Yay!! someone who knows about diesel engines....

Welcome Dave - good to see you here!

Yes, it should sleep after 2 minutes of inactivity, whether there is a door open or not.

If you then close the door or trigger one of the the other activation inputs, then it'll wake up again.

If is makes you feel any better, I have the same thing happen to mine, and I run the Dunlop air springs.

It's also weird as sometimes it doesn't do it if I park outside the house facing uphill, yet if I park facing downhill, the front will drop.

I saw a mention somewhere about it possibly be something to do with one of the NRV's inside the block itself, but I personally don't understand how as that would mean that both front valves would still have to be leaking back into the block.

It is a strange one - but if you find a solution... let me know!

SpiggyTopes wrote:

OK, I'll be the first to ask a dumb EAS question.

Are you sitting comfortably?

Delay timer relay replaced with ordinary one years ago.

Problem ..... the car has always lost height at the front. The PO had fitted new bags (not Dunlops, the other kind that look like Arnotts) and when I got the car the front dropped after a few days standing.

I fitted Arnott Gen 3s about 3 years ago .... same problem.

Overhauled the valve block a year ago (existing one looked fine). .... same problem.

With cold weather here, the front now drops in half a day.

However, it always jumps to attention when starting up. The rear of the car stays up for weeks.

I've checked the pipe connections at the VB and bags but not recently.

Strange that both fronts drop like that?

Any comments welcome .. it can't be that hard to find, can it?

Or as Gilbertd has just mentioned in a lot less space... something like the Grom will most likely do everything you need

Not 100% sure how it integrates with the HU/audio system - but I am sure it has been thought about!

I've done a LOT on the later HK system (since mine was supposed to have it and I found the amp was missing!) but I've gone the other way and fitted aftermarket as I didn't want to take the punt on a stupidly expensive amplifier!! Though one of my projects is working on a 'factory' style replacement to the DSP amplifier when they fail, so you can still keep the factory head unit (If only I'd thought of it 4 years ago!!)

But onto you problems more specifically... There are maybe a couple of possible options. 1 - there is a 'phone' connector in the boot somewhere which I believe was for the factory phone kit. There are audio input lines and a mute line in there - but how they interact with the system, I'm not 100% sure... IE I don't know if the audio comes through all the doors, or whether it just routes the phone in signal to the drivers door for example...

However, and external bluetooth unit might be able to be wired into there and get it working that way. Other options could include looking for a 'plug and play' kit that plugs into the head unit in place of the CD-changer, so that when you select CD, it then connects to the external input instead which would have your bluetooth device feeding into it... I think I've seen kits like this, but can't remember where at the moment. If I get some time over the weekend, I will look into it a bit more for you.

Also option 3 could be wiring in an external input to a 3.5mm jack connector (like is possible on the earlier Clarion head units) directly into the head unit - and then using that as an input to the stereo for a bluetooth unit.

I think that on the earlier head units, the external input that can be wired in overrides the radio/cd changer anyway - so if there's audio playing into it, then it blocks out radio/CD - and if there's nothing coming in then you can still use the other radio functions as normal. I am not 100% sure if there is a place in the Alpine head units to wire this kind of lead in, but it's something I've been meaning to look into at some stage aswell..

The final option would be to wire a telemute/bluetooth unit into the speaker wiring to the drivers door for example, so it would change over and route calls to the speakers in the vehicle - but this would have limitations on the bluetooth/music streaming side of things.

Let me have a look at the external adapters that plug in where the CD changer usually sits, as that's probably the best option - and I know I was looking at various things to do with that the other day, so hopefully I'll find a couple of links for you.

Hope this helps as a starting point...

Marty

If it's humming, then teach it the bloody words!!!

Seriously though...
Could be a dirty ground or a bad connection on the subwoofer signal wires.

The other thing it could be (seems to bring back a memory from when I was working on my sound system a few years ago... that one part of the subwoofer amplifier had failed so one of the sub cones was working, the other half of the amp had failed and was causing a hum/buzzing noise.

