My Project P38

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

yaki

Member
Posts
61
Location
South Wales
Just started working on my bargain basement P38, thought I'd share progress as it limps towards some sort of working order.

Bought it dirt cheap just before Christmas, have wondered a few times if I have done the right thing but guess only time will tell.

It is a 96 2.5 diesel, blue paint with grey leather interior, no aircon (as in never fitted), blown engine, loadsa chrome bits and stupid 20" alloys:doh:

It came with an allegedly good engine from a BWM and the RR lump was part stripped ready for removal.

So far progress has been slow as I don't have a garage so work is done on weekends when its not raining or odd days off work.

First thing to go was the alloys, replaced with a set of 5 18" Hurricanes that I found for reasonable money. Started removing the bling but looks like he used super glue to help stick it in places so this is going to be a challenge

Dead engine removed and all RR bits stripped off ready to transfer to the replacement lump. Clutch release bearing is shot so new clutch is on order and the DMF looks like it is fairly new, bonus :)

Spent yesterday cleaning sump and other bits with a parts washer and discovered the oil pickup pipe sieve was coked up which probably explains why the engine grenaded itself.

Turbo off the BWM lump is different to the RR, might be able to adapt the intercooler plumbing but if it turns into too much hassle then will need to replace it. Not sure what condition the P38 turbo is in, lots of oil inside the turbo and down the exhaust pipe and am unsure if this is because the turbo is shot or from the engine killing itself.

Gave up trying to decoke the oil pickup pipe, don't want to take the chance so picked up a new pipe today, finger crossed its dry on Sat to get the engine together.

Other jobs

Drivers window mechanism is shot
Some trim bits are a bit shabby
Brake discs could do with changing
Some minor stone chips to tidy up
Engine bay needs a good clean as the engine seems to have spewed oil everywhere
Interior could do with a good clean

And whatever else I find once its running

On the plus side, most of the electrics seem to work

TBH this feels like Dejavu, bought a Freelander diesel this time last year (yet another project motor) and spent a busy few days in Jan sorting out its problems and getting it through an MOT :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
if the turbo spins freely and has very little wear(play) it should be ok.also you might be able to use the rr casing on the bmw turbo . if i remember i will check that tomorrow. about your broken release bearing , did you remove the bellhousing with the engine if you dont the fork will pull the release bearing apart
 
if the turbo spins freely and has very little wear(play) it should be ok.also you might be able to use the rr casing on the bmw turbo . if i remember i will check that tomorrow. about your broken release bearing , did you remove the bellhousing with the engine if you dont the fork will pull the release bearing apart

Only if you leave the clutch slave cylinder bolted to the bell housing, remove the cylinder to allow the cross-shaft to rotate and dis-engage the fork from the release bearing...
 
Sounds like a good project - but a big one! Trying to get a P38 up to scratch can be a lot of work - I hope you got the vehicle super cheap!

Any pics of the build?
 
if the turbo spins freely and has very little wear(play) it should be ok.also you might be able to use the rr casing on the bmw turbo . if i remember i will check that tomorrow. about your broken release bearing , did you remove the bellhousing with the engine if you dont the fork will pull the release bearing apart

BMW turbo is similar but intake points forward rather than up so would need a straight pipe to the intercooler not an elbow. P38 turbo spins OK and no detectable play but was wondering about the seals:confused:

Em, no to the bellhousing but I did remove the clutch slave first so the clutch release arm was free
 
Sounds like a good project - but a big one! Trying to get a P38 up to scratch can be a lot of work - I hope you got the vehicle super cheap!

Any pics of the build?

£600- with the spare engine included

Will post some pics tomorrow unless it snows
 
If this one's going to be a keeper have you thought of replacing / welding up the DMF?

That depended on the state of the DMF, if it was old and worn out then providing I could source a clutch plate for a solid flywheel then yes.

DMF however looks to be fairly new so am taking a chance with it.

