I have a problem which hopefully someone can help with.
I have a 1983 autobox Range Rover which a couple of weeks ago developed an interesting fault.
It will not start until the key is released in the ignition from the starting position, so you turn it over and over then give up, release the key and it sometimes starts.
Twice it has refused even then to start and when it did eventually start (once when it was cooled down and the second time with a booster pack) it knocked on the top of the engine and eventually settled down.
Could it be the switch on the auto box that stops you starting it in gear ? ,or could it be the ignition switch ?, or timing?.
This is a new one on me and any ideas would be welcome.
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ignition switch fault by the symptoms you give
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Could also, just possibly, be a weak spark. Have a look in the dizzy cap and the coil turret for tracking marks. The best test is to see if there's a feed to the coil's positive terminal when cranking.
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Could possibly be a failing battery; not enough power to provide a decent spark (ref. Screwloose's comment) until the load is taken off when the starter motor stops being energised.
If the car was old enough to be supplied with a starting handle you would almost certainly be able to start it with that.
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
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If the ignition coil is ballasted (i.e., is a 7 volt coil, which normally runs via a resistor, bypassed during starting), then this is a classic symptom of the bypass wiring not working.
What should happen is that the voltage dropping resistor is bypassed during starting, giving the coil 9 or 10 volts, and hence a stronger spark during cranking.
Then, when you release the starter, the power to the coil is supplied via the resistor, so the supply drops to about 7 volts, but this is fine, because the engine is running.
I would;
a) check to see if the ignition is ballasted
b) if not, ignore the all I've said
c) if so, consult a wiring diagram to find how the ballast resistor is by-passed during starting, and check to make sure that this wire becomes live during cranking. Ususally, it's either at the ignition switch, or at the starter solenoid itself.
I would expect the automatic transmission starter inhibitor switch to prevent even cranking.
Number_Cruncher
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NC's right on the money again. A carb '83 could still be Opus. Look for a flat alloy unit with two opposed white plugs. On a R/Rover terminal corrosion is possible.
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>>NC's right on the money again
thank you - very kind! Nothing like as up to date and useful as some of the detailed fault finding advice that you have recently posted here.
>>On a R/Rover terminal corrosion is possible.
Was the pun intentional?
Cheers,
Number_Cruncher
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please ignore my earlier posting but for some unknown reason I thought of a diesel ,dont know why ,sorry
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>>On a R/Rover terminal corrosion is possible. Was the pun intentional?
Yes.
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many thanks, i will get right on it, will let you know what i find.
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Just another probably irrelevant thought, if you run out of ideas. The distributor vacuum advance plate is earthed by a short length of flexible braided wire. Mine failed intermittantly, but gave a good continuity reading when stopped.
It exhibited exactly the symtoms you describe, although I agree a failed ballasted coil set up is more likely.
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Well i have changed the coil,as it is electronic ignition,(aldon ignitor that i put on), with an non balasted coil, result? ,well the first start up was as before then it started each time normally, took it for a run yesterday and it was up to its old tricks again.
I will check the earth strap as suggested.
Thinks !! could the electronic ignition be playing up ?, it works from a sleve slid over the lobes on the ditributor under the rotor arm and a sensor which sits where the points used to which then runs to the coil.
Another question, yesterday i changed the springs on her as i was given a set of oversized tyres and the wheel arch decided to lunch on the tyre on the side where the bump stop had fallen off.
I replaced the bump stops with polyurathane one and when i removed the rear springs my nipper noticed that they were colour coded green as per the front and not red !!.
But i cannot undo the nut on the bottom of the shock absorber on the front as the sleeve of the shock runs round and round, how can i undo it ??.
I think they are called McPherson struts as the shock is inside the coil.
Once again any help apprieciated
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But i cannot undo the nut on the bottom of the shock absorber on the front as the sleeve of the shock runs round and round, how can i undo it ??.
Grip the shock with a pair of stilsons (I think they are called) Adjustable wrench which grips tighter as you swing on it. If you are going to replace the shocks just cut it off.
Have you put longer springs on? or new standard height? If you are going to something like plus 2" you'll probably want to replace the brake flexi hoses with longer ones and probably the shocks with longer ones.
Chris
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>>Well i have changed the coil...
What on earth made you decide to do that? The old coil can't be duff because your engine ran OK with it.
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Because i was not sure if the old coil was ballasted.
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OK, the quick way to see what's going on is (without disconnecting anything), put a voltmeter between coil +ve and earth.
When you turn on the ignition, note the voltage (your electronic ignition should be doing the equivalent of holding the points open at this stage, and you should read battery voltage - even with a ballasted system!, because there is no LT current flowing)
If you then begin to crank the engine over, watch to see how far the voltage drops. If it drops to much below 10 volts, then I would be very suspicious about the by-passing of the ballast resistor as I described above. If, however, the voltage does stay reasonably high, then you need to look elsewhere.
Please report back with your findings.
Number_Cruncher
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