This was on the latest subwoofer enclosure - with 2 subwoofer cones, and a massive amplifier bolted to the back of the speakers (actually INSIDE the subwoofer enclosure). If you have the version with the 2 subwoofer cones and the black-box amp externally to the subwoofer, then I suppose it could still be the amp, but I would go checking the grounds and signal wires first.

Good to see you here George!

I too, am still on the 'other' site a lot, as even though it has it's issues with some of the 'management' shall we say... there are still a lot of normal people who are after help - and I figure that if some people can't be bothered to give them the time of day, then I'll at least try to help where I can (and start pointing them here aswell!!) to hopefully show people that not everyone on there is an ass - and probably partly because it was started by a Kiwi, and we have to stick together!!!

I've given up caring if people want to put coils on their vehicles - I will always tell them that EAS is better, and can be reliably fixed for less than a coil conversion... .but at the end of their day, it's their perogative. Just don't come crying back when the ride is shit!!

Though I have to say ONE thing for coils... I was working on the one in our workshop today to get the RH exhaust header off, and the fact it's on coils (bought like that... and I can't be arsed to change it back as no doubt whoever buys it eventually won't appreciate the EAS!) meant that I had a lot better access to the bolts behind where the top of the air spring would be... That being said, looking at it - if I had to do the job on mine with EAS, I think I'd just deflate that air bag and remove it whilst doing the job.

Anyway... back to the other site to answer some PM's and see how many other people can't find RAVE....

I went drilled and grooved on mine when I last changed them as I thought it might help with brake dust etc, and they seem to work fine. I think they were also part of a deal with the pads, from memory - however next time they are due I'll go with whatever looks up to the job.

I know you can get OEM solid discs, and to be fair anything which isn't in a blue box will do the job, it's just a big hunk of metal after all.

Pads.... I've heard good reviews about the EDC greenstuff, but don't personally think they are worth the extra money. I put EDC ultimax pads on mine and won't use them again. The rears took forever to stop squealing, even with copper grease and a shim in there. They still do it to this day when in reverse, and it still pisses me off. Next time I'll go for big standard pads as a brake place I went to when I'd first had the issue said the pads were pretty hard compound.

I'm guessing because the rear brakes on a P38 do very little of the stopping, they never get worn in properly, whereas a slightly softer pad would.

If you don't want "uprated" discs and pads, then I'd personally stick with either Lockheed/TRW or Delphi. Mintex pads are also supposed to be good (think that's what I took off mine before).

All the interior ones are easy as there is no warnings on them.

Currently I've replaced pretty much everything on mine. The only exterior ones I've done are the side-lights, the yellow side markers for the indicators, and the number plate lamps. I swapped these with 'Canbus error-free' lamps as they have additional resistors to fool the lamp failure circuitry.

I was going to look into doing all my other ones aswell, but the need for power resistors defeated the purpose for me - It is on my list to see if I can tweak the BECM to allow LED lamps and not show an error, but I haven't even got started on that project yet!!

I replaced the loadspace lamp with a pair of these:
SMD LED Panel

2 of them just fit nicely in the cutout in the tailgate hatch, without any cutting required.

I am looking at cutting a hole identical on the opposite side and fitting another pair in there as the light is a bit one-sided at the moment!

No, no problem... the bonnet switch is an activation input for the BECM, but with it unplugged it will just think that the bonnet is closed all the time, and thus won't 'wake' it up at all.

The BECM should still sleep with the bonnet open (switch still connected obviously) - it will chirp the alarm if you try to lock it as it's a mislock, but all the info out there on you need to have all the doors closed and/or locked and the bonnet closed etc to do the drain tests is bollocks. Especially on the later ones anyway. The BECM will go to sleep after about 2 minutes of inactivity - whether there's a door open or not. It's the change in state if you say closed a door, put the key in the ignition, opened the bonnet etc that then wakes the BECM up.

There is a list of 'activation inputs' in the BECM SID which are all things that will wake the BECM up from it's sleep mode - but they are all generally a change in state of something. If it's doesn't detect a change in state on any of the activation inputs, then it will sleep.

Marty

Also worth checking inside the RH kick panel as the main +ve wires for the blower motors go through a connector there in the midst of corrosion city.. I can imagine that with a bit of corrosion on the contacts, it would increase the resistance and could cause it to draw more current over a period of time anyways.

