2.5 ton paperweight??

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modelman said:
Battery new, over 13v, checked EVERY fuse, swapped all the relays around assuming a dud will throw other problems, not so.
Checked (by eye) all plugs/sockets, dis-connected battery, connected cables together to drain any residual voltage, operated all ign & other switches many times etc.
Reconnected, now I get 3 beeps on message centre & it tells my 'TRACTION_FAILURE' ABS, fault, all windows work correctly as does the sunroof, key locks & unlocks, all lights work, EAS works, engine starts easily, brakes seem to work fine, everything on the seats work, the HEVAC now lights correctly after I rebuilt the backlight assy.

What exactly does 'TRACTION FAILURE' mean??

It moves forward & backward readily, but I haven't tried it through the gears since I'm not confident with it yet to take it on the road, ( if it stops, I've no way of getting it back onto my drive)
Could the traction failure be due to the fact that I've yet to fit the front propshaft? ( I have a s/hand V/C ready just in case)
I've also tried the hi-lo setting & that works as well.
Not had time to retry the diagnostics yet.
Toying with the idea of plastering all the connections with STABILANT, which should sort all the joints once & for all.

I think ill get the interior finished (headliner out & cleaned up ready to re-cover) before getting up in the air & having a crawl about underneath !!
Click to expand...
I doubt it's lack of the front prop. Traction failure points to it possibly being an ABS sensor as they are used for traction control. It could also be the ABS ECU as they are known to fail or the connector to the ECU as it's up under the dash on the passenger side where it can get wet from water leaks. If you are very unlucky it could also be the modulator but that's rare.
 
OK gents, many thanks for that, I have something to look at now, It WOULD be under passenger side wouldn't it, it was a right cow putting that glovebox assy back!
ABS sensors, are they the units that fit into each wheel hub??
 
Well peeps, its been a while, & a lot to go on about.
Right, I'm getting on for 80 now & realise I might have bitten off too much, so I searched everywhere for a mobile mechanic to fit the viscous coupling, but after weeks looking, no-one seemed interested, so I though 'what the hell, one bolt a day'!!
Managed to get 4 axle stands on wood blocks under the chassis so there was a good 1/2 metre under, 10 mins struggling, 20 mins recovering!! But somehow managed to remove & replace the coupling WHITHOUT removing the g/box cross member, renewed the transfer box oil, auto box oil & filter, found the prop shaft a bit awkward, changed the oil in both diffs, a little oil paste on the magnets, but not much really.
Removed all 4 callipers, discs, & back plates, they were a bit rusty so cleaned them up, Kurusted & painted. All 4 speed sensors came out very easily, & look spot on, discs were good, but as I already had all new stuff, it was fitted!!
Been running it back & forth on my 30m or so drive, 1,2,3, hi lo etc, but not long enough to check the gear changing, so I finally plucked up courage to run it around the block, I was really nervous for had it conked out, I had no way of getting it back, my drive is on an incline as well!!
It shot off eagerly enough, but i'm not sure is actually changed gear, seemed to be revving a fair bit, maybe I wasn't going fast enough.
It still starts instantly & everything electrical seems to work. So, 1st question, is there any way to check the speed sensors with a meter? I still haven't managed to get my Rovacom to talk to the car yet.
2, it shows 35 max, but the sus goes up & down ok,
3, SRS airbag fault,
4, I've had every connector I can find, pulled them & they ALL look like new, yellow ones & the ones in the footwells as well,
Still a bit concerned about the gearbox, the workshop manual states that any fault shows one of very many 'GEARBOX FAULT' on the dash, I get none at all, so im wondering about the oil, when I changed it, it was a bit brown-ish, & I couldnt get as much in as I took out, filled it till it ran out, through the gears, topped up until overflowing again, but still not as much as came out.
Could this be why it seems to rev whilst driving?? Do you think I should 'do the changing' cycle again & see if I can get more in?
Remember, this had been sat in a transport yard since 2014!
 
Pulled the rad today for a bit of a front end clean & degrease, the viscous fan assy is a bit stiff, I can easily turn it by hand, but dont know just how easy it should be! Got me thinking, ( I do that now & again) would it be possible to hook up the twin AC fans to a switch/stat to use instead of the viscous jobbie, would make life a lot easier for messing around the front end with that out of the way.
Doable? Anyone done it??
 
modelman said:
Pulled the rad today for a bit of a front end clean & degrease, the viscous fan assy is a bit stiff, I can easily turn it by hand, but dont know just how easy it should be! Got me thinking, ( I do that now & again) would it be possible to hook up the twin AC fans to a switch/stat to use instead of the viscous jobbie, would make life a lot easier for messing around the front end with that out of the way.
Doable? Anyone done it??
Click to expand...
I run both my diesel P38's with no viscous fan, using just the aircon fans and a stat for control. On the V8 I suspect an additional fan would be needed, I have a mod for that as well.
 
