P38 2.5 DSE Non starter. 1999.. Plus No Reverse..

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
B

BrenK

Active Member
Posts
146
Location
Northants
Car delivered to day, and as advised is a non starter.
Fitted new battery (Platinum 642x) (no battery at all in it and been sitting for a couple of months)
Re sync BEcm with Syncmate and got green flash, all good.
Enter EKA code, Engine Disabled warning goes out.
Turn key, cranks like a good un, but wont fire.
Has had an aftermarket fuel pump fitted next to filter (very crudely wired to fuse box by spade connectors pushed into relay sockets! Will sort reason for that and wiring later....) Fuel pumps out of hose from pump. Filter full, but looks like quite a few bubbles in clear pipe to injector pump.
Still just cranks over and over, no sign of starting. Glow plug light comes on and goes off after a few seconds.
When ignition put on, various warnings flash on, like brake light bulb failed, windows not set, sunroof not set, Traction lost, would these have any bearing on it?
Got to dark to delve into it any more tonight, no such luxury as a garage sadly :-(
Away over weekend, so no chance to delve in, but any pointers as to where/what/how to check likely culprits would be appreciated.
Cheers.
 
Might be a few things. Diagnostics would help.

Worth checking the glow plugs. Wammers says it needs at least 3 in a row to fire to get started.

Given the air you might do well bleeding the high pressure pipes. Crack them off at the injectors and tighten as fuel comes through.

After that it could be stop solenoid. There's an emergency reset switch behind the driver's kick panel as well.

Then there's crank sensor or duff #4 ... The list continues.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Might be a few things. Diagnostics would help.

Worth checking the glow plugs. Wammers says it needs at least 3 in a row to fire to get started.

Given the air you might do well bleeding the high pressure pipes. Crack them off at the injectors and tighten as fuel comes through.

After that it could be stop solenoid. There's an emergency reset switch behind the driver's kick panel as well.

Then there's crank sensor or duff #4 ... The list continues.
Click to expand...

Duff number four injector will not prevent a start. However it will cause a limp mode at around half throttle.
 
Thanks for all the pointers lads.
I'm away for weekend so will be having a look at everything on monday.

There is an electric fuel pump fitted by a previous owner, so assume i can ignore lift pump for now? Or have i misinterpreted its purpose? Gauge shows just under a 1/4 of a tank.

Spill lines have all been replaced as has injector pump.

But I'll have a look at everything monday.

Is there a post any where for testing glow plugs and / or relay? As it doesn't sound like its ever going to even try and fire.
Thanks again for all your help.

(p.s, any one near Kettering in Northamptonshire with Nanocom that wouldn't mind coming and having a look at the codes? Refreshments will of course be provided and beer tokens are mandatory ;-)
Bren.
 
With ignition on and glow lamp on there should be voltage to glow plugs. If not, check 80 amp strip fuse in glow plug relay is sound. If not replace and repeat first test. To test glow plugs remove power cable from each one and check resistance from terminal to plug body. Set meter at 200 ohms. Put test wires together, Note any reading. This to be deducted from glow plug reading. There should be a resistance of around 0.1 to 0.8 ohm shown. Any slightly higher reading than that will cause plug to glow slower. Very high readings and the plug is duff. Then we get to if the replacement injection pump is the correct one. If new/refurbed it should be fine. If from a P38 it should be fine. If from a BMW or Vauxhall it will not be. And the top will need changing. This is a task and half even if you know what you are doing. Dump the second pump and fit a new VDO lift pump ASAP.

Note to other members.
In time to come, you can post this info so that people will actually think you know what you are talking about. :D:D
 
Last edited:
Excellent Wammers. Just what I wanted.
I’ll start digging around tomorrow.

As a newbie in this site, I feel like I’m definitely missing out on a very long running “in joke” here
 
I had similar problem, did all you have and more.
Took the crank sensor out, fitted substitute, no joy put old one back in.
In desperation went back checked the pump output after the filter, all good, took filter off checked output, all good, screwed filter back on, she started injecting. Then started!
Still none the wiser. Did have stop solenoid problem after but that was cutting out when running.
Hope it helps. The guys on here were, are awesome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

D
Non-starting 1997 Freelander L-series
Replies
5
Views
407
Freddie17
Freddie17
F
P38 DSE loss of power when driving
2
Replies
33
Views
2K
Mark Piercy
Mark Piercy
Joss155
P38A 2.5 dse becm syncmate
Replies
17
Views
2K
Joss155
Joss155
T
P38A P38 DSE Manual (non-EGR) No turbo boost
Replies
7
Views
659
Grrrrrr
Grrrrrr
V
P38 2.5 weird modification...
Replies
3
Views
700
Datatek
Datatek
Back
Top