The reason for this question is that I am going to be driving from Oregon to Southern California next week and planning to stop at as many breakers as I can that have P38s......
So far, 2. A 96 and a 98. And that's from 21 breakers!! Getting scarce!
I am after a differential for the front axle of my 02. ( And a handful of other odds and sods)
Don't need it yet, but wanted to get one as there are fewer and fewer P38s coming up in breakers yards.
So, is a 4.6 1998 differential a 4 pin and if I have a choice, would a front axle be in better condition than the rear?
Any other parts I should have on the shelf? I'm thinking transfer case?
With any kind of luck, I will be able to power up the becm and use nano to pull up the mileage.. I'm good with anything under 150k miles.
Cheers!
All except for very early ones, the 4.6 had a 4 pin on the rear but not sure a 98 would have one on the front but I suspect not (in fact, I'm not sure if any had the 4 pin on the front as standard). I know some people have fitted the 4 pin from the rear on the front but it can be noisy as the bevel gear on the pinion is cut the opposite way as it rotates in the opposite direction.
Thanks,
I was under the impression that they were both 4 pin or both 2 pin.
If it's in decent shape, I will grab the front diff from the 98.
my understanding of the diffs is the 4.0l had the two pinion diffs and the 4,6 had a 4 pinion as a rear diff. this changed when they raced the rover in the Dacar race. when they modified the p38 for the race. whoever raced the p38 changed the front end with better axles and a 4-pinion diff in the front as the previous model suffered serious failure the previously year, and rover adapted the changes in the next model, which was the thor model, so the front ends are stronger, unfortunately they still broke the front ends .
PS if you want a 4 pinion diff in the front just obtain a 4 pinion and take the diff carrier out and fit it to the front diff. you do not have to reset the diff as you have not moved the pinion in the diff, just reset the backlash and all should be good.
pss if i broke a diff carrier for whatever reason and needed another i would buy a lock diff as this is the part they replace, which would give you a 4-pinion lock diff
I couldn't remember for sure but I know the 4.0 litre and diesel had 2 pin at both ends while the 4.6 had a 4 pin on the rear initially. It seems, having looked at the parts lists, that the 4.6 Thor got a 4 pin on the front too.