Ah-ha! not a silly idea at all then!!
Would you be prepared to share your method, wiring etc. does it affect the A/C operation?
Can I leave off the original fan shroud, that would make for great front-end access!!
 
On my last P38 (12 yrs ago ) the rad blew, so when I fitted a replacement, I also fitted an 18" Kenlow fan, this had a thermostat with a hose-probe, & an illuminated override switch, which I found an easy install, & it worked great, even when towing my huge trailer.
I'll obviously get all the required hardware, but am unsure as to spice in to the air-con fans as I don't want to possibly screw up yet more P38 electrics!!
Can I wire into existing or is that too simple???
 
modelman said:
Ah-ha! not a silly idea at all then!!
Would you be prepared to share your method, wiring etc. does it affect the A/C operation?
Can I leave off the original fan shroud, that would make for great front-end access!!
Click to expand...
PM me with an email address. My mod does not affect the aircon operation and the shroud has to be removed. In addition to the aircon fans, if required a 16" fan can be fitted to the engine side of the RAD operated via a relay from the aircon fans.
 
modelman said:
Well peeps, its been a while, & a lot to go on about.
Right, I'm getting on for 80 now & realise I might have bitten off too much, so I searched everywhere for a mobile mechanic to fit the viscous coupling, but after weeks looking, no-one seemed interested, so I though 'what the hell, one bolt a day'!!
Managed to get 4 axle stands on wood blocks under the chassis so there was a good 1/2 metre under, 10 mins struggling, 20 mins recovering!! But somehow managed to remove & replace the coupling WHITHOUT removing the g/box cross member, renewed the transfer box oil, auto box oil & filter, found the prop shaft a bit awkward, changed the oil in both diffs, a little oil paste on the magnets, but not much really.
Removed all 4 callipers, discs, & back plates, they were a bit rusty so cleaned them up, Kurusted & painted. All 4 speed sensors came out very easily, & look spot on, discs were good, but as I already had all new stuff, it was fitted!!
Been running it back & forth on my 30m or so drive, 1,2,3, hi lo etc, but not long enough to check the gear changing, so I finally plucked up courage to run it around the block, I was really nervous for had it conked out, I had no way of getting it back, my drive is on an incline as well!!
It shot off eagerly enough, but i'm not sure is actually changed gear, seemed to be revving a fair bit, maybe I wasn't going fast enough.
It still starts instantly & everything electrical seems to work. So, 1st question, is there any way to check the speed sensors with a meter? I still haven't managed to get my Rovacom to talk to the car yet.
2, it shows 35 max, but the sus goes up & down ok,
3, SRS airbag fault,
4, I've had every connector I can find, pulled them & they ALL look like new, yellow ones & the ones in the footwells as well,
Still a bit concerned about the gearbox, the workshop manual states that any fault shows one of very many 'GEARBOX FAULT' on the dash, I get none at all, so im wondering about the oil, when I changed it, it was a bit brown-ish, & I couldnt get as much in as I took out, filled it till it ran out, through the gears, topped up until overflowing again, but still not as much as came out.
Could this be why it seems to rev whilst driving?? Do you think I should 'do the changing' cycle again & see if I can get more in?
Remember, this had been sat in a transport yard since 2014!
Click to expand...

I don't have much experience of the auto but it will hold it in gear longer until the oil has warmed up. If the gearbox sensor had gone you'd get gearbox fault on the dash. As for the oil change, you cannot get it all out as some is in the cooler and its pipes and the torque converter. If it was brown then it might take 2 or 3 changes to get it all through. Adding a bit of Lucas Transmission Fix in the intermediate change might help a bit too. When you topped up was that with the engine running?
 
Topped up a couple of times with the engine running.
Only plucked up courage once to run it round the block & I was very cautious, also, it hadn't run since 2014 so & it was very sluggish,
Yesterday, I ran it until warm, then absolutely 'floored' it & it took off like a scalded cat, really surprised me actually!!
The straight section of my drive is only about 100ft so I had to jam on the anchors ( all new brakes ) & stopped inches from my car!!
Did this about a dozen or so times, & it got better every time.

