Range Rover P38 BASEish - loads of exciting* stuff fixed!

[N Dentressangle]

1500 is where I'd be happyish ending up, although I suspect it's not worth that to many people and closer to 1000 would be a realistic ending price if it were at auction.

One of the previous owners had the headlining in mine sorted, but pins would have done me just as well 😁

[N Dentressangle]

Never had a car with pollen filters, and I drive with the window open for preference anyway, so I've never changed one.

But I was ordering something else from Buckley Bros and they were cheap, so here we go! Quick read of the lowdown so I don't smash any plastics: https://www.land-rover-blog.co.uk/how-to-change-the-pollen-filters-on-a-range-rover-p38/

and the covers came off:

OMG there are filters in there? Sure are:

Mmmm, tasty. And plenty more leaves to be sucked laboriously out of the passenger side too:

I don't know how it was flowing anything to the blower motors at all.

[mercedade]

On 04/03/2022 at 10:03, mercedade said:

Stupid thread.

I'm hoping to take a look at this over the weekend (it's ended now, but unsold - hoping an offer might prise it out of his hands).

Mmmmm.....lacquer peel

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265565699491

 

 

On 04/03/2022 at 17:36, N Dentressangle said:

1500 is where I'd be happyish ending up, although I suspect it's not worth that to many people and closer to 1000 would be a realistic ending price if it were at auction.

One of the previous owners had the headlining in mine sorted, but pins would have done me just as well 😁

(Sorry for the thread hijack  - will take this off to a different channel if needs be!)

Went to see this on Saturday. If I were to describe this in a phrase, it would be 'old money'. The owner has had it for a long time (8 years maybe? Can't quite remember) and it's clear he's not mechanically minded - so he's just thrown it at his 'guy' for everything. It's been his hardworking backup car - towbar for the bikes, boot for everything else.

MOT welding was done to a decent standard.

The car runs beautifully, it sounds like a beast. Cos it is.

I walked away, but it's still gnawing away at the back of my mind. Problems were:

My god it's shabby inside (see above re: old money). Headliner down, every pillar trim had crumbled and flaked, ripped/peeling door cards. I'm not sure it had ever been cleaned beyond a wipe down. Certainly not minging, just grubby. Invisible LCD on the air-con (which doesn't con), no parcel shelf. At 100k, it felt significantly more run down and worn out inside than my 155k Rover. And, re: above, god only knows what the cabin filter would look like.

The lacquer peel on the passenger side is BAD. But no bodywork rot anywhere.

Biggest nervy mechanical issue was the fact it's running cool. Now, I'm pretty confident it'd be a stuck thermostat which, on the 4.6 V8, even a blind monkey could change, but I still had visions of the heartstopping moment when I remove the stat housing and find no stat at all). He certainly knew about it, but had never regarded it as a problem (because of how proudly he told me "look at the temp gauge, no overheating worries with this one") - and I genuinely think he was sincere in his belief it was a good sign, bless.

He's had it very well maintained, but I don't think he's ever actually looked at it.

He's since relisted it a couple of hundred cheaper, still with offers. I'm pricing up trim/headlining bits now just to try and talk myself out of it. I really, really don't want a project...

[N Dentressangle]

Think I'd leave that one then.

There's no shortage of cheap ones, and £1500 really ought to get you something half decent. Putting the interior even half-right could cost a lot of money, and then there's the mechanicals which have been fixed when they went wrong or failed an MoT and that's it.

You don't get rich by spending money - some of the worst shitboxes I have ever seen have been owned by wealthy people. Many of them just don't give a fuck. I saw he'd put it up for £1700 - let someone else pay that and find another which is less of a project.

This looks an honest car you could make something of if you were going to have to do some work:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/-/325085874619

FB Marketplace is good for a rummage?

[N Dentressangle]

Meanwhile I thought I'd check out a couple of the MoT advisories:

• Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases on limit (6.1.2 (a))
• exhaust deteriorated

The vendor said the MoT man had 'welded up' the exhaust to get it through the test. Didn't know you could weld with Gun Gum these days:

Other side at the top is even worse.

