My vehicle seems to have a sound like a bad muffler, when first starting; but the sound stops after a few minutes of running. Any ideas?
The exhaust flange
gaskets are known to have a problem with the fastening nuts coming loose
over time. This causes a slight exhaust leak when the vehicle is cold.
In many cases, once the system heats up, and materials expand, the gap
closes and the noise will dissappear. After tightening the three nuts on
each flange the problem may still be there. The only fix is to replace
the gaskets.It is a good idea to also replace the nuts to regain proper
clamping force on the gasket.
I went four-wheeling this past weekend and now have a vibration on the highway that was not there before. Have I damaged or bent something?
Where as it is always a
good idea-the day after-to check the undercarriage for impact damage
while pressure washing off the mud and gunk, some miss the accumulation
of caked mud on the inside of the wheels. It does not take a lot to
cause a wheel un-balance that you will feel at highway speeds. This is
especially true when the mud settles to the bottom of the rim overnight
and then dries.
After driving in hot weather and shutting the engine off, and then restarting, my vehicle has a stumble and runs kinda rough for a few minutes. Do I have a failing fuel pump or something?
More than likely, the cause is due to fuel and carbon deposits that can accumulate on the fuel injector nozzles and engine intake valves over time. The carbon can cause a lean condition under hot restarts, and the deposits on the injectors cause a distorted spray pattern that aggravates the atomization process in a hot engine. Use a good fuel injector cleaner that you add directly to the fuel tank. We like the Chevron Techron product. One bottle every six or so tanks of gas will keep things clean.
My 1996 Range Rover has a rumble and vibration I can feel through the seat cushion when I lift my foot off the gas pedal. I notice it more when pacing traffic or exiting a highway. Where do I look for the cause?
The front and rear drive-lines (also referred to as driveshafts) are your first components to inspect. Check for dry u-joints by looking for signs of red/brown corrosion around the bearing cups; a sure sign that there is no grease in the cup and the needle bearings are damaged. This excess play and lack of proper movement can cause the situation you are experiencing.
Secondly, the differentials will develop some backlash (free-play) over time, but with the vehicle on a secure lift you can check for "coast down" vibration that occurs on these vehicles. With someone in the vehicle, have them accelerate to about 30 mph. Have them lift off the accelerator pedal while you listen at each end of the vehicle for a growling noise. This indicates internal damage to the Crown Wheel and Pinion. The units must be replaced or re-built.
I have a smell like burning oil when I come to a stop. It is worse when I shut off my Land Rover and exit the vehicle. I know a little fluid seepage from different sources is a normal part of owning one of these vehicles, but this seems excessive.
The smell you describe is usually a result of lubricants dripping onto the exhaust system. One common area for leaks to occurr is from the self-sealing Valve Cover screws. The sealant under the head of the screw breaks down over time, and allows engine oil to escape. Another common area is the Valve Cover gasket itself. Replace these as a set, and always fit new Valve Cover screws. With this said, other common areas for engine oil to escape are from the oil pressure sending unit in the front timing case cover, and the oil pan-to-engine block surface. Some models use a gasket here, while others use only a "gasket-in-a-tube" RTV product.
