover publication, Rovers Magazine.
Join us