P38A Stop now or pour more money into it?

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DanClarke

DanClarke

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Benfleet, Essex
She's a 1999 4.6HSE that has seen better days TBH. A few ugly dents, the bonnet has lost all shine and is a mottled scruffy dark blue. She once ran nicely and delivered a respectable(ish) 18MPG if you were gentle with your boot. On LPG she would do c.15.4MPG.

Fast forward and the LPG has just "died" and wont engage (doesn't like the Lambda output although they are brand new and kosher. There's something seriously wrong with the fuel mapping because she stinks of unburnt fuel. An OBD2 scan tells me that one lambda is a 0.1v and the other at 1..0v and I think the EMS is in a mess.
Not sure what to do with her TBH. The wife keeps nagging me to get rid of it as I am retired now and only do 500 miles a year, and i do even less now that it is returning only 9MPG on petrol.
Local "Landy Specialist" won't touch it because it has LPG on it.

I dimly remember something about mis-wiring of coil packs to spark plugs causing havoc with the EMS but I cannot find any info on that now.
I have even toyed with the idea of having the LandiRenzo LPG pulled out and a more modern system fitted, but if the thing is basically shagged, what's the point? Just more good money after bad. Such a shame because it was a beautiful car to drive (even if a tad juicy). Any thoughts, tips, advice, suggestions of decent Rangie miracle-workers in the Essex (Southend On Sea) who might be worth taking her to?
 
Hello
I have a 4 lt still on petrol had a lot of trouble with it I had all sorts of code coming up on my hawkeye cut a very long story short I put a £30 maf sensor on it and it runs better than it has ever
 
Hi there oldtel48, I have tried an new MAF but it made no difference and the readings I was getting off either the new or old MAF were exactly what they should have been (in line with RPM).
I wish it was something as simple as that, I really do. Really pleased to hear that it worked for you though.

When they are running well they are such lovely vehicles. Thanks for responding mate :) much obliged.
 
Sorry to hear, it all depends at the end of the day how much you like/love the car there are many more around if you choose to replace it, but it rests solely your call!!
 
I had a similar question with my L322 earlier this year, keep pumping money in or trade it. Not sure if my logic will work for you but basically it went along the lines of, for what it costs to keep it on the road, running well, could you buy another vehicle, which you would be as happy or as comfortable in. Adding in if you buy another veh that is not new , would you be landed with someone else's issues and considering how few miles you do, does mpg matter enormously.
Those are the questions I asked myself, the result was my beautiful big girl, is still on my drive and I have fallen back in love with her.
Hope that helps.
 
These things are pretty robust .1v is lean 1.0v is rich. The o2 sensors should flip between those two figures every second or two when idling when warm. Can you get some maf readings , you should have 22kgs he on idle with all loads off. Get it running sweet on petro and then look at the lpg.
 
What else you going to spend your money on? If you love it ,Fix it, if you dont,Sell it. there is only you that needs convincing
 
Fix it of course its proberly not that much wrong with it start with the basics and report back get the petrol running 1st and I bet the LPG will sort its self. At worst your gonna have to supply tea n bacon sarnies and a few of us will come round and have a p38 fixing party :D
 
As a committed "All seasons" BBQ user I am good on Cheese & Bacon burgers and I'm sure a Samovar can be hired for the tea's. :)
Will start with the Petrol (as you say). Easiest is to just pull the LPG system's main fuse. Then its Petrol only.
 
Did you reset the fuel trims after changing the O2 sensors ? ECU temp sensor ? Genuine or aftermarket replacement MAF ? Air leaks between MAF & manifold ?

Also what condition are the rubber pipes from the LPG injectors to the intake manifold ? Any splits in these could screw up petrol running, even when the injectors are not firing. or maybe even a dirty LPG injector could be leaking when off.
 
hi, and thanks for responding. i don't know how to reset the fuel trims. Is this a (don't laugh) handy-dandy "re-set/re-learn" button on the BECM or a complex ROVACOM operation?
I'm O.O.O ATM with a broken shoulder post-op so I am unable to do much of anything right now. Is it something I can take to a LR garage (non main dealer) and say "Please reset the fuel trims"?
 
Ideally you need someone with Nanocom or equivalent. Not sure if generic code readers can reset fuel trims, but somebody on here might know.
I can't see many people near you on the LZ Map with the right gear either.

Best bet would be to phone around the local garages and ask specifically for Fuel Trim Adaptive Reset.
 
Generic OBD readers won't reset the fuel trims, no...
The adaptive trims will reset themselves with a bit of driving, and how far off they were before will also make a difference on how quickly they reset.

As others have said - get the petrol system sorted and the LPG side will also follow, most likely - or if not, then at least you are back to decent MPG on petrol.

I've found on the later Bosch P38's that there are some parts that they ONLY like the genuine Bosch parts (must be something to do with the calibration tolerance of the sensors) - and the MAF and O2 sensors are 2 of those parts that genuine Bosch is definitely recommended. I had a bearmach MAF in mine for awhile until I could afford a genuine one - and it still pulled the fuel trims off to one end of the scale, as even though it was reading 'about right' it wasn't close enough when you started clocking up some miles in it.

I don't know how far North Walsham is from you - but there's a guy there who works at a garage (Highway Motors, I think) who's on a couple of FB groups I'm part of, and he a) works on P38's, b) owns a P38, and c) has a Nanocom which should be able to do your fuel trim reset. It could be worth giving him a shout and seeing if he's happy to come out and have a look... I know a couple of other owners out that way too - but I can't remember if they have diagnostics.

Hope this helps,
Marty
 
That would be a very decent thing to do Biketeacherdave.
My Brother in law (the MOT tester) is putting the word out among his various garages he tests for and will see if anyone local can do anything in the short term.

Hope you have a good Xmas. :)
 
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