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 Posted: Dec 19, 2014 03:37AM
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GR

have you checked fuel pressure at all rev range?

 Posted: Dec 17, 2014 08:58AM
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US


what about your O2 sensor? did you change it? there is a cheap universal one on the market.

 Posted: Dec 17, 2014 08:12AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66coop

Appareny. Can't be sure exactly how low the fuel level was as well. The backfire was only when you tried few throttle strabs in a row. it would really struggle to rev quickly off idle. I wasn't able to drive the car to see how it reacted underload. 

 

 Posted: Mar 13, 2013 06:34AM
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US

Appareny. Can't be sure exactly how low the fuel level was as well. The backfire was only when you tried few throttle strabs in a row. it would really struggle to rev quickly off idle. I wasn't able to drive the car to see how it reacted underload. 

 Posted: Mar 13, 2013 06:21AM
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low octane caused so much preignition that you were backfiring through the intake ??????????

hmmmm

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 07:47PM
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US

I got home tonight and threw in 5 fresh gallon of 93 octane. It didnt fill it up so I know I was low. Started the car and it ran much the same so I let it warm up and then gave it some revs....and guess what? Yep, it seems to have cleared up the problem. Arent I embarrassed! 

I guess it isnt that simple though. When this all happened, the motor was towards the end of its "I hate all bearings and want to ruin as many cranks as possible" stage. It all of the sudden wouldnt rev, was down on power, started smoking and smelling and running rich. I had two issues. It had perfect compression and that valve seals were fine. It was just bad, low fuel causing the poor running ON TOP OF the bearings being torn to shreds. Wonderful!!!

THANKS EVERYONE for all the help. I am better for it and so is my car.


But wait, theres more! I finally took it for a drive and it felt fine most of the time but I started noticing a weird feel to it. After trying this and that, I think the clutch is slipping. I am not smelling clutch (though I was driving with no bonnet on) but you can feel it not pulling and when a hit a hill in 4th (back roads) I really felt it. The clutch plate was new 500 miles during last build. Resurfaced and all. I never touched it, just put it back in. Bad move I fear. I forgot to check it for any dirt/contaminates/surface rust. I think I'll start a new thread on it.


Thanks again. One down, one to go (hopefully)

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 02:10PM
 Edited:  Mar 12, 2013 05:27PM
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multiple reminders to check the vacuum hoses. Hasn't he done that? and again. problem sounds somewhere else.

already paid for a rebuild, so with all that money spent, what's another few bucks to skip making a firm diagnosis and start guessing/replacing parts, cheaper ones first?  Assuming it is not the ignition ( do we know that?) , then follow the fuel:

pickup in tank and hose/fuel filter not clogged

adequate fuel pump pressure and flow

computer (with vacuum and electrical controls) to control the injection

high pressure route to injector

injector ( repair/replace throttle body? )

 

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 01:46PM
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US
Kinda puuzzling- the car will run at idle but not on revs. kinda puts away the Dizzy Drive idea out of the way... but double check it - TDC = the rotor will still point towards number 1 cyl--- not 12o Clock.

Fuel pump - checking that will be difficult, have to be creative for how to hook to the SPI hose fasteners or to the banjo fittings in the throttle body... --- i think back off of the fuel tank is rubber line.,. you migh tbe able to patch a fuel gauge in that pressure line off the tank.

or map timing... Vacc lines-- (sorry to keep saying it)

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 01:06PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 66coop

Right! When it happened, it was the first thing I went to. All my OEM lines were brand new but so i could rule everything out, I replaced them with high quality silicone hose. Making sure there was/is no kinks of course.

I found that using regular vacuum line on the rear intake connections they sometimes get crushed flat when accelerating and give the symptons you are experiencing, just a thought.

If in doubt, flat out. Colin Mc Rae MBE 1968-2007.

Give a car more power and it goes faster on the straights,
make a car lighter and it's faster everywhere. Colin Chapman.

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 01:05PM
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US

The scanner will only tell you if the injector activated, you would have to visually check the spray pattern.

Terry

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 12:13PM
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US

Not sure actually. Is that a test that the scanner can do? It was months ago when I scanned it and ran all the test. There is a test for the injector as I remember there being a warning to not do it multiply times as it would flood the car with fuel or something along those lines.


I can add that I changed the fuel filter less then 500 miles ago if that means anything. I do have another filter handy but I cant imagine I could have clogged a filter with a few tanks of gas.

