Put your thinking caps on....

[RoverDude]

93 Range Rover with a 4.6 that was in a 91 RRC. Ran fine until recently. Now will not start. Turn the ignition and getting one spark and only one spark from the coil to distributor. Ran some simple tests, nothing jumped out. Tested and even changed distributor, amp, coil, in-line mystery resistor/diode on amp wire, alternator. It does have an aftermarket alarm system. Don't have an exact ignition switch to test. No luck trying to duplicate 'single spark' on a 92 RRC by pulling wires off of it's coil, etc. Any suggestions?

 

[DOHC Holliday]

I don't want to ask a stupid question, but is the distributor turning?

 

[jrw9383]

Same thing happened to me on my '95RRC. I swapped the coil and nothing. Swapped in a Mallory Unilite dizzy and am good to go. I am left to assume that the problem was the ignition control module or amp.

Joseph

 

[RoverDude]

I don't want to ask a stupid question, but is the distributor turning?

Give that man a prize! No turning of the timing chain/gear. I hope it is just a woodruff key. Thanks.

 

[eliaschristeas]

I don't want to ask a stupid question, but is the distributor turning?

there are no stupid questions, that was a genius observation. front cover comes off tomorrow!

 

[gmookher]

just look and see if the rotor is spinning when you crank with the dist cap off

 

[DOHC Holliday]

there are no stupid questions, that was a genius observation. front cover comes off tomorrow!

I don't work on Rovers much other than my own though I see it sometimes with customer's "no starts" in various vehicles. Usually timing belt failures.

Hope you guys get it resolved and it's something simple. :cheers:

 

[pdxrovermech]

EVERYTIME I get just one spark its ALWAYS the module. thats just me though.

 

[gmookher]

I don't work on Rovers much other than my own though I see it sometimes with customer's "no starts" in various vehicles. Usually timing belt failures.

Hope you guys get it resolved and it's something simple. :cheers:

are you fucking kidding me?

did you really say 'timing BELT'
troll alert..

 

[ajtbussen]

Gem......Very Observant. When you can get the pebbles from my hand it will be time for you to go.

 

[az_max]

are you fucking kidding me?

did you really say 'timing BELT'
troll alert..

Considering his username contains DOHC, I'm guessing he works with a lot of imports with timing belts. You know, about 90% of the cars on the market right now...

 

[gmookher]

Gem......Very Observant. When you can get the pebbles from my hand it will be time for you to go.

call me grasshopper! will we see you in Moab this year AJ?


lets see my

e36 m3=timing chain
my rover, chain
my 911, chain
audi s4, chain
280zx turbo, chain

my bad, dont own any 'imports' that use belts right now..

willhave to get one huh

 

[eliaschristeas]

actually he's right. through the dizzy canal, the chain and wheels seem to be okay. the drive gear on the cam is NOT turning. so if the cam isnt turning, the timing chain isnt turning, what drives it is where the fault is - aka - the key on the crank broke or something crazy.... we shall see in 12 hours....

 

[gmookher]

woodruff keys dont just snap(would be the 1st!), more likely the chain, or a broke dizzy shaft?

 

[ptschram]

Elias:
I left you a voice mail this morning.

There is going to be a lot more carnage than just the woodruff key or a broken chain. You're gonna have bent valves, cracked guides and maybe even broken rocker arms.

Unless this is one Hell of a nice truck, it's now for all intents and purposes junk.

 

[singingcamel]

Maybe the dizzy gear is toast, or the tab on top is worn,rounded or gone.

 

[eliaschristeas]

before going into the front, we wanted to see what was up on top:

- off came the valve covers

....hmmm, everything looks straight.... BUT that was the red flag. given cam orientation what should a rocker assembly look like? rocker arms in all different positions. both sides are soldier straight.... so something ELSE has to be making up for the loss in rocker arm angle:

- spark plugs came out. pretty sure i saw contact marks on the pistons.

- turn the motor by hand and you hear "dink" "tink" "clink "bink" as the pistons go round hitting whats left of valves dangling down....

ill report more soon as we continue to go through.

 

[ptschram]

- turn the motor by hand and you hear "dink" "tink" "clink "bink" as the pistons go round hitting whats left of valves dangling down....

ill report more soon as we continue to go through.

You're very likely wasting your time on this engine as you probably have holes in the pistons. At the very least, you're gonna need a new cam and lots of valvetrain parts.

 

[gmookher]

scrap bin the old motor, get a used unit and R&R..

 

[eliaschristeas]

You're very likely wasting your time on this engine as you probably have holes in the pistons. At the very least, you're gonna need a new cam and lots of valvetrain parts.

well now im going for pancakes! client coming down to discuss option, not doing any more exploratory surgery. the shame of it is.... this is a 4.6 classic....