Hi guys, very many thanks to everybody here, I would like to thank individually but that would just be silly 😁 !!

As Richard says - "Don't you just love stupid testers". Indeed we do, particularly as these people can cause our vehicles to be off the road totally unnecessarily. Like the guy here was insistent that the handbrake with reduced efficiency was a "Fail - Dangerous" fault despite the vehicle being automatic, thereby almost making a handbrake redundant. I agree that it has to work, but in this instance a bit of common sense should have been applied because a "Fail - Dangerous" fault means that it is actually an offense to then drive the car home from the test station. To my mind it should have just been a retest fault.

Aragorn, I have read through the NCT directive manual and unfortunately there is no particular guidance on how to deal with permanent four wheel drive vehicles. It does state that if the vehicle can't be tested in the normal way then it has to be tested by using a Tapley meter or similar but, because the vehicle is booked in at an office you can't discuss the test with any of the testers beforehand. So you have to hand in the keys and a bit later the one of many testers comes out and takes the vehicle to the garage. You, the driver, don't get to interact with any testers until they return the vehicle, at which stage they give you the pass or fail certificate.

I have the opportunity to pick up a complete ABS pump for £200, from a low mileage P38, so I might just take a gamble, buy it, and hope that it solves the ABS problem. A guy here in Ireland, who has a very good reputation with P38's [he's English anyway !!!], did suggest that, without looking at the vehicle that the pump could be on its way out.

I think that I might replace my ABS pump before I get too critical of the NCT testers. I would hate to lambast the fellow only to find that the ABS pump actually isn't performing correctly, and then look like a know-it-all knobhead. At least if I have changed the pump and it is performing in a proper manner then I would feel on firmer ground.

Pierre3.

Thanks for the very useful information, guys.

Something that occurs to me in relation to the system - I checked the operation of the ABS pump this morning, using the following proceedure:
[1] Switch on ignition, but don't start engine:
[2] Press brake pedal - I can hear the ABS pump start up - keep pedal held down - pump stops. Release brake pedal.
[3] Press brake pedal again, immediately - ABS pump starts again - keep pedal held down - pump stops. Release brake pedal.

This happens each time the brake pedal is pressed. The pump runs for a couple of seconds each time, before cutting out. I can hear the brakes on the back of the car coming on and off.

I am thinking that the ABS pump may be on its way out as I have read that the brake pedal should be able to be pressed down 3 or 4 times before the pump starts up. Does this sound correct ?

Pierre3.

Hi, I have looked through the archives to see what information is about, on how I can check my ABS brake system. Basically, the tester at my local NCT test centre , in Ireland, has failed my P38 initially on the ABS not working, and then secondly on the handbrake not having sufficient brake force.

So, the image is of the brake test arrangement as used by my local, and only test centre in Dublin [north], which they insist has been updated to be able to test permanent for-wheel drives.

On my last test, a couple of days ago my P38 failed the ABS test until, after 40 minutes of heated discussions, got the tester to drive the vehicle on the road outside, after which he came back, and with very bad grace, accepted that the ABS "seemed" to be working OK. But then, like a Monty Python sketch, he told me that the vehicle still failed the test because the handbrake had insufficient force - "so there" !

I can accept, to some degree, that the handbrake may not be as good as perhaps it could, maybe it needs tightening up at the adjuster screw on the drum, but the brake is able to hold the vehicle, on the second "click" of the brake lever, on a slight hill even when putting light pressure on the throttle to increase the engine revs. The vehicle doesn't move forward, but, again, I accept that this is not a 100% test of the efficiency of the handbrake. I will try to adjust it tighter this weekend.

So my two main questions are firstly, - how can I physically test the ABS system, and how would I know if the ABS pump is not putting as much pressure out as it should ? Is this possible, that the pump pressure is being reduced by age and use, or does the pump either work or not work, thereby needing replacement.

The second question is - what is the best way to test the handbrake, allowing for the fact that I am doing this outside my house and not in a garage ?

Hopefully, the forum may have some updated advice on this issue.

Oierre3.

I had read something about this before, but do the seat sides remain plumped up and firm for very long afterwards ?

I know that it's overkill but I will fit the new seat base complete, and just replace the leather seat covering.

Pierre3

Thanks for your comment, that's what I was hoping to hear. I am intending to replace the seat base in mine with a new, old stock one that an old dealer in Scotland had in his store-room until last week, when I bought it !!!

