ROVER P4 100 CUTTING OUT
Q
I have a 1960 Rover 100 (P4) in good condition which will always start at the first attempt without any problems. It then normally dies, and when I turn the ignition off and then on again to attempt to restart it, I can hear the SU pump tick a couple of times. The engine will then fire up, but die again quite quickly. After a couple of attempts the engine will continue to run without issue and will be fine for the rest of the journey. The ticking of the pump does appear to be connected to the problem, and if the pump gives a more continuous ticking sound the engine will normally continue to run. If the problem is the SU pump I am quite happy to replace it, but I don’t want to be chasing the problem in the wrong direction. Kevin Morrall
AThe symptoms you describe could well be a sticking SU pump, which is reluctant to get moving after a period of rest. The best incentive for the SU pump to get going is a sharp tap with the head of a screwdriver on the body of the pump. The next time the problem occurs, I would turn off the engine, turn on the ignition and then before restarting the engine, give the body of the pump a sharp tap with the head
of a screwdriver (or similar) and see if it fires into life. If this results in the pump ticking away and the engine then consequently starting and continuing to run, then I would conclude that the pump is at fault. If however the symptoms continue to remain the same and the pump just ticks a couple of times and the engine again cuts out, then I would check the carburettor float chamber and needle valve for a possible problem in this area, which may be preventing the fuel supply from reaching the engine.