I've just been and had a fiddle.
I adjusted the hex on the steering box after I undid the collar using a ring spanner. It doesn't feel any tighter to turn the wheel but the self centering on the steering box has disappeared so it's pretty horrible to drive. The play is no better either so I think it's about time to change the steering box.
Our 1997 4.6 and the other 02 VSE are both much more precise in the steering then this car is which is what's making me want to fix it. It's nowhere near as nice to drive when you're correcting the steering and it's annoying when you know something isn't right on it too.
David.
I've been and had a look at the car this afternoon briefly.
When wiggling the steering wheel between 12 and 1 the wheels aren't turning so there is definitely play in there. Looking at the input shaft it is rotating exactly the same as the steering wheel, when sliding under the car whilst my dad wiggled the steering wheel there is barely any movement on the output shaft so I'd guess the slack is somewhere on the steering box.
I'm in two minds whether to try adjusting it or just to order a refurbished one with a warranty on it.
Has anyone successfully adjusted a steering box before without the steering becoming heavier?
David.
I've just replaced all of the bushes and steering damper on my car and it's made a massive difference to the way the car drives and behaves. The wandering when hitting undulations in the road have gone completely.
She's also just passed her MOT with no advisories but I'm still not happy.
When driving in a straight line there is play in the steering when the steering wheel between 11 and 1. When on the motorway the steering feels as if you're correcting it. It's by no means the worst I've driven but it's annoying me.
The only things I've not replaced are the front axle ball joints, track rod, drag link and steering box. Before I start mucking around and try to tighten the steering box slightly, does anyone have any suggestions? I've nipped one before and it made a bit of a difference but it was heavier to steer which I don't really want to do again as it bugged me when turning into parking spaces at low speeds.
Thanks!
David.
What plugs do people recommend for a Thor 4.6 that’ll be running on LPG?
If it makes any difference it’s got a torque max camshaft and a couple of other head mods done to it so want a plug that’ll be efficient.
Usually I run stock plugs but was wondering if there’s anything better.
David.
It’s a light grey interior I’m afraid.
David.
Well, it’s been 7 months since this thread was updated, I’ve done a ton of work to this car in the last few weeks... I just need to get it MOT’d now and we’re good to go again!
Initially I wanted to replace the radius arm bushes and the exhaust as it was rotten... that didn’t quite work out though...
Work done is:
Radius arm bushes
Panhard rod bushes front and rear
Steering Damper
Drop Links
Anti Roll Bar bushes
Exhaust - Cats, Centre section and back boxes
Rear axle oil seals
Rear pads due to oil contamination
Rear callipers cleaned and painted
Front and Rear diff oil
Transfer Box Oil
Both air con pipes that run along the bulkhead
Plenum Foam on scuttle panel
When I’d just about finished all of this lot and I was giving it a good going over I noticed a weep on one of the gearbox oil cooler pipes. The pipes ripped the threads off the cooler. Last time I did one I cut the nut off the cooler in 4 pieces but the threads weren’t strong enough to tighten the cooler so this time I didn’t bother.
So more work done:
Both gearbox oil cooler pipes
Gearbox Oil Cooler
Genuine LR gearbox filter
In total it’s cost around a grand to do all the work to the car. I really can’t complain as it’s just been a major service really. I’m just grateful that I don’t have to pay labour to have the work done as it would probably have written the car off from a financial perspective.
Whilst the scuttle panel was off I also removed the GPS receiver, I checked the plug and it appeared dry and corrosion free, however, a scoosh of contact cleaner on the plug seems to have helped the sat nav as it now knows where it is and works fine!
I’m hoping to get her MOT’d on Tuesday and then I can turn my attention to getting the engine into the other Vogue SE!
David.
Yea, it’s gotten a bit out of hand here to be honest, I’ve got 5 P38’s...
I’ve got two identical 2002 Vogue SE’s, one 1999 DSE, one 1997 4.6 HSE and one 1995 4.6 HSE breaker.
The breaker I’m nearly finished with so it’ll be leaving soon, the DSE needs to go... anyone fancy a just about finished project?
David.
If I were you, I’d get it back from the garage before they spend any more of your money chasing something they clearly don’t understand.
Are you mechanically minded? If so, I’d buy a diagnostics tool and some decent tools and start working on it yourself with the help from members on here rather then relying on garages.
David.
Just a bit, Chris, just a bit. haha
It's here :D
Rob at V8 Developments has sorted this engine out for us. Initially I was going to build it myself but when they advised they don't charge for assembly if you're buying everything from them it became a no brainer to let them build it. As much as anything for the warranty.
Anyway, we had a trip down last night, stopped over in Spalding and collected it this morning before heading back to Glasgow.
It's a 4.6 Top Hat Linered Block, fitted with a torque max camshaft, the cylinder heads have been fitted with larger valves and have been gas flowed as well.
Rob has also balanced the flywheel and crankshaft pulley to the new camshaft and reckons it should now be smoother then it was the day it was new!
I need to get the other VSE back together and off the ramp now so I can start sorting this one out.
I'm going to replace a load of stuff that's easier to do whilst the engine is out of the car, and I'm going to try and clean everything as well as I can whilst it's in bits.