It is a complete base, including motors etc., etc, and the only difference is the leather seat covering so I will change them over. My existing leather seat cover is in very good condition but, as usual, the bolsters have gone soft. I rang around, including to James Coleman who usually has something in stock, but anything that i came across, including passenger seat bases, was not really what I wanted.

Trying to buy a new rubber seat base is no good now as the foam rubber base is now NLA, which wasn't the case a year ago, so I was very lucky to come across this new seat base. It means that I will be able to basically fit a new drivers seat all in one go.

Pierre3.

Hi, I would like to ask members about the front seat electric motors in the P38. I have had the great fortune to pick up a new complete elecric seat base and I want to use it to, firstly, change the leather seat cover from my existing front seat to the new seat, and secondly, fit that complete new base in place of the existing seat base.

My main question is - is there any setting up of the motors when you take them out and refit them ? Or, because I have a complete seat base, on its' runners, is it just a case of bolting it in, refitting the switch panel on the side, and away I go ?

Best regards, Pierre3.

Nigel, I have always had the battery cover on my 2001 P38, and all the screw fixing work, although I bought a couple of new ones as spares. But the only problem I have is - if I leave the vehicle for too long and the battery won't start the vehicle then off comes the battery cover, and most of the time I don't get to putting it back on !!

Having the cover does make the engine bay look a bit tidier, but sometimes it can be a chore taking it off and putting it back on.

ZebCRS, I see that you have a mention on DemoZoo, but that just mentions various music projects. I see that you go back quite a long way, being involved in music projects. It is a bit of a change to go to designing software for P38's but I, for one, would be interested to see if you have a better option for the P38 diesel, than the Nanocom programmer.

Pierre3.

Hi Morat, I have just fitted them, well, "just" being in January. I had a few jobs to do inside the car and replacing the carpets was the last job. The carpets that were fitted previously were original LR carpets but not from a P38. The two front carpets didn't clip in.

So, I am sorry to say, I won't be selling them !!! I know that they are impossible to find nowadays, and I was considering getting 3rd party ones from one of the car carpet suppliers, but I have never found any of those companies make decent quality carpets. I had a 1979 Merc, a few years ago, which had lambswool overmats and I thought about fitting new ones but they were impossible to find. The ones in my Merc were original from Mercedes back in the 70's but anything similar, 4 years ago, were very poor quality in comparison.

Pierre3.

StrangeRover, I have a 2001 DHSE the same colour as yours. I replaced all the black ABS plastics in the centre console from the elbow rest, between the seats, to the panel where the EAS switches, headlight switch etc. are, with the ABS walnut style pieces. And I have a brand new set of original Range Rover carpets for the lightstone trim. I got them from someone that I knew, who was a parts dealer, and they were laying in the back of his store warehouse until he found them about 18 months ago. I was really pleased as they have all the carpet clips, and they came still taped up in their original, unopened box.

Monte Carlo Blue always polishes up well. I like it.

Pierre3.

Mad-as, the glass [or the door] rattles when the glass is not longer held in place by the top of the door frame. But I haven't tried pushing the door closed with my hand on the glass. And that's not a bad idea. I did try to get my fingers down between the outside window rubber seal, but I didn't see any discernable difference, and I didn't want to damage the seal either.

I haven't yet tried my other car, which has large front door windows. I must remember to try it soon.

It's a bit of a puzzle, as everything in the door space is firmly fixed. The only thing that I can think of is that the regulator has a very small bit of flexing somewhere, and that replacing it will put in place a stronger unit.

Pierre3.

Hi, so I stripped the door today, and found nothing loose. I drilled out te rivets in the regulator and took it out, and then took off the motor and greased up everything with fresh grease, reassembled and refitted it. The only very small thing that I noticed is a slight flex in the bottom of the regulator plate, where it is fixed to the door, very little movement and it is only where the glass is rolled right up to the top of the travel, into the window frame. The regulator plate isn't moving, it just flexs very marginally under pressure at full travel.

I think that the rattle when the door closes is simply the glass rattling because there is nothing to actually support the top of the glass when it is partly down. I know that it is sitting in a rubber seal, which is correctly located in the track, but it is a big piece of glass and without it being gripped by the window edges then there is room to move. I suspect that there is a bit of room created by the inner door panel after years of being pulled closed with the elbow rest in the door. It looks like that when the car was new the door panel may have been quite a bit tighter against the glass but over the years the gap has expanded very slightly.

