p38 service tips?

about to do a service on my p38 2.5 dhse today, isa there any tips people can give me before i start? I.E. special tools etc.

I only ask as i did a saab not too long ago and it turned out i need a vacuum pump to bleed the low pressure fuel side (managed to do it without one in the end) But dont want to run into any nasty surprises

Thanks in advance

Oils n filters are easy enuff

Fill your fuel filter with diesel before putting it on the car , u may flatten your battery trying to prime the system, have fun !!

yeah thats one thing i feared, is there a certain way to bleed the fuel system on these?

What mileage? How long have you had it?

dogsbody said:

What mileage? How long have you had it?

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mileage is 135000 ish, and had for just over 6 months now

It should have had a major service at 96,000 that would have changed all the fluids. If you're not certain about this then I'd go a bit further than just oil and filter.

Firstly, to answer your question, no there's nothing funny about bleeding these to get them started again. Your experience is good enough.

Might I suggest that you PM DATATEK on here and invest a few beer tokens on his EAS lead and software. You'll probably need it sometime and he puts a complete workshop manual and a guide to changing the suspension air bags on the disc.

I'd be thinking of;
brake fluid (you'll want the workshop manual to bleed the system)
autobox fluid, filter and the wee magnet in the box sump
transfer box
diffs
greasing the props and UJs
pollen filters - and the foam in the plenum under the screeen

It looks a fair list but I'm assuming from your details that you might find a pit or ramp that you could borrow so, apart from the pollen filters, it wouldn't take you much longer than waiting for the engine oil to drain.

Then, if you want to really go for it, a good clean inside the intercooler and it's pipes might give a wee bit more oomph!

i've already done the auto box, going to do all the normal filters today and oil, then i think i'll definitly look into doing the diff's and the t/box, i take it changing the brake fluid is not a straight forward task if you need a manual?

tbh i got mine done at a Vauxhall main dealer with dot 5 for £50 all in (apparently is takes 2 Lt) so its cheaper to let someone else do it

ash_g said:

i've already done the auto box, going to do all the normal filters today and oil, then i think i'll definitly look into doing the diff's and the t/box, i take it changing the brake fluid is not a straight forward task if you need a manual?

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Don't get me wrong, it's one of those things that is simple enough and logical - once you know how! But like anything else, if you get it wrong . . . and it's brakes, better safe than sorry.
Whilst we're on about brakes have you had a close look at the metal brake pipes? The factory fit was steel (less chance of being flattened off-road) but of course steel rusts. It makes sense, if you're going to replace the fluid, to consider exchanging the 'front to rear' and 'across the rear' pipes.

Sorry to keep throwing things at you but I've got this picture of your Rangie over a pit inside a large garage surrounded by BIG green toys and I'm just coming up with all of the things that I've been meaning to do.

Me? - exposed concrete driveway, jack, axle stands and rain running down my neck. Jealous? - as green as the toys around you.

Make sure all the nuts are tight that hold the diff to the axle. The front ones kept coming loose on mine until I loctited them.

thanks for all the advice (so far)
All done with the service, no drama's with it apart from the air filter that i ordered was wrong.
But as i was changing the fule filter i noticed one of the rubber pipes that ran by it had perished, so i replaced it, but then noticed another pipe that wasnt even connected, its the one that is connected to a sensor that bolts to one of the mounting bolts for the fuel filter, but i cant find where it is meant to go? it looks like the same kind of pipe used for the leak off on the injectors.

ash_g said:

thanks for all the advice (so far)
All done with the service, no drama's with it apart from the air filter that i ordered was wrong.
But as i was changing the fule filter i noticed one of the rubber pipes that ran by it had perished, so i replaced it, but then noticed another pipe that wasnt even connected, its the one that is connected to a sensor that bolts to one of the mounting bolts for the fuel filter, but i cant find where it is meant to go? it looks like the same kind of pipe used for the leak off on the injectors.

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Is it the vacuum pipe that connects under the inlet manifold?

dogsbody said:

Is it the vacuum pipe that connects under the inlet manifold?

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no, its not that one, but it does look like its meant to go somewhere in that area.

ash_g said:

no, its not that one, but it does look like its meant to go somewhere in that area.

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The vacuum pipe connected to the MAP sensor on the fuel filter, goes to a connection under the centre of the manifold. If it is not connected you will not be getting correct fuelling on boost. There are three vac pipes on the diesel with EGR. One goes under maniflod from exhauster (vac pump) to EGR control solenoid valve on bulkhead. Pipe from other connector on that goes back past fuel filter and is connected to EGR valve on front of manifold. Other one is the MAP sensor pipe already mentioned. Check that it is sound, free from obstruction before refitting.

Dopey said:

tbh i got mine done at a Vauxhall main dealer with dot 5 for £50 all in (apparently is takes 2 Lt) so its cheaper to let someone else do it

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Er you mean DOT 5.1 or you're in trouble. Just bought 5 litres of DOT 5.1 for a brake fluid change from my local motor factors for £23.

wammers said:

The vacuum pipe connected to the MAP sensor on the fuel filter, goes to a connection under the centre of the manifold. If it is not connected you will not be getting correct fuelling on boost. There are three vac pipes on the diesel with EGR. One goes under maniflod from exhauster (vac pump) to EGR control solenoid valve on bulkhead. Pipe from other connector on that goes back past fuel filter and is connected to EGR valve on front of manifold. Other one is the MAP sensor pipe already mentioned. Check that it is sound, free from obstruction before refitting.

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Thanks for that, i think you have hit the nail on the head with the map sensor pipe as my MPG has been a bit lower than normal for a while now, thought the service would sort it.

I did have the manifold off looking for somewhere to connect the pipe but to no avail. Any chance you could post a picture or explain in a bit more detail exactly where it connects to.
Thanks

ash_g said:

Thanks for that, i think you have hit the nail on the head with the map sensor pipe as my MPG has been a bit lower than normal for a while now, thought the service would sort it.

I did have the manifold off looking for somewhere to connect the pipe but to no avail. Any chance you could post a picture or explain in a bit more detail exactly where it connects to.
Thanks

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Sorry no picture. Under middle of manifold, round recess with a nipple connector inside it. Get yourself a mirror and flash lamp. Not hard to find.