You get a good view of the latch by opening the window fully then shining a bright torch down the slot towards the rear then squinting down the slot. I'm pretty sure that if it were some other portion of the latch causing problems that you could operate it with some sort of metal hook or some other amateur locksmith tool. When I was Googling 'P38 driver's door locked' I only found quite extreme suggestions as to how to get the door open eg removing the offside front wing to allow you to unbolt the hinges. I'm surprised that the more subtle approach of squinting down inside the door with the aid of a bright torch didn't get mentioned.
A genuine replacement cable from Land Rover costs over £50 https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.com/alr6968-cable-front-door-internal-release.html
Even a Britpart cable is around £30 which is pretty pricey for a 30cm Bowden cable. https://www.lrdirect.com/alr6968-cable-door-release-p38-rh
The drivers door latch has been playing up. It was locked & wouldn't respond to the internal or external handle & the locks 'bounce' when using the fob for central locking. I was getting in the car by the passenger door then clambering across.
It looks like it's the cable from the internal handle that is sticking & preventing the latch from opening. I released the single screw & took the cover round the inner handle off & can see it operates a cable but I couldn't get enough purchase on the cable to operate the lock.
With a torch & one of the wife's knitting needles I was able to release the catch by pressing down on the arm operated by the cable from the interior handle. I put the window down then shone a bright LED torch at the midpoint rearwards & squinting down the slot I could clearly see the end of the cable. Pressing down on the arm at the rear then allowed me to pop the door latch up & open the door.
Unfortunately the lock got stuck again when I re-closed the door but opening the window shining the torch & squinting down the slot again has allowed me to reliably unlock the door. I'm not sure that I'm yet slick enough at the manoeuvre to get in & out of the drivers door at the filling station or shops with just a torch & knitting needle.
I have liberally anointed the latch with WD40 in the hope that whatever has been sticking will be freed up but suspect that it needs the cable replacing. It actually looked clean & rust free but now that I think about it for quite some time I have found both the exterior & interior handles 'sticky' & reluctant to snap back into position when released.
I have been opening the window & using the external handle to open the door & this has been pretty reliable. I only had to resort to the knitting needle a couple of times today
I am so pleased that I didn't have to resort to any of the more extreme methods of getting the door open. I read of people taking the rear door off its hinges to give access to the rear of the striker plate &.even taking off the offside front wing & then undoing the hinges. Not to mention the cold chisel & hammer to smash the lock open.
I am at our place in France at the moment. My 2001 Vogue runs beautifully on E85 (85% bioethanol). Fuel consumption is higher at around 14mpg instead of 17mpg on E10 but as it costs 89.9c/L versus about €2/L for E10 I'm not complaining. E85 was 69.9c/L only a few months ago so there has been a big price rise.
dave3d wrote:
Volvo did a deal, back in the 60's I believe, that when your car had done 1 million miles you could exchange it for a new one.
Long since discontinued I'm afraid.
It looks like this was a one off deal from Volvo for a guy who eventually hit 3,000,000 miles in his 1966 P1800. I'm not sure about a P38 ever hitting that figure. Even Richard has got some way to go before he joins the million mile club.😀
https://wyantgroup.com/remembering-the-three-million-mile-volvo-man/
Gilbertd wrote:
LHD, no sunroof, language set for French and various other odd readings mean the Nanocom and BeCM are not communicating properly and not that the settings have got corrupted. When using the Nano, all systems EXCEPT the BeCM need the ignition on, with the BeCM it needs to be OFF. On an early car the Nano will not connect to the BeCM if the ignition is on but I think with later ones it will but not get proper communications.
Sounds like that might have been my issue as I definitely had the ignition on all the time. I will have to check the values but I won't be changing anything this time.
I nearly forgot. After I had done the bonnet clip, the battery & HEVAC unit I decided to have a play around with the Nanocom I have recently bought. I checked all the systems & was pleased there were no fault codes especially with the new HEVAC. I had a look at the BECM & oddly enough there several things incorrect. Market wasn't set & it said LHD when in fact it's RHD & also said there was no sunroof. There may have been a couple of other items. I made the cardinal error of changing everything at once instead of one at a time. When I tried to write the updates to the BECM the Nanocom rebooted & did this a couple of times then eventually I got the message that the write to the BECM had been performed successfully. Unfortunately when I tried starting the car while I could crank easily enough it wouldn't start. I changed the settings back & updated but it still wouldn't start. I changed the items agin updated & it still wouldn't start. There were no error codes or warning messages. Eventually in desperation I entered the immobilisation code & EKA code then updated once more. Finally it restarted. I was so relieved & learned a valuable lesson - not to fiddle about with stuff I don't understand. I will be reserving use of the Nanocom to reading & clearing faults only when there is a problem.
