It's getting worse! First it was a problem starting it after it was warm now it's doing it at cold starts as well! IT will fire and then either die right away or it rens up and down and then dies. IF I press the gas and rev it up it will stay running or it will sputter and then die. Finally tonight after the 5th attempt it ran..... Ay ideas? I just got this thing and it's my daily. I feel like it's going to leave me stranded.

Thanks

 

How many miles on it? What grade of gas are you using? If you look inside the oil filler neck what does it look like?

 

There are 227,000 kms on it. I jsut bought this damn thing and it's gone crazy. I put 87 octane in it and then read on here that it needs premium? Would this cause these types of problems? Also it develops an intermittent tapping sound coming from the bottom end..... That with the fact that the tranny won't shift out of 1st until I drive it for a few mins is making me think I just threw away a bunch of money...

 

Yes you MUST use premium.
You didnt test drive it did you?
Change the transmission fluid and filter, that should help with the shifting.

Start with a complete tune up, that means new spark plugs and spark plug wires as well as a distributor cap and rotor.
Once that is done have the ignition timing adjusted.

The next time it wont start check for fuel pressure at the fuel rail, there is a valve on the fuel rail, press it with a screw driver, does fuel squirt across the room or dribble?

 

Hey guys I already got the tune up parts and will be replacing shortly. I did test drive it and it ran great. I'd never buy a veh without testing it first. Also I bought it from a supposed reputable landrover mechanical shop so I expected and was told the veh was in good mechanical shape which is why I am so pissed. I am going to clean the iacv as well and do an induction clean. I'm going to do a flush and fill first on the tranny as I have to wait for my filter to come in. I bought some synthetic transmedic flush to put in and then I'll drain and fill and add some Lucas tranny treatment and see where I sit.

 

From my viewpoint, you did not make a very good choice for a "new" daily driver. With that kind of miles on it, you will need to do quite a bit to it to make it anywhere near dependable.

The way I see it, you could either go back to where you bought it and see if they are willing to possibly trade it for something better or possibly assist you in resolving the worst of your problems with it at a reasonable fee and a show of good faith OR just take your lumps and work your way thru the current problems OR DITCH IT for something else.

Live and Learn.

 

well 227,000 kms equals 141,051 miles so I don't think that's too many miles personally considering I bought it off the land rover mechanical shop that says it has been servicing the vehicle for years do you? I just drained the tranny and it's grey/black with a hint of red..... Obviously not serviced very well.... Also the tranny drain bolt had a ****load of shavings on it.... I have drained and refilled with atf and lucas treatment... We'll see what happens. Btw I am not a trained mechanic but I have worked on a lot of vehicles so I am not retarded on the subject. I specifically asked them if it was a good daily driver as they had advertised and they said yes. It has body damage which I have experience in fixing hence why I bought it. I wanted a cosmetic project not both... Make any sense?

Now I am going to address the hard starting issue next. There is a fuel smell when it doesn't start so I doubt it's a fuel delivery problem but who knows.

Oh and I know it's not a honda, I have owned mulitple bmws so I now all about luxury vehicles and their issues.

 

Having a raw fuel smell when it wont start means it has very weak spark.
I would say no spark at all but it will eventually start, so I am leaning towards very weak spark.
A complete tune up should cure that.
Just make sure you set the ignition timing too after the plugs and wires are done.

Mine is a daily driver and I trust it to take me anywhere, hell, I drove it 2400 in 3 days just last month.

 

Hey spike, mine makes a raw fuel smell occasionally when i first start it in the morning. I honestly have no idea what kind wires are on it. I do know that i've got Autolite Platinum plugs in it (according to the prev owner). Is that smell from a weak spark as well?

 

With a '03 not likely to be the problem, if you have mis fire codes then yes, but if no codes then no.
He has a distributor so there is alot more to go wrong and alot of places for the spark to "leak".

If yours is only once and awhile I would not worry about it right now.
Unless you have trouble codes.