The good?

A major Land Rover parts supplier has opened in the Philippines.

The bad?

It's Britpart!

Brief history.

Car running fine. No faults on Nanocom check about three weeks ago.

Parked up for best part of two weeks. Battery dead. Charged up and can crank but no start.

Nano throws up 0340, cam position sensor fault.

Read RAVE which tells me that engine will run with this fault, but flat battery makes it forget where it was.

1) Is replacement the only solution? Of course, I have a spare crank sensor but not cam.

2) If an existing fault any idea why it didn't show previously on Nanocom?

Any input gratefully received before I go underneath in the morning.

Found this on another forum. A guy rebuilding a 3.5 for his Rover P5B.

http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/195083/rover-p5b-coupe?page=5

Great step-by-step stuff for those wanting to do most of the work themselves. Good write up and many pics.

Enjoy.

Initial logic says no, but I'm not 100% sure why.

Where the motor is at the moment, level ground is at a premium, purely because of narrow streets, and she's parked thus...

However, I need to do a full bleed - if I ever find enough DOT4.

The more I think, it shouldn't make any real difference, we've got to get the air out anyway, slope or not.

Thoughts?

After a wait of several weeks, my new hoses arrived yesterday so I fitted them up this morning, ready for the great brake bleed.

Remember I'm starting from an empty system.

Step 1 in RAVE, as you’ll all obviously know, is to bleed the master cylinder. “Open bleed screw on booster, when fluid appears, close bleed screw” etc., etc.

Reservoir is full but, I’m getting no fluid at the bleed screw.

Any ideas?

I've mailed Russell to see if he's come across this before after a modulator rebuild.

Having just been pointed in the direction of Furness Car Co, top man Orangebean, I find they are a goldmine of interior plastics. Before I contact them (anyone have an e-mail address for them, can't spot one yet?) I have a quick Q.

I need a new binnacle surround as I'm sure another bit falls off each time I close the door but...The likelihood is that any available will be from a LHD vehicle and my question is; Apart from the fuel filler release button being on the opposite side - which doesn't bother me - are they handed in any other way (shape-wise I'm thinking), or do we reckon one could be made to fit a right hooker?

Just finished the brake modulator overhaul and modification as supplied by Range Rover Solutions in Australia. I have no intention of trying to usurp Russell Botha's excellent and detailed instructions, but here's a couple of things I found along the way. Remember I'm a left hooker, some of this will be easier/different on a RHD.

First thing is that Russell recommends having the suspension at standard height to make later bleeding easier. If you are 7'13" this may be an option. I pulled the ABS relays and fuses and dropped to access. I can run it back to standard without firing up the pump later.

The modulator is big. It's big and it's awkward. Do your best to get as much fluid out as possible. Disconnecting the line between the pump and reservoir at the res end was easiest for me. I put plenty of rags underneath to catch errant drips when you start to undo the hard lines.

Once out, you drift the pins that hold the fork in giving you this little lot...

Then you attack the modulator from the other side. So far everything went swimmingly and as per the book, until it came to remove this...

I had to use some of this...

I was careful to heat the plug rather than the surrounding alloy. It needed 4 or five heat/cool cycles before finally letting go. You can probably see why...

I could then drift out the gizzards from the other end. A 1/4 drive extension bar is ideal for this as it sits squarely on the end of the cylinder to be drifted, with zero chance of internal damage.

The little filter is a tad tight. I went gently all the way around, applying tiny pressure only, like this...

This is what all the fuss is about...

Mine were in one piece but very easily broken for removal. Getting pretty brittle, I'd say.

New ones fitted up no problem...

Then it was time for o-rings...

There's seven. I could only find homes for six!

Hiding in the end of this...

You can see it in the instructions photo. It looks a bit like a cartridge firing cap, is this...

Just drift it out from behind and this is where your 7th o-ring lives! It seems to have no purpose than as a blanking piece. I dunno? Anyway.

Reassembly is very straightforward, giving you this...

Then the fun starts. Getting the pig back in. There's no pictures of this. I haven't got enough hands.