But this is actually a GOOD THING. Because there's this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142730922153

which will allow a proper V8 growl rather than the low purr we currently have. No point in a V8 you can't hear, is there?

 

[warren t claim]

10 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Meanwhile I thought I'd check out a couple of the MoT advisories:

• Central Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases on limit (6.1.2 (a))
• exhaust deteriorated

The vendor said the MoT man had 'welded up' the exhaust to get it through the test. Didn't know you could weld with Gun Gum these days:

Other side at the top is even worse.

But this is actually a GOOD THING. Because there's this:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/142730922153

which will allow a proper V8 growl rather than the low purr we currently have. No point in a V8 you can't hear, is there?

 

Mine has a welded up air tank. Beat that!

[N Dentressangle]

A few more fixes completed in the past few days.

First off was the airbag fault which kept beeping its presence all the fucking time, accompanied by a handy always visible warning on the dash laser display board, just in case you hadn't noticed the fucking beeping and other hysterics. Although the MoT is November, I wanted to get this fixed in good time.

Mate with a Snap-On code reader (who works a an actual real paid mechanic) came round and plugged his box of tricks in:

Diagnosis was passenger side airbag.

Open glovebox. three screws across the top and one on each side and you're greeted by this:

The red plug leading to the airbag was loose. Reconnected and clipped home forcefully, and no more airbag warning! Result!

[Cooper1]

Hmm welcome to the world of  fun that is P38 ownership, can't believe i've had mine nearly 5yrs. 

Rest assured they're a relatively simple beast, never had an issue myself and if i'm capable of fixing one anyone is. 

Oh and unlike the classic Rangine they won't disintegrate on your drive.  

Nice colour too and in DT spec quite a rare thing. 

 

Things to watch for, I note you did the pollen filters best make sure you use sealant or some kind of waterproof draught excluder around the covers to make sure rainwater doesn't find it's way in to the cabin and doesn't piss off the BECM,

Heater matrix O rings very common P38 issue, some say it's a 24hr a day job, or you can cut a hole and make it a 25min job coolant in the cabin is the telltale. 

Blend motors and distribution motors for the HVAC again is thought to be a pain in the arse, however both can be easily accessed if you remove the dash cluster, glovebox and airbag cover. 

EAS an issue that causes most to go over to coil springs, EAS compressors can be rebuilt for £18 and the valveblock can be done for £28 the airprings have a design life of 8-10yrs and are £45 a corner which isn't bad. Most issues are down to neglect, leaky airbags which kill compressors and/or leaking diapragm in the valveblock again cause compressor failure and it sitting permanently on its arse Height sensors can fault, but again easy fix.

All easy fixes with the right kit. see here. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiNhJDEjLr2AhUOgFwKHXjIDgUQFnoECAcQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rswsolutions.com%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D53%26Itemid%3D56&usg=AOvVaw2rEOxD92cpaib-vM52axOr free RSW software with an EAS lead you can diagnose any EAS issues. 

As for diagnostics a standard OBD reader will only talk to the engine, the rest of the car requires either a NANOCOM or ICARSOFT LR TOOL both are pricy but worth every penny after a while, the former is the best especially for any HVAC problems   

 

Can't wait to see more of the old beast

 

 

 

[bangernomics]

Beep beep beep the joyous sound of a p38 telling you it’s tummy hurts. Seriously though it’s a great looking thing and I’ve always enjoyed driving them when they worked.

[N Dentressangle]

So, thanks to @Cooper1 for his tips, but I'll continue my window woes on here to avoid buggering up his thread.

Here's the problem:

The window tilts foward as it shuts, leaving a gap at the back rather than nestling correctly under the flange at the top. This is bloody annoying as it leaks and whistles, so fuck that, it's getting fixed. The problem seems to be the way the glass is free to wiggle back and forth:

This is the bolt that @Cooper1 was referring to:

but as far as I can tell this just regulates where the end stops for the quadrant are, rather than the forward/back motion and angle of the glass carrier that I need to adjust. The only useful adjustment I have found is this little fella:

and as you can see I've already adjusted it to the end of its travel. I've also put in a new front seal/guide already, but that made F all difference.

