P38 diesel 'engine check' lamp when lifting off

Hi folks, new member here from north of Scotland looking for some help. I've recently bought a P38 diesel automatic and have been trawling the internet looking for an uncomplicated answer to an engine problem. I'm no stranger to a bit of spannering but I'm new to range rovers and their systems. I've found similar issues that have pointed to fuel pump or cam sensor but no one has concluded their thread or confirmed a fix (pet hate on forums)

My problem is the 'check engine' light is flicking on for a second when I lift off the accelerator. I've noticed it generally between 40 and 60 mph.

This bit may or may not be related but I've had the car a month now and on three occasions the engine completely lost power when coming off a roundabout or accelerating out a junction then burst back into life after about 5 seconds coasting. The only light on the dash was the engine check light so not entirely sure if it completely stalled.

I'm hoping someone can simply tell me what component to change but I'm sure it will be not be as easy and I'll end up being told to fork out for a diagnostics session.

Any help would be greatly appreciated

No4 injector wiring ? Diagnostic's sound a good idea:welcome2:

Fuel quantity servo problem is likely. Diag needed to confirm.

With this being an intermittent fault would it show up on diagnostics?

Jamesf077 said:

With this being an intermittent fault would it show up on diagnostics?

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Yep, fault codes will be logged regardless of if the lamp is currently on or off!

wammers said:

Fuel quantity servo problem is likely. Diag needed to confirm.

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+1 My cousin has this same fault normally happens first thing in the morning a couple of times then is fine all day. We plugged it in and as Wammers said its quantity servo.

Elevating idle speed to about 800/850 with diag may stave it off for a while, but eventually as it progresses you will get stalling when slowing approaching lights, junctions or pulling away and loading the engine by turning the steering wheel. Only cure is an exchange injection pump.

Thanks for your quick replies guys. I've owned bmw's for the last 10 years and always done my own diagnostics. The diagnostics stuff for land rovers that I can find are a lot more expensive to buy though. How much should I expect to pay for a diagnosis session?

Best thing to do would be to ask very nicely on here and see if anyone local to you has one they would be willing to plug in. That's what i did and for a bit of beer money you get your faults read and make a new friend too.

or expect to pay around 50 to 80 quid (that what i was quoted around here)

Jamesf077 said:

Thanks for your quick replies guys. I've owned bmw's for the last 10 years and always done my own diagnostics. The diagnostics stuff for land rovers that I can find are a lot more expensive to buy though. How much should I expect to pay for a diagnosis session?

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Depends how much your local garage wants to rip you off. But first he has to have the diag to talk to it. Not all can. With proper diag it would take all of five minutes to read the EDC faults.

Cool, I'll try that but I'm WAY up north so I'm not holding out for many people to be nearby. I might just take a risk and go straight for a fuel pump. Always handy to have a spare if it's not that. Any suggestions on sourcing a quality used and tested pump? Also is it exactly the same part for the BMW E34 and E39 tds engines?

Jamesf077 said:

Cool, I'll try that but I'm WAY up north so I'm not holding out for many people to be nearby. I might just take a risk and go straight for a fuel pump. Always handy to have a spare if it's not that. Any suggestions on sourcing a quality used and tested pump? Also is it exactly the same part for the BMW E34 and E39 tds engines?

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Not the same as the BMW. Look at the part number on the pump, new one MUST match exactly. BMW pumps have different electronics and will not work on the P38. Must be part # 0460406944. See this. Land Rover Range Rover Diesel Fuel Pumps

wammers said:

Not the same as the BMW. Look at the part number on the pump, new one MUST match exactly. BMW pumps have different electronics and will not work on the P38. Must be part # 0460406944. See this. Land Rover Range Rover Diesel Fuel Pumps

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Also different flange sizes

That's great info, thank you very much to all. Will get the pump replaced once I find a reliable one for a reasonable price, maybe get diagnostics if in feeling flush and will report back once fixed.

Jamesf077 said:

That's great info, thank you very much to all. Will get the pump replaced once I find a reliable one for a reasonable price, maybe get diagnostics if in feeling flush and will report back once fixed.

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Better diagnostics first, you will not be happy if you fork out £600+ for a pump and find it's not that.

Whoa! Is that the going rate for a pump. Was going to look for a second hand tested item?

Jamesf077 said:

Whoa! Is that the going rate for a pump. Was going to look for a second hand tested item?

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Which might last 5 minutes, with the labour cost of fitting the new pump it's just not worth fitting secondhand IMO. Different if you can DIY.

wammers said:

Not the same as the BMW. Look at the part number on the pump, new one MUST match exactly. BMW pumps have different electronics and will not work on the P38. Must be part # 0460406944. See this. Land Rover Range Rover Diesel Fuel Pumps

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Didn't someone fit a pump off a 325d some time ago ? They had to change the top of the FIP as I remember. Then again , I could have dreamt it.

Labour cost is not an issue, I can fit a fuel pump

tomcat59alan said:

Didn't someone fit a pump off a 325d some time ago ? They had to change the top of the FIP as I remember. Then again , I could have dreamt it.

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Yep just so, electrics are different. And seeing as how the bit that's going duff in on the top half of the pump, that is not an option. You would just be putting the failing part back on.