Russell gives you the choice of bench fitting the reservoir or leaving it until the modulator is in. On a left hooker, leave it off.

As you look at the modulator in the vehicle from the front, there are three hard lines on the left, two at rear bottom, up by the bulkhead, one towards the front, three on the front and a single one, with banjo fitting on the right side.

On a RHD vehicle, the first three lines, on the left, will be towards the wing and access should be fairly good. On LHD, someone put an engine in the way and they are a bastard! Especially the two bottom ones. To start with I tried to fit these before locating the modulator, trying to make access easier. Don't bother. The rearmost, which on mine, feeds the front LH caliper, runs underneath the modulator and with that loose, it's impossible to get the right angle on the pipe with a very real risk of crossing the thread. Fit the mod up, break four fingers on your left had and get stuck in there. You'll get at least a 5 degree turn on the spanner every time and it only takes an age, so get on with it. This is one of the reasons I recommend access height. I was already stood on points like a bloody ballerina as it was.

Once you've got these two on, the rest are pretty straightforwards. Once you've done, refit the reservoir. A smear of brake fluid on the rubber bungs and steady pressure worked for me.

Amazingly, the fork slotted happily over the pedal and travel is nice and smooth.

So it's in, all connected up, which brings me to a question. The instructions tell me to pull the plunger on the brake switch out, push the pedal in slightly and refit. Mine doesn't want to come out at all. I seem to remember somewhere about the very early ones (mines January 1995 build) not being the same. Can anyone shed some light?

Apart from that, I'm still waiting on the hoses (which are somewhere in the Philippines) and I can get some fluid in there and see if it all works.

Apart from the plastic washers looking on their last legs, some of the o-rings weren't particularly pretty, so I'm glad I got in there and replaced them all. Interestingly, my modulator is dated 1997 on a 1995 vehicle and Nanocom tells me I have 4 wheel traction control. Ah well.

Once again, top instructions from Russell, the actual job itself really isn't difficult.

A quick, "How long is a piece of string?" type question.

As we know, the P38 has O-rings for all sorts of gubbins. I've done the valve block and the EAS is fine, I've got o-rings in the modulator upgrade kit, so no problem, but I really need to finish off my air-con installation and it needs rings for the new condenser and dryer joints before a re-gas. For this I'm told that I ideally need Viton (which seem to be a quite versatile 'general') ring or Neoprene (which don't) rings. Okay.

So the question is, my local hardware shop has a huge range of ring sizes but he has no idea what they are made of. If you were to go out and buy a 'box of o-rings, please' from a non-specialist place, what would you likely be getting?

Come on, pull up a stool and get yerself a fresh pint...

So, it's brake blitz time.

I've got the modulator modification, I'm having a part made to modify the PCRV and I'd already got a stainless hose kit from Goodridge.

As I'm still waiting for the PCRV bit I thought, let's drain the fluid and do the hoses first, then I'll be dealing with an empty reservoir. Good idea, huh?

Well not really. Y'see the bloody hoses don't fit, or at least 4 out of 6 don't fit, to be precise. Goodridge advertise their kit as being for 1995-2001 Range Rover P38 UK and European spec, so, strangely, this is what I ordered and what it says on the packaging...

However, as you'll see, it's not quite so...

Hard line to rear caliper

Intermediate hose over rear diff

The front pipes appear to be correct and no, they haven't just mixed up the fittings. if you were to swap them, the new hoses would be too short.

I sent some earlier (not as clear) pics over to Goodridge two weeks ago and their first response was that I should sent them my old hoses. I argued that as they sold, and I paid for, the kit as fitting my vehicle, perhaps they'd like to send the right one instead. This elicited the following reply on January 27:-

_" Unfortunately I don’t have the hose details for your car (huh?) and I’m going to have to ask you to supply some information with regards to what you require to make this work

As originally stated the best option is to send us your hoses to copy but I do appreciate the expense and difficulty in doing this

It clearly states on the website that these hose are for UK/European vehicles only and I cannot comment on any changes made for cars sold in the Philippines."_

So apparently, not only do Goodridge not have the details for my vehicle, despite advertising and packaging them as such, I've got some weird one-off that Land Rover Special Vehicles produced specifically to send to Manila, where no-one could afford it.

