Like the title says, I've been away for a while but I''m back now!

Been a busy few months. Found we have a baby on the way so the Range Rover got sidelined as an unnecessary expense and lead to me not looking at Range Rover forums so much. We sold my 3dr Focus to buy something newer, safer and with more doors. Ended up getting a 58-plate Mondeo. Owned that for 3 weeks, two of which it spent back at the dealer being worked on before we lost confidence in it and got out money back. Most unreliable piece of crap I've ever owned - and I've got a P38!

This means the P38 is coming out of its short-lived retirement and being pressed in to daily driver duties. This also means it's going to need a bloody good service!

Priced up most of it but not really sure about the gearbox oil. I've seen conflicting information about how much oil it will need. I'm not planning on flushing it, just dropping the sump and replacing what drains out, replace the filter and put the sump back on. Some people online are saying that this will only need around 5-6 litres, some say it will take closer to 10. That's quite a bit difference in the amount of oil and it's not cheap stuff.

I don't want to get stuck with either too little or too much oil so thought I'd pop back on here to ask the opinion of those that I actually trust. So, how much oil does this take in your experience?

About the same cost as 4 nappies :-)

Would you believe a car can act jealous? There it is! Besides, we all speak about our RR's as being female, this is what happens when you put your trusted, well experienced lady aside for another one!

As for the box, a drain and fill is about 5-6 litres. (end of this week I know for sure)

btw. Congratulations! :)

Ferryman wrote:

Would you believe a car can act jealous? There it is! Besides, we all speak about our RR's as being female, this is what happens when you put your trusted, well experienced lady aside for another one!

As for the box, a drain and fill is about 5-6 litres. (end of this week I know for sure)

Ours is actually male! My girlfriend decided he was male and named him.

I guess I can wait a few more days if you can confirm how much you use this week :)

Thanks Morat :)

Just pricing up the service parts, minus oils, from Island 4x4 - trying to avoid Britpart wherever possible!

Any particular reasons to avoid the following items or are they generally OK?

Mahle oil filter - http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/filter-mahle-err3340m-p-5815.html
Mahle or Mann air filter - http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/filter-9702-mahle-mann-esr4238g-lr027408g-p-5931.html
Champion spark plugs - http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/spark-plug-4046-9802-champion-nlp100320g-p-3288.html
Eurospares HT leads - http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/ignition-lead-4046-9802-eurospares-hls103-p-26968.html
Unbranded gearbox service kit - http://www.island-4x4.co.uk/auto-gearbox-filter-service-rtc4653k-da4500-p-888.html

Gone with Britpart for the pollen filters and diff drain plugs as I figured there's almost nothing to get wrong with those.

Am I right in thinking that the later V8's don't need a fuel filter?

Just need to track down an oil sump plug now, they don't list one.

You probably don't need to replace the drain plugs - the diff ones just screw in and have magnetic piece to them to collect any metallic content in the oil.

Again, oil sump plug probably doesn't need replacing, but a new washer would be useful.
Part number for the washer is: ALU1403L
Spark Plugs - I would go with NGK plugs... BPR6ES or BCPR6ES (these have smaller socket head which some of the Rover V8 heads need) - they are also a LOT cheaper than £5/plug...
Mahle and Mann filters look fine, as does the autobox filter.
HT Leads, Eurospare will probably be OK aswell.

Later V8's don't have a separate fuel filter, no - it's just a filter screen in the pump assembly itself.
Britpart pollen filters will also be fine...

Hope this helps,
Marty

Perfect.

Cheaper plugs will be welcome news back home!

Oil filter, air filter and BPR6ES plugs (at £1.99 each) are all on the shelf at Millfield Autoparts on Lincoln Road. Open until 7 during the week and no waiting around for postage. They may have the pollen filters too. I bought the last pair they had in stock last year and they didn't have them in December when I needed a couple to take down to my mate in France so ordered some so they would have them when someone (probably me) wanted them again. They are as cheap, if not cheaper, than Island too.

I did just a drain and refill of my box this afternoon, again no time on the ramp of my mate's garage. The oil was not too dark red, a complete oilchange plus screen can wait until summer. No idea when it has been done on this car, that's why.
The drain and refill took some 5 litres, just for the record.
Tony.

Cheers Ferryman, went with a 10L bottle in the end to cover everything.

Popped in to Millfield Autoparts for the spark plugs too. Never been that side of town before - it's chaos!

Everything ordered and delivered and awaiting a day I can get it in the workshop :D

RutlandRover wrote:

Popped in to Millfield Autoparts for the spark plugs too. Never been that side of town before - it's chaos!

Oh yes, deep in the heart of what my missus calls the immigrant patch. Millfield are superb though, the amount of stuff they keep in stock is unbelievable and if they don't have it, they'll get it for you by tomorrow. I just hope you haven't taken all their stock of plugs though as I'm due for a set too.

I wasn't prepared for the trip to Millfield - traffic everywhere! I had a rather hectic lunch hour. In to town, parked, collected an Easter Egg from Hotel Chocolat, back to car and on to Millfield for the plugs then over to Sainsburys to pick up a few groceries. Somehow made it back to my desk inside the hour lol

They have at least two left.

They gave me a new box of ten and took two out.

Gilbertd wrote:
I just hope you haven't taken all their stock of plugs though as I'm due for a set too.

Would you like these ones? They don't fit in my engine, they're too fat.

Sounds like you need the BCPR6ES's then... they have the smaller hex head..

I'll pick up a set of BCPR6ES then and do a swap with you. Another success for Millfield today. Took the other half's Merc in for MoT expecting it to fail on the clunk from the front end over bumps but at least the test would show me which bit I needed to change. Failed on a knackered bottom ball joint (which is part of the lower suspension arm so a complete new arm required) and a broken rear spring. Decided that I'm not changing just one spring and having a lopsided car and if the ball joint has gone on one side the other side isn't far behind. A pair of springs and both bottom suspension arms from stock and £30 cheaper than if I'd got them from Euro Car Parts (who weren't open today anyway).

Sounds good to me. Can meet you some time in the week, whenever is convenient for you.

Thanks!

Called in at Millfield this afternoon and picked up a set of BCPR6ES plugs for you. Seems that it is only the very late cars that have the smaller hole for the plugs. Orangebean found the fatter 21mm hex on the BPR6ES plugs wouldn't fit his car but only on one cylinder for some odd reason. Maybe they changed the casting or machining but the thread is still the same, it's just the hole they live in.

I should be about most of the time over the next couple of days if you are over Yaxley way, otherwise I can always drop them in to you at work during the week.

Unfortunately, I'm not about in Peterborough until I'm back at work next week (Tuesday onwards) due to family commitments around Easter. I can pop over to Yaxley to meet you in the week though, save you a trip out to fix my problem :P

Gilbertd wrote:

Took the other half's Merc in for MoT expecting it to fail on the clunk from the front end over bumps but at least the test would show me which bit I needed to change. Failed on a knackered bottom ball joint (which is part of the lower suspension arm so a complete new arm required) and a broken rear spring.

That Merc isn't a A class by any chance?
My wife's A class was for MoT this winter and the tester paid extra attention to the rear springs, "they tend to break with all these speedbumps around" he said.