Thanks very much Lpgc.
Thor engined P38"s seem pretty thin on the ground near me.
The closest I have found one is just over 90 miles away & is overpriced in my opinion, especially as it has a few problems mentioned.
I am not discounting one that has already been converted but am also not discounting one still on petrol & getting the conversion done, by you.
I will just have to keep looking & learning what is acceptable, ease of repair & cost wise, & what is not.
Maybe I'm still naive (after only 2 years), but I wouldn't shy away from a GEM's (pre 99) in good condition.
The Thor has a little more bottom end grunt than the GEMS (due to the longer inlet tract) but I also wouldn't discount a GEMS (although as I have 2, I may be a little biased). Pre-97 had a few more weak points but there were quite a few mods done under the skin from the 97 year model onwards. Even then, most were parts that were superseded so if you needed, for example, an underbonnet fusebox, the new one was a different design to the original so would bring it up to later spec. At the end of the day, you are looking at a 20+ year old car, so what's the odd year here or there, how well it has been looked after is more important.
thanks to my comment on springs I now feel like a have to justify them a little .
firstly I don't carry any spares or shadier valves etc. yes the ride isn't as good (yes I have driven several on bags) but its not a race car and with or without air bags its still a heavy 4wd that will never handle like a sports car, even on springs it will run rings around a patrol or land cruiser on and off the road
PS while air bags are better for ride as you can see every body has an EAS story
Not quite everybody..... I had a Classic LSE that had been converted to springs but as I used it mostly for towing I got fed up with having the headlights pointing skywards, so bought my P38 purely for the EAS. It was bought with a burst rear airspring (and a blown head gasket) which I replaced, used the free EASUnlock software to reset the ECU and up she came. In the 10 years and 178,000 miles since then, I've replaced the front airsprings (as they were also the originals), fitted a new seal in the compressor and a set of O rings in the valve block. It just works and what other item on a car only needs attention every 15 years or so? My partners Merc broke a rear spring, her daughter's Nissan broke a front and the front springs broke on a pair of Saabs that my ex and I had at different times. So coil springs aren't that reliable either.
No, a P38 isn't a sports car and I wouldn't have thought EAS would be right on one either (even though numerous modern Mercs and Audis have also gone over to their version of EAS), but what it does give is a far superior ride. As I mentioned earlier, it's what sets a P38 apart from all the others.
I'm going fishing next week
wonna come,(insert fishing emoge)
.
I have read that the Thor engine is less prone to dropping liners than the Gems engine ?
Dropping liners is a fun subject too :)
If you listen to some people (RPi for instance) they all drop liners, some say Thor is better, others say GEMS is better, some say that the 4.6 is more prone than the 4.0 litre. In reality, the GEMS and Thor use the same block, only the ancilliary bits are different, more 4.6's have suffered slipped liners than 4.0 litre ones but only because they sold more 4.6 versions than 4.0 litre ones. If it is going to slip a liner, it's almost certainly because you've overheated it and whether it is a GEMS, a Thor, a 4.0 litre or a 4.6 is going to make sod all difference.
Gilbertd wrote:
Bolt wrote:
Question for the gallery: Can you drive on 3 well inflated bags in case of catastrophic failure of one?
You can but it'll sit at a very funny angle with the diagonally opposite corner being high.
Best (only) deal for emergency valves is https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/P38-RANGE-ROVER-AIR-SUSPENSION-SYSTEM-EAS-EMERGENCY-VALVES-SET/272726482487
Although I've got a couple of serviceable air springs, I have never carried them with me. I suppose if someone was doing a lot of serious off road stuff (or running Arnotts) it would be a good idea but not with Dunlops under normal use.
Well, as I am indeed running genII Arnotts, it is indeed just prudent. Also, as towing here si nowhere close to yours, I carry spares.......
Ya can't be too careful!