I agree - also from our messages when you mentioned it to me - that it's top end.

Also agree - worth an oil and filter change and see what it's like.

Camshaft - can be done with the engine in-situ. Apparently with the radiator out, and the AC condenser loosened off, there's just enough space for the camshaft to come out of the front of the engine.

If you do the camshaft, I'd also treat it to a new water pump if it hasn't been done recently - just one of those 'matter of course' things!

I'll have a look - I think I might have a 2011 disc around somewhere, or an image of one at least that I can burn to CD.

The shitpart prop I took off on mine actually had one bigger spline than the others, so it was keyed, and not possible to change the phasing on it, which was a pain... But never mind... At least the UJs on my old one were still serviceable and it's ok again at the moment

Also out of interest... I did the whole "I'll just replace the prop shaft" thing awhile ago.

Britpart was all I could get at the time, but figure it would at least last a few thousand miles so I could use it to eliminate as a source of vibration... I found out not so long ago as vibration once again got worse that the britpart shaft wasn't phased the same as the LR original one... And one of its UJs was on the way out, so I put the LR one back on (which I'd done UJs on awhile ago)

But something worth looking out for if you do go the new propshaft route....

As Nick says...

I could probably do one in my sleep now, it takes about 2 ½ hours for me to get the dash off and heater box out.

Rave says steering column and all that as it's process from memory is to remove all the framework aswell, whereas if you just remove the top of the dash, loosen a couple of the framework bolts, and a slight bend to get the cross bar out/in then it saves a lot of time.

I would get some new closed cell foam, as the stuff on top of the heater box will almost certainly disintegrate.

A few tricks I use... With the instrument cluster out, I remove the 2 metal brackets that it screws to. They have 8mm nuts. I also remove the plastic side panel (2 screws) on the drivers side (basically the edge of the dash) as with all that removed, it makes it quicker and easier on your own to get the dash top out around the steering wheel, without damaging it.

Ducts.. I remove them and then use duct tape to reassemble then all together. Cutting them makes it quicker to remove - less bending etc... But can definitely be done with no cutting.

Hope that helps..
Marty

Ok, I'll make a note of 23rd/24th in my calendar and attempt to keep that free...

I'm in the UK working at the moment... I know.. shock horror actually being in the country for a change!!

Yes, flat out with work at the moment... Mid to late March is probably going to be good. I need to actually look at some dates I've been sent through and see how they fall in relation to everything else... But maybe 23rd/24th March? Or 30th/31st?

I bought and fitted one of them to my 2001 a couple of months ago now.

Definitely has more of a burble to it, and sounds a lot nicer when the loud pedal is utilised.

Mine is maybe a little bit droney at speed on the motorway, but it's not overbearing, and it might just be a case of me not being used to it yet! I did a couple of hundred mile round trip just before New Year and didn't get any comments from passengers of the exhaust being loud or "what's that noise" etc, so might just be me noticing it!!

RIP Ferryman! That's sad news :( thoughts are with his family...

Sorry I'm late to the party. I'm away working at the moment and haven't stopped in a couple of weeks...

I have the press tools and special tool to do the front bushes, but I don't have the tool to do the big one on the rear though as apparently that is a slightly different size to the ones on the front!

Dates... I'm working away until early March, but will update when I know more!

Need to pull the driveshaft that runs through them, and then pry one edge of the flap so it pops out.

They're pretty sturdy and I haven't managed to break one yet.

Erm.....

What does the BECM show in the inputs section for the door ajar and tailgate switches?

I doubt the speakers and locking are related - they go through different circuits for the most part, and the only place that they meet are at connectors inside the A pillar to connect door loom to vehicle loom.

Though even then, the locking commands are dealt with in the outstation (and microswitch connections from the door latch for manual locking/syncing of key etc) and this talks to the BECM through a serial link over 4 wires. If the other functions in the door all work like locking/unlocking with the key, the window and mirror, then it's unlikely that the issue is related.

