Starts, runs fine, then doesn’t start

[Andy69]

1992 with 1400 K.

 

Sat for 3 years and change.  Siphoned the old gas out of the tank and replaced with new, changed oil, flushed radiator, etc.

 

Starts and runs fine for a short drive down the block and back.  After shutting it off and then trying to restart after 5-10 min, it will sputter and die, then not start.  Starts fine after sitting overnight. 
 

I’m thinking the fuel filter needs to be replaced, but maybe the fuel pump relay too?

 

Been way too long.  Felt good driving it.

[slowdude]

K series owner here chasing many issues.

 

Sputtering and dying, check IACV, make sure its not getting stuck. If that doesnt work, battery. Clean the MFRU's with contact cleaner (boxes below the ECU).

double check your vaccuum lines off the intake manifold, if its a 1.4, there should be 2 vaccuum lines on the top of the intake (if metal or plastic). Also check return hose to front of TB from crank case.
 

[Vovchandr]

Likely heat soak of sorts. Could be fuel pump or relay. Could be filter.

 

Is fuel pump loud when you first turn it on when cold. Does it still prime with same sound when hot but fails to start?

 

Crank and Cam sensors tend to cause start failure once hot and problematic. Unlikely but could be a pretty easy cheap fix.

 

Do the basic test if all fails and find out what you're not getting for your mix. Fuel or Spark or both?

[pethier]

When it does not start, does it crank over briskly?

[MV8]

A good starting point in troubleshooting online is video and audio of cranking cold and hot/no start with pics of the engine bay. Indicated temp under no start condition could prove useful. Could be overheating. Coils and modules can have failures that occur from thermal expansion, breaking an internal contact. They cool back down and it works again. A test was to pour water on the component when it is failing to see if it starts working again after a few minutes compared to over night. Temporarily add a barb tee to add a 1/8 npt fuel pressure gauge inline where it can be easily seen. Led test light back probe (not disconnected) on the correct injector terminal or coil during cranking can determine if it is a crank sensor issue.

[Andy69]

Now it’s happening cold. Tried starting tonight and it fired and died twice, after that nothing.

 

Battery holds a charge but only cranks for about 20-25 seconds total before slowing down.  Probably needs to be tested at least. 
 

Found a couple bad grounds which I fixed.
 

Also have an issue with the lights . Headlights and taillights work but no brake lights, turn signals, or hazards.  Cleaned the hazard switch with contact cleaner, then swapped in known good relays with no change.  Got some weird open/short issue in the rear wiring which I’ll address tomorrow.

 

going to check some of the suggestions tomorrow also.
 

 

[slowdude]

8 minutes ago, Andy69 said:

Now it’s happening cold. Tried starting tonight and it fired and died twice, after that nothing.

 

Battery holds a charge but only cranks for about 20-25 seconds total before slowing down.  Probably needs to be tested at least. 
 

Found a couple bad grounds which I fixed.
 

Also have an issue with the lights . Headlights and taillights work but no brake lights, turn signals, or hazards.  Cleaned the hazard switch with contact cleaner, then swapped in known good relays with no change.  Got some weird open/short issue in the rear wiring which I’ll address tomorrow.

 

going to check some of the suggestions tomorrow also.
 

 

hazard switch can drive issues with the other switches. Some literature on blatchat would be better to help you here, i dont think i've seen that really come up here.

 

Battery voltage is OK?

 

@Vovchandr his looks like a 1.4 so not a vvc, no cam sensor. I Think he has the same as me, a distributor on a rotor arm off the intake cam. Good point.

 

@Andy69 Check that rotor arm and make sure its not moving. Theres a small set screw below it. Check your coil resistance. When my coil went it was 4.xx, when new it should be 7.3/4xx. Since its the 1.4, youre going to have to look at mid 90s rover mini parts.

 

If you need help on harness wiring on the rear for lights, I think my M579TAB build thread has an overview of the wires you should check.

 

 

Edited September 9 by slowdude
me dumb big dumb

[Andy69]

It’s definitely not starting now.  It will fire but not start.  Smelled gas after trying to start it today, so I started looking at the ignition.  
 

Coil tests 3.3 ohms across the +\- terminals and from the + to the output it’s infinite.

 

Unless I tested this wrong that looks like a bad coil

[slowdude]

3 minutes ago, Andy69 said:

It’s definitely not starting now.  It will fire but not start.  Smelled gas after trying to start it today, so I started looking at the ignition.  
 

Coil tests 3.3 ohms across the +\- terminals and from the + to the output it’s infinite.

 

Unless I tested this wrong that looks like a bad coil

Looks like the coil. I purchased this and it worked as 1.4 etc are rover mini application.

 

https://www.minispares.com/gcl143-coil-for-electronic-ignition-89-on

 

Edit its out of stock. Any GLC143 coil equivalent should do.

Edited September 9 by slowdude
Me no brain work

[Andy69]

Gotcha.  It’s a Lucas Sport DLB105.

 

Available in the US. Perhaps there are others that will interchange 

 

 

[slowdude]

Check FCP Euro. A lot of the late 90s land rover freelander parts were on rover minis.

 

My crank position sensor was off an SPI mini but used on 99 freelander. 

[Andy69]

Well.  The new coil is blown - giving the same infinite resistance as the old one and the car won’t start. 
 

Looks like I have more sleuthing to do.

 

One a higher note, I did get all the lights working - several bad grounds and a broken wire were the culprits.

[slowdude]

Hmmm, what is causing the coil to blow.

Alternator? Grounding?

[Andy69]

Well I don’t know now.  Car seems to run fine now with the same coil.

 

Might be an intermittent thing.  

[jbcollier]

Multimeters are not all created equal.  Your "infinite" reading may be just be out of range for the meter.  Check a known good coil and compare.

[sf4018]

I had a series of blown coils a few months ago - turned out to be a frayed wire on the ECU harness where the harness rubbed occasionally against the drivetrain below. The frayed wire was for coil #1. For some reason that occasional grounding out caused the coil to blow (I went through 4 coils in one weekend before figuring it out).  I repaired and zip tied the harness to make sure it doesn't touch anything, didn't have any more issues after.

 

It may be worth checking out the loom wiring for wear.

[slowdude]

Agreed. Coils dont blow for the giggles of it. Mine blew bc I shorted something by accident.