I'm getting some 'weird' 'leccie' happenings however, I'm sitting there throttling the engine up & down when the central-locking kicks in, all doors lock, then a couple of seconds later, they all unlock again!! This happens every time I get in the car.
I get in the car, start, all the lights on the EAS switch come on & nothing happens, open the door, close it, they go out & everything works, low, middle, high etc. Up & down as it should, what's going on there then????
Another strange one, I've sussed that somehow the tailgate switch & fuel flap are connected, every now & again, the fuel door button is inoperative, then at the same time, the the tailgate button does nothing, I lock the car with the fob, unlock & they both work again!
AAAAARGH.
 
modelman said:
Topped up a couple of times with the engine running.
Only plucked up courage once to run it round the block & I was very cautious, also, it hadn't run since 2014 so & it was very sluggish,
Yesterday, I ran it until warm, then absolutely 'floored' it & it took off like a scalded cat, really surprised me actually!!
The straight section of my drive is only about 100ft so I had to jam on the anchors ( all new brakes ) & stopped inches from my car!!
Did this about a dozen or so times, & it got better every time.

I'm getting some 'weird' 'leccie' happenings however, I'm sitting there throttling the engine up & down when the central-locking kicks in, all doors lock, then a couple of seconds later, they all unlock again!! This happens every time I get in the car.
I get in the car, start, all the lights on the EAS switch come on & nothing happens, open the door, close it, they go out & everything works, low, middle, high etc. Up & down as it should, what's going on there then????
Another strange one, I've sussed that somehow the tailgate switch & fuel flap are connected, every now & again, the fuel door button is inoperative, then at the same time, the the tailgate button does nothing, I lock the car with the fob, unlock & they both work again!
AAAAARGH.
Click to expand...

Middle microswitch on the bottom of the door actuator. Or possibly the earth wire has fouled the window regulator because soneone hasn't clipped the wires in place and it has caused a break in the wire.
 
modelman said:
Topped up a couple of times with the engine running.
Only plucked up courage once to run it round the block & I was very cautious, also, it hadn't run since 2014 so & it was very sluggish,
Yesterday, I ran it until warm, then absolutely 'floored' it & it took off like a scalded cat, really surprised me actually!!
The straight section of my drive is only about 100ft so I had to jam on the anchors ( all new brakes ) & stopped inches from my car!!
Did this about a dozen or so times, & it got better every time.

I'm getting some 'weird' 'leccie' happenings however, I'm sitting there throttling the engine up & down when the central-locking kicks in, all doors lock, then a couple of seconds later, they all unlock again!! This happens every time I get in the car.
I get in the car, start, all the lights on the EAS switch come on & nothing happens, open the door, close it, they go out & everything works, low, middle, high etc. Up & down as it should, what's going on there then????
Another strange one, I've sussed that somehow the tailgate switch & fuel flap are connected, every now & again, the fuel door button is inoperative, then at the same time, the the tailgate button does nothing, I lock the car with the fob, unlock & they both work again!
AAAAARGH.
Click to expand...
Classic door lock micro switch failure.
 
modelman said:
Topped up a couple of times with the engine running.
Only plucked up courage once to run it round the block & I was very cautious, also, it hadn't run since 2014 so & it was very sluggish,
Yesterday, I ran it until warm, then absolutely 'floored' it & it took off like a scalded cat, really surprised me actually!!
The straight section of my drive is only about 100ft so I had to jam on the anchors ( all new brakes ) & stopped inches from my car!!
Did this about a dozen or so times, & it got better every time.

I'm getting some 'weird' 'leccie' happenings however, I'm sitting there throttling the engine up & down when the central-locking kicks in, all doors lock, then a couple of seconds later, they all unlock again!! This happens every time I get in the car.
I get in the car, start, all the lights on the EAS switch come on & nothing happens, open the door, close it, they go out & everything works, low, middle, high etc. Up & down as it should, what's going on there then????
Another strange one, I've sussed that somehow the tailgate switch & fuel flap are connected, every now & again, the fuel door button is inoperative, then at the same time, the the tailgate button does nothing, I lock the car with the fob, unlock & they both work again!
AAAAARGH.
Click to expand...
As said previously its the door lock actuator drivers side. Had exactly same on mine a few years back. Replaced complete actuator and jobs a good un. :)
Sent old one to martyuk as he refurbs them, believe he's in New Zealand now though as that is where work is for him.
Do some searching as I believe the MG TF door locks were the same as the P38's but a lot cheaper to buy
 
+1 on Doorlock microswitches. Mine used to randomly lock/unlock when going over potholes.
Talk about "ghost in the machine", really unnerving. :eek:
A new latch fixed it, and I donated the failed one to MartyUK to put in the stock to be refurbished. :)
 
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