P38A Drivers door latch

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
Doubt it. The motors are 5V but have a very short 12V pulse to stop them burning out that whips them round very fast causing a peg to extend out and flick the latch into its new position.
Thanks for the info - interesting. Engineering in the 90's - bonkers!
I suppose my view is coloured by the fact that the motors in both front latches were burnt out when I got my P38...
 
In my case part of the plastic case had broken off and jammed at the front of the latch so it wouldn't go past.
Do try to get a photo of that onto this thread - always good to learn about the foibles of our P38's.
In retrospect, if you had known what was causing the problem, could you have retrieved or dislodged that broken bit, so you could open the door?
 
No way of getting at it insitu. The piece was at the striker plate entry point into the lock and the door wouldn't open far enough. When the site will allow I will get the pics up.
 
No way of getting at it insitu. The piece was at the striker plate entry point into the lock and the door wouldn't open far enough. When the site will allow I will get the pics up.

To save you getting a complete new latch, I have a pair of latches that I keep in case I need spares. Happy to pop the relevant bit in the post to you, if you could identify it.

IMG_1970.jpg

IMG_1971.jpg
 
Last edited:
Doubt it. The motors are 5V but have a very short 12V pulse to stop them burning out that whips them round very fast causing a peg to extend out and flick the latch into its new position.
Are you sure the motors are 5 volts because they are certainly not operated by a "very short pulse" as you put it. As you can see form the photo's, the main motor drives a gear mechanism.
 
The are 12V motors, but definitely get too hot even when testing them outside the latch. I suspect they are designed to use a short burst of 12V, just enough to spin the gears.
 
To save you getting a complete new latch, I have a pair of latches that I keep in case I need spares. Happy to pop the relevant bit in the post to you, if you could identify it.

View attachment 280191
View attachment 280192
Thanks for the offer but it was the other side under the metal plate that covers the latch I got the offending bit of plastic out by levering the plate up. It's only a press fit.
 
Are you sure the motors are 5 volts because they are certainly not operated by a "very short pulse" as you put it. As you can see form the photo's, the main motor drives a gear mechanism.

Pretty sure when I looked them up years ago they were rated at 5V..I put it on a thread somewhere. I was looking at replacement motors but the only ones I could find had shafts that were way too long.
 
Maybe there's different motors in the various latches ? Mabuchi FC-280PD-20150 is the part number on mine, and that comes up as 12V.

I got some identical motors from China that fit the latches & contacts are in the correct positions. So far failed to swap the white plastic spinner over. Top one is a failed P38 motor, but plastic part broke whe nI tried to pull it off.
upload_2022-12-22_11-9-25.png
 

Attachments

  • upload_2022-12-22_11-6-49.png
    upload_2022-12-22_11-6-49.png
    132.1 KB · Views: 117
Maybe there's different motors in the various latches ? Mabuchi FC-280PD-20150 is the part number on mine, and that comes up as 12V.

I got some identical motors from China that fit the latches & contacts are in the correct positions. So far failed to swap the white plastic spinner over. Top one is a failed P38 motor, but plastic part broke whe nI tried to pull it off.
View attachment 280235
Well, the motors in mine are certainly not 5volt, they are either 9 or 12 volt, hard to determine which, but run on 12volts the motor does not overheat unless under load so I would guess they are 12 volt.
 
Maybe there's different motors in the various latches ? Mabuchi FC-280PD-20150 is the part number on mine, and that comes up as 12V.

I got some identical motors from China that fit the latches & contacts are in the correct positions. So far failed to swap the white plastic spinner over. Top one is a failed P38 motor, but plastic part broke whe nI tried to pull it off.
View attachment 280235

Yes, I seem to recall getting the plastic bits off was impossible without destroying them although I recall soneone saying they had managed it. Maybe they used a heat gun? Or heated the shaft somehow?
 
With the door ajar and the rear door open can you see/get to the screws that hold the lock, maybe if you got them out there would be enough movement in the latch to release it?

Maybe @Rubberknees has 1 on his kitchen table ( I think cos post history don’t work either atm:() it’s broke too but he may have some ideas of which combination of levers to push/pull

Sorry out of ideas:)

J
Only just got this have been very busy with my old mum being very ill.
Looks like others have provided what is needed. I was fortunate mine froze when door was open so was a simple job to take off and replace.
 
Feeling for you we had last two years with dad in & out of hospital due to strokes & dementia. Not great. Was very sad but some relief when he passed few months ago.

it’s always difficult but does get easier. Stay strong mate.
 
Back
Top