So that's the window embuggeration. Any ideas?

[Cooper1]

That ain't right at all, the window shouldn't tilt or be loose at all.

The arms that lift the glass have two plastic guides https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwjwg7HJyL72AhWX6-0KHVvNDtwYABAIGgJkZw&sig=AOD64_3WxqLhQrw9MyfNxjdRlC1o2lm20A&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiZmKnJyL72AhWSY8AKHSOXCkoQ9aACegQIARA_&adurl=

Judging by how loose your window is and the fact that it is tilting like that it might be worth having a quick gander at the guides.

 

[N Dentressangle]

Guides look OK - nothing obviously broken.

LH guide isn't bust or anything:

Plastic is all fine when removed, with no obvious major wear. I tried turning it in the groove (which is well-greased) but no difference:

and the runner itself is tight and undamaged:

[Bear]

It's clearly cursed. Better swap it for a nice BMW convertible.

[warren t claim]

Any ideas how hard it is to remove the front scuttle on these? Mine has badly vibrating piss flap in the heating system that I need to access.

[Cooper1]

23 minutes ago, warren t claim said:

Any ideas how hard it is to remove the front scuttle on these? Mine has badly vibrating piss flap in the heating system that I need to access.

The plastic scuttle itself is held down with a row of self tapping screws it goes together like lego

 

Wipers have to come off, just two 13mm nuts. 

 

  

Worth noting the screws can be a pain in the sack to get out, quite easy to pull apart in all fairness just make sure if you remove the pollen filter covers that you seal around them otherwise this will happen. 

A dab of sealant on all the screww too won't go a miss.  

 

[N Dentressangle]

Remember me saying about fitting a straight through exhaust in place of the knackered centre box? Well, I did.

Chopped the bolts through on the old brackets, obvs, got showered with flakes of rust then had the joy* of wrestling with the new section to try and make it fit something like OK. Eventually decided there was no way I could get both rubber hangers on AND have the piece at the right angle so settled for one hanger. New piece weighs bugger all anyway.

Then I started her up:

Bollocks.

That's way too noisy. Makes the local bean tin exhaust kids look modest and restrained. I took it for a spin down to Sains and yes, it's turn and stare noisy.

Bollocks. At least it was only 30 odd quid.

So, this turned up today:

a smidge over 50 quid. I'll wrestle it on tomorrow.

[Crackers]

Meaty noise!

But I wouldn't want it following me everywhere all the time either.

[Matty]

You could at least have give it a week and seen if it grew on you. Yellow belly 🤣

[Cooper1]

1 hour ago, N Dentressangle said:

Remember me saying about fitting a straight through exhaust in place of the knackered centre box? Well, I did.

Chopped the bolts through on the old brackets, obvs, got showered with flakes of rust then had the joy* of wrestling with the new section to try and make it fit something like OK. Eventually decided there was no way I could get both rubber hangers on AND have the piece at the right angle so settled for one hanger. New piece weighs bugger all anyway.

Then I started her up:

Bollocks.

That's way too noisy. Makes the local bean tin exhaust kids look modest and restrained. I took it for a spin down to Sains and yes, it's turn and stare noisy.

Bollocks. At least it was only 30 odd quid.

So, this turned up today:

a smidge over 50 quid. I'll wrestle it on tomorrow.

 

You just need a nice stainless system

[N Dentressangle]

18 minutes ago, Cooper1 said:

You just need a nice stainless system

Too right. I also need the readies to pay for one 😄

[Matty]

Could you not fancy a crack at making one yourself? Hire a pipe bender (I assume you've already got a mig)?

[N Dentressangle]

6 minutes ago, Matty said:

Could you not fancy a crack at making one yourself? Hire a pipe bender (I assume you've already got a mig)?

A good compromise may end up being adapting the rear boxes. I'm not skilled or motivated enough to make an exhaust system

[Matty]

3 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

A good compromise may end up being adapting the rear boxes. I'm not skilled or motivated enough to make an exhaust system

If you can chop and adapt stuff around to get the result you want then your better off than most 👍. Love these p38s, friends parents had a series of them when I was a teen. Always felt genuinely special things (tbf our family transport was an astra van and a fiesta so all things relative) 😁

[N Dentressangle]

11 hours ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Cherry bombs vertically stacked right out the the bonnet. 

