Dicovery 2 V8 Tickover high and auto gear changes seem high revs

[aV8er]

Having had a great resonse to another question about my new 1999 Disco2 V8, here's another:-

It seems to tickover quite high, nearly 1000rpm.
On my last Disco 1 V8 I knew where to adjust it, can anyone help me with this one?

Also, it seems to use higher revs than I remember in the last one, for each gear. Mind you it is a 4 speed box and the last one was 3 speed, maybe that's the difference.

Lastly, It has multipoint LPG fitted and it goes really well on that, however on petrol it seems to have no "go" at all. It seems to rev up to 3000rpm but the auto box doesn't seem to use much of the power. That's probably a rubbish description, hope you know what I mean. On the other hand, it feels like fuel can't get through quick enough..

Cheers
Chris

[aV8er]

I think I might have answered the tickover part of the question.

Looks like an adjustment from underneath where accelerator and cruise cables come to, see attached photo.

Question, does the pink on the photo look like antifreeze? Could I have a leak here?

Chris

[aV8er]

Now I think I'm wrong. Looking up into what i thought was an adjuster with a mirror, it looks blanked off, like a factory set adjustment.

Any other ideas on setting tickover?

Chris

[V8_Disco]

Tick over, is set by the ECU from memory, it involves the MAF and a buypass of the main throtle boddy. My 1999 does idle higher than the 3.5 in the Stage 1, red disposits, mine looks like that no decernble leek

A

[StrangeRover]

I would whip-off the flexi-duct to check that the throttle butterfly is closing fully: Slacken-off the throttle cable, just to be sure. At idle the engine should breath through the Idle-Air-Valve (at the back of the plenum chamber).
There is a throttle-stop screw for the butterfly (coming up from below) but it's not intended as an idle speed adjuster.
Also check for air-leaks in the many pipes running from the plenum to such parts as the emission control canister.
Keep us posted.

[aV8er]

OK

Butterfly is closing fine, all the pipes I can prod without moving anything look good and intact.

I have given the MAF a very gentle clean with a small brush and it seems to have improved things.

Idle takes a while to drop down but does now drop to about 650rpm.

However, putting my foot down on petrol is still like petrol starvation.
Up to about 1/2 throttle it feels OK, above that is pretty poor.

On LPG it goes very well indeed :)

Chris

[grieuclarke]

I'm no expert here but is it possible to adjust the timming to run LPG? i know when i had a 200 series disco V8 the timming was always a compromise between petrol and lpg. but as another thought if running LPG will the MAF be used. I've recently replaced the one on my disco 2 V8 because the car felt very flat with not much get up and go.
On start up in the morning it actually felt as if it wasn't running on all cylinders.

[V8_Disco]

is the LPG a Multi point kit?

[aV8er]

That was my thinking, if the MAF isn't used on LPG but is on Petrol, it could be giving a false reading as more air is sucked in and not enough petrol applied.
But doesn't have an effect when on LPG.

I could be miles off of course..

[V8_Disco]

If its a multi point kit most of them piggy back of the engine sensors including the MAF ...

has the Petrol Tank been moved/reduced I saw one that was very poorley fitted

A

[aV8er]

Yes the petrol tank has been reduced..
What should I be looking for? Restrictions I guess??

Cheers
Chris

[V8_Disco]

Chris

It was very tightly fitted below the fuel filler and one of the hoses was pinched, in this case it was the filler hose but its worth a look as its been plaied with

Does the pump sound healthy?

A

[V8_Disco]

The Fuel line goes to the back of the engine after the lower inlet manafold has gone on, its very tight at the back (coil packs are back there to and a real pig to get at) I always take a long time to fit this as its very hard...

Have you toped up the petrol tank with new petrol, the tank might not be that well desined and it could be sucking air in

the trucks new to you, has it always been flat in the top end

[aV8er]

Yes the tank was showing empty on the gauge when I picked the car up. So I filled it, 30Ltrs and the gauge showed full.

I drove the 25 miles home on LPG and didn't try petrol in anger 'till yesterday (It's too expensive :( )
The back street dealer is of course acting very "gormless" now, as I expected really...

I don't intend running it on petrol much at all, and it goes "OK" up to half throttle. I'm going on a run tomorrow and will try again.
I don't like the idea of anything not quite right though, you don't know if it's causing more trouble.

Trying to have a look at the tank, I can see a plastic pipe coming up from the tank area, this has a device like a filter or non return valve in it, before it links into rubber pipe that runs along the chassis forwards. I can't see the pipe right down to the tank though.

[listerdiesel]

Yes the petrol tank has been reduced..
Cheers
Chris

In what way, Chris?

We have a 1999 V8 with multipoint gas as well.

The ECU raises the rpm on start-up for 20 secs, then drops it back to normal.

Is it possible that you have a misfire at speed?

There is a filter in the fuel pump assembly that might need changing.

Our system is Zavoli with twin side gas tanks and the full-size petrol tank.

Peter

[aV8er]

I have other stuff (maybe air suspension and ACE pumps??) in the under sill positions.

So the LPG tanks have been fitted by removing the original petrol tank and then fitting 2x36ltr LPG's and a 30 ltr petrol tank in it's place.

I've been trying to see the petrol pipe from the new tank, can't get my head in so have tried the camera.