My next response was to send a copy of the build sheet which states very clearly that the vehicle left Solihull and its next port of call was to be Land Rover France (note, NOT Land Rover Philippines!) so sounds pretty Euro spec to me. Along with this I sent a copy of the relevant page from the Workshop Manual showing, strangely enough, exactly the same layout as mine has...

I also sent the pictures above.

Since then, I have had only silence, reminiscent of a certain doctor who has had 250 of my dollars for two years now and from whom I also have no parts.

Problem I have is that it will cost around 150 quid (I checked) to courier my hoses, back to the UK, with no promise that this will make any difference whatsoever. At least now, if push comes to shove, I can re-fit my old hoses and struggle on with them for a while. Can't do that if they are winging their way to the UK now, can I?

Trouble is,until Goodridge actually admit that what they have sent is not for a European Spec 1995-2001 Range Rover P38, we can't progress, and the silence is deafening on that one.

In three years and several thousands of pounds of stuff shipped, I've only had one instance of wrong parts and a single e-mail was all it took for Rimmers to immediately rectify the matter, with no argument and not even a request for me to return the wrong bits. Just good old fashioned customer service. Not Goodridge, oh no.

Let's see if this week brings any movement, but just be aware if you are thinking of ordering any.

remind me how to stick up a photo on this site. I've used RRTH's favourite search, but get nowt of any use back.

I've a little tale of Goodridge to relate, but it needs pics!

I thank yew.

Sooo, whilst I'm waiting for a bit to arrive, I'm going to start the brake overhaul. Pads were done last year and have hardly any kms on them, so they're fine, but replacing rubber flexis with braided, doing the modulator modification, replacing the accumulator and doing the rear brake bias thingy (can't remember its name!) mod as well. This'll all be over a few days.

What I'd like to do is drain off as much fluid as possible before I get started, so I've got an empty reservoir, etc.

Crack a rear nipple and run engine?

Just undo each hose at the wheel cylinder and stick a jar under each while I go and have a few beers?

Time is not of the essence, so what's the best way to drain the system?

Note, I'll be working in an apartment car park (hence trying to drain now and minimise mess on dismantling) and on my own (although I can get someone to assist for the final re-fill/bleeding part), so the easier the better.

Ta ever so.

Well, now she drives straight and level thanks to her recycled truck tyre Panhard rod bushes, and the valve train is now silent again due to the application of actual motor oil, it's the turn of the brakes. Been fine up until yesterday morning when it took around two minutes for the warning light to go out and the ABS pump to stop. Same today. It's always been 15-20 seconds or so.

Guessing it's time for an accumulator then!

No, no. I'm not trying to start a hundred page thread on viscosity, but...

Today I did a semi-oil change.

"Whoopee bloody doo" I hear you say and yes, you'd be right, except it's only two weeks and probably 60km or so since the last one.

Last time I came to do this, my usual place was full of dead cars and they couldn't get me in, so I went around the corner to my local Caltex station where they offer the same service. I'm a messy bugger when it comes to oil. Always have been. The other reason is that changing oil in the Pit of Hell that is the apartment parking, ain't no fun.

I normally do changes around every 2,000km at most, as I do a fair bit of short runs coupled with hours sitting in traffic in +30 degrees, both hard on oil. My normal place sells Mobil 1 20W-50 so that's what goes in and for three years she's been happy. The new place uses Halvoline 20W-50, which is actually one of the brands recommended in the handbook. As an aside, 20W-50 is about the only grade you'll see here, we don't need cold weather oils.

So the first couple of days, all is fine and dandy, then I just catch the sound of a small rattle as an echo going up a parking ramp. "Strange" thinks I. The next couple of runs were only short and with no problems. Then, on Saturday, I take her for a fair trip and the noise is back, only louder. It definitely sounds valve train-ish and, of course, you start to imagine the worst. Then I get to thinking, "Wonder if she doesn't like Halvoline?" And let’s face it, always start at the cheap end, eh? To be honest as well, the idea of doing lifters and cam at this very moment does NOT appeal, either financially or location-wise.

