Ok guys thanks for the reply's. I'll clean the MAF first. Dextron + Trans fix this weekend. I'll call Ashcroft as well.

When I say Limoges it depends on the route I take down. Rochechouarte is the town but we fly to Limoges and it's only 30 minutes to the airport but have my trailer will take more stuff down. Got to use the P38's abilities now 👍

Gearbox has suddenly gone a bit snatchy/clunky on 2-3rd upchange in auto about 3 times out of 10. Heavy acceleration doesn't do it but if it's gentle-ish (fuel saving) it does. For example sat at traffic lights and drive away stuck behind the usual go - stop - slow - go - chug - while the cars work out they have to change gear AND drive forward on green! that's when it snatches badly.

If I use manual 2 -3rd it doesn't do it, or I can't feel it. One or 2 of the clunks were quite bad, a loud bang and a snatch in the transmission, but then I ran it around Oulton Park in low last weekend and that was clunky to start with but got smoother after about 15 minutes. Now it seems to still slip / snatch but nowhere near as clunky as it was before running round in low range for a couple of hours on the grass.

I changed the ATF and filter 6 months ago and I do have Lucas trans fix in there. So crap in the gearbox, worn clutch plates? I'm going to do another ATF/Transfix change this weekend as my plan.

Due another run to Limoges again at the end of May so I'd like to fix this.

I have a wooden ammo crate to stand on, I'm a hobbit hahahaha. To be honest some of those angles getting the pipes onto the injectors would test the patience of Job. They most certainly do to me. They either go on no problem or there's 20 mins of swearing from under the bonnet hahahha

One of mine broke 2 weeks ago and I definitely noticed it weaved a lot more on the M56 at 70mph.

I got a replacement from LandRanger (made in India) and it was the wrong size. The thread was only 20mm long not 30mm. Came with nuts though. The replacement that was 30mm DIDN'T come with nuts - check :-D

And make sure that the feed back from inj #1 to the fuel injection pump is done at the same time. For some reason the inj #1 to FIP return pipe seems to split more and piss diesel than any of the others.

Inj #6 (rear one) on mine has blown off the rubber cap/bung on 3 occaisions now, so I use spill off pipe with a bolt tightened into it and zip tie it to stop it flapping about. Never failed since I've done it 👍

I'll be doing the pipe this week. Need to buy some more coolant first ....

As it says chaps - any clues please? I have freed up and sanded all the other flaps and they now move freely but I'm buggered if I can see how to remove the top flaps without damaging anything.
Once done I'm swapping the boxes over so my blend motors work automatically again

Finally got home, 600 miles done, no leaks, 12 - 13.8v all the way, no mystery gearbox faults, lamp failures, low brake fluid alarms or anything. Very relived. 23.3 mpg pulling the trailer. I do love cruise control for long journeys hahaha.

OldShep56 - that Mont Blanc tunnel seems to go on forever doesn't it? It cost me E35 last time. I was coughing a bit in a soft top TT behind the truck diesel fumes that's for sure

Should be home around 1 - 2 am Sunday after driving back up from Pompey Saturday evening, so I'll be quiet for a few days hahahaha

Oh and the fuse box finally arrived today and got fitted. Took the car for 1 hour drive and burped the cooling system. No leaks so far and the car is in the barn for bed tonight as it's a little chilly here in France tonight

Thanks Gilbertd, I bought one and it is in the UK waiting for me at home. I have made a field expedient "get me home" tube in the meantime from 2 different vacuum cleaners, 1 x Henry and 1 x Lidl's fire ash vacuum cleaner tube. It's in and stuck fast now. I made my sacrifice to the god of P38's and have also thrown chicken bones.
The fun will be getting my get me home tube out of the head to fit the proper one hahahaha

I reckon it could be the mixing of the wrong coolants over the years

In reply to most tips I had to get a 60w soldering iron to melt the onboard solder. Anyway most of it works except the EAS and no current to the starter solenoid (the comms cable I think some call it). Anyway I've fixed the starter motor issue, it was caked with carbon. Who put that top bloody bolt so that a 17mm spanner DOESN'T fit over the 17mm bolt head as there is no space??? I'll garot them if I ever find them. I had to wedge a big flat blade screw driver in to stop it turning.
Part of my journey though I found where my coolant was leaking from.... the pressed in steel pipe that has the head to radiator rubber pipe connecting to it. Like swiss cheese. You can't get a part number and I finally found an old thread on RR.net that some of you answered on.

CLICK THIS LINK >> shitty rotten pipe made from cheese.

