Yes Gilbert - did check transmission correctly - reason I had not bothered for years was because it seemed complicated, bit sloppy of me !! As you know, my journey start is all downhill for 5km and engine at its coolest. Once down on the coast engine hot and returning up steep 5km hill is when it was at its worse - but yesterday seems almost cured. I did notice tickover a bit rough - maybe it is missing - coil or something.

Yes Brian - I'm now running on a fuller tank - presumably lower petrol and high vapour pressure should not be a problem when it switches to LPG ?

Creader and my long term P38 running problem. Lack of power/acceleration when approaching hill especially in the hot weather here. Well it seemed to improve a bit as the weather cooled but it is still hot - 28 in main part of day and under bonnet and input temps still high. Very strange but since I plugged the Creader in - like the EAS no faults shown but yesterday the car is 95 percent better ! Changes down when needed, still a bit sluggish but can get back up my mountain in normal gears ! Is it possible that just the action of connecting the Creader has cleared some ECU malfunction ? I have recorded running up and down as Gilbert suggested but selected all readings and not sure how to see the results yet. (I notice that the percentage Throttle on the gear ECU is zero percent when idle but on the other main ECU it is 10 percent ? ) The only other thing that I have done is top up the auto Transmission fluid which was right at the bottom of the stick or even worse, which bearing in mind the mountain is steep in parts so might be a factor. I notice that going down a steep hill it used to jump out of gear - doesn't do that now and it now changes gear down when needed. Could this be the root of my problem ? Sorry to keep bothering people.

Gilbert - I've only just seen your explanation above about the companies that make extra over the contract to sell elsewhere - that makes sense and was what I was thinking might be the answer. Mine certainly seems perfect in terms of build, works perfectly and is unlikely to have been made in a copy cat factory.

Another question. I assume the Creader must be used when running on Petrol but does it perform any useful function when on LPG ?

The stuff below (my first post) is probably known to you but just in case .....

Gilbert I know you know your stuff but presumably you know that you have to download and install drivers etc for the Creader 6 before it is connected and recognised on the computer. It is then, when you register/log in with the special code your machine generates that they read the serial number and tell you if you have pirate one !!! The website and login stuff is all on the following if it helps -

How to Install Launch............... http://blog.x431sale.com/2018/02/27/install-launch-creader-6-vi-software-driver/

And
Launch Creader Vi software update |VtoolShop

And general info from Launchtech

It's all a bit fiddly and tedious - I only wanted the luxury of being able to view the results on the PC and I'm not totally sure if the website isn't the Pirate !!!

Interesting - you should be ok - mine would not let me access the thing at all but read the serial number from inside and then seemed to decide it was a pirate. As you say if it works then why bother - it is just that the download seems to offer updated software and presumably one can view all the saved stuff on a PC instead of sitting out in the car all night !! Mine certainly looks the part and if it is a copy must have been done by a company not far away from the original. Its probably a scam - the original company probably sets up a sister company making the same model and then advertises it for less knowing that we will always look for the bargain - that way they increase sales and still sell the full price ones.

Well mine seems ok and works ok. So I went to the website and downloaded the Update software and driver. Installed everything and connected up and got this message - see my screen shot
Now is mine a pirate machine or is it the downloaded software ? I could do without all this agro.

I notice that Storey Wilson of EAS warns that his software has been pirated in China and they sell cheap copies !!

Oh - hope mine lasts more than a few hours - are they cheap and nasty really ? Also, once it is connected to the PC can you see and playback all the data on screen ?

Thanks - how on earth do you know all this ??? Don't leave us !

Thanks Brian - I have to download drivers it seems and I have the websites - but it does say the Creader 6 is discontinued although available on ebay I have to say that for a P38 it is really good value even though things like suspension, HEVAC and ABS are not included. I have these covered with my EAS ver 4 so all in all as Gilbert pointed out, it is a pretty inexpensive way of getting diagnostics - only problem for me is then knowing how to interpret them !!
Mine as you may have seen was £29 (used) but new ones seem available at £40 or so.

My goodness - far more complicated than one could imagine - and differences between Gems and Bosch as well - how are we ordinary folk supposed to cope ? Gosh - didn't realise the first ECU was gearbox and how does 'calculated load value' fit into this ? Next job to select the four you suggest and see what lambdas do. By the way, the slowing and lack of power/gear change down is far less marked now that the ambient temp has dropped so it seems heat affected. It says I can record up to 8 hours of live data - haven't found out how to do that yet and if I plug it into the PC with USB what can I access I wonder.