Out of interest, is passive immobilisation switched on in the BECM? If it is, then try turning it off and syncing the key in the door. If it is on, then maybe try turning it on, and then syncing the key. There's no rhyme or reason for it making a difference, but I've found a few times now that it seems to get confused and changing that gets the key to sync again. Also worth clearing the RF memory aswell. If the key syncs up, then you can toggle the passive immobilisation again, and it should all be tickety boo

If that doesn't make any difference, then also check to make sure the key in switch isn't sticking (getting IGNITION KEY IN on the dash when it isn't) as that can also cause issues with key syncing.

If none of that works, then the only other think I can do (when I'm home!) is if you are happy to send the BECM and keys, then I can check to make sure the fob code matches what is programmed in the BECM. If the BECM is unlocked, and you can read the fob code, then I could read the transmission from one of the keys with me fob reader and tell you what should be programmed in the BECM.

Also worth checking all the door microswitches and all that (can be viewed on the Faultmate under the BECM inputs) to made sure they are all working properly too.

Hope this helps,
Marty

I was going to say the same for the metal chunk - the number of them I've found in the bottom of the doors when I've been replacing door latches etc...

The plastic spacer bit looks like it's from under the front? of the door handle, if it was to be fully removed from the door (after the big chunk of metal has fallen inside the door, and you've disconnected the locking/handle rods from the handle/latch.

The other round black bit... no idea... wait - actually it looks like the plastic retainer from the mid/high speaker in the back of the door card.

Whilst the flex plate can't cause issues with the crank sensor - the reluctor ring teeth on the flywheel can. On a GEMS it has welded teeth on the ring, which can get bent and either a) cause a bad reading on the sensor or b) clobber the end of the crank sensor an bend it. It's possible one of the teeth has even just been rubbing up against the sensor and as it wears it gets to the point where the signal is affected.

The later Thor versions had a revised flywheel/reluctor ring setup, and this doesn't happen - but I have seen people with GEMS vehicles have many a bent sensor tip - or even if one of the teeth comes off the reluctor ring, then you end up with 2 empty spaces (there should only be one) and this can cause issues with timing/firing aswell as the ECU is getting bad data.

If this is it's 4th sensor the vehicle has had, and most of them in a fairly short period of time, then I think the reluctor ring is worth checking.

On the HEVAC, I go into Settings first. Sometimes get lucky and it connects straight away, other times, it will come up with error... Go back out, and back into Settings and it connects. Then back out and go into faults/inputs etc.

One other thing to note - if you hit 'Clear Faults' in the HEVAC, it will say it's cleared them - but they won't be erased from the memory until you power the HEVAC off and back on again - if you read the faults again straight away, they'll still be in memory and can lead to some red herrings when fault finding.

The 'NANO MSV-2' you mention is part of the Faultmate range of diagnostics units. I think the confusion is coming from the fact that some people refer to their Nanocom Evolution as a 'Nano'

I have the Faultmate MSV-2 Nano unit with the BECM CPU access module and it was rather expensive JUST for that one module. But then I do a bit of BECM work, so it's worth me having.

My thoughts - get a Nanocom... It's more practical for the home DIY user, you don't need a separate laptop/PC to run it (my Faultmate lives in the garage hooked up to a desktop PC for BECM only diagnostics) and a Nanocom fits in the cubby box/glove box, so you can have it with you at all times in the vehicle and not have to have a computer with you aswell!

That's my thoughts on it.... Welcome to the P38 fold, and look forward to hearing how the restoration goes!

Most of the lamps in the BECM are driven by MOSFETs which use the status line to give a fault condition to the BECM (which sees that as a lamp failure). But the FETs also have internal protection for thing like reverse voltage, short circuit and over current aswell, and the 'under minimum load' which is the normal condition for triggering the bulb failure message.

Interesting just how much of a difference the trailer made!

I don't know how much of January I will be about at the moment, but if you are coming past, then I'm happy to take a look.

I can't remember what door latch(es) I've done on yours now... I know the LHF I did, because I tweaked that at summer camp one year. I can't remember if I've sent you a RHF at all?

Either way - if I'm about, I'm happy to take a look at it. It could even be a pinched wire in the door or something simple like that between latch and outstation - but sure it's fixable, whatever is causing it.

Definitely interested in beam pattern pics.... If you get them set nicely, then I might treat mine to a set!