Hello,
I bought this P38 from Union Jack 4x4 in California. It was shipped to Honolulu nearly 2 weeks ago. As I picked it up from the dock it had a dead battery. Several jump starts later it overheated and was stranded. I managed to push the car to the dealer where I was quoted my second born child to just look at the car.
Long story short, the battery went flat. I towed it to a Local shop where they put a new battery in. It’s an Interstate MT-34. After many try’s the vehicle won’t turn over to start.
Here is a video if my trying to start the car
enter link description here

I ordered parts from Atlantic British to have the local shop install. The parts to install are:
Radiator, thermostat, hoses
Alternator and battery
AC compressor
Everything else was working fine with the usury bits needing fixing but nothing big.

So the questions are,
What am I doing wrong that the car won’t start?
Other than those items listed what else would need to be replaced?

What year is it? Do you know if its a GEMS or Thor engine?

From a quick look at your video, the EAS message simply tells you that the air suspension has been disabled physically, as in unplugged, often done when the airbags are replaced with conventional springs.
On the face of it there is no other message about the immobiliser so it doesn't appear to be that, however it is almost impossible to diagnose at a distance. One thing to try is to disconnect the new battery and hold the leads together for a few seconds, it has the effect of resetting many of the systems. If that doesn't work then basic mechanics checks on the fuel and ignition system followed by Land Rover diagnostics, in the UK there are a network of independant specialists for the vehicles that generally work out much more reasonable but I dn't know if there would be anything in your area? The P38 is a mix of LR and BMW electronic systems and you really need someone with the right equipment.

Time to buy a Nanocom, it'll save you money in the long run. Possibly the short run too.
You'll need to know what type of engine you have. GEMS is the older type, THOR is the 99+ with the "bunch of bananas" intake manifold.
https://www.nanocom-diagnostics.com/products
Get one of those with the license for your engine and you'll be able to ready any faults.

If the battery went flat with the car locked you could could simply be immobilised, but behaviour depends on the year so we need to know that first.

EAS = Electronic Air Suspension (or similar!)

Blanco wrote:

The P38 is a mix of LR and BMW electronic systems and you really need someone with the right equipment.

This is more relevant to the L322, which was basically a mix of E39 5 series and E53 X5 underneath. The P38 doesn't share any electronics with BMW as such. Other than the diesel variety - which obviously has a BMW diesel engine in it :) But the rest of the vehicle is LR.

To make a wild guess on the problem in the video, the dash looks like the earlier style, so it might be a GEMS engine (however this isn't 100%, as I have the same dash, but a Thor engine). If it is a GEMS (square inlet manifold that says 4.0 or 4.6 on top), and the check engine light is lit up before engine start as it is, that suggests the ECUs are in sync as its cranking okay - so it should start. Lack of fuel pressure or a crank position sensor would cause a no start. There is a shrader valve on the fuel rail you can use to check for pressure. If that is good, pop a spark plug out and see if you have spark. If you get a spark, the crank position sensor is most likely okay. After that... diagnostics really.

Assuming when it was overheated, it wasn't utterly roasted in some spectacular fashion?

David, just take a deep breath and provide us with some more details !

eg. Are all these baterries you are fitting going flat from all the cranking or overnight ?

I agree totally with Sloth, indeed on the video it sounds like no fuel whatsoever ; And the CKP/ Crankshaft Position Sensor is another likely culprit (but a P38 sometimes starts with a bad one but then runs really badly). A CKP is only about 50 bucks... and fairy easy to fit.

As Sloth stated - do you actually have a spark ?. Did you (or a garage) look at the plugs at all ?

The fact that this was jump started and ran OK for a while could be fuel (marginal pump) - or a marginal CKP...

Almost all the parts you have ordered will not help the bad starting issue of course....

"EAS Manual" is a 'red herring'... with the engine not running and your Electronic Air Suspension is just right down on its bump stops by now...
unless it has steel springs now... High Mileage: 222K miles and everything is probably 'a bit tired'.. (?)

Welcome David. David's dropped in from Hawaii - he has a 1998 4.6L. Unless Bolt pops up he won't have Nanocom access any time soon. Agree on fuel... hit the schrader valve on the fuel rail, covered by a rag, and check you have pressure; check all the multi-plugs you see are connected (esp TPS/ IACV on the plenum, and ECT on the nose of the engine. Check the HT leads are firmly on, and that the ignition coil multi-plug (rear RHS of the engine as you view from the front) is all hooked up. I was also thinking CKP/ CPS - the engine cranks but does not fire. So not immobilised. Just need to keep the battery topped up/ trickle charged.
No need to worry about EAS/ cooling system/ air con just yet - in fact i'd almost recommend you send those parts straight back for now, so you don't get sucked into replacing parts for the hell of it (which can make diagnosis even more difficult). The alternator you said looks sick, but once the car's running it's worth testing with a multi-meter to be sure. For later, but is your truck on coils or air bags?

