Running fine and it just stopped

[OkieRover]

I swear I posted this last night....anyway here we go again.

I had just finished installing my repaired radiator on my 1993 Range Rover LWB. The battery was dead so I put the trickle charger on her. The next day I went out and started her and let her idle. After a 15 minutes or so, I decided to take her for a test drive.

Everything was fine. Ran like I would expect her to. As I came home I guided her around one of the traffic calming devices and as I came out she died. No sputter just dead.

I got out and started looking for problems.

I have spark.
I tested the coil and have a nice strong spark.
I tested the distributor and have spark to the plugs.

I have fuel.
I pulled one of the lines on the fuel rail and have fuel there.

I have air.
I pulled the MAF from the air filter just to make sure I hadn't sucked a rag in the air filter.

I checked all my connectors and reseated them.
On the coil.
On the MAF.
On the temperature coolant sensor.

The last time I drove her I got an Error 17 (throttle position sensor). She still ran and I drove her once more after getting that initial code.

At this point though, she will crank but will not start.

Could the Throttle Position Sensor cause that? I thought I read that on a forum somewhere over the years.

How do I test the Throttle Position Sensor?

[james]

You might be onto something with the TPS. Mine was bad, and if I went past about 50% on the gas pedal, it would hit dead spot. The car would not die, but it would be as if I was not pressing the pedal at all.

I don't know any way to diagnose the TPS, and new ones are fairly pricey. If you do try to replace, watch out for the bolts that hold the TPS to the throttle body, these corrode and snap off, then you're left drilling them out.

Sorry this is not much help...

When you try to start, is the engine turning over?

J

[roflcopter]

Is it possible to unplug the TPS and try starting it? I think it should go into Limp Mode and give a generic reading to the ECU.

[OkieRover]

The engine turns over. Injectors make the clicking sound.
After talking to my Jaguar friend I'm thinking I may have some very bad gas. Ethanol can be a problem if sitting too long. Water bonds with the alcohol and can make the fuel crap. I'm going to put some good gas in her and see if that fixes it.
He had a very similar issue with his Jag.
When I checked the fuel rail for fuel the petrol that came out didn't overwhelm me with a strong gas smell as it should have.
I'm gonna get some NON-ethanol petrol and see if it makes any difference.
It has to be this or something electrical as I have eliminated just about everything else.
Thanks for the inputs.
I was beginning to wonder if anyone would chime in. Cheers.
I'll come back if I'm successful and let everyone know what it is.

[OkieRover]

I am getting close to solving this issue. Would any of you believe BAD GAS?
We put 4 gallons of fresh petrol in the tank last night and after a few cranks and some coughing and choking she started. And she ran for a good 15 minutes. Eventually though I'm guessing the tank settled again and I got more bad fuel and we never again got her started.

I'm guessing I'm going to be getting the fuel sorted out on Saturday. I'm not sure if I will drain the tank or just keep adding more until the mixture is combustible.

More later.

[ini88]

That is so weird. Never heard of bas gas immobilizing a V8. I heard of it stalling or making it run rough but **** what did you put in there? dirt gas!? haha. i'd go ***** out the gas station that you got the gas from.

Do you have the old steel tank on your rangie? I have that one on mine and i can smell gas.... little holes in it and I sometimes get some water in there during the winter months. That could be the fault of bad gas too

[rtkraken]

If the gas doesn't solve it, check your ignition keyswitch? As the switch gets older I've seen the run position (contacts) be subject intermittant failure. It's pretty obvious what's going on when it happens cause the car will fire when keyed in the start position but as soon as you let it twist back to run, it dies.

[ini88]

I had something similar with mine after working on it. I hard spark*, fuel, air, etc. Everything was set to go. Then a swapped coil with my Defender because I suspected the coil was weak. yup, that was it. You can have spark, but if its yellow or orange its too weak. You need that white, blue spark to set it running. Maybe check your spark again?

[OkieRover]

Probably not bad gas. In the case of my friends Jag it was definitely bad gas.

I'm thinking something is getting hot and causing a failure. If it is a coil, I'm gonna be pissed. This thing is eating coils. That will be the third one in 10 years! hahaha. I've been there before and thought the spark was pretty good when I tested it.

thanks for the tips, I'll probably replace it.

[roflcopter]

Also, check the connection from the Ignition Amplifier Module on the side of the distributor. If unplugged or corrosion it will not start/run like poop ;]

[bandit86]

YOu hear injectors clicking but is the fuel pump running? Hear the hum from the gas tank? Probably a bad pump or bad wiring. Mine was bad wire at th left rear tire where there is a connector

[OkieRover]

Also, check the connection from the Ignition Amplifier Module on the side of the distributor. If unplugged or corrosion it will not start/run like poop ;]

I have installed the Amplifier Module relocation kit. I also checked all the plugs.

YOu hear injectors clicking but is the fuel pump running? Hear the hum from the gas tank? Probably a bad pump or bad wiring. Mine was bad wire at th left rear tire where there is a connector

She runs fine if I start her when she is cold. Once she heats up she dies.

[bandit86]

Tried pulling some plugs when it stopped, to see if it wet, white or black? That could tell us something.

[OkieRover]

Sorry to take so long to get this fixed. I had to finish the semester. Finished last night.

I ordered a cap and rotor and a new coil. I put them on last night and she started up on the first turn of the key.

I left her running in the driveway for an hour with the bonnet down. Got her up to temp. No problems.

I'm surprised by that a little only because I put a coil in within the last 3 years for sure.

Thanks for all the help everyone.