Smiler wrote:

Been dailying my '96 DSE for nearly four years now and put 40K on her. The slow start when hot is common and put down to stretched timing chains. Stretched chains doesn't seem to effect normal performance. I looked into replacing mine but the bill for all the parts is quite big, plus whatever else you disturb and the special timing tools you require. In the end I fitted a hot-start module that basically gives a false signal to the ECU when starting to say the engine is cold so that it energises the glow plugs. Starts fine now.

Sometimes mine starts instantly when hot and it seems to help if I give it a bit of accelerator. When it fires it is all six straight off. It isn't really a problem.It generally spins over quickly for a second or two and then goes, whereas when cold it starts instantly with no churning at all.

Thanks for the welcome! Technically it is my wife's car as it replaced her car. However, she broke her wrist 6 weeks ago and won't be driving for quite a while yet. If she can't get on with it I may have to get her something else and sell one of my other cars, because I don't want to let the P38 go. Part of the rationale for it is that we are doing a local move soon and it will be our removal vehicle, with a trailer at times. One thing that is good is that the more I improve it, the more it will be worth and no depreciation! I do think that the P38 was the best Range Rover, all things considered.

Thanks for adding me. I'm retired and will be working on the RR myself. It's done 141K miles and is running well. It starts instantly on all 6, even when it is freezing outside, which must be a good sign. Hot starting can be just a little hesitant. I'm not much good on electronics and have nothing for diagnostics. So far, I've replaced the heater plugs, a rear light and the pollen filters and I've been trying to sort out an ABS issue. No doubt I'll be asking for advice quite frequently. If I can contribute anything, I will. Gilbertd has been helping me in another place and suggested I join here.