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 11:48AM
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how do you know if the injector nozzle itself is good?

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 10:38AM
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US

The vac lines from the intake to the trap and Trap to ECU are now replaced with very nice silicone tubing. It fits wonderfully and should keep the guess work out of them for awhile. I will double check them tonight though.

With the trap, how do you test? Blow through one direction? I swapped that with my brothers and it made no difference. Will check again.

Maybe it is time to snap a fuel pressure gauge on the car. I wouldnt mind having one installed just to be able to see. No idea if it working perfectly without a gauge. Any ideas on checking this?

Ok, I didnt put the gear in right for some reason BUT I set #1 to TDC and then rotated the dizzy so that it hits #1. Instead of the #1 being at about 2 oclock, its now at 12. I think I am going to remove and reinstall though. I hate when things arent as they should.

 

Tonight I am going to fill it with 5 gallons of 93 and then see what happens. Then test the vac lines while its running.

 

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 08:32AM
 Edited:  Mar 12, 2013 08:34AM
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US
Just throwing it out there-

Is the fuel pump up to snuff- Keeping enough pressure for the injector to fire enough when more load is present... It could be adequate for idle but not enough pressure for more...

Running these in tank pumps on low fuel will cause more heat inside- and the fuel is the coolant ..

if it ran good before- and you know the vacc lines are good-- its gotta be else where. ( triple check the vacc Lines) Intake - to fuel trap - to ECU -) make sure the fuel trap is open too!

Also you put this motor back together--- are you sure the distributor drive gear is exactly in the right spot - Double check TDC corresponds with +1 Cyl - with the #1 spark lead. might need to move 1 tooth . I had the same thing previously

Goodluck

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 08:12AM
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US

Right! When it happened, it was the first thing I went to. All my OEM lines were brand new but so i could rule everything out, I replaced them with high quality silicone hose. Making sure there was/is no kinks of course.

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 07:30AM
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CA


With any S P I, always consider the vacuum lines to be suspect although maybe in your case it goes deeper-

BIG AL

new e-mail address-
[email protected]

Please update your records-

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 07:10AM
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US

Ok, two things:

1: I havent driven the car yet to see how it reacts on the road. I'm sure it isnt good:-)

 

2: When the motor let go, I was at an AutoX event. On my third run the car got really slow and wouldnt rev past 5. No power, much vibrations. I put the clutch in and it stalled. I was panicking and was trying to figure out the problem in the pits. The fuel was low (how low, is hard to say as the Rover fuel gauge in nothing more then a liar!!) and I was praying that was it. I found a guy there with a can of fuel for a generator and he let me add some fuel in. Now, I have no idea if that fuel was good. The genrator was running off it:-) I maybe put 2 gallons in but again, not sure the exact level of the fuel.

 

The thing is, the car seemed fine before that morning. I think the motor was still slowly tearing itself to pieces but it was running clean. That is what confused me so much after that fateful run. I trailed it home and starting looking into the problem...praying it wasnt the motor. The motor was A problem but I guess not THE problem as it still runs weird.

 Posted: Mar 12, 2013 06:04AM
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I just fired up my SPi after its rebuild and the same problem exists from before (I guess i hoped it would magically disappear). I was only able to check so much last time as the motor was in the middle of tearing itself apart. Wasnt sure if one was related to the other. Guess not:-(

So, here are the symptoms. It starts up perfect and idles great. Spot on. It seemed fine while warming up but then i tried some quick revs and stab of throttle and there is a hesitation, or stumble as well as a backfire in the intake sometimes. Smells to be rich and exhaust is dirty. I think if I just buried the throttle from idle, it would stall.

Previously, I had swapped out the flywheel trigger sensor, fuel trap, and coil with my brothers 95 SPi but all made no difference. I replaced all the vaccum lines with silicone rubber type and the ECU has been sitting out for months now. Not that there was fuel pouring out or anything but jsut to put it all out there. I borrowed a scanner (not an easy thing in the USA) and there were no codes in it. All the test checked out fine. Stepper, POT, Lambda, etc.

Where should start here? I have the 95 that i can pull from if I need something to test. Going to fill with fresh gas to run that out as the little that is in there is at least 6 months old now. Could it be bad fuel? Please, any suggestion at all. Let me now if I forgot any important info. Posted on the UK forums as well.

Cheers!