Escape

Well spotted! But if it was a 1990, it should be a 200tdi, right? The NA not being sold for a few years. Makes me wonder what other inaccuracies the articles on that site may have. I mostly enjoy reading them, also to learn about different cars. But when dealing with cars I know little about, I wouldn't spot the faulty info and would assume all said is correct. So if I can't trust the info, it becomes rather pointless... Filip

If the relay clicks/ gets 12V but the starter motor doesn't turn even with the relay bridged, it's hard to see how it could be the BECM. Maybe something simple like a wire that has been disturbed doing something else.

Aah yes, many hours of debate to be had over tyres, preferably in the pub with a good pint (or 2). 😉

@western good instructions, would be even better with an extra nut on the bolt. If you turn that in while holding the bolthead steady, there is very little chance of the rivnut rotating in the hole. Especially important if using existing holes. It's a bit more complicated, requiring 3 spanners, but you can hold the spanners on both the drilled out nut and the bolt with the same hand, ideally with a ratchet spanner on the extra nut to pull everything tight. I have noticed, doing it like this, the thread in the nut will strip after some usage. Filip

That will depend on the brand and possibly even the thread. An agressive remould like the Insa Turbo in 235/85R16 is likely to be over 32".

First I've heard of that, very good to know as the airbag fault is all too common. I had a customer come in earlier this week with the same fault, that turned out to be a blown fuse for the SRS. There are no fuse warnings for the fusebox in the engine compartement, so you just get 'airbag fault' and need to go looking. Filip

I seem to have gotten both sides of the story. On the one hand I'm spending less on eating out and trips etc and get more revenue as I can spend more time in the Workshop working for customers. That does mean I've been looking more and more for something to spend it on. Went to see a TVR but hesitated too long. Seriously considered bidding on an Esprit St Tropez (very rare convertible version). Just last Saurday I testdrove a Jaaaaaag XJ-S but again hesitating because of a few issues. Every time I'm in a boring meeting I start to browse the classifieds. That was bound to go wrong sooner rather than later! Yesterday evening, nothing on the telly, having already put in my time in the garden and in the Workshop, what else is a man to do but look at some more ads? So I came across an auction with just 21min left for something that has been on my list for a long time. The highest bid was ridiculously low, not even half of the bottom estimate. So I quickly made an account and put in a bid. Only to be informed the reserve was not met. I didn't want to go too crazy for a car I hadn't seen, so managed to restrain myself as the clock counted down. Not without effort I might add. No other bids, auction closed and lot not sold as reserve not met. 10 seconds later my phone rings... A mate who wants to buy a holiday home and wanted me to help him finance it. Why not I thought, it's not like I'm buying cars, I let a TVR and and Esprit St Tropez get away and now this, so a deal was quickly struck. When I turned my attention back to the screen, I noticed I had an email from the auction site. Not unexpectedly, they were offering me the car, even though my offer didn't meet the reserve. Hell yeah! 🙂 So now I'm the proud owner of 'Suzanna', a 1986 Jaguar XJ-SC V12. I've always wanted a Jaaag. And a V12. And a convertible for the summer. And all that at a price I'm guaranteed to get back. She even just passed MOT in January. Collection still needs to be arranged, hopefully this weekend so I can go out and enjoy the sun. Something different, but still English. 😎 So yeah, lockdown is getting expensive! 🙂 Filip

Those test rule out a lot, does seem to be starter motor or even more likely wiring. @elbekko had the same problem a while back, turned out the spade at the starter motor had a bad connection (as above). Easy fix, luckily.

