Put in a new engine and now there is a severe loss of power

DerekAber

Member
May 17, 2004
6
0
i just put a new 4.0 short block in my 95 disco and there is hardly any power getting going esp from a start. It doesnt want to go up any kind of incline as well. Once it finally gets going, it seems ok but it just has no acceleration. I dont know if it is one of the cables that conect to the transmission or something that is causing it to not shift into a lower gear or something. The truck doesnt seem to be shifting at normal times. Or i dont know if it is timing related, even though the engine seems smooth and all when it is running. I think the timing is set up correctly. What else could cause this loss of power, the truck was fine before the engine swap.

thanks
 
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D Chapman

Guest
I would try checking the timing, and the kick down cable linkage.
 
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rover

Guest
slooooows down on inclines

Please help. My daughter's 99disco with almost 100,000 mi is acting up. When we are on a flat road or interstate the car drives well, but as soon as we hit an incline or a small hill the car begins to deccelerate to a crawling speed. Generally,it makes out at about 25 mph from 65mph. We took it to a regular mechanic and after a new catalytic converter(after market),spark plugs, etc were replaced in the vehicle he finally gave up without solving the problem. We then took it to our local LR dealership, and they wanted all the old parts installed back to the car before they can diagnose it with their computer. Their asking prices was $4000 just to examine it and another $2500 to fix the problem. So I said "No Thanks" and had the car sent back to the regular mechanic shop and it has been sitting there for the last 3 months. Would anyone know what could be the problem with the car and how to fix it, or has anyone experienced something similar with their car? We live in Charleston,WV and would like to know if anyone has reccomendations for a mechanic knowledgeable with Land Rovers close to our area or tri-state area? Any help is appreciated.
Thank you,-Rover, Charleston WV
 
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BeachRover

Guest
I know it sounds crazy, but I would have the transmission checked.
 
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BeachRover

Guest
Sorry, hit submit too soon. I had this same situation and it was a transmission problem.
 
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rover

Guest
I think the mech.said the transmission is fine. I brought that issue to him before but he said it's fine,i don't know. Did you have to replace the whole transmission or had it sevice? And how much I should expect in $$ from this problem. Is it working well since then?

thanks
 
D

D Chapman

Guest
rover said:
I think the mech.said the transmission is fine. I brought that issue to him before but he said it's fine,i don't know. Did you have to replace the whole transmission or had it sevice? And how much I should expect in $$ from this problem. Is it working well since then?

thanks
Land Rover Charleston, WV???? Did you talk to Raymond?

Send me a PM.....
 

javelinadave

Well-known member
Oct 21, 2004
134
0
Way Out West
rover said:
Please help. My daughter's 99disco with almost 100,000 mi is acting up. When we are on a flat road or interstate the car drives well, but as soon as we hit an incline or a small hill the car begins to deccelerate to a crawling speed. Generally,it makes out at about 25 mph from 65mph. We took it to a regular mechanic and after a new catalytic converter(after market),spark plugs, etc were replaced in the vehicle he finally gave up without solving the problem. We then took it to our local LR dealership, and they wanted all the old parts installed back to the car before they can diagnose it with their computer. Their asking prices was $4000 just to examine it and another $2500 to fix the problem. So I said "No Thanks" and had the car sent back to the regular mechanic shop and it has been sitting there for the last 3 months. Would anyone know what could be the problem with the car and how to fix it, or has anyone experienced something similar with their car? We live in Charleston,WV and would like to know if anyone has reccomendations for a mechanic knowledgeable with Land Rovers close to our area or tri-state area? Any help is appreciated.
Thank you,-Rover, Charleston WV
Thread Hijacker!
 
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BeachRover

Guest
It wasn't that bad. They serviced the transmission (filter, fluids, etc) and there was a small part (throttle position sensor or something such as this?). I think it was around $300.00.
 
