Finally!

[Gazza7]

Hi all,
finally got myself a p38 4.6 hse after wanting any Range Rover since I was 15 and now I’m 50 😀
it’s a 97, done 245000kms and has the coil spring conversion done.
As expected....it has a few issues lol.
so I hope you don’t mind if I pick your brains and experience.
first...I turn on the ignition, srs fault is on the display and down behind the far right of the dash something is clicking for a while and the message doesn’t go away.
When I brake the handbrake, tc and abs lights flash on for a second.
The cruises control doesn’t work, light on the switch comes on but that’s it.
and when I got home after my driveway ( very steep ) some coolant was coming out of the top up tank hose.
when I turn on the right indicator ther is a beep and after three normal speed ticks they get a lot quicker ( like a bulb gone)
any help would be much appreciated.
I finally got one!! Woohoo 😁
cheers all
Gaz

[bblaze]

My first suggestion, if you haven't already
get yourself a diagnostic tool
I have a nanocom, group guy on at the moment
cheers
blaze

[Gazza7]

Thanks blaze 👍
i bought this cheap and can,t throw money at it sadly. I’m trying to fix these issues myself and as cheaply as possible 😀
so any tips would be much appreciated thanks. I figure these are common issues.
also the climate controls don’t work...but I get cold air like the ac is on...just no fans, temp or vent adjustment.
if it looks like it’s going to be lots of $$$ to sort out I may just have to sell the old girl on
cheers 🍻

[TheTree]

Welcome to the madness mate

It seems you have a few issues, but the coolant loss could be the biggest one. If it keeps doing it, try getting the coolant tested for exhaust gases.

Cruise control is likely to be perished hoses

Any other messages on the dash?

Good luck !

Steve

[Gazza7]

Hi Steve,
thanks for the reply mate. Yes it could be madness and may still sell it on.
the only dash message is the srs fault and it stays on all the time.
i drove her home yesterday over 200 kms with a couple of stops and no coolant loss.
It was only after going up my 400metre steep driveway that it escaped.
really hoping it’s not head gasket.
it might be for sale
cheers
Gaz

[TheTree]

Sounds like it may be nothing with the coolant loss

The SRS light is most likey a connector somewhere

If there is anyone near you with a nanocom, then hooking it would be a good thing !

Steve

[Gazza7]

Hi Steve,
thanks again mate. Yes I am hoping the coolant was nothing and just the driveway. I have access to a gas tester so will check it tomorrow.
any tips on which connectors I need to check for the warning?
i only paid 2400 for the old girl so pretty cheap. I just need to get it through a nsw blue slip as it’s got qld rego 😕
not sure if it will get through with no climate control and the warning etc.
time will tell.
thanks again
Gaz 😀

[donh54]

Hmmm. No EAS. Why did you want a P38A missing one of the things that make them such a great car?

[Gazza7]

Lol yes I know but this old girl was cheap and I know the eas is expensive to fix. To be honest after driving it home yesterday the ride is excellent and she handles very well for such a heavy car. Just one less thing I’ll have to fix but I know it would have been nice if it was still on air and working.
cheers
Gaz 😀

[TheTree]

As far as he HEVAC goes, check RL6 and RL7 in the fusebox for signs of heat discolouration that is a common issue

Steve

[rover-56]

Can't help with most of the problems cos I am new to P38s too, but the ABS/TC/Handbrake warnings is probably the ABS pressure accumulator lost charge. Its on the top of the ABS pump. About $350. Guess how I know [bigwhistle].
Basic stuff like cleaning connectors, earths, replacing perished hoses can do a lot to fix niggles.
Welcome.
Terry

[Gazza7]

Thanks guys, much appreciated 😀I’ll try those fixes and let you know
cheers

[Gazza7]

Well today I had a bit of a win. Fixed exhaust leak, found the change display button lol and so got rid of the airbag warning...temporarily. Then had a fiddle with relays, wires and just poking around trying to fix the climate system but to no avail...but then I opened the glovebox just to have a look and found the wheel centre caps! Glovebox was reluctant to snap closed so I gave it a bit of a slam and....the fans kicked in and now all the climate control works perfectly 😆
Typical Range Rover do you think 😀
thanks for the tips..I’ll keep you posted 👍
cheers
Gaz

[Gazza7]

Quick question...where’s the best place to get an abs accumulator? What sort of money are they?
thanks 👍

[prelude]

Hi there! welcome to the wonderful world of the P38 :)

THe indicator going slowly and then fast is indeed a bulb that has broken, you may have found that one out already. The P38 does NOTHING without the BECM (the box underneath the seat). If you indicate direction, a signal goes to the computer to do so. It has a preset value for on and off time of the bulb which is all in software (not like on a computer but just for the sake of argument) and it'll blink at the same speed all day long, no matter how many bulbs are working or connected. So to give the driver a clear indication of a broken bulb it'll say so on the dashboard and it'll simulate the old school behaviour of fast blinking as a bonus :)

Not sure about the coolant loss, keep an eye on that though.