This morning I'm awake at 3am and decided to test my theory. I've got 4 litres of Castrol GTX in stock, plus an unopened litre of Mobil 1 in the car so it's time for a Mess-less oil change. Slight problem is that the only thing I have large enough for this task is one of Madam’s casserole pans. Good job she and the Girls are in Tondo this weekend then!

The plan is to drop out 5 or so litres and replace. The filter would just make too much mess and, now 5.30am, I've only got that much new oil. I figure that replacing 76.923% of the oil should prove, or otherwise, my clutching-at-straws theory.

Down we go and under the motor. Carefully place pan and undo sump plug. Oil obligingly goes into pan rather than over the floor. I guess at quantities and stick the plug back in with only minimal arm drippage. So far, so good.

Using Ghetto Funnel (cut off top of coke bottle), throw in the Castrol then, whilst that runs through, place now empty Castrol bottle into pre-thought of carrier bag (to act as bund), gaffer tape the funnel to top and pour oil from pan. Success! Although the bund was a damn fine idea.

Top up with the litre of Mobil to level, tidy up, test drive.

The result? Now been out twice today and so far, not a peep out of it. Let's see how we get on, but I think I'll be dropping the whole lot out, filter and all on Tuesday.
And what conclusions can we draw? Well, it's a tad early to say, but either my ageing V8 really, really doesn't like Halvoline, or the Caltex station is using repackaged chip fat. Who knows?

I think the longest part of this project will be cleaning the pan. It's still got a slight sheen on the water in it.

Just something I discovered the other day.

I rarely lock the vehicle anyway (virtually everywhere I park has an armed security guard nearby) and being as Land Rover Manila want nearly 450 quid for a remote, I've stuck with using the door lock. I have replaced the latch some time ago. So this is for those in the same position.

Anyway, I went to unlock it the other day and whoops, the key wouldn't turn. "Oh dearie me", I thought. Going to turn the opposite direction, and I noticed that the door handle bit with the lock in moved fractionally, and I mean fractionally. By dint of a gentle twist on this, the door unlocked with no problem. This bit is only held on by one torx head screw, accessible with the door open and if that isn't 100% tight, the lock section moves, et voila, stuck.

Positioned the handle section so the key moved both ways, tightened up the screw and problem solved.

It just may save someone panicking and thinking the worst.

Of course, in your case it may indeed be the worst, but now it may not, if you follow me.

Oh and please no, "Get a new fob or you will die" replies in a US accent please. :-)

Okay, so when I first got this thing, it had slightly wandery steering, reminiscent of my old Series 2. However, with a little bit of judicial adjustment at the box, we eliminated that and it's been spot on ever since. Well, nearly...

The other day I was on a dead straight road doing around 40kph (a massive achievement here) when it felt like the road wheels had become disconnected from the one in front of me. Cranking the wheel to the left caught up with things, but now it has a distinctly, and I mean distinctly vague feel about it in the straight ahead position. The wheel has to be at around 45 degrees left to maintain level flight, whereas before, it was dead straight.

Got underneath, yanked and levered stuff around, but there was no untoward movement in any of the joints or bushes that I could detect. Moving things via the roadwheels is smooth and easy with no hangups or tight spots. Moving the steering wheel, even a tiny amount when stationary, results in a corresponding movement in the road wheels, and vice versa. It only seems to be an issue on the move, when sometimes you have to give a larger input than normal to keep things straight. Like there's a bit "missing" between me and the road, if you get me.

If I'd hit a bloody great pothole, my first stop would have been tracking, but I was on one of the roads that was re-done for the Pope's visit, so it's like a billiard table - for now anyway. It also doesn't account for the suddenness of the occurrence.

Not seeing anything obvious, I seem to remember a post on the "Other Place" about an issue with the slip joint for the steering wheel adjustment. Only problem is a) I'm damned if I can remember anything about it and b) I can't find the post anyway!

Can anyone remember it or have other ideas?

Ta ever so.

Get yourself a pint and pull up a stool...