The block is lovely and shiny. Rob mentioned earlier that they acid bath the blocks to remove all the muck from them before they do anything with them. I'm tempted to try and find someone locally who can acid bath both halves of the inlet manifold to give it a nice shine and remove all of the crud from them as well.
I reckon it's going to take a lot of effort and time to get it all rebuilt as I'd like to try cleaning everything as we go. No point in doing half a job :)
David.
They're blocks with heads on them. No inlets or ancillaries thankfully.
David.
I can't believe it's been 3 months since I stripped the engine out of this car!
Good news though... the new engine from V8 Developments is ready to be collected!!
It should be beast... a Torquemax camshaft, bigger valves and gas flowed heads... I'm like a kid at Christmas! :D
David.
Apologies for the delayed response. A promotion in work has seen me with a lot less time to get on with things then I'm used to!
The new engine is ready to collect from V8 Developments. We went for a Torquemax camshaft, bigger valves and gas flowed heads. I can't wait to get it... Unfortunately we've got visitors up this weekend so it's having to wait an extra week.
My other VSE has had a load of work too... a new exhaust which was a right hassle as the Britpart one I got from Island 4x4 wasn't even close to fitting. I've replaced all of the bushes, radius arms, pan hard rods, etc. with genuine LR bushes, I've done the steering damper, the leaking air con pipe, and rear axle oil seals. Then when I thought I was nearly finished I noticed a sweat on one of the gearbox oil cooler pipes. So I had to order an oil cooler, both pipes, genuine gearbox filter, etc. to get it finished.
I've just about finished putting it all back together and then it's ready for it's MOT too. I want this one finished so I can use it to go and fetch the engine for the other car. Nothing is ever simple though!
Anybody want to hazard a guess as to how many 4.6 engines will fit in the back of a P38? I've got 3 to get to Spalding and would rather not use the trailer! Wishful thinking on my part I suspect.
We had exactly the same experience with the Blue Polybushes in our P38. They weren't BritPart ones, they were the genuine Polybush ones that came with a sticker saying "Revolutionise your ride" which I now look at and can't help but laugh.
I keep telling people on the Facebook groups not to use them and post the below but none of them ever listen.
We fitted the real Polybushes to a P38. The blue ones. They were off within 12 months and replaced with genuine as they were dangerous.
The ones we fitted to ours were made by Polybush and were the blue comfort ones. They came with a sticker that said "revolutionise your ride" - that's laughable.
We fitted these as Polybush themselves advised that the orange ones can make the ride hard. After a year (8k miles) the car developed a lethal wobble when on uneven roads.
When we put the car on the ramp and had a look the front radius arm bushes were slack and moving around in the radius arm. The vibration on the car felt like the axle was ready to come off when hitting pot holes.
We removed them all and binned them and fitted genuine ones 5 years ago now and the difference is amazing.
I wouldn't waste my money on them for anything now. I know I'm not alone in my thoughts either.
When I was a kid my Dad had a E registered 3.5 Classic which he then traded in and bought a L registered 3.9 Soft Dash Classic.
For years I've messed around with P38's as they don't tend to rot but the lure of a Classic is getting stronger. I nearly bought one a few years back but a quick change in circumstances stopped me, I'm now looking at them again.
I've been told that they're awful to drive but I'm not convinced that'll bother me as it's not being bought as a race car. I've had P38's and L322's and still have them, adding a Classic to the line up seems like a bit of fun.
What's everyone elses thoughts? Got a feeling I'll be perfecting my welding rather then just mechanical skills with one of these though.
David.
Following on from this... I went into the workshop and started assessing bits and pieces to work out what I should be replacing whilst swapping the engine in the Range Rover... A closer look at the head gasket and cylinder head became interesting...
Head Gasket...
Good Cylinder: (Note the bevelled edge around the rim of the cylinder).
Bad Cylinder:
Cylinder Head...
Good Cylinder:
Bad Cylinder:
I think we have some pretty conclusive proof that the tapping noise wasn't a top end tap at all, it was in fact a slipping liner! You can see where it's cut the bevelled edge off the head gasket and you can clearly see the ring it was worn in the cylinder head around the cylinder!
David.
No worries :)
You're spurring me on to fix the audio issue in our original VSE, all the functions work perfectly apart from the speakers in both front doors...
Rear shelf speakers work, rear door speakers work, centre fill speaker works but there's nothing at all from either of the front doors.
Whilst the other car is awaiting it's engine I'll try swapping the amps and see if it's an amp fault or not before looking anywhere else.
David.
The model number for the head unit in our Vogue SE is XQD101550LNF.
It's the same as the one in our other car too.
David.
I don't think it's different to the Vogue's... I've got one in my study that needs decoding. I'll get the part number off it in a bit so you can look.
https://www.alpine-service.co.uk/contact_us
I rang and spoke to a girl there who took the model number and quoted a price (can't remember what it was though I'm afraid).
David.
I rang the Alpine Service Centre a few weeks ago about the head unit in our latest VSE.
They said I could send it in for a service/repair and they would decode it as part of that. They never mentioned they couldn't do it.
David.