Need some experienced troubleshooting help

[roverzfan]

Hi everyone,
Generally I just lurk around enjoying the threads and living vicariously through all of you out there enjoying your Disco's the way they should be enjoyed.

Problem - and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Start the Disco, drive it for 10-15 minutes to work. Get in at lunch and drive home - each time starts fine, idles fine, drives fine in street and hwy driving. Go out after lunch (roughly 30 minutes) and car won't start unless foot on gas. Basically I can only drive the car if I keep the accelerator pressed - as soon as my foot comes off the car dies. Get up next morning and the process starts over. What would cause the car to need the accelerator pressed to sense the need for fuel? Why is it fine if the car sits for hours but not < 1 hour?

Stats - Basically I'm a shade tree mechanic - if I can take the part off I can put it back on. Disco - 98 DI, Rovertym 2 inch springs, Rovertym rear links, Tom Woods front and rear shafts, TJM rear bumper, ARB front, 265/75/16 tires. 90000 miles on it. Leaky steering box. Other than that it's a stock Disco.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[ptschram]

Leaking injectors.

 

[barefoot]

that or the fuel temp sensor. its on the fuel rail....if no go check the ignition module! would prob be best if you had a buddy whom you could switch parts with!

i would start with a leak down test on the injectors as it would be easiest and cheapest. if u dont know how just do a search....should be on here several times!

 

[D Chapman]

For shits and giggles, remove your gas cap. I'm not sold on the idea that you may be getting vapor lock, but a friend in town was having the same issue. Either the gas cap fixed it, or the problem went away on its own.

 

[barefoot]

actually, what dan said was my first thought! when i broke my gas cap i would have very similar symptoms. i found that unscrewing the cap would fix and driving with the cap barely screwed on would prevent. so, like, yeah! that would be a much cheaper/easier fix.....

edit>thinking back, my symptoms were almost spot on! driving for moderate amounts of time would cause the issues. after sitting a long time it would start and run fine (guessing the pressure could slowly leak out) but after a while would shudder and die if idling. trying to start soon after shutdown would cause same issues.

enjoy!

 

[Bear With Maps]

Crappy gas. That, or some problem others have mentioned.

 

[barefoot]

also may want to clean the maf and iac....jus good maintenance but could both cause similar symptoms.

enjoy some more!

 

[byronAU]

Hi everyone,
Generally I just lurk around enjoying the threads and living vicariously through all of you out there enjoying your Disco's the way they should be enjoyed.

Problem - and hopefully someone can point me in the right direction. Start the Disco, drive it for 10-15 minutes to work. Get in at lunch and drive home - each time starts fine, idles fine, drives fine in street and hwy driving. Go out after lunch (roughly 30 minutes) and car won't start unless foot on gas. Basically I can only drive the car if I keep the accelerator pressed - as soon as my foot comes off the car dies. Get up next morning and the process starts over. What would cause the car to need the accelerator pressed to sense the need for fuel? Why is it fine if the car sits for hours but not < 1 hour?

Stats - Basically I'm a shade tree mechanic - if I can take the part off I can put it back on. Disco - 98 DI, Rovertym 2 inch springs, Rovertym rear links, Tom Woods front and rear shafts, TJM rear bumper, ARB front, 265/75/16 tires. 90000 miles on it. Leaky steering box. Other than that it's a stock Disco.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Pull the plugs and check them......if they are all sooted up suspect a loose or dirty connection on the coolant temp sensor to the ECU.......when it's loose/dirty/quits then the system defaults to full rich mixture at idle.

 

[singingcamel]

simple things first , i agree with byron from the Oz...

 

[roverzfan]

Thought I would update this thread with the solution. Well I tried everyones recomendations and I new the plugs were good because I had just done the 80k service about a month ago. So I decided to take it into the local Rover guy to have him look at it. Now remember for about 4 weeks off and on I have been driving the truck. So I go home at lunch to get the truck and it won't start now. Try to jump it won't work. Put in a new battery and drive it in. Guess what - now it won't duplicate. I've been driving the truck for 2 weeks now running like a top. No idea how a new battery could fix it or why the old battery wasn't giving me general starting probs but something you might want check if you are reading this thread. Just wanted to fill in everyone since I hate a thread that doesn't have the final solution. Thanks for all the suggestions.