Have done a solid flywheel conversion on my Frontera and that was easy, a few peeps I know have pinned theirs and after 2 years of off roading are still OK.
 
AFAIK no, did find a post on a South African forum where a company over there had made a batch, looked at the price and converted to £'s and it wasn't cheap, think it was around £700-.

There was a recent post on here where a guy had 3 made in the UK, used 2 on the family P38's and kept 1 as a spare, no idea how much they cost though.
 
AFAIK no, did find a post on a South African forum where a company over there had made a batch, looked at the price and converted to £'s and it wasn't cheap, think it was around £700-.

There was a recent post on here where a guy had 3 made in the UK, used 2 on the family P38's and kept 1 as a spare, no idea how much they cost though.

Shame
 
Been a while but thought I'd give an update on progress, not been spending enough time on the P38 as work has been very busy along with a few other distractions but have made some progress.

Replacement engine has been assembled, fitted RR sump, new oil pickup pipe, new clutch etc and its back in the engine bay. Most of it is bolted back up, but still a few outstanding jobs

Water pump, O ring was knackered so new one purchased today just needs fitting along with pulleys and viscous fan

Original turbo was a mess, bearings were well shot, I have the turbo off a 525 BWM (at least I think it is) but the inlet housing pipes are in a different location to the P38. Have removed inlet housing off P38 turbo and installed the BMW turbo into it, just needs refitting onto the engine

Fuel pump return outlet banjo bolt on the back of the diesel pump is missing, popped into local LR Independant and a new replacement is £107- +VAT :eek: Wednesday am off to BWM breakers to pickup a S/H one instead

Once this is fitted the inlet manifold can go back on and the remaining plumbing hooked up.

Spent too long head scratching on Sunday, battery has been off for a while and it needs the EKA code entering. Did the 4 turns anti-clockwise routine and it failed to clear, key was generating a beep at each turn of the key so repeated a few more times and then hit the 30min or so lockout. Retried several times and then gave up and sat down with laptop last night. Looks like its my fault as I had the bonnet open while trying to enter the EKA code DOH!

Grill is going to need painting, car was plastered with plastic stickon chrome strips, grill was no exception but removing them has left it looking very tatty.

Spent some time on the electrics, few bulbs needed replacing, removed some naff stick on reversing sensors and associated wiring.

Front fog lights have been retro fitted from another Range Rover, wiring is really bad so this needs ripping out and redoing

Removed the stupid imitation chrome vents that had been added over the side repeaters but still have to remove the sticky stuff thats left behind.

Have booked Wed and Thurs off work and am planning on spending it working on the RR, thats providing it doesn't rain.
 
This is what it looked like when I collected it before Christmas

RangeRover01-1.jpg


RangeRover02-1.jpg


Alloys have been ditched for some 18" Hurricanes and the side steps I sold on eBlag

Engine coming out and useful bits being removed

RangeRover01.jpg


Dont have any pictures of the engine going back in, it was dark, cold and miserable and the last thing on my mind was taking pictures!

Took a shot of the turbo housings last night to show the external differences, checked inside housings with a profile gauge and they are the same inside

RangeRover05.jpg
 
More punishment today.

Engine is now wrapped, replacement intercooler hose turned up this morning along with injector socket, key fob repair kit, fog light switch and side repeaters.

Fitted injector with needle lift sensor, intercooler pipe, new oil and filters for the engine.

When trying to go through the EKA process I was getting LH and RH Front window not set messages. RH window regulator was toast so new one fitted today which leaves the LH window message.

Despite my belief that all electrics were functional turns out I was wrong, the LH front door is completely dead, none of the electrics work, i.e no electric window, mirror, central locking and it does not trigger the interior light when opened.

As I had both door cards off I swapped the outstations and the LH door electrics are still dead. Then moved on to checking all connections, earths and then started continuity testing the wires between the BeCM and outstation but so far still no cigar.

TBH I couldn't match all wires on the BECM multi plug to those on the outstation so have spent this evening delving into Rave to get my head round how its wired
 
Back
Top