ABS accumulators can be had relatively cheaply in europe, here for example: Range Rover P38 ACCUMULATOR-ABS Kit - p38spares.co.uk - EAS & Landrover Solutions (http://p38spares.co.uk/commerce/product/1177/Range_Rover_P38_ACCUMULATOR-ABS_Kit.html) but I do not know what shipping will do to the total price once they get down under.

You'll get most problems fixed I am sure, and when you do the next challenge should be to get the EAS back up and running!

Cheers,
-P

[Gazza7]

Thanks for that mate. Not sure about resurrection of the eas though. It has coils and I’m sure putting a new eas system back in would be seriously expensive. It would be nice though...time will tell.
thanks again
Gaz 👍

[donh54]

Thanks for that mate. Not sure about resurrection of the eas though. It has coils and I’m sure putting a new eas system back in would be seriously expensive. It would be nice though...time will tell.
thanks again
Gaz [emoji106]If you get the chance, take a ride in one with EAS. You'll see why they're worth it. [biggrin]
Under a grand should get you 4 new bags, and a compressor rebuild kit. IMO the reason a lot of them were ditched for springs was on bad advice from people who don't understand (or don't want to understand) how they work. Far easier to convince the customer to use something you know, like springs, than to actually get off your dot and learn a new skill.
Springs (coils and leaf) need replacement, especially if the vehicle is towing or carrying heavy loads, like many 4wds. Nobody thinks twice about that. Mention air spring replacement, and they'll carry on about how unreliable they are!

[Gazza7]

Thanks mate I will try one for sure. Mine was changed for towing (brake controller,gearbox fan etc) so was done for a reason but not by me. I’d like to change it back but cost is the issue and even if I get a new kit I don’t know if the relevant electrics work 😀

[donh54]

Thanks mate I will try one for sure. Mine was changed for towing (brake controller,gearbox fan etc) so was done for a reason but not by me. I’d like to change it back but cost is the issue and even if I get a new kit I don’t know if the relevant electrics work [emoji3]Sorry to sound like a nagging fishwife, but EAS is far better for towing with than coils. Self-leveling, so no need for WDHs, drop to access height when hooking or unhooking.
You'll have guessed by now I'm a fan! [bigrolf]

[rover-56]

Quick question...where’s the best place to get an abs accumulator? What sort of money are they?
thanks 👍

Got mine from Roverlord on here. $360
Mario is a good source for all sorts of Rover bits.
Terry

[donh54]

Got mine from Roverlord on here. $360
Mario is a good source for all sorts of Rover bits.
Terry+1. Mario and Heather are my go-to people for parts for the P38A, Disco 1 and Disco 2.
Amazing array of parts, excellent pricing, and super fast delivery. Check out their ebay shop for info, but if you order by email or a PM through here, you can get a discount. They are long-term supporters of this forum.

[Gazza7]

Hello again 😀
so after the tips the ac works as I said before..woohoo! And I sorted the leak in the passenger well...I cleared the outlet pipe above the transmission...and got a nice shower in the process lol.
i have a new abs accumulator on the way from the uk and only $190 delivered from island 4x4 👍
now I need some more expert help please guys.
I have an intermittent high idle issue, I’ve checked and tried adjusting the tps but that changed nothing. Any other pointers as to where to look next? The beast has done 247000kms by the way.
Next is the gear selector lights...they don’t match the actual gear. When in D it says neutral and in reverse I have no light at all. A couple of others are out of sync to. Any clues?
Also the cruise control isn’t working at all and I have checked for leaks and none are apparent so should I look elsewhere or am I missing a leak?
Cheers
Gaz 😀

[DoubleChevron]

Did I hear someone say accumulator .... ??

I just googled the brake accumulator

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/06/198.jpg

Now I've got old citroens dating back to the 50's...... == Hydraulics... Lots of accumulators ( or spheres as they are called with a valve in the head of the accumulator).

I just regass them. If that "blob" shown unscrews, you can simply recharge them (if they aren't dead flat).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/06/199.jpg

this is a modern throw away piece of crap accumulator as used on Citroens. (throw away crap as the eariler stuff, you can unscrew them and change the diaphragm).

