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Starter problem

A

Ausman123

In Second Gear
Hi to all here I actually have 2 problems I have just bought my first landrove 3 series ( 1973) 2.25 . Firstly when I try to start it the engine turns very over very slow then try again it turns over fast but always starts and runs fine ? I have had the starter motor out the bushes look fine I was told by the owner that sometimes the ignition coil overheats but this happens when cold starting ? I have a new solonoid but it's hard to get to ( it's under the air filter box) but am wondering if this is infact the problem ? The other problem is I was putting air in my tyres the other day and a woman behind me had a flat tyre so I helped her change it All the while I did this my engine was idling for around 10 minutes or so when I got back in the engine spluttered to the point I thought it was going to stall ? I turned the ignition off and it seemed fine again ? Sorry problem 3 the steering is very stiff I took it to a garage the other day they said the tracking looked OK but slightly off as did the tyre pressures he recommended changing the steering bar as well as the the tracing arm and bring it back as the vehicle tends to wander when driving
Any help would be much appreciated
Many thanks all Nick
 
Check all the battery connections and the earth strap as these make a big difference to starting. The steering will be very stiff when stopped but should be light once moving. Should be light with the front wheels jacked up. Don't ever steer without the wheels moving.
 
Ausman123 said:
I have just bought my first landrove 3 series
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That certainly is a problem, but one you'll hopefully grow to love :p

Ausman123 said:
engine turns very over very slow
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If the brushes look ok, did you clean the commutator? These can look ok, but actually be quite bad. A bit of 1000 grit, wrapped on a decently flat surface (old file works well) and spin the motor over in a drill or something as you apply pressure with the paper/file.

Ausman123 said:
engine spluttered to the point I thought it was going to stall
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Too rich on idle? Check the mixture screw and float levels to be sure.
Ausman123 said:
steering is very stiff
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Check oil as said above, might be worth removing the link between the steering box and relay, and see if it's ok. Then try again with that rod back on, but the one between relay and steering arm removed and that should tell you where the binding is. Then investigate the problem component further. I had terrible steering on mine when I first got it. My relay was utterly solid.
 
Ausman123 said:
Hi to all here I actually have 2 problems I have just bought my first landrove 3 series ( 1973) 2.25 . Firstly when I try to start it the engine turns very over very slow then try again it turns over fast but always starts and runs fine ? I have had the starter motor out the bushes look fine I was told by the owner that sometimes the ignition coil overheats but this happens when cold starting ? I have a new solonoid but it's hard to get to ( it's under the air filter box) but am wondering if this is infact the problem ? The other problem is I was putting air in my tyres the other day and a woman behind me had a flat tyre so I helped her change it All the while I did this my engine was idling for around 10 minutes or so when I got back in the engine spluttered to the point I thought it was going to stall ?
Click to expand...
You should deffo check there's a solid fat earth connection from the battery (-) to the engine block, otherwise the starter motor will make it's earth connection via the drivetrain.
Obviously check there's a solid connection from the battery (+) to the starter (+) stud too.
 
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Ausman123 said:
Sorry problem 3 the steering is very stiff I took it to a garage the other day they said the tracking looked OK but slightly off as did the tyre pressures he recommended changing the steering bar as well as the the tracing arm and bring it back as the vehicle tends to wander when driving
Any help would be much appreciated
Many thanks all Nick
Click to expand...
If the garage was a 'Halfords Autocentre' beware! They will boast that their laser guided tracking is accurate to within 0.1mm, but there's a good chance they'll use the tracking data for a Defender which will be miles out, and will make a Series 3 tracking much worse, in fact dangerous!
This actually happened! (and they paid out).
 
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No it wasn't halfords just a local garage and yes it was laser done but the guy didn't charge me as he made no adjustments to the tracking I wouldn't pay Halford prices anyway lol I see their fitters out in the rain changing lightbulbs ( doesn't make sense to be honest )
 
SWBFreeLoader said:
That certainly is a problem, but one you'll hopefully grow to love :p


If the brushes look ok, did you clean the commutator? These can look ok, but actually be quite bad. A bit of 1000 grit, wrapped on a decently flat surface (old file works well) and spin the motor over in a drill or something as you apply pressure with the paper/file.


Too rich on idle? Check the mixture screw and float levels to be sure.

Check oil as said above, might be worth removing the link between the steering box and relay, and see if it's ok. Then try again with that rod back on, but the one between relay and steering arm removed and that should tell you where the binding is. Then investigate the problem component further. I had terrible steering on mine when I first got it. My relay was utterly solid.
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Rustee nutz said:
Check the steering box and steering relay for oil the relay can seize up making for stiff steering
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I didn't know the steering had a relay ? I thought relays were electric and mine is definitely not power steering ?
 
Mr Stein said:
If the garage was a 'Halfords Autocentre' beware! They will boast that their laser guided tracking is accurate to within 0.1mm, but there's a good chance they'll use the tracking data for a Defender which will be miles out, and will make a Series 3 tracking much worse, in fact dangerous!
This actually happened! (and they paid out).
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Wow that's not good ? I had no idea thank god he didn't adjust anything when I take it back I will tell him that thanks very much for that information
 
Ausman123 said:
I didn't know the steering had a relay ? I thought relays were electric and mine is definitely not power steering ?
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I did clean the commutator as I watched a rebuild video of a starter motor so yes your correct it looked clean but I rubbed it down going to start from the ignition point and work forwards checking the earth straps and post a message if it's solved Many thanks for that
 
Ausman123 said:
Hi to all here I actually have 2 problems I have just bought my first landrove 3 series ( 1973) 2.25 ....
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Make a small investment that will pay many times over and buy the green bible.
Also the Haynes book of half-truths which sometimes gets a bad press but has its uses.
And the Parts catalogue which will not only help you order the right parts by #number, but it also useful for the exploded diagrams.

The track rod, take it off - do you have a ball-joint separator? - and with a wire brush and some Plusgas and patience you should be able to loosen the clamps and get the track-rod ends turning in the rod. Then it can be adjusted if needs be.

Talking of adjusting, do you have a set of Whitworth spanners? Metric spanners will not get you far...

Steering... there is a difference between stiff and heavy steering:
If it's hard to turn with the wheels jacked off the ground, that's stiff and needs investigating.
However, if it's just an effort to turn especially at low speed, well it may seem heavy if one is accustomed to power steering but that's how it is. Think of the benefit to your arm muscles.
 
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