P38A 4.0 Service

Hi Chaps,

My dad's 4.0 2001 P38 is in the garage at the moment after he broke the overflow pipe putting the new battery in... Anyhow, given that it was due for its service anyway apparently it's had an oil change and he gave me a call asking if anything else should be done. I have proposed the following:

• Brake accumulator - the 3 lights take ages to extinguish - purchase from Island4x4
• Rocker cover gaskets - these seem to be leaking oil
• Gearbox oil and filter
• Transfer box oil
• Diff Oil
• UJ grease

Everything else (pollen, air, fuel filters) is very easy and I trust him to do

Have I missed anything out that should be checked or suggested something unnecessary?

Thanks!

Hi mate, whats the milage? I've just done my 96,000

If you are at a garage and it is a "weep" from the rocker covers i wouldn't personally pay the labour for that. But yes to all the above. Three amigos go out after 5mph then you are ok.

Oh and i did that to my radiator nipple by changing the battery……bloody flimsy!

Falk said:

Hi mate, whats the milage? I've just done my 96,000

If you are at a garage and it is a "weep" from the rocker covers i wouldn't personally pay the labour for that. But yes to all the above. Three amigos go out after 5mph then you are ok.

Oh and i did that to my radiator nipple by changing the battery……bloody flimsy!

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Mileage is circa 120000 I think.

To be fair, replacing any bit of the cooling system isn't a bad thing on the V8!

ABS goes out at >5mph but all 3 (ABS, handbrake, TC) stay on until the brake system is pressurised.

I can't comment on the level of oil leak unfortunately, I'm aware there's stuff coming out the bottom but.. that's pretty standard for the Rover V8 as I understand it! I'm partial to trusting the garage (opposite my dad's business and they're decent friends) if they say the covers need doing, from digging through a couple of old threads it's not too big a job? (Saint...? ) Sadly I'm not around to do this stuff anymore otherwise I'd do everything except the brake stuff!

Rocker Cover gaskets is a simple one....nowt to it.....

Drivers side is simple...undo - lift - replace - down - do up.....

Passangers side is a bit more of a pain...as you have to take the intake ducting off.....again, this is simple enough though....

Ok Bud, should have had all the oils done at 96k…check the service history. If it hasn't then definitely get all oils (diffs and transmission as you said), along with gearbox filter (i presume its an auto).

The only reason i said about the rocker covers is purely due to labour costs. They are big old blocks that have weeps. But I'm glad you have found a decent garage, and they will be able to give you the best advice as they have it there in front of them!

The Accumulator is probs a bit down on charge….can be tested brand new at 80 bar but will have dropped over the years. Again, the garage should know whats ok and what isn't (50 bar is unserviceable and needs replacing)

At the milage and age its best to give an inspection on most things (this isn't comprehensive!) -

Check the serpentine belt
Leak test air suspension
Check brake wear
Reset fault codes
etc.

Just my 10p and what i do with my skip!

Oh and I'm fairly sure i read somewhere that srs airbag modules and pretensioners need replacing….not 100% on that

Falk said:

Ok Bud, should have had all the oils done at 96k…check the service history. If it hasn't then definitely get all oils (diffs and transmission as you said), along with gearbox filter (i presume its an auto).

The only reason i said about the rocker covers is purely due to labour costs. They are big old blocks that have weeps. But I'm glad you have found a decent garage, and they will be able to give you the best advice as they have it there in front of them!

The Accumulator is probs a bit down on charge….can be tested brand new at 80 bar but will have dropped over the years. Again, the garage should know whats ok and what isn't (50 bar is unserviceable and needs replacing)

At the milage and age its best to give an inspection on most things (this isn't comprehensive!) -

Check the serpentine belt
Leak test air suspension
Check brake wear
Reset fault codes
etc.

Just my 10p and what i do with my skip!

Oh and I'm fairly sure i read somewhere that srs airbag modules and pretensioners need replacing….not 100% on that

Click to expand...

Thanks

It was fully serviced for the 96k but that was 24k ago so time for a new one!

Is it a serpentine belt or a fan belt on the V8s? Or are they the same thing? Either way good shout. I think (hope) the water pump has been replaced with a metal one at some point and the fan is relatively new.

The accumulator is definitely duff given the length of time the brake pump works for. Also when I sold my P38 a couple of years ago at 98k miles it needed its accumulator doing, so it seems fair to assume this one now needs it. The discs and pads are being done as per MOT advisory and safety as well. I refuse to work with brakes primarily because I'd like to be taught to bleed rather than read RAVE and well. it's never happened!

EAS was completely overhauled at probably eye watering cost by the previous owner and all works and looks nice.

I think you're right with the srs modules, I think it says that in the handbook/service history when they should be done. However I'm also willing to bet that they have a much longer life than stated, someone correct me if that's wrong.

And thanks Saint, I thought that was the case. Sadly I cannot do that myself from here but hopefully won't rack up too much labour. The thing that I will do at some point is replace the bulbs behind the dashboard as that is, I think, the most potentially expensive labour job for the cheapest part!

Ha people call it lots of things, aux drive belt, alt belt etc. Fan is on a viscous coupling.

Ye safe bet to get whole brake system overhauled if they are cracking into it. Bleeding isn't too bad, so long as you follow the steps and have someone pressing the pedal when you say!

Haha eye watering cost…..i just did my entire suspension (with dunlop air springs, terra shocks, bushes, refurb compressor and valve block etc) for under £500

Oh well hope the service goes alright…..however TLC required with these….check every so often and don't skimp on sorting stuff out - false economy when the big stuff goes bang!

The Thor V8 is a little more involved to get at the rocker covers as the intake manifold has to come off to get at both banks. I'd leave it if it's just a weep personally - especially if paying a garage to do it.

Oops, didn't spot the 2001 in the first post...then yes, a bit more involved, but not beyond a competent DIY Spanner Jockey....

I beleave they droped the need to change srs air bags and bits, it was a covering there arse thing as they didnt know how long they would last.

Falk said:

Ha people call it lots of things, aux drive belt, alt belt etc. Fan is on a viscous coupling.

Ye safe bet to get whole brake system overhauled if they are cracking into it. Bleeding isn't too bad, so long as you follow the steps and have someone pressing the pedal when you say!

Haha eye watering cost…..i just did my entire suspension (with dunlop air springs, terra shocks, bushes, refurb compressor and valve block etc) for under £500

Oh well hope the service goes alright…..however TLC required with these….check every so often and don't skimp on sorting stuff out - false economy when the big stuff goes bang!

Click to expand...

I'm sure I could do bleeding were I home, but it's something that you don't get a 2nd chance on...

Oh I know how cheap the EAS can be, but not if it were all done by Land Rover...

Thanks for the tips Saint, I'll leave that for my dad and the garage to decide If it's stable enough to last until summer I'll do it then!