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rover

Guest
Dan,

Sorry, it took awhile to answer. I been busy lately with work and with my college kids. Yeah, my mech. told me that Raymond came over and look at it but couldn't figure out what the problem is. I heard he's no longer with LR Chas. is that true?
I don't know but that's what the mech. told me.
I went to see the mech. today and I was told that the truck can't travel far anymore without the speed dropping down to 10 miles speed. I mentioned about you and another person trying to help me out about my problem and he said he don't mind butting head together or he's open for siggestions. He's name is Earl and his phone# is 304 776-0260 or he said he can call if he knows who to call. Right now, I'm trying to find another Mech. who understand more about LR trucks and hopefully I can do it before winter start settling in.
Again, thanks for any help. It's greatly appreciated.

rover
 

MotoBando

Well-known member
Aug 16, 2005
113
0
Loss of power can be caused by a number of things. If it is non-transmission related I would have the valves checked and change the timing chain / cam. I rebuilt a 3.5L with a couple hundred thousand miles on it. The bores were almost perfect. The most amount of wear was seen on the cam lobes and timing chain badly stretched. I have heard that many Land Rovers with the aluminum V8's will begin to lose power after 70K miles due to chain stretch. If the cam is badly worn, your valves are not going to operate properly and you will lose power. If it is determined that this is the problem be prepared to buy new lifters & rockers as well, as they will be equally worn. They get worn when the tiny holes that allow oil to pass through the rockers get clogged and the result leaves the rocker/pushrod surface and also the camshaft/lifter suface deprived of oil that would normally flow down the pushrods. That's why it also not a bad idea to use a cleaning detergent like Sea Foam before an oil change to clean that crud out once in a while as preventative maintenance before the symptoms start...

Best of luck!

Brian
 
D

D Chapman

Guest
rover said:
Dan,

Sorry, it took awhile to answer. I been busy lately with work and with my college kids. Yeah, my mech. told me that Raymond came over and look at it but couldn't figure out what the problem is. I heard he's no longer with LR Chas. is that true?
I don't know but that's what the mech. told me.
I went to see the mech. today and I was told that the truck can't travel far anymore without the speed dropping down to 10 miles speed. I mentioned about you and another person trying to help me out about my problem and he said he don't mind butting head together or he's open for siggestions. He's name is Earl and his phone# is 304 776-0260 or he said he can call if he knows who to call. Right now, I'm trying to find another Mech. who understand more about LR trucks and hopefully I can do it before winter start settling in.
Again, thanks for any help. It's greatly appreciated.

rover
Manie,
Your correct, Raymond has moved to LR Roanoke, VA. But, Ronnie is still with the WV dealership.

Ronnie is familiar with your truck. I spoke with him briefly, and his comment stand valid. It seems the 4k price tag is "worse case". You have to remember, LR parts from the dealership are steep, and the LR techs like to "do it by the book". So, since what your independent shop has done did not fix the problem, Ronnie would like to start back at square one. For most of us, not having LR OEM parts does not make a crap. But, when they are trying to figure out a problem like this, by altering the vehicle from stock, like you have done, it throws stuff off, and may give a false reading to the computer programs they use....

But, it would be interesting to see the codes your Independent shop is pulling from the ECU. Do you know if one happens to be the MAF code?

If the engine still has acceptable PSI in each cylinder, the motor should be good to go. I would be looking at the Transmission, torque converter, MAF sensor, or the Vehicle speed sensor maybe. Even with bad O2 sensors, the truck should run over 10mph...Hell, all four of mine are junk, and I can do 100mph with a trailer in tow...

So, I don't think the Dealership is trying to "rape" you, they just want to do everything "right".
 
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rover

Guest
dan,

I understand where Ronnie and them guys are coming from but everyone don't have the luxury of spending 4K just to put back old parts and not including fixing it and another 2K-3k to solve the problem. I guess I should have brought the truck to them in the first place and not have all this headache, but nevertheless now I'm in the pits. The indepent mech. couldn't solve it ,LR dealer won't take it , I'm in limbo land. Last night, I was thinking, I thought I had this same problem many years ago with my 735i and I think it was the master computer that broke down. Is that also a possibility? The mech. is checking the comp. this friday and hopefully we'll hit the jackpot.
Hey, is there anyway the mech. can call you and butt heads on your spare time? I think someone just have to talk to him and direct him to other possibilities. He said, he had done so many things to it he run out of options.
I'll show him your reply and see if he had done it.
appreciate all your trouble and don't think I had bad feeling with Ron and them guys, they're good people. It's just kinda hard to swallow to spend 7k with two kids in WVU and the other one in private school.
thanks

manie
 
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D Chapman

Guest
I tried to call Earl yesterday, but got no answer...I'm curious too as to what it might be.