As I don't really close the doors with the windows open, except for the odd time when I don't want to be locked out of the car, I am not going to worry about it any more. The doors close perfectly, and both front door handles operate perfectly so perhaps I am looking for an imaginary problem. When I think about it I having a feeling that my Lexus may do the same thing if the windows are open. I must test that !!

The one good thing that was achieved is that the regulator and the motor gear, are all thoroughly greased, including the plastic runners at the bottom of the glass.

Pierre3.

Harv, that's what happened to the drivers' side door, I had to replace the window regulator, and when I took out the old regulator I found the window seal that should have been in the track, was laying in the bottom of the door.

As I hadn't noticed the glass rattling before I didn't check it so now I will have to check both the reulator and the seal. What I do have, at least, are 6 x 15 mm stainless steel dome-head bolts with nyloc nuts which I used to fit the drivers' side regulator. So when the weather gets a bit warmer I think that I will that I might just drill out the old rivets and replace them, just to be sure that the regulator is held tight.

At least if I bolt the regulator in then it will be easier to fit a new regulator should it ever be needed.

Pierre3.

Yes, I had considered the regulator. I know that I need to strip the door down again but the weather outside isn't that conducive to spend a load of time outside, and on top of that I need to have the car in decent condition this week and next because I have visitors whom I need to run around with. So having the door panel off will not be ideal !!

Pierre3.

Hi, a quick question, if I may. I will need to investigate the issue but I thought that there may be a few suggestions as to an answer.

I did a job on the door handle on the passenger side door [RHD]. It was not fully pulling in, even the the handle was only 18 months old, I had replaced all the handles in 2021 because I wanted to get back to OEM black handles. But the nearside handle started sticking a few weeks ago so I took it out today. Everything was OK, still very new, so a liberal dose of copper spray has sorted out that problem, it pulls in proerly now.

The question that I have is that when the window is down, or even partly down, there is a rattle when the door is closed. Not slamming the door, just pushing it closed with enough force for the door to close. I didn't check for anything before refitting the membrane and the door panel as I hadn't moved anything except the disconnecting of the door handle rod so that I could take out the handle.

When the window is fully closed, into the top door frame, then there is no rattle. The window winds both down and back up without any issues. But I am wondering whether this rattle could be the track window seal, that is in a track at the front of the door, having dropped out. The same seal was sitting in the bottom of the door on the drivers side when I replaced the winder mechanism last month.

I know that I will have to do the hard work myself, but I am just wondering whether this is a problem at all, just that the glass can rattle in the door because it is in the lowered position.

Pierre3.

Richard, a good point, that. I am thinking that the spring clip thing could have let go of the link arm. I do actually have a few new replacement ones. I will have a look at it if the weather is good this weekend.

Now that you mention that screw that holds the door handle - there is a metal spacing block inside the door that the screw goes through. The first time I took off the handle that block disappeared down inside the door and I couldn't find it, or figure out what had dropped. Now it is glued to the inside of the door !!!

Pierre3.

A further issue with the drivers' side door handle - I fitted everything back into the door, last week. I had checked the window for operation, having fitted a new regulator, and refitted the inner door window seal that had fallen down.

I also checked and tested the cill door lock button, and the inside door handle release and everything was working OK.

BUT, I didn't check, for some unknown reason, the key in the door handle. I have only discovered today that the key doesn't lock the door !!

The remote fob works fine but for some reason the key isn't doing anything. I remember fitting, and when I refitted the handle I saw that the link from the handle was attached, along with the latch link. When I put the key in it turns OK, but there isn't any kind of "pressure" which I had expected.

Without opening the water shedder membrane I wonder whether there would be any suggestions as to what may have happened. Is it likely that the lock link arm could have dropped off while the handle was being refitted ?

Pierre3.

I suppose that the headliner being a fibreglass panel then it wouldn't be damaged by using a pressure washer to clean it off. Interesting idea, certainly.

But not as big a game changer as sitting on your own, with a cat that doesn't talk, in a cold car, of which you have left the keys inside and you don't want to ring the doorbell to ask Madame if she could give you the keys to start the car and run the heater. That's a game-changer, I can tell you.

Pierre3.

Reading your post, Richard, I had to go back to the adhesive instructions and it does indeed say that you have to spray it on both sides. Duhhhh, I just couldn't remember doing it but Madame says that "Yes, we did, you klutz, do you not remember laying it out on the lawn out the back of the house !!!".

So I just stormed off with the cat and I'm now sitting in the car, in the cold until she calls me back in, out of sympathy. I just hope that she doesn't take too long as it's cold out here.

Pierre3.