In my initial ponderings there was nothing about the climatic option for the bags, just the fact that there were two types of bags possible for my car and consequently two types of shocks. I'd never even heard of Firestones and their partner shocks which started me thinking and digging deeper.
Research this morning threw up the climate thing and, given the staggeringly expensive cost of the Firestone bags over here (£322.54 each) there would be no reason for any previous owner to fit them and they wouldn't be standard.
So there we go- I've now more knowledge of obscure P38 options and spec and if ever at a cocktail party of P38 enthusiasts I can dazzle and amaze them with my knowledge of the breed.
Bags are confirmed nearly new Dunlops, STC3672s are going on to replace the Monroes. New genuine LR radius arm and panhard rod bushes to replace the polys, Armstrong steering damper, Lemforder drag link and track rod ends so back to the way it rolled off the line on 13th November 2001 (was reminded of the birthday from the build info in Microcat this morning!).
So, loaded up my vehicle specific version of Microcat and...
It listed both types of bags as appropriate for my car :(
REB101740- Spring, front suspension, air, plastic, must be matched with damper, Dunlop air spring, less hot climate
REB000550- Spring, front suspension, air, plastic, must be matched with damper, Firestone air spring, for hot climate zones
so, once I've determined current bag make (fingers crossed they're Dunlop), I'll get dampers (std Boges STC3672) to suit
I'm going to fire up the workshop version of Microcat this morning. As BrianH reminded me, that one has the details for the build of my particular car on it, so I can dig deeper. The Microcat I used yesterday was a cutdown one that doesn't tie back to VINs etc.
Haven't been under car to check make yet, but bags on there aren't original (they'd be a bit tired if they were). According to my pile of invoices the car had at least 2 replacement full sets of bags fitted, was converted to coils, then back to bags again!
Gilbertd wrote:
I fully appreciate the problem, however, in this house, Dina is the one baking in the sun outside doing battle with a Honda powered mower while I've been inside watch the GP from Spa......
Great division of labour!
My other half's off baking in the sun at a festival up in the Midlands somewhere, while I'm here fixing the (Kawasaki powered) tractorette and watching the GP using the pause function on the Sky box at the same time.
I thought only females could multitask...
Gilbertd wrote:
First thing would be to check and see if you have Dunlop or Firestone springs. I wasn't even aware that there was anything other than Dunlops to be quite honest.
Urgh- that will mean crawling around under it. Fully engaged doing vital work on the lawn tractor at the moment as keep losing the small dog in the long grass...
2 different part numbers shown in Microcat
RSC500010 (late vehicles with Firestone bags)
STC3672 (earlier with Dunlop bags)
News to me that the late cars even _had _Firestone bags. I was just about to hit the buy button on a pair of Boges (STC3672), now pondering whether there's a difference in damping, length or something between the two part numbers. The 02 has always sat higher on standard compared to the 95 but I've just put that down to calibration.
I'm looking to restore that "factory" front end feel to my 02.
Anyone been here before me with Boge STC3672 on the late cars? There's a considerable price difference!
According to the parts book the washers are RVL100030
http://www.brit-car.co.uk/product.php/92881/4866/washer_flat_dished_5mm_x_25mm
Gilbertd wrote:
Put the washers on the EAS pump the right way up and the problem will be solved, you'll never hear it running without sticking your ear to it. On each mounting point it should have two dished washers. The bottom ones should be concave side down and the top ones should be concave side up.
I put mine on the wrong way up on the blue one deliberately, just so I could hear it and thus, worry about it. Seems a long time ago now that I had that "my first P38" paranoia :)
I still have the paranoia- just about different things on the cars, well the black one anyway. Blue one just gets used and maintained on an "as required" basis.
Current favourite- the inexplicable difference between the two engine temp outputs on the black one.
I get the feeling that Morat will be spending the rest of his French holiday under the bonnet with a cotton bud and silver polish now...
Won't be the cruise line- that's vacuum, driven by its own pump and not connected in any way to the EAS.
I rebuilt the EAS compressor when I first got the blue car a few years ago and then spent months listening to how often it ran. Same as you, traffic lights/ junctions with foot on brake quite a lot. Got bored with listening out for it after a while and the EAS is still working fine so think it's just normal (ish) behaviour
blueplasticsoulman wrote:
what's with Morats car? More dust than the top of a B&B skirting board.
He'll be mortified if he reads that. The Duchess is NEVER dirty.
That's not his car- it's one of Marty's project cars
Lpgc wrote:
.... if we approach diagnosis in the same way as we do most problems ....
Ah- blame the BECM, low battery voltage, failing door latch, and slipped liners. That should cover it...
Braces = Morat's insurance against Builders Butt :)
I was thinking more like this, with the caption "Make sure that your work table is easily accessible,your surroundings are spotlessly clean and you wear suitable protective clothing"
:)
Do you want me to email the original (full version) Smiler? If so, pm me your email address
Apart from this external shot with Morat doing his edge trimming surrounded by empty glue tins, Marty and Sloth fiddling on their tailgates and Gilbertd wandering past supervising to make sure that whatever's being done is done properly, unfortunately not.
That's because you're 8 feet tall Chris!
Bloody lumpy lying across the engine, but I agree, doable
... the LH rear one rusts/ bubbles first?
Most of the P38s that I've seen with failing rubbers have this, and the NSR is hardest to find in used unblemished condition.
Both of mine suffer from this, just NSR, so I can't even swap them...
Except of course that the original post in Toads place didn't have the spam hyperlink in, so nothing to warn him about
Sloth wrote:
This post looks legit... except for the clearly spammy link in both this and your other post...
What gives?
Copied and pasted text from some other forum perhaps?