P38A DIY major servicing

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ibgarrow

Member
Posts
61
Location
Northumberland
hi
I've a new-to-me P38 4.6 HSE 1997 with 100,000 miles. Service history stops in 2015 but car has done very few miles since. Just out of interest I requested an estimate to service it from my local JLR dealer - (take a seat, please!) - £5,500!
As I'm obviously not going to spend six times the cost of the vehicle on one service, I've acquired air, fuel, oil, gearbox, pollen filters; cats have been replaced already, and I have a set of new Dunlop airbags from Island 4x4.
I'm experienced in the past at taking engines apart, gearbox and clutch changes etc. but am feeling my age now. If I do the work, it'll be out in the open on the drive.
The question: do I do-it-myself, or sub-contract to an independent 4x4 garage? (Which has already quoted me £2-400 to change the airbags)
PS are Magnacore plug leads worth the expense to change?
 
Do it yourself. They're quite easy to service (I assume you've already downloaded RAVE and printed out the service check sheet?) apart from maybe the access to replace the leads. The airbag replacement guide by Datatek in the Technical Section is dead easy to follow.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Do it yourself. They're quite easy to service (I assume you've already downloaded RAVE and printed out the service check sheet?) apart from maybe the access to replace the leads. The airbag replacement guide by Datatek in the Technical Section is dead easy to follow.
Click to expand...
Yup, got RAVE. The leads did look difficult. The thing's so big-do you climb into the engine compartment? I'll get some steps...
 
DIY every time - struth :confused:o_O for £5.5K you can buy a workshop to do it in, and still have money left over :eek:.

Plenty of knowledgeable folk on here to help with any issues :)
 
ibgarrow said:
Any suggestions on plug lead replacement? Necessary? Magnacore any better (seem very pricey)
Click to expand...

Sorry, not tried to compare. @biketeacherdave or @ukadamwest might have tried them, IIRC. I seem to remember the dis-pack being a right sod to get your hands to, although the cars I looked at all had LPG pipes across the back so that didn't help. You change the leads one by one by feel and hope to f*ck you get them back on where they came off! Just work methodically and you'll be OK.
 
Nickpen said:
Out of interest just what were they going to be doing for their £5,500?
Click to expand...

"As it has a chequered history. I have costed a full 96,000 mile service including EAS filters, spark plugs, air filter, pollen filter, charcoal canister, engine oil and filter, gearbox oil and filter, transfer box and axle oils and catalytic convertors. This cost is £5407.86 including vat, subject to seized components. The vehicle would also receive a full visual health check, in which we would advise further on the condition of the vehicle and any further repairs required.

Land Rover also recommend on a 2 year interval that the anti-freeze and brake fluid should be changed and at 10 year intervals the air bags must be replaced. I have not costed the extra items."
 
ibgarrow said:
"As it has a chequered history. I have costed a full 96,000 mile service including EAS filters, spark plugs, air filter, pollen filter, charcoal canister, engine oil and filter, gearbox oil and filter, transfer box and axle oils and catalytic convertors. This cost is £5407.86 including vat, subject to seized components. The vehicle would also receive a full visual health check, in which we would advise further on the condition of the vehicle and any further repairs required.

Land Rover also recommend on a 2 year interval that the anti-freeze and brake fluid should be changed and at 10 year intervals the air bags must be replaced. I have not costed the extra items."
Click to expand...

That sort of money for a service no matter how comprehensive is bloody ridiculous.
 
...but I get a complementary valet...!

Cats were renewed only 4000 miles ago. I now have most/all filters and airbags. Just need plugs/leads and fluids (they seem pricey, mind!) - EP90, ATF, semi-synthetic. After that, I'll find some shelter and take it "one leg at a time".
 
ibgarrow said:
...but I get a complementary valet...!

Cats were renewed only 4000 miles ago. I now have most/all filters and airbags. Just need plugs/leads and fluids (they seem pricey, mind!) - EP90, ATF, semi-synthetic. After that, I'll find some shelter and take it "one leg at a time".
Click to expand...

For fluids check the Smith & Allan eBay shop. Airbags should be OK from somewhere like the Famous Four or Paddock Spares. Should be able to get all 4 for somewhere near the £200 mark.Might be worth checking Rimmer Bros. for leads. They might be extortionate but sometimes they surprise you. Stay away from ****part.
 
ibgarrow said:
hi
I've a new-to-me P38 4.6 HSE 1997 with 100,000 miles. Service history stops in 2015 but car has done very few miles since. Just out of interest I requested an estimate to service it from my local JLR dealer - (take a seat, please!) - £5,500!
Click to expand...