Any ideas anyone? I'm the 3rd that I've found and I bet there are more out there with the same problem

Mukiwa wrote:

I
Gilbertd wrote:

Now you know why I carry everything except for stuff I would never be able to use at the side of the road. Can't open the picture but having seen a couple of burnt fuseboxes I've got a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with. With a bit of creative bodgery you should be able to get it running enough to get you home though.

The problem is it's a big ice cream wafer so without cutting all the links (which may yet happen) I can't get into the bolt. Depending on when the new box is due to arrive that will be my next few days job.

I agree with you on carrying spares - but you only seem to carry the spares for the bits that went wrong and you repaired! What pre-emptive spares do you have on board barring being able to change tyres? I only have air valves and taps on the pipes sat in a box.

dave3d wrote:

Hoppy,

Just realised you live in Winsford, about 15 mins away from me. I live in Kelsall.
Can't do much at the minute. One of my front wheel bearings has gone, so I am off the road.
I have also f**ked my back up welding up a hydraulic press, so I need to take it easy and put my feet up over Christmas!
Must establish contact.

Dave M

Hi Dave it would be great to meet up. You've done the tweaks that are on my to do list - except the lifts and springs! I like the EAS. I'll PM you when I'm home after 5 January

Merry Christmas all,

Hoppy

I
Gilbertd wrote:

Now you know why I carry everything except for stuff I would never be able to use at the side of the road. Can't open the picture but having seen a couple of burnt fuseboxes I've got a pretty good idea of what you are dealing with. With a bit of creative bodgery you should be able to get it running enough to get you home though.

The problem is it's a big ice cream wafer so without cutting all the links (which may yet happen) I can't get into the bolt. Depending on when the new box is due to arrive that will be my next few days job.

I agree with you on carrying spares - but you only seem to carry the spares for the bits that went wrong and you repaired! What pre-emptive spares do you have on board barring being able to change tyres? I only have air valves and taps on the pipes sat in a box.

I don't know mate, to be honest I didn't realise that different bearings were for different things, I just thought it was the usual manufacturers playing lets use 30 types of nuts and bolts, 7 types of screw and hex heads, allen bolts etc. To be honest I'd never really thought about it
I live and learn :-)

Bloody car.

So on Wednesday my wife drives to the village for the morning bread run, parks up, buys bread gets back into car. Turns key. Click. Turns key again. Click. Walks 2.5 miles back home. So I walk back this afternoon to inspect (intuition is now saying fuse box must be this trips gremlin). Open the bonnet, sniff the fuse box - eek acrid nasty stink. Open the fuse box and the postive cable nut is wiggling around loose in the board. F*ck.

Pull out multi tool and remove fusebox. Got it back home and it looks just like this one on this site https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LgFGJqTD.../st9QXw5eJDY/s1600/P38+Fusebox+connection.JPG
Repair isn't that hard, just going to be tedious, but my Level 3 repair kit is at home in Blighty, so it will have to wait until I'm home. I have ordered a replacement from the Bay of E but currently the car is stuck in the village centre car park until I can get it recovered to our house here.

These are just challenges, not problems and if it wasn't for forums and you guys & girls repairs would not be possible.

I do love driving this car so it is an ongoing running resto, Commando Spirit and all that!

From what I'm told yes. Twisting alters the amount of fuel being delivered (and revs go up and down as you'd find out) and if you check Nano if you have around 2-3 mg/str then your car will go like a race car off the line - mine did! But it started to stall and judder. That's when I read up and asked for advice. I was told static timing is the base line to work from and you can dial out the chain stretch (up to a point I should imagine) then once that's done, then twisting would need to be done to bring the mg/str back to the right readings.
I'm only going from what I've been told but it will be Spring before I sort out the static timing
hope that helps,
Hoppy

My metal bladed pump cost around £30. Is the problem that the wrong type of bearings are fitted in them? I can't remember what type but I read that side load thrust should be one type of bearing (roller or taper - I'm not an expert on this) and these water pumps have ball bearings which are not good for side loading from the serpentine belts. I'm not a mechanical engineer so it's all hearsay for me.
However I have had a plastic bladed water pump and all it's ball bearings explode on me hahaha

I've just done Winsford to Rochechouart twice in 8 weeks, 27.8mpg with no trailer but very heavy load in the back, 20.1mpg with my twin axle trailer and a flatpack kitchen in it. Drove down last Saturday and the weather was awful all the way down fighting the storm so I'll measure my mpg with an empty trailer on the way back. I might fit a yellow beacon next time, French drivers love screaming straight up to the back of you - especially artic trucks - and flashing you to shift. A bit hard when you are halfway past a lumbering artic though, it's not like I can suddenly drop backwards or light up my RATO pack to assist. hahahaha