Here are some of the pictures
The ones showing small pipes coming towards you are looking towards the petrol filler cap. One pipe comes from the tank, the other goes towards the engine.
Why do they have to go up by the filler?

Blimey just looked at the photos. The rust looks awful! Its not like that for real at all!

Chris

[listerdiesel]

I have other stuff (maybe air suspension and ACE pumps??) in the under sill positions.
Chris

We have all that as well, but still kept the original tank. The ACE pump is on the engine, next to the power steering pump, the air compressor for the suspension is under the body, haven't taken a lot of notice of where it is.

Pictures always make it look worse underneath, as there is little contrast in the picture.

Peter

[aV8er]

Where are your gas tanks then?

My old discovery had them tucked up behind the side steps.
But this one has plenty of other gubbins with pipes and wires coming out of it in those areas.

I'd be quite keen to add more gas capacity as only having a couple of 35's is going to mean a few stops on a long trip.

Ta
Chris

[listerdiesel]

They are each side, under the sills (cills?)

The air pump and ACE block are inboard on the chassis, leaving room for the full-length torpedo tanks.

I'll take some pictures tomorrow, back home now.

Peter

[Jon v8]

The reason it goes well on gas and not petrol is probably because the petrol ecu has leaned off the long term fuel trims as a result of the LPG not being trimmed accurately enough to mimick how it would run on petrol.
It could also be the MAF slowly failing.A quick session on Testbook would soon show the MAF output and also where the fuel trims are at.An adaptive reset of the Motronic ecu would restore petrol performance if the MAF is OK,then finding someone to trim the LPG ecu would stop it from happening again.

[aV8er]

ER.. thanks John, that all sounds very plausible. Not sure I understand every word.

Where/how do I find someone to do all this?

Is it likely to happen afterwards? Sorry just re-read your post, that was your point!

Cheers
Chris

[listerdiesel]

Got a couple of pictures, one shows the suspension air pump inboard of the chassis, the other shows one of the two torpedo gas cylinders. They virtually fill the whole area between the cill and the chassis, wheel arch to wheel arch.

Peter

[aV8er]

I have two of those cylinders on my old discovery.

Would I be able to move what i have in the way, and add those to this LPG installation??
Here is what I have in the way in these positions at the moment.

Chris

[V8_Disco]

Peters SLS compressor has been moved inbord to allow the Tanks to be fitted (you can see the prop shaft in the picture) I assume the ACE valve block is hidden by the torpedo tank

Like you I have 2 40L tanks in the boot floor, its the most common conversion for Disco 2s

A

[listerdiesel]

I think that the compressor isn't doing anything, as we have coil springs on the back, although 7 seats. The ACE block is in fact as you describe, it does clear the tank OK.

Looks like the only major move is the SLS compressor, and if you haven't got it in the first place.....

Peter

[listerdiesel]

I have two of those cylinders on my old discovery.

Would I be able to move what i have in the way, and add those to this LPG installation??
Here is what I have in the way in these positions at the moment.

Chris

I don't know how you'd go about adding another tank, and if at a different level, how the filling would work. Sounds possible to me, but you'd need to talk with an LPG vehicle gas system installer first to verify that it is all do-able.

Peter

[aV8er]

Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear, I wouldn't dream od doing that one myself, just idly wondering if I could increase the limited range of the car.

Thanks again
Chris

[V8_Disco]

The Jury is out on weather 7 seats and coils is ok in this country, there are arguments both ways, I tow a bit with mine as well as some green laning, I have chosen to keep SLS and the parts have got cheeper (a bit!)

It looks like the PO of Peters Car chose to keep SLS orignialy at the time of conversion, I have not seen the compressor moved, though there is nothing wrong in doing so!

It would be possible to add another 2 tanks, the higher tanks might not fill that well but you would increase the range dramaticaly,

A

[listerdiesel]

There is an awful lot of stuff on this vehicle that is not original, and as it was first registered to Land Rover, we strongly suspect that it was used for development work, but have yet to get a firm view on that from Land Rover.

The big gas tanks are good for range, and with the original petrol tank as well, we have a very large operating radius if we use both gas and petrol.

The amount of work we have had to do, replacing missing bits and pieces suggests that this vehicle has had more than its fair share of modifications/repairs over the years.

I'll get at the SLS unit when we have finished the engine work, and see what is involved in getting the air suspension working again.

Peter

[listerdiesel]

Our gas tanks look like 33litre tanks X 2. Approximately 8" X 40" long.

Peter

[aV8er]

I did my first "run to dry" on LPG yesterday. Seems range is 160miles on 2x35ltr tanks. Add 30ltrs of petrol and total range is far from huge.

I only got 53 ltrs back in, does this sound about right?

If I could add just one of the 40ltr tanks from my old disco I would have over 240 miles on LPG. That would be much better.

Would adding a tank one side upset the balance of the vehicle much? I guess it wouldn't be so much different to just having a driver one side and no passengers would it? (If you see what I mean).

Chris

[listerdiesel]

The standard petrol tank is 95 litres, that's a lot of capacity to lose, if you are down to only 30 litres of petrol.

Increasing the gas capacity is a good idea, subject to installation and filling/safety issues.

Putting it on one side shouldn't be any problem, the vehicle is over 2 tons in weight, so a gas tank isn't going to register!

Peter