So, as a newbie to owning any 4x4, let alone a Range Rover (in this case a '97 2.5 diesel DSE manual on air), and having only a limited experience/knowledge of all things mechanical, I guess I bought it with a little of the old "rose tinted" view.. how hard can it be, right?

Well, quietly proud of myself today. Had a good weekend with fiddly bits, got a couple of the jobs done that have been bugging me.
Yesterday, got my constant battery drain issue sorted by fitting a remote cut-out between the RF unit and the BECM, means using two fobs but at least the Tank will start each time now lol, didn't fancy paying 400 quid for a shielded RF unit, my cut-out was a tenner from china.
Then, emboldened by yesterdays success, decided to sort the glovebox and passenger door latch problem.
Glove box was a real bugger, it wouldn't open, so had to dismantle it and wriggle it out, solution was that the catch at the end of the cable kept popping out, bit of plastic strip to wedge it in place, re-assembled and works fine.
Door was down to the wife yanking on the door release after she had leant on the locking catch... took the door card off and found that the end of the cable had popped out of the plastic retainer... popped back in and hey presto, fixed... was worried it was a snapped cable, but lucky me it wasn't.
Now that I know how to get into the door, and I have sorted the glovebox (means I have access under that side of the dash), I can start looking at the other problems still on the "must do" list ... the electrics in the passenger door don't work (window, mirror, central locking) , and the blower motors failures.... it never ends lol.
To anyone who's a little reticent to get the spanners and screwdrivers out... hit all the P38, LR, RR and 4x4 sites you can, they are more than happy to give advice, and I'm guessing that, along with the oil cooler replacement (thanks again Kyle) I did a couple of weekends ago, all these bits of DIY have saved me in excess of 1000 pounds, and, think about it, if you try, and cant fix it, then it will go into the garage anyway...so what you got to lose?

Although I still have a lot to learn I learnt just about everything I currently know that way.

Buy the worst Land Rover you can lay your hands on and a socket set. Then pester the life out of everyone on every LR forum you can find when ever anything goes wrong.

After doing that for long enough, one does start to develop a fair bit of confidence.

Good luck with the p38. If the engine is running well stick a chip on it. It'll be much better to drive.

Its far from a bad vehicle, and it runs sweet as a nut, there's no major faults (two failed blower motors isn't major, is it?) and I've wanted one for over 20 years. I've taken it greenlaning, and going on a play'n'play next weekend, and the wife loves it too, even though she won't admit it lol.

Wasn't suggesting yours was a bad 'un by the way, that was just the way I did it ....... and believe me, my Disco was one of the worst....

After that I bought the best p38 I could lay my hands on, which has served me well for years. I just wish id fitted the chip years before I did.

Enjoy the RR, they are great things to own.

Glad you got the rf unit sorted out, and well done on the other bits, they are not to bad to work on when you get down to it, they are just a bit daunting to start with.

Its doubtful you have x2 faulty blower motors check the engine bay fuse box find the blower relays replace with bog standard relays failing that check the fuse box for burning/scortch marks

Awww bless. I remember the glow and optimism when I too was just a babe in the woods, new to the P38. I'll say no more..

Yes, two blown blower motors?

That's usually a fault within the becm not powering them.

Is the radio working? Is it a genuine or aftermarket?

Well, my joy at fixing my battery drain fault was short lived, whilst it is better, it still getting drained after 3 or 4 days, so its back to the drawing board, time to get the multimeter out and pull fuses.

Rick-the-Pick said:

Yes, two blown blower motors?

That's usually a fault within the becm not powering them.

Is the radio working? Is it a genuine or aftermarket?

Click to expand...

The motors worked when I got the vehicle, then stopped, I swapped the relays around and they worked again and then stopped. I'm going to pick up some new relays and see if that makes a difference, although I did strip them down and test them and they seemed ok.
The radio lights up, but doesn't work, the display is blank, I think its the standard one that comes with the vehicle as far as I can tell.

WayneRR4x4 said:

Well, my joy at fixing my battery drain fault was short lived, whilst it is better, it still getting drained after 3 or 4 days, so its back to the drawing board, time to get the multimeter out and pull fuses.

Click to expand...