Always seems to be a load of confusion over RL6 and RL7 aswell - I've noticed on the 'other' site a few times people saying that they are the high speed relays - when they are not - they are just the main power switch for the blowers. The actual speed control is all done in the blower motors themselves, and there is a separate relay in with the transistors which clicks them over to high speed.

I personally think that whilst the blocked pollen filter theory may have some credit (effectively like blocking the hose on a vacuum cleaner, and you hear how the motor in that changes pitch/works harder... although a P38 blower isn't under as much strain to start with - it could have an effect I guess... I also think that it possibly comes down to the brushes on the blower motors wearing over the years. I've has some of the locking motors from latches where they basically become near enough a dead short if they stop in the wrong place. Usually the superlocking motors aswell.

I'd be interested in the results of a clean/dirty pollen filter and blocked off test to see what difference there is in current draw too...

Even so - it's good to see them coming to the pub!

Sorry - been away on holiday and typically my laptop decided to fail whilst I was away aswell! Just had it fixed now, so I have access to all my files again :)

Do you need any more pictures Spiggy? I've got some of where I re-ran my pipes and of the injector hosework if you like? I think I may have sent some to you via email awhile ago, but can't remember if that was before or after I'd re-ran the coolant lines..

Marty

Welcome :)

Good to see some of the regulars starting to appear!!!

There is enough clear space under the bonnet to put the clamps and run an extra cable or 2.

When I put my split charge system in, I put new +ve cables in from the starter and alternator to the battery, and also one to the split charge solenoid. I fitted a new +ve clamp as the old one was a bit grotty, but didn't do the -ve at the time as it was still OK (though I fitted another -ve cable in parallel to the factory one, and there's also the -ve connection for the second battery in the load space).

I've had no issues with bonnet clearance. I'm not sure the battery cover would quite fit on still, but then I'm missing some of the fasteners for it anyway!

Yes!

I've mentioned it to a few people I'm in touch with regularly about P38's, so will see how many of them pop up...

It is looking good alright :)

One feature that would be good would be email notification on reply to a tracked topic... There have been a few times already where there's been a reply and I haven't checked back in for the rest of the day as I wasn't aware of there being another reply. It's one of the things I do like about the 'other' forum, is that it's easy for me to know if there's something worth going back to look at/read...

Other than that... keep up the good work :)

Yeah, the original ones have the connector moulded in and the subsequent versions have the cable coming out to a 6way and 1way connector - until you get to 00MY where they finally just put all 7 ways in one connector....

I have thought about making an adapter cable - it wouldn't be that hard - I probably have enough connectors here to make a couple of jumper leads up already, though I may be lacking the male plug end. I know I can source the connectors, but not sure what cost they are. I'll look into it now, as i have 3 of the older style ones finished, tested and on the shelf...

Edit.. had a look and about £7 worth of connectors to make the adapter lead...

Thanks for the look...

I am guessing that I don't have the ones that you need at the moment... R-reg... 1997? probably just after the swap over to the type with the loom that comes out, rather than the moulded connector.

I see a lot of them with failed/failing motors - especially the superlock motors, half of them never work when they get to me anyway, so they get disabled to avoid causing future problems.

If you want me to supply a set at some point then just drop me a message with which ones you need and I'll let you know when I have them in stock... you can be the guinea pig for a real order through the web shop if you like!

Marty

I've been working on a web shop for all of my door latches and the likes, and had it sitting in the background of my server at home for the last 6 or 7 months without actually advertising that it's there...

If you wouldn't mind taking a look at it at some point, and like this site - seeing if you can break it...
Paypal Payments are set up and LIVE as far as I know, so be aware of that if you go through checkout stages etc! I've had it in sandbox mode for months to test it and think I've got it running properly now....

It can be found here:
Marty's P38 Web shop...

I am hoping I can get it up and running and then list things as/when I get them finish and start fielding enquiries about parts through the site. I will look at moving it to it's own domain and probably web space at some point, but at the moment it seems to handle OK on my server!

Thanks in advance...
Marty