Oddly enough I have been playing with the grinder and welder this weekend.

Still got a bit to do, but here's a teaser of the LH side:

[N Dentressangle]

Well, lots to update, but not many pics!

Firstly, I got all the window switches working:

 They're a common fault apparently, and I just followed the guide here:

Fitted a new handbrake gaiter whilst I was at it. Job done.

I also fixed the lateral movement on the RH door mirror. Little plastic control arm from the motor had broken off the mirror plate. Drilled two little holes and re-attached with 0.6 welding wire and all working again. Result!

Next was the illumination for the HEVAC console:

It mostly didn;t work, so I took the console out. Replaced the obvious bulbs at the bottom but was scratching my head about the illumination for the rotary blower dial:

With the help of the P38 FB group I worked out that I needed to get the 'Auto' button out. About 174 screws hold the back of the unit on, and you can access the two little prongs which hold the button onto the circuit board, and just push the button out:

New bulb pushed into place and job's a good 'un:

Finally I thought I'd tackle the horribly faded grille. Remember when I got the car it looked like this?:

It should be about the same colour as the bumper, so I picked up a can of https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-and-body-repair/specialist-and-decorative-paints/halfords-plastic-bumper-paint-black-300ml-325175.html?recType=recentlyViewedRec

Headlights and front bits removed:

and everything cleaned up whilst I was in there:

All painted and back together:

Krypton Factor test - what missing part have I replaced in this picture which was missing when I got the car?

 

[Crackers]

25 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

Krypton Factor test - what missing part have I replaced in this picture which was missing when I got the car?

A thing.

[N Dentressangle]

Winner!! You win a night with Gordon Burns. or something. 😄

eta who Wikipedia reckons is the 2nd cousin of Ed Sheeran!!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Burns

Pub quiz gold that is, Right there.

[Broadsword]

I really should do that treatment with the front grille on my P38, makes a massive difference!

[N Dentressangle]

1 hour ago, Broadsword said:

I really should do that treatment with the front grille on my P38, makes a massive difference!

Well according to the FB group I did it all wrong, and should have used 'Wurth Plastic Dye' instead, because paint is crap, y'know?

£35 a tube vs £5 for Halfords paint.

£35 is just under 5% of the car's purchase price - NOT the Shiter's way!

[grogee]

19 hours ago, N Dentressangle said:

Well, lots to update, but not many pics!

Firstly, I got all the window switches working:

 They're a common fault apparently, and I just followed the guide here:

Fitted a new handbrake gaiter whilst I was at it. Job done.

I also fixed the lateral movement on the RH door mirror. Little plastic control arm from the motor had broken off the mirror plate. Drilled two little holes and re-attached with 0.6 welding wire and all working again. Result!

Next was the illumination for the HEVAC console:

It mostly didn;t work, so I took the console out. Replaced the obvious bulbs at the bottom but was scratching my head about the illumination for the rotary blower dial:

With the help of the P38 FB group I worked out that I needed to get the 'Auto' button out. About 174 screws hold the back of the unit on, and you can access the two little prongs which hold the button onto the circuit board, and just push the button out:

New bulb pushed into place and job's a good 'un:

Finally I thought I'd tackle the horribly faded grille. Remember when I got the car it looked like this?:

It should be about the same colour as the bumper, so I picked up a can of https://www.halfords.com/motoring/paints-and-body-repair/specialist-and-decorative-paints/halfords-plastic-bumper-paint-black-300ml-325175.html?recType=recentlyViewedRec

Headlights and front bits removed:

and everything cleaned up whilst I was in there:

All painted and back together:

Krypton Factor test - what missing part have I replaced in this picture which was missing when I got the car?

 

Hmm that bumper paint is interesting. I have some pretend trim panels on the Saab bumper that are just painted on. See RHS of photo. I might give that stuff a go to tidy them up