I would service it for £500, and that would include licking your windows clean.........BOTH sides mind, :D
 
I'd be suprised if anyone at a dealers knows what a P38 is let alone competently service one.
I recon a decent indy would charge less than £800 for a full service with ALL fluids changed & your airbags fitted.
Do it yourself, that way you get to know whats what & anything that needs attention.
With it in extended height (with a couple of axle stands of course) everything is accesible - Engine sump & filter / Gearbox sump & filter / Diffs / transfer box / UJ's to grease. Draining the coolant, re-filling & bleeding can be challenging at times. We dont have a garage so all my work was done on the drive (including stripping the top of the engine down numerous times). If your doing the airbags i'd also fit a new air dryer.
I put Magnacores on mine only for the reason a new set from Island 4x4 broke down PDQ & they are a PITA to change especially with LPG piping running over the coil packs.
+1 on Smith & Allan. Got all my fluids from them in bulk & used to change engine oil every 7k & gearbox every 24k.
 
ibgarrow said:
hi
I've a new-to-me P38 4.6 HSE 1997 with 100,000 miles. Service history stops in 2015 but car has done very few miles since. Just out of interest I requested an estimate to service it from my local JLR dealer - (take a seat, please!) - £5,500!
As I'm obviously not going to spend six times the cost of the vehicle on one service, I've acquired air, fuel, oil, gearbox, pollen filters; cats have been replaced already, and I have a set of new Dunlop airbags from Island 4x4.
I'm experienced in the past at taking engines apart, gearbox and clutch changes etc. but am feeling my age now. If I do the work, it'll be out in the open on the drive.
The question: do I do-it-myself, or sub-contract to an independent 4x4 garage? (Which has already quoted me £2-400 to change the airbags)
PS are Magnacore plug leads worth the expense to change?
Click to expand...

2400 to change the airbags!!

Tell them to put the bong away. Or stop doing crack.

I spent I think it was 400 for the Arnott Gen II airbags when they had a lifetime warranty with them. New clips from land rover they are like large spring pins..a couple of quid from the main dealer. A set of pry bars for 9.99 and that was it.

You don't even need to remove the wheels.. a good trolly jack helps. And you can do all four in under 2 hours.

It's probably the most simple job on a P38. And spend 30 on a valve block kit and 30 on a new compressor piston and liner ( about an hour for each) and you are set. You may want to invest in the cable for your EAS about a tenner.

You can do your Airbags and O/H the valve block and compressor for under 500 and it's a walk in the park if you follow the walk throughs.

2400 larf!!

And as for 5,500 that's insane
 
Last edited:
As an additional point. .

10 years the air bags must be changed ...

Really.. I don't think so ! Depending on use you'll get probably about 12 years on the originals. But when were they changed last.

As dave pointed out changing the cats.. the reason ?

Sounds like a garage I wouldn't take a skateboard to
 
Last edited:
Seems to be a lot of excitement about "air bag replacements", but you all seem to be discussing air springs!
LR state that, as part of the maintenance schedule:
Air bags
The front air bags on SRS vehicles must be renewed every 10 years. The side air bags must be renewed every 15 years.

So the LR garage are completely correct in their statement.
Also in the service schedule are:

At 80,000 km (48,000 miles) intervals or every four years whichever is the earlier, all hydraulic brake fluid seals, brake servo filter and flexible hoses should be renewed. All working surfaces of the master cylinder and caliper cylinders should be examined and renewed where necessary. ABS vehicles only - renew hydraulic brake fluid and flexible hoses, examine the working surfaces of the caliper cylinders and renew theseals or cylinders where necessary.

and...
48 Renew oxygen sensors (V8i only). (140,000 km 84k miles or months)
49 Renew catalytic converters (V8). (160,000 km 96k miles or months)

So to challenge a LR Main Stealer for doing their work in accordance with the published service schedule is strange. Wouldn't the expectation be that the LRMS would do the work exactly as defined, using genuine LR parts where required and "book" times for the work? You can then see that the £5500 would be easily arrived at.

The answer to the original OP's question would be:
Of course you can either do the work yourself, using quality/ OEM parts, and save fortunes. You can also get an Indy to do it for you and save a bit less. You can choose to ignore the LR recommended lifed items replacement schedule if you wish and save even more money, by waiting for those items to fail. That's up to you.
 
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