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2018/06/200.jpg

The filler port needs to be removable though. If it's not, you can fit a tecnosir valve.

404 Not Found 1 (http://www.tecnosirstore.com/storiche-citroen/attrezzature-ricarica-sfere/valprex-2000-c5-kit-of-5-valves.html)

if you drill and top (if the filler plug doesn't unscrew) you can then just top of the accumulator with it in place. The reason you can't recharge "flat" throw way citroen spheres, is there is a sharp edge at the back of the filler plug that damages the diaphragm if the gas pressure gets to low.

Oh .... BE REALLY CAREFUL running very flat old accumulators. If the diaphragm ruptures, all of the remaining nitrogen ends up in your brake lines ...... Which obviously equals ...... NO BRAKES :eek2: (yeah, guess how I know this one ........................ ).

seeya
Shane L.

[prelude]

Funny how that picture of the accumulator with the o-ring, painted green looks like a handgranade... That's basicly how dangerous fooling around with there pressurized babies is so my hat of to you for trying (I see you made a nice metal bracket for it) But I'll just buy new ones for as long as I can source them, thank you [biggrin]

-P

[DoubleChevron]

Funny how that picture of the accumulator with the o-ring, painted green looks like a handgranade... That's basicly how dangerous fooling around with there pressurized babies is so my hat of to you for trying (I see you made a nice metal bracket for it) But I'll just buy new ones for as long as I can source them, thank you [biggrin]

-P

Ah yes .... But if you have something like a Xantia Activa ..... You will have "eight" accumulators (one for each wheel, one 2 for each axle -- this provide extra dampering for soft mode-- a brake accumulator for each axle ... oh and the rams acting against the rollbars for the zero degrees bodyroll may have accumulators too.

Do you still want to buy new ones every three years :)

If I had a P38.... I'd buy a new one and regas it every 2years to keep it at 100% capacity. Getting down in pressure is what kills them.

seeya
Shane L.

[TheTree]

Hello again 😀
so after the tips the ac works as I said before..woohoo! And I sorted the leak in the passenger well...I cleared the outlet pipe above the transmission...and got a nice shower in the process lol.
i have a new abs accumulator on the way from the uk and only $190 delivered from island 4x4 👍
now I need some more expert help please guys.
I have an intermittent high idle issue, I’ve checked and tried adjusting the tps but that changed nothing. Any other pointers as to where to look next? The beast has done 247000kms by the way.
Next is the gear selector lights...they don’t match the actual gear. When in D it says neutral and in reverse I have no light at all. A couple of others are out of sync to. Any clues?
Also the cruise control isn’t working at all and I have checked for leaks and none are apparent so should I look elsewhere or am I missing a leak?
Cheers
Gaz 😀

Hi Mate

Idle Air Control Valve, whip it off and give it a good clean with carby cleaner, but don't force the plunger to move while it's out.

Also clean the spot where it meets the throttle body while you have it out

Steve

[Gazza7]

Hi guys,
thanks for the tip..I cleaned the idle valve but I can push in the plunger about 10mm easily, is that normal?
Now a new one..surprise surprise! On the way home today she overheated! It happened very quick but I pulled over, stopped the motor and sure enough coolant coming out of the expansion tank. I cracked the cap a fraction to release pressure and waited a few minutes. Fired her back up again and temp was normal. Drove another 10 kms and all fine then in a matter of seconds the gauge went to the red and the light came on. Stopped again, turned her off...heard lots of bubbling...waited a minute, fired her up and normal temp resumed till I got her home, another 5 kms.
what do you think? Thermostat?
cheers
Gaz 😬

[Keithy P38]

The thermostat is my thinking. I had this issue in the past and found a bit of gunk in the thermostat stopping it from opening properly. Cleaned it out and all was good.

That said, there could be other issues, but a thermostat is cheap and easy to replace, so that’s where I’d start.

Cheers
Keithy

[Gazza7]

Hi guys,
i know...me again 😬
does anyone have a diagram of the left rear seat release mechanism? Mine seems to be missing lol...just a big hole so I can’t put that seat down.
thanks
Gaz 😀

[TheTree]

Hi guys,
i know...me again 😬
does anyone have a diagram of the left rear seat release mechanism? Mine seems to be missing lol...just a big hole so I can’t put that seat down.
thanks
Gaz 😀

There is a button which goes in that hole in the rear cover and it sits into a piece of wire, if you can look in the hole and see a wire coming up, try pressing that.

If there is no wire the only way I know to get at the mechanism is to remove that rear cover (which is not that hard)

Steve