Back in the P38 fold

[eliot]

After selling my last 4.6 before having a chance to enjoy it / ruin me, I've gone out and bought another one!.
Its a fairly tidy 1996 4.6 Autobiography:


HVAC is playing up, along with the o-rings on the matrix - so no surprises there.
And as expected its failing to go to sleep due to interference on the receiver - so just been out and pulled the aerial out of it!
Plan in theory is to leave it off-road and spend some time doing all the jobs on it. I've decided I'm going to buy the blackbox faultmate for it, because just about every job requires some sort of intervention from testbook!

If anyone has any genuine mats for it I would be interested oh and a nearside mirror.

And if anyone can tell me what colour it is please.

Edited by eliot on Thursday 27th January 06:32

[Meeja]

Go on.... how much did you pay?!

Are you doing the work (O-rings) yourself?

[MrOrange]

eliot said:

And as expected its failing to go to sleep due to interference on the receiver - so just been out and pulled the aerial out of it!

Your car sounds exactly like mine (fault-wise). I need to do HVAC and the O-rings (but will wait till it's warmer).

How do you go about pulling the aerial as mine has (just) started doing this? Thanks

[Meeja]

MrOrange said:

eliot said:

And as expected its failing to go to sleep due to interference on the receiver - so just been out and pulled the aerial out of it!

Your car sounds exactly like mine (fault-wise). I need to do HVAC and the O-rings (but will wait till it's warmer).

How do you go about pulling the aerial as mine has (just) started doing this? Thanks

Remove the offside parcel shelf cover (the panel underneath the side window behind the rear passenger seat)

The receiver is located not far from where the seat belt reel is mounted, and near to the release button for the folding seats

Looks like this



From memory, the lower plug (blue cable) is the aerial

This fix does not always work - it didn't for me, only a replacement reciever with the upgraded LR one solved the problem. But certainly worth trying.

[eliot]

Meeja said:

Looks like this



From memory, the lower plug (blue cable) is the aerial

This fix does not always work - it didn't for me, only a replacement receiver with the upgraded LR one solved the problem. But certainly worth trying.

Yes its the blue wire. To get your bearings - the metal coat hanger type rod is actually the seat release - the button would be on top of it.

With it disconnected you need to put the remote fob next to the glass to unlock the car.

Removing the wire has worked on both my cars - but note:
On my old p38 it had the slightly later ignition where there's a passive coil that "asks" the key to send a code. That code is picked up by the receiver. Of course if you have disconnected the aerial, it doesn't get the code and it wont start.
To avoid this issue you must make sure you unlock and turn the ignition on within 30 seconds. Wasn't a huge problem but the wife forgot! - So had to explain over the phone how to climb in the back and reconnect the aerial!
You could experiment with making a very short aerial that’s good enough to receive the key but not external interference (or put a switch on it!)

My new P38 is a 1996 and I don’t think it has this feature. I unlocked it last night didn't put the key in for about 15mins and it was fine - but then again i did notice that i was able to lock/unlock the car from inside the car with the fob... whereas on my old car that wouldn't work with the aerial disconnected.

Once you remove the aerial you need to sit inside the car and wait for the light on the gearbox to go out and then wait at least 10-15 mins to make sure it stays out. If it comes on again even with the aerial removed then i guess you have a very strong signal from somewhere.

I will probably replace my receiver - this fix is good enough for now.

[shentodj]

Is it Biarritz blue?

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-STC1773VA

Doesn't it say under the bonnet?

Shentodj

[Mike_C]

I was gonna say, colour should be on the VIN plate in front of you as you open the bonnet! Nice looking car

[eliot]

Vin Plate says 575, So by deduction I assume its LRC575?

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-STC1448VA

Gave it a clean today. Spent some time cleaning up all the plastics and the seats:

[jimbarron]

Hi There,

According to my Book. The colour for LRC575 is "Avalon" Posh for Blue!

Regards - Jim

[eliot]

jimbarron said:

Hi There,

According to my Book. The colour for LRC575 is "Avalon" Posh for Blue!

Regards - Jim

Cheers! (And Welcome!)

[Jem0911]

Still hanker back to my P38.
Looking good.

Edited by Jem0911 on Saturday 29th January 22:45

[BLUETHUNDER]

eliot said:

Vin Plate says 575, So by deduction I assume its LRC575?

http://www.rimmerbros.co.uk/Item--i-STC1448VA

Gave it a clean today. Spent some time cleaning up all the plastics and the seats:

I remember when i had that full wood kit fitted in mine under the then Autobiography dept. Cost me the best part of £3500.

[MrOrange]

eliot said:

Once you remove the aerial you need to sit inside the car and wait for the light on the gearbox to go out and then wait at least 10-15 mins to make sure it stays out. If it comes on again even with the aerial removed then i guess you have a very strong signal from somewhere.

Thanks for that. I have a manual so no "red light on gear stick". Is there an alternative or time to get the multimeter out and stand in the cold for half an hour?

[Meeja]

MrOrange said:

eliot said:

Once you remove the aerial you need to sit inside the car and wait for the light on the gearbox to go out and then wait at least 10-15 mins to make sure it stays out. If it comes on again even with the aerial removed then i guess you have a very strong signal from somewhere.

Thanks for that. I have a manual so no "red light on gear stick". Is there an alternative or time to get the multimeter out and stand in the cold for half an hour?

Meter out job then!

http://www.rangerovers.net/repairdetails/electrica...

Make up some long leads and do the monitoring from inside the house!

[Meeja]

eliot said:

Gave it a clean today. Spent some time cleaning up all the plastics and the seats:

That has come up lovely!

Shame about the holes from a previous phone install though.

[eliot]

Meeja said:

That has come up lovely!

Shame about the holes from a previous phone install though.

I've already started taking it to bits to do the o-rings. Looks like some monkey has already had a go and given up.

[Meeja]

eliot said:

I've already started taking it to bits to do the o-rings. Looks like some monkey has already had a go and given up.

Worth looking at the blend motors whilst you have it in bits?

[eliot]

Meeja said:

Worth looking at the blend motors whilst you have it in bits?

Yes - as I've got the book symbol on the hvac and a message about the fuel gauge too.
Blackbox faultmate is high on my shopping list.

[eliot]

Dashboard out, not that difficult actually.



I'm putting together some web pages showing how to do it.

[shentodj]

Eliot,
Don't know if you need any bits but I noticed an Avalon Blue P38 being broken on Ebay.
One item is 260734909445.

Regards,
Shentodj