Just wondering if anyone else on here has had a similar experience ordering stuff from a certain “doctor” on the other place. If not, then take this as a possible heads up.

Previously, I had a valve block rebuild kit from him, which although slow, did finally arrive. To be fair, the timespan wasn’t his fault, the delay occurred with the post at this end.

So back April 2015, I agreed to buy some interior parts that he had sourced for me, namely :

Right and left rear carpet finishers (biscuit)
Parcel shelf surrounds, L&R (biscuit)
Centre box lid (black)
Instrument binnacle surround (black)

Along with those, I also ordered a compressor rebuild kit for my stock and a rover raiser as well. The latter not because I couldn’t knock up something similar, but the idea of trailing from place to place here just knowing each one would only have one bit I need in stock and no idea when they would get any more, made it not worth the candle. Anyway, sorted, price agreed and paid for. I also paid for the stuff to be couriered so that the Philippine postal service were kept well out of the loop!

I then had a string of mails telling me of a litany of problems he was having with couriers and how everything he sent outside the USA was being returned by three different ones. Not just me, but a radiator bound for Dubai as well and a steering rack to Ireland. We got a whole host of other stuff about travelling, losing family members, daughters getting married in Thailand as reasons for not responding to mails and messages.

Eventually, we agreed that we’d try the US Parcel Service as a last resort and risk the inevitable involvement of PHLPost. That was 13 December 2015 and his last mail said he’d get them away on the following Monday and send me proof of postage that I’d need for here. “George DEAL Brother! They’ll go on Monday and I’ll follow up with the tracking.”

Since then nothing. No proof of postage, no kit, no updates, no response to my mails (last one yesterday), a big fat zero.

I’ve also spoken to a fellow ’38 owner here who had similar experience over a radiator and I ended up sorting him one out from the guys who made mine. He’s very happy with it, as am I, but he’s not so chuffed about his dealings with the good doctor.

I considered raising this on the other place but have the feeling the post would last for around 30 seconds before disappearing, due to being an insult to a “forum god”.

I know most of you, being in the UK and Europe, can source this type of stuff fairly easily, but for me it’s not so simple, hence, when the doctor said he could supply the interior bits I needed, I went with him. I can't help but feel that I'm going to write this off as a bad job.

So to anyone else thinking of going down this route, beware.

Still need the bits though!

So, there's this shopping mall near me to which, on occasion, I am forced by circumstance to visit.

The car park is accessed via a five storey left hand up-ramp.

Maybe five times out ten when I park up and lock, with a happy click of solenoids, she drops to access height. As soon as I start up, back to normal in seconds.

This only ever happens at this single location.

The car park was fitted with a vehicle sensing system above each slot around the same time as I reverted to EAS. Don't know if there's a correlation or if I should get a gecko to live in the '38 to ward off the evil spirits.

Any thoughts?

Over the last few months I've been losing a bit of brake fluid, enough to need a small top-up every couple of weeks. I seem to remember a bit about this in Russell's brake modulator thread on RR.net but damned if I can find the words it now.

I've done pads all round so I know there's no leak at the calipers and the last time I did the oil I had a damn good look at all the lines underneath when it was on the ramp. I've also had a good look/feel around the modulator. No sign and no puddle when its parked either.

Any bright ideas? I've just received the modulator repair kit so will be diving into that at some point and that'll be checked, but is there anything on the 38 equivalent to fluid leaking into a servo on a 'normally' braked car, thus hidden?

Just got a message from Marty (thank you) about this site.

Can't say I'm sorry to join. RR.net is good, but I do get pissed off about the condescending attitudes sometimes. Mind, I also get the same about those that won't find things out for themselves!

If you don't know, and some probably will, I run an early 4.6 HSE (January 31st 1995) here in the Philippines with zero dealer support, all parts have to be shipped from the UK and the nearest good independent LR place is about 70kms away. As a consequence, it's me or nothing! Still, after two and bit years of ownership, she's now a reliable daily when I need her.

Let's hope we - sorry, you - can make this site a) a success and b) a bit of fun as well.

Regards,

George.