Well, although I'm no expert after loads of research and testing, it looks like the BECM is nor going to sleep, so, whats the next step?
New (2nd hand) BECM (and keys?)?
Send BECM away for a spanking (I mean, to get fixed)?
Find a friendly helpful P38 owner with a Nanocom who can sort it?

I'm hoping for option 3, but knowing my luck it will be (expensive) option 1 or 2 lol.

Time to strip the fuse box before it catches fire

Power to the blower motors comes from the underbonnet fuse box... if swapping the relays powered them again for awhile, then it suggests that the fuse box could do with replacing, or at the very least removing/inspecting.

The main power to the blower motors runs from the fuse box, and then through a connector in the RHF footwell, behind the kick panel. The connectors in there are known to go green and horrible, mainly the for the smaller wiring that links a couple of the looms, but the 2 way connector that the blower motor power goes through is also susceptible, and I know a couple of owners now whose intermittent blower motor faults have been caused by a bad connection here.

If your missing all the electrics in the passenger door, then again, look at connectors in the LHF A post (pull the rubber sheath with the door loom in it from the vehicle side and in there should be 2 or 3 connectors which are also known to corrode and cause issues. Make sure there is +12V between purple/black and the purple/blue wires and BOTH the ground pins. Everything not working in a door is a sign of a serial communication fault between the outstation and the BECM - commonly in these connectors, or sometimes a break in a wire.

For P38 owners it is two crossed fingers above the wheel. For others ...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/wave-etiquette.104513/

dont know if it helps or not but on my p 38 the problem was the connectors going into the motors,if i jiggled them they would work so i stripped them out cleaned them tightened them up and refitted and 9 months later still going ok
hope it helps.
Oh think i remember someone saying if your pollen filters become overloaded the fans draw tremendous more current and will search out poor connections. Was true with mine full up with leaves,rotted down as the pre foam filter was missing

odyssey said:

P38, feeling smug!
Never, ever dare to put 'smug' and 'P38' in the same sentence, it will come back and bite you on the arse (as I think you're beginning to realise). You have a Land rover product - it will go wrong. Fix it (or get it fixed), chalk it up to experience, then enjoy it till next time. You're allowed to feel a vague, uneasy sense of dread in the meantime . . .

Click to expand...

How prophetic lol!
The fix was short-lived, the battery still goes flat.
On removing inner trim I also now find that I have water leaking (possibly from my rear washer that's stopped spraying water) into the LH wiring channel.
I also thought I'd found the fault with the LH door electrics, plug behind the LH footwell kick panel was badly corroded, terminals shot, re-wired it... LH door electrics still don't work lol!
On mooching around the under-bonnet fusebox to see if I could get my blower motors to work, I now find that someone has unplugged my alarm... this cannot be good news!
And, in the fusebox, I find that some electrical circuits can apparently work without fuses.... yes, I know this cannot be true, but I have fuses missing in positions 28 (Aircon/Air susp), 29 (Starter motor/Air susp), 35 (Ignition coils(ems)) and 40 (Air susp) and yet all those components work... although now I've said that they probably wont!
In future, I will refrain from using any language that the RR gods could deem as a challenge to their plan to turn me into a halfway competent hobbyist fiddler and fettler of RR parts and vehicles.

WayneRR4x4 said:

How prophetic lol!
The fix was short-lived, the battery still goes flat.
On removing inner trim I also now find that I have water leaking (possibly from my rear washer that's stopped spraying water) into the LH wiring channel.
I also thought I'd found the fault with the LH door electrics, plug behind the LH footwell kick panel was badly corroded, terminals shot, re-wired it... LH door electrics still don't work lol!
On mooching around the under-bonnet fusebox to see if I could get my blower motors to work, I now find that someone has unplugged my alarm... this cannot be good news!
And, in the fusebox, I find that some electrical circuits can apparently work without fuses.... yes, I know this cannot be true, but I have fuses missing in positions 28 (Aircon/Air susp), 29 (Starter motor/Air susp), 35 (Ignition coils(ems)) and 40 (Air susp) and yet all those components work... although now I've said that they probably wont!
In future, I will refrain from using any language that the RR gods could deem as a challenge to their plan to turn me into a halfway competent hobbyist fiddler and fettler of RR parts and vehicles.

Click to expand...

http://www.p38rangerover.com/index.php/fuses-and-relays/engine-bay-fuse-box.html