Series 3 (petrol) problems again...

Morning
Ol Blue has been mine for about a month now, and he has had a few blips with stalling which thought had been resolved by changing the fuel filter and putting in a new battery.
Yesterday the fella took him to work and on the way home it lost power after about 5 mins of driving. No smoke, no strange noises, no backfiring. It wouldn't start again, although he's going up to try and start it after his shift today. If not, we'll we on the back of the breakdown lorry again.
I would be grateful if you had any ideas of the logical place to start looking for the root of the problem. It has been running beautifully since the new battery. There has been quite a strong smell of petrol but that seems to have abated the week. Not sure if its just because we are better at driving it and have mastered the manual choke now or whether that could be significant. It has also been less thirsty than usual.
The fella says all looks ok under the bonnet, no milky deposits in the rad, oil level fine, no evidence of any oil leaks.

Thank u.

Good morning,

I'd check the carb and air intake first. Make sure she doesn't suck air in after the carb (spray some WD40 on it or something). When was the last time the carb was overhauled? If you don't know propably it's time anyway. Then check the timing. Dizzy might have turned a bit.
Did you change the sparking plugs? Just a note... they're cheap, you know?-)

Cheers

Thank you.

Have not done much with it at all since owning it. So time for some TLC. I am a bit annoyed as the fella has completely taken over it and I hardly ever see it, let alone drive it, yet it's me that has to sort out the problems.

Anyway, practical advice and most appreciated. Will start with a good look under bonnet myself when the landy is home this afternoon whether or not he arrives on a truck. I think its been fairly well maintained and well cared for by previous owner, but will definitely get some new spark plugs and take a proper look at the carb and distributor. And alternator as well while I'm at it.

Thank u.

When I got Betty the first she had to go through was a 1000-mile trip. When I arrived she started having her "moods" ("hey, look, it's the time of the month. Now you get some of the rain!" and it began dripping on the dash)
Make sure to know what and when everything has had the last check. Check, yet better change the oil in the diffs, gearbox, transferbox, overdrive, swivel pins, steering box and relay (all EP90), engine oil (10W40 to 20W50, depends), coolant fluid (if it's not clean make sure you know why, I had a serioulsy leaking water pump for 2k miles. Not a problem, but take the cap off the rad).
Then get some grease in the shafts, clean your axle breathers, take the caps off the half shafts and inspect and grease, WD40 on the door rubbers (my wife loves WD40, because the alternative is grease...).
Then check dizzy (new points, condenser and cap is VERY cheap), coil, leads, plugs and tyres.
If you want to keep some while her
a) buy a canister of 5l WD40 and
b) check the chassis before you have waited a year for a minor problem to become serious.
Make sure the electrics is not fiddled with. Can make a nice candle out of your series.

If you know something about drum brakes have a go at them. If you don't, let it be and pay someone. You know, it's not the acceleration but the breaking where you sweat the most.

Someone will add if I forgot something.

Cheers,
Phil

PS
only after 1k miles I noticed the swivel pins and rear diff were rather low on oil, and now a detent spring came out of the GB. So make sure you know how much oil is in there (everywhere) and how much you're loosing.

Basic diagnostics. I'm assuming you've checked that the engine is going round, the rotor arm is rotating and the valves are going up and down. Most likely cause is electrical.
Pop off a plug lead, fit a spare plug, rest it on the top of the head and turn the engine over. No spark?, check coil, points and condensor. Spark?, check static timing with mark on engine pulley. Looks ok? then it's probably fuel. Take the feed pipe off the carb and turn the engine over (or use tickler on pump). Catch the fuel in a jam jar. Is the fuel spurting out strongly? No? clean out the fuel filter/catch bottle. Fixed? No? check the fuel line from the tank. OK? no? try replacing the fuel pump. Good fuel pressure at the carb? Check inlet manifold seals. OK? strip carb, clean out, replace O rings, gaskets diaphragms etc. Still not working? Burn it.

Alternatively join the AA/RAC and let them sort it out. Get one of the older mechanics and they rather like sorting out this sort of thing. If they ask you where the diagnostic socket is........

Thank you both enormously.

Looks like a busy evening ahead with the manuals. I found a fantastic book in a charity shop from the lates 60s which is brilliant for beginner would-be mechanics like me. Lots of pictures! I also have my Haynes manual although its for diesels not petrol.

Hope I can get things sorted by Sunday or me an Ol Blue won't be able to do our car boot sale... :violin:

Land Rover Manuals, Part Catalogue, workshop manual, download pdf files, Landroverweb.com Linking your Landy to the World! takes you to a copy of the Land Rover manual proper. Landy's are fun vehicles to learn mechanics from. If you're a total novice your local college probably does evening classes.

Some say its a little rough, but if you get some WD40 type stuff, but not actuallt WD40 a cheaper version that uses a CFC propellant, then if you turn the engine over while someone at the same time sprays the stuff up the air intake, then if the engine runs or at least tries to then your issue is the carb, if the engine doesnt even try then its probably ignition.
Dont use easystart, nasty stuff.
I have asda maintenance spray, 99p a tin and works great.