p38 1995 manual diesel crabbing on ice?

i have searched the forum but cannot find the answer,could it be a problem with the vcu? or a definate fault,tyre pressures ok,once it starts to lose the back end it is unretreivable it just comes round.

Definitely not road camber? Does it always go the same way?

First port of call, I'd get the tracking checked out.

MikeV8SE said:

Definitely not road camber? Does it always go the same way?

First port of call, I'd get the tracking checked out.

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tracking has been done,always goes the same way, will have it up in the air the weekend.

jack a front wheel up and see if it locks ,you may be running in rear wheel drive due to seized viscous busting diff etc

jamesmartin said:

jack a front wheel up and see if it locks ,you may be running in rear wheel drive due to seized viscous busting diff etc

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that does make sense,will have a good look over the weekend,will be checking diffs,vcu all bolts props every moving part,even the rear shocks.
i don't suppose these vcu's are super cheap? i bet they are around £20, or could that be lots of £20 notes.

Today i got stuck.....i was 4 wheels on ice on a hill trying to reverse off, i just got major wheel spin on the passengers side and nothing on drivers side, but could not get off.....

Managed to dig out and all good....

Is this normal? i got i diesel on a 51 plate

it is normal if a front and rear wheel spin for p38 to stand still

jamesmartin said:

it is normal if a front and rear wheel spin for p38 to stand still

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In that event the Traction Control should pulse the brakes to the rear spinning wheel (TC only on the rear wheels on your car)? Unless you're only spinning them slowly, the TC does need a little speed to work. Maybe you were spinning both rears and 1 front? That may cause the TC not to work?

I don't think traction control works to well if there is noting to get traction on like ice

I am not sure how it should work of whether it's front or back but was just surprise that only one side was spinning and it was like no power to the other side?

jamesblake said:

I am not sure how it should work of whether it's front or back but was just surprise that only one side was spinning and it was like no power to the other side?

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Isnt that how a diff works

The traction control is rubbish on ice and snow IMO, not a patch on a good LSD.

jamesblake said:

Today i got stuck.....i was 4 wheels on ice on a hill trying to reverse off, i just got major wheel spin on the passengers side and nothing on drivers side, but could not get off.....

Managed to dig out and all good....

Is this normal? i got i diesel on a 51 plate

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I'm surprised you got stuck - what wheels/tyres are on there?

Sounds odd that the T/C didn't help you out - on that model year the T/C is on all 4 wheels, so should have transferred power over to the non-spinning side. Did you keep the throttle on or ease off? In that situation it is best to keep a relatively consistent throttle and allow the T/C to do its thing...

Mike,

Wheels and tyres are a problem.....stupid 20inch wheels on it from purchase (gonna change once i have fixed/paid for other faults!)

However i would have thought the same as u regarding transfer on power. I tried both ways or throttle, low revs and more power however both made pass side wheels just spin.

I was on a sloped driveway but thought would have been ok, been in worse with my classic!! anyways dug myself some floor, melted some ice with kettle, let tyre down and it got me off the drive