Does look like the master has failed. As long as the clutch itself is releasing, you could drive it, but there is a real risk it will get stuck (either permanently engaged or disengaged) at some point and leave you stranded. I've had that happen on my Esprit couple of years ago, the master failed, pedal stayed down and the clutch was permanently disengaged. Only a few miles stop-and-go traffic before the first symptom of the pedal not returning and total failure. I had to recover the car as there was no drive at all, if the clutch had been stuck I would have started in gear and used rev-matching to shift while limping home. Filip

Simon, I hope bridging the relay works and it's a simple fix. For completeness, I'll share my experiences as well. We've fitted MegaSquirt to 2 P38s and both times had problems with the starter. At first it works, but after a couple of tries no signal from the BECM to the relay anymore. Possibly because it fails to get the feedback it expects from the engine ECU. I got around this by wiring the ignition switch directly to RL16 (C1278-6 to C1282-12 in the diagram above). I plan to do the same for the switched ignition feed, to make sure the car can still drive (i.e. MS gets power) should the BECM fail. Before digging into the wiring, double check if the relay really is activating, for example by measuring voltage across pins 1 and 2 with RL16 removed. Filip

I know classic cars are getting more expensive by the year (should have never sold my Stag!) and Defenders even more so, especially with the new one seen as a pretender by many. So you know you'll pay a premium if you want an 'old' Defender. But surely this is taking it too far? I can only hope it's a typo with a zero too many. Or somebody who is forced to put his car for sale by SWMBO. 🙂 https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1308730 Quite a few other LR ads with extremely high prices there, though none as funny as the one above.: https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1310501?utm_campaign=Broadcast | Tuesday Auction | 16%2F02%2F21&utm_term=01EN3C3VZC0SPYQB9BHTYXCGKY&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Car and Classic dealers&utm_content=None&_ke=eyJrbF9jb21wYW55X2lkIjogIlg1UUx4UyIsICJrbF9lbWFpbCI6ICJmaWxpcF92dkB5YWhvby5jb20ifQ%3D%3D I can kinda understand people paying £150k for a rebuild one with a V8, especially if it's one of the factory continuation series. But still... I considered posting this in the Ebay4x4 thread, but I really don't fancy it and it certainly isn't cheap! 😛 Filip

Let's hope it's a photoshop, it looks like a Navara / Rodeo or such, just with a shortened wheelbase, certainly not like a Defender.

You're right, there is not much out there for the P38. A few companies do (or did) offer winch bumpers, but mainly US/Aus as far as I know. Terrafirma still has one listed. One of the problems on the P38 are the crushcans. You can't just mount a winchbumper like the standard bumper, because the crush cans are not designed to cope with the loads, especially sideways. I had a hidden winch mount behind a modified standard bumper, with dedicated mounts directly to the chassis. Filip

You're welcome to download the software from my site: https://www.dropbox.com/s/mpu50npquhs3dql/EASunlock.exe?dl=0 The cable you'll have to google, there's Storey Wilson in the US, not sure about UK suppliers other than Ebay. You can also build the cable yourself, even if you don't have an OBD plug as you can just push the wires into the connector as per the table below. The DB9 is the old serial computer plug, for most modern stuff you'll need a serial to OBD adapter as well. http://www.rswsolutions.com/images/stories/myimages/easdata/eas_ecu_obdii.jpg

Congrats with your purchase, and cudos for taking on such a project! Most have been said above: - get the free software (EAS unlock) + cable or a LR diagnostic. I fear the Delphi wont let you access the specific systems on the P38, just the mandatory engine OBD stuff. - the blocks were probably put there to avoid rubbing with bigger tyres if the EAS fails or under full flex. You should be able to remove them without affecting anything else, but you can use/test the EAS with them in place as well. The EAS unlock software lets you inflate each corner to test. Connect the workshop compressor (set to max) to the top line on the dryer (8mm), that goes to the tank via the NRV in the valveblock. That way you have pressure to play with the standard compressor disconnected. Even with the blocks in place you should be able to see the airbags pressurize. - if the wiring seems such a mess, I wonder if all the necessary connections to the BECM are there. If the EAS doesn't get an engine running signal, it wont operate. Again the software gives you a way around that. Filip

I fear Ben is right... Certainly little chance of being allowed to travel (and to Mother Russia of all places) without having to go through quarantine afterwards. Though that might actually be a good thing, time to recharge the batteries and stay away from cars for a week or so. I must admit not much progress has been made on my P38. 😞 But I am slowly working my way through all the other projects. Filip