A number of little jobs. I replaced the little plastic clip that fixes the insulation to the underside of the bonnet & that windscreen washer piping clips to as I discussed in this post https://rangerovers.pub/topic/2827-windscreen-washer-connecter?page=1#pid36847
I replaced the five year old Halfords battery with a Hankook MF31-1000 that I recently bought from www.batterymegastore.co.uk It was a simple swap & only took a couple of minutes to set the windows & sunroof.An annoyance was that I dropped the bolt that fixes the battery stop at the front & it rolled under the battery box. I thought that it would be easy to remove the four bolts & lift up the plastic battery box. Unfortunately the heads of two of the bolts were too rusted to get out with a socket so I shall just have to leave it there & get a new bolt. There was nothing wrong with the old battery but I am working through the car with preventive maintenance to ensure it's as reliable as possible.
I then replaced my HEVAC unit with an identical refurbished one I bought of someone Facebook for £65. They had already done the refurb with the zebra strips to bring the display back to life. I've looked at the webpage that describes how to refurb the unit but it all looked a bit fiddly so when I saw the unit for £65 I snapped it up as they normally sell for at least double that on eBay. My plan is to refurb mine then swap them over again as my original is in better condition. The new unit has a working screen whereas the original had got to be almost unreadable. The new unit has got iffy rockers which stick so generally if you press up it goes all the way to HI & if you press down it goes to LO all soon its own. If you press carefully you can eventually set the temperature correctly
Gilbertd wrote:
Tree clips are the ones that hold the insulation in place but don't have the hook for the washer pipe to clip into. For those you need ALR4425, https://rimmerbros.com/Item--i-ALR4425. You will probably find that the reason it has come out of the clip is that the pipes have shrunk a bit with age so they will no longer reach the clips, mine are dangling on both sides for that reason.
Thanks for the part number. We travel back to France on Sunday so I've order from the very reliable RLD Autos just north west of Paris. The clip is only €1.68 but the postage is €4.99. It's due for delivery next Tuesday. https://www.rld-autos.com/fr/clips-et-fixation/35692-agrafe-tuyau-flexible-discovery-2-et-range-p38-alr4425.html?search_query=ALR4425&results=1
I opened up the bonet today to check oil, coolant, etc & notice that the windscreen washer tubing on the drivers side (RHD) was dangling from the bonnet. Examination revealed that a right angle connection in the tubing should clip onto a plastic stud that secures the insulating blanket under the bonnet. I foolishly tried to lever out the plastic stud with a screwdriver causing top out & disappear somewhere in the engine compartment. I secured the tubing to the insulation with gaffer tape but the insulating blanket is hanging down when the bonnet is open because of the missing stud. This is all a longwinded way of saying does anyone know where I can get a replacement. I looked on Rimmer's website www.lrparts.net but can't find it.
https://ibb.co/LdTVrJm
Morat wrote:
The Duches, being a expensive Bi++.. Lady... has the auto dipping, auto dimming, heated wing mirrors.
The driver's side one has now decided that being reflective was far too common and has changed colour to an unpleasant dog-streak brown.
Not wishing to replace the whole assembly (it's colour coded, too) I looked for a replacement piece of glass.https://www.paddockspares.com/crd101240-rh-mirror-glass-electrochromatic-convex-from-ya430702.html
Holy Carp.
After you have spent £212.99+shipping you aren't even guaranteed an intact mirror
"PLEASE NOTE: None of Paddock Spares' carriers will insure us for glass products. As a result all glass products are sent at the customers risk and no replacements can be sent if damaged. However, we do endeavour to pack everything as well as we possibly can and have VERY FEW breakages."
BTW I'm not sure that they can evade consumer protection legislation in this way.
Symes wrote:
Hi mate so you took the plunge on a P38
I've come to the conclusion that diesel p38s get used and abused more than V8 p48s
They get abused by cheapskates who can't afford to refuel a P38 with a V8 petrol engine. The extreme cheapskates run them on cooking oil.
Sloth wrote:
The fob code stored in the becm is always for key #1. The logic then derives the codes for 2/3/4. So you cannot mix and match fobs from different locksets like you can on a D2.
I have the ability to read the fob code from any fob and thus determine the code for #1 in it's associated lockset, but I'd need the key to do so.
How do you read the codes? Is it a widely available device? I have one probably original key & a genuine key 4 that I bought last year from a Land Rover main agent.
StrangeRover wrote:
Chassis removal is actually very easy for the P38, infact because the nuts are captive in the body you don't need 3 arms unlike with the D2.