David, see if you can get this working https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.flemcodesign.gems.gemsutility

Impressed you can tell the year/engine from the video Rob.....(!!)

• If you are still on Rubber Springs not Steel ones David you are going to find this handy at some point too:
  https://www.rswsolutions.com/index.php/p38a-eas-system

Obviously you have more to worry about than your suspension but form your woes it would also be a good idea to get your
cylinder compression checked too (and that should also be cheap/easy)

EDIT; Ah..... I see now Rob, it's also over on the 'Dark Side' Site !
From the extra info. there the diagnosis/advice is the same though...

David and I have been conversing off-line, hence my head start. I forgot to tell him when recommending rr.pub that he will be burned at the stake here if he is on coils :o

Fair enough Rob !

Have to say I am apalled at the "Garage" saying they will not do any of the work until the car can be started !
It would take 10 minutes to do the basic fuel/spark checks of course...

Well, you can understand it if they're being asked to redo the air con, cooling system and alternator, none of which can be completed without an engine which starts. But on the other hand I agree, they must be pretty crap mechanics if they can't check the fuel, spark and air.

The fact it was running, still cranks, I’d go for CPS or as mentioned fuel side of things, if the fuel light is on it will take 15 Ltr s to confirm it’s not fuel level low, especially if on any incline.

BTW David, if you are going to replace the a/c compressor (why do you think you need to? ) you will be wanting to replace the receiver/ drier too

Gents - in the vid the rev counter registers nothing even though the engine cranks - should it?

Aloha gents,
I have also been chatting with David over on the dark side.....(I am still boycotting it's forum)
As for competent RR mechanics in Hawaii? Nope! there are none. Main Dealer in Honolulu is worse!
Over the 30 years I lived there, I found only one competent, honest mechanic..... And he would not touch a P-38
(Between my Austin Champs, and the several Rangies I have had, I have learned much, and fear no machine!)
It just so happens I will be in Hawaii tomorrow with Nano to help a mate on the Big Island, so sadly, 400 miles of water away from David.
I am leaning towards fuse box as when battery is changed, the red cable does get tugged a bit, so a crumbly box could play up.
Its sad that a dealer would send out a truck to Hawaii that is so knackered!
Zero parts availability, and as far as I am aware, no competent indies. A bad combo for RR ownership.
Oh, Btw, Gilbert, when shipping to and from Hawaii, you cannot disconnect the battery as they drive them on and off the boat.
Arriving with a dead battery is therefore down to the seller putting in a crap old one, or of course, any number of other niggles
that kill P-38 batteries
Hey, David, we still need to know if Gems or Bosch........

On the dark side, he said it was a 98 so will be GEMS.

Been driving (and sleeping) for the last 24 hours, so not been on either forum. Currently in a French watermill so I've taken some photos of lots of water moving from one place to another to send to you Tom (Bolt) for your thoughts on how we can make it do something useful......

Yes this is a GEMs Engine.
I have been checking fuses and relays, but neither appear to be ab issue at this point.

The car does start, it started last night. It sputters for a bit and then runs. If I turn it off it wont start again. Its that simple. I will return to the vehicle tonight and check some of the other fuses I did not get a chance to yesterday.

If this does happen to be the fuel pump, can anyone say if I can use a generic fuel pump or if it must be a very specific part that I order from Atlantic British or Land Rover Service?

From "the Dark Side"

" I am afraid that I am hurdling towards a donation if nothing changes. Not much help over on the Pub. Yes they are like a pack of wolves granting a series of random explanations and not really alot of help "

'Charming' David - although we did not buy the car, you did ... and then shipped it to a place where they don't have/understand them !!
Don't just 'lash out' at those trying to help.... it is unlikely to 'encourage' further help !

Still not 'random' but:-
PS: It is NOT the battery....
PPS: Check you are getting (constant) power to the fuel pump: Change the CKP/CPS too ....

This might help, and IS 'random' !
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78b67l_yxUc

The fuel pump is an internal pump, so I’m afraid it’s a call to Atlantic British to get the correct one, it’s not to bad dropping the tank down to do them, just look at some of the videos online.