P38 Selecting Low Range?

[The Fighting Doc]

Having owned lots of the other types of Landrover from Series 1 onwards I Just got my first P38 Range Rover (4.0L Manual) and I flipping well love it.

The only thing that I cant get to work is the low range. Foot on clutch and brake press button on dash board, nothing happens no flashing lights on the dash or anything as per the owners manual.

Observations:-

1) Dash says "select neutral" on startup. Have disconnected the neutral switch on the gear box to no avail.

2) Power comes into the gear box ECU.

3) Inserted a fuse into F11 to try and see if the motor actually works. Transfer neutral is displayed on the dash but the gear box is not in neutral (can drive off).

I reason that I cant select low range because the change over motor is not working correctly. Help or suggestions please!

Andrew

[David Sparkes]

You don't need the clutch or brake pedal operated, in fact, I suspect one or both will inhibit the change.

You mention the button on the dash, so that makes it a manual gearbox.

"Select Neutral" is the only error message the system has been programmed with, so even when it isn't strictly accurate, that's what you get.

This is another recent thread about the Transfer box, so try follwing the hints and actions in there.

http://www.landroveraddict.com/smf/index.php?topic=364412.0

BTW, you will need the RAVE CD (Mechanical and Electrical Workshop Manuals) if you haven't already got it. There is a link in the Tech Archive to a source.

Cheers, and welcome to the world of 'real' Land Rovers.

[The Fighting Doc]

Thanks for that. Going to get the motor off the transfer box next and clean that up and make sure it works. Will let you know.

Hopefully this will also explain why the light on the dash switch doesn't come on either.

Andrew

[The Fighting Doc]

I have actually found the problem. Took the dash apart yesterday to check the connections between the ECU and the low range selector switch. All were open circuit! Traced the wiring harness back through and it was disconnected at the plug just behind the HEVAC unit.

Re-connected the plug and still nothing. Located the other transfer plugs on top of the transmisson tunnel under the cubby box. All were disconnected!

Re-connected these two plugs and everything works fine and dandy!

Don't really know what the moral of this story is but an easy fix is better than a difficult one?

Turns out the P38 was owned by Dunlop and used as a R&D vehicle for the new anti-roll setup on discovery II which means it has discovery II handling. Will post photos of the installation on another thread.