Can't fault the BFG ATs. But if you don't do many miles, there are cheaper alternatives out there (like General Grabber AT), not much difference in performance but they don't last as long as the BFGs. Filip

Well, we didn't drop anything inside the casing (as far as we know anyway), but we did need to take it all apart again to remove a shim. There was too much preload on the main shaft, which meant it would only work in 4th gear and be very stiff in all others. So off with everything, remove the shim (and add the reverse splash shield I forgot about first time 'round) and put it all back together. Now it works as it should, and has been sitting on the bench wishfully looking at the transfer case that's just a few meters away. Maybe I should get them to meet up on valentine's day. 🙂 Just one picture, mainly to give big thanks to our good friend Wouter for all his patience and help. PS: the skidplate in the background is not for the Range Rover, it's not even Land Rover, but for a Fiat Panda 4x4 that's being prepped for a Scandinavion rallytour. Goes to show they come in all different sizes. 😎

Just make sure she doesn't fly off on that broom! 😄

It's not as simple as that. With better tyres, the wheel(s) on soft ground will give more traction for longer, so the other wheels will also have more torque available, even with open diffs, and you're bound to get a lot further. That doesn't apply to rockclimbing etc where one wheel is actually in the air of course. A typcial demonstration of lockers (or advanced traction control/terrain response) is to get 1/2/3 wheels on rollers and prove the vehicle can still drive. Regardless of the type of tyres. But that's not really comparable to off roading, with good tyres you'll have an advantage everywhere. Even more so if you air them down to get even more grip. With less agressive tyres you'll end up using the locker mainly to overcome the lack of grip. Much like most modern 4x4s that can't have muds fitted (for comfort, speed rating etc) but compensate with all kinds of electronics, including lockers, to offer (in some cases even properly good) performance off road. Don't get me wrong, I do like lockers and love my Ashcroft airlockers. But only as part of a complete package, i.e. with the best tyres (within reason) for the job as well. From the picture you're painting, tyres would be the most logical upgrade. If you insist on a locker, an ATB would be my preference. Easier on the shafts and very good value for money. No hassle with a compressor and such. On that note, I found the ARB compressor a very good piece of kit and certainly capable of pumping up several big tyres. But unless you need it for a locker, a big Tmax will be cheaper and a lot faster. You'd want to add a small tank and pressure control if you use one for lockers, so as not to blow the seals or have incomplete engagement because of pressure being too low. Filip

Even more value if the X-ray equipment is still inside. 🙂

He doesn't use the A/C, so doesn't need the extra pulley. That will give more clearance. The water pump on the serpentine engine rotates the other way as on the V-belt, so not that easy a swap. You'd obviously need a different front pulley set (not sure if those are interchangeable) and way to tension each V-belt, so sounds far from straigyt forward. I would try to use a smaller idler or relocate it. Only downside would be a non-standard belt length.

We did a couple of dash removals when stripping cars for parts and I never found it easy. Maybe we were just unlucky, but even with good access (engine removed etc) I was a real pain, with stuff breaking and bolts/screws stripping, especially for the scuttle panel. And it takes a lot of time. Whereas by cutting the bracket I can swap a heater core in just a couple of hours. @MikeAK the flaps binding in the heater housing is a known problem. I agree it's probably distortion of the heater box due to heat cycles etc. You're the first one I know that has done such a thorough job! Congrats! Filip

I've tried Lanypoint, very helpful chaps but it took a while to get the parts. Probably longer than if I had ordered from UK, despite being listed as in stock. So I've returned to using UK suppliers, I agree there's a bit extra expense but cheaper parts prices offset that for the largest part. I will be following this thread, always good to have options. Filip

You can get the heater matrix out by cutting the metal structure, bend it back a little and afterwards rivet back together. We dd 2 like that couple of months ago. If you need some parts for the dash, like the bracket, feel free to send me a list in a pm. I have a complete RHD dash that's waiting to go in the skip as there's no demand around here. Happy to post to help you out. Filip