Drizz Developements has done a chassis galv and replacement on youtube, quite an interesting watch,
That's a very interesting possibility. Not a DIY job though. I wonder how much it would cost to have someone do it for you?
Another big "Thank you" to Richard aka @Gilbertd who has helped me in person & done work on my car as I start to do the work on my 2001 Vogue that will ensure it is as reliable as possible. His knowledge of the P38 is amazing plus he is a really nice guy.
BrianH wrote:
nigelbb wrote:
Gilbertd wrote:
+1.....
I drove to Strasbourg and back this weekend just gone and went via Belgium and Luxembourg rather than using the A26 in France. About 10 miles further and 10 minutes longer but LPG on the French motorways is 0.99-1.04 Euros a litre (plus motorway tolls) compared with 0.75 in Belgium and 0.72 in Luxembourg (and no motorway tolls). Cost almost as much in bloody Covid tests as it did in fuel!
You don't need LPG if you have E85. I live half the time in France where we have E85 (85% bioethanol) at about 69c/L versus E10 at €1.55/L. Due to the lower calorific value fuel consumption is higher at about 14mpg versus 18mpg but I can live with that as it is less than half the price of petrol. It's more climate friendly too.
LPG gets your the Purple – Crit’Air 1 sticker though, which E85 doesn't?
Crit’Air stickers are basically a bit of greenwashing. Another advantage of using E85 is that I don't need to pay for an LPG conversion then have the hassle of getting through a CT with non-standard fuel system. It also means that I can use Eurotunnel.
Gilbertd wrote:
nigelbb wrote:
If you are British with partner who has an EU passport your rights are the same as if you too had an EU passport. The latest French government rules allow an EU citizen to enter France en route to their home state.
Is that home state or residence? Although she has a Latvian passport, she has settled status in the UK, so that would be considered home I would have thought. I know that when UK Immigration scan her passport their screen shows that she has settled status, I would suspect the same info would be shown on her way out. Mind you, an EU passport, or even an EU residency card, is far moire useful than a British passport which is hardly worth the paper it is printed on these days.
Apologies. I just checked & it's returning to their main residence. You might be able to blag it but risk being turned back.
Here is the list of pressing grounds for travel to/from the United Kingdom
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coming-to-france-your-covid-19-questions-answered/article/list-of-pressing-grounds-for-travel-to-from-the-united-kingdom
dave3d wrote:
As well as that, all travel to France is now stopped due to Macron's Omicron restrictions.
I notice it doesn't apply to HGV drivers though and it is not clear if you can drive straight through France to another country, like Spain for example.
All travel hasn't been stopped. I am a French resident who spends half my time in the UK as I work here. I will be returning to France after Xmas as French nationals & residents are allowed to enter France from the UK. Other groups may travel too eg EU citizens en route to their home state.
Gilbertd wrote:
I wonder what the situation will be in mid-January when we may be driving to Dina’s parent in Latvia if nothing has changed by then? She’s an EU passport holder (Latvian) and I am her partner (which gives slightly more rights than a UK passport holder when entering France) and while we will be entering France we will only be there for the 30 minutes or so it takes to get to the Belgian border. There is an exemption of up to 24 hours if you are transiting through at an airport but what about if transiting by road? Or does it mean we have to use the Stena Harwich to Hook of Holland ferry and bypass France? Don’t really want to as the Stena ferry is more expensive than my P&O season ticket (which I have just renewed with another 5 returns so have already paid for the crossing) and while it saves a couple of hours driving time, it’s a 7 hour crossing so adds considerably to the overall journey time.
I've spent a bloody fortune in Covid tests in the last few weeks as it is but at least they are coming down in cost.
If you are British with partner who has an EU passport your rights are the same as if you too had an EU passport. The latest French government rules allow an EU citizen to enter France en route to their home state.
Gilbertd wrote:
+1.....
I drove to Strasbourg and back this weekend just gone and went via Belgium and Luxembourg rather than using the A26 in France. About 10 miles further and 10 minutes longer but LPG on the French motorways is 0.99-1.04 Euros a litre (plus motorway tolls) compared with 0.75 in Belgium and 0.72 in Luxembourg (and no motorway tolls). Cost almost as much in bloody Covid tests as it did in fuel!
You don't need LPG if you have E85. I live half the time in France where we have E85 (85% bioethanol) at about 69c/L versus E10 at €1.55/L. Due to the lower calorific value fuel consumption is higher at about 14mpg versus 18mpg but I can live with that as it is less than half the price of petrol. It's more climate friendly too.
dave3d wrote:
There is a further 10% off with the following code:
dec10-hankook
That coupon has expired.