Asking further - So I select the four parameters you suggest in graphing mode and drive to where the problem starts. Does it record these because I can't view and drive at the same time (would be over the edge of the mountain ) and then I'm not sure how to access them for playback, or how to interpret them. This reader only powers up when plugged into the car of course, unless I can connect to the PC.

Posting this on here as I'm not sure how to make sure Gilbert and others see it !

Hi Richard - I don't like to bother you with this continuing problem, but need your skills ! Have got the Creader £29 (unboxed ie used ) and it seems brilliant ! Thanks for pointing me in the right direction to get it. I have done some readings - no faults found as with my EAS but I have done the diagnostic readings on both ECU's (didn't realise at first that they both have to be done) and I have posted a film (poor quality but visible -sorry) on Youtube here Diag01 https://youtu.be/-1e-KABrLG4
Could you have a look and see if anything makes sense ?
I'll copy this to Chris too as I'd like him to see. Have to say that although it does not do all the P38 stuff it is brilliant for £29 as you pointed out. Worth telling others of its value. Chris

By the way this Creader film on Youtube might be of interest to others Creader

Actually, I would love to see what goes on - it looks to me as if you all carry out a 'communal oil change' - and probably some other lubrication too !

Speaking as an onlooker - unable to attend even if invited, it seems to me that you are going to have to call it 'Winter' Camp at this rate !!!!

If I were still operating in UK I would have no problem choosing the Nano - most of the machines in my Film studio were 10 k and I had many of them - now falling apart ! But here I have to watch my cash so the EAS and Creader will have to do. I didn't realise the EAS did not cope with live readings but is good for most things and with the original free version I sorted my Air suspension. Down to the post tomorrow to see if Creader has arrived !! I made films about many things - this is close to cars anyway if not P38's [BP Launch Medley] (https://youtu.be/vuOwg494k6Q)

I think you said that the Creader can at least read live engine stuff so if so, that will help me a lot ! The EAS shows my faults with HEVAC but it works more or less ok so I'm not bothering at present. (something about blend motor fault which I understand is the motor that directs the air and a short to ground somewhere but cold air comes out everywhere I can see and feel and in Spain that is ok for now ?) I still have to renew or clean connections on the CPS and hope that is causing my funny running problems ! We have had our first rain for 5 months and here is a little film to show you why I am trading in the P38 for a DUKW ! Finca Niagra (https://youtu.be/DwTnizrFVVc)

I see the Nanocom sold pretty quickly - My Creader is on its way to me from UK following Gilbert's recommendation and I'm wondering why Nanocoms are so expensive when my Creader is costing about £30 and by all accounts seems to do most of what one ever needs. Of course I have the EAS ver4 to fill in gaps.

Hi Richard, have ordered the 'unboxed' Creader - can't be bad at that price £29 - just takes ages to get it reposted out to Spain as they don't post out of UK.

That makes sense Gilbert (actually I think its Richard) - and I will persevere and only try to swap with another sensor. So does Nanocom read all the live readings ? Maybe if I could have found one for about £350 like Chris did I should have gone for that. Have lost all my big UK customers here so living like the church mouse and would you believe that the rats who visit my P38 don't even bother with the cheddar cheese I put in the trap. By the way, just watched a TV documentary about the Germans in Russia and when the big offensive was to start in the winter they found their tanks failed because mice had eaten the wiring - I know the feeling here !

Thanks Gilbert - just can't believe you know all these bits of detailed info on P38's ! What would we do without you. I did put a meter across the inlet air temp sensor points and lead - both ways and got a continuity reading - engine not running. Went out to collect some spares brought out by friend from UK - hot again and under load up hills engine just goes slower and slower. I change down to lowest gears and jump on throttle - gets by but seriously wrong - will play with the air temp sensor - don't have a spare - what happens if I just disconnect or plug on the spare Engine coolant sensor as a test ?

I understand - another thought - does anyone understand the full implications of 'cruise control'. Mine is broken and I found it very hard to replace because the place where the pedal switch plugs in is too close to some other part. But I replaced the rotted rubber hose that comes up into the engine compartment and this quickly rotted again (sub standard hose here in Spain) and has been hanging around not providing any vacuum. Does it affect the running of the engine if this hose is open to the outside ? That is something I hope Gilbert picks up on !!

Rcutler - thanks - Interesting - seems similar - it is driving me mad but not very fast !!! The problem is noticeable at most times of the year but is really bad now in the heat. Have changed and checked some of the sensors but could it be the inlet air temp sensor in the Air filter box. Some have said it doesn't affect much but presumably it serves an important temperature purpose ? Or could I have problems with injectors and what they are told to give the engine ? But as I say - same problem for petrol and LPG. Don't think it is coils because out of gear engine revs smoothly to full speed.