P38 2.5 DT auto - starting issue

I have just replaced the alarm RF unit in the boot of my P38. I have also had a new battery. I put the battery on and I synched the key which now works and locks and unlocks the doors. I have all lights on the dash and they go out as normal. The problem is that the P38 will not start. There is a good level of voltage and the engine turns over but the car does not start. No previous starting or fuel issues. Does this mean the immobiliser has kicked in ? How is the problem solved and do I need to use the EKA with the key in the drivers door? The fob does turn on and turn off the alarm, the car will just not start.

Ideas and suggestions accepted !!

the engine normally doesnt turn over when immobilised!

well the petrol doesnt so i assume the doozel is the same!

hi i am having exactly the same problem to the letter
i changed the n/s front lock (third new one) and it hasn;t run since,turns over but won't fire.
autoelectician calling tommorrow to read the ecu if he sorts it i will let you know what it was ,if he doesn't there will be a s--t load of parts listed on ebay at the weekend
cheers

if you list all the parts can you keep em all together and i'll buy the job lot!!! lol!!!!

thanks but i think i will enjoy using the still saw on it!!!!!!!!!!(call it therapy)

I'm open to correction here but I'd be looking at this in 2 ways:

1. If the immobiliser does prevent turnover then you more than likely have a coincidental fault in the diesel system, something like the stop solenoid or the emergency fuel shut off valve.
2. If the immobiliser allows turnover then it is likely that something like the BECM has going out of sync with the alarm while you were replacing the batttery has happened, I think I remeber reading about this before.

Hi Guys thanx for the replies.

I have now spent all day on this. Here is what I know. I have replaced the RF unit in the boot with a new one and I have put on a new battery. Key fob locks and unlocks the car so I presume this is turning on and turning off the alarm. The car turns over but will not fire up. There is a good healthy level of electricity turning the car over- it just will not run. All lights come on on the dashboard and go out again. NO fault messages on the screen. The one thing I have noticed is that on initial turning on of ignition there is no engine check light coming on - its just not there.

I have been looking on fleabay to look at 16 pin OBD2 readers which range from about 50 quid upwards has anyone bought one of these and would they identify the problem? my p39 is 98 model 2.5 dt auto.

In answer to the guy who posted up about having an autoelectrician around to look at their p38 do let me know how you get on.

It is very strange that everything worked until I changed the old RF alarm unit for the modded one and then put a new battery on. I do though think that there may be an engine management issue or fuel feed or glow plug problem ..

NO WAY is this going to beat me !!!

RoverRat, don't waste your money on a program to fault find your vehicle off of Ebay, the only program worth having that will work is a cool 600-00 quid from "Black Box Solutions".

If there was cheap working program, we all would have one and the independant Land Rover/Main Dealer Workshops would be out of a job.

have you tried the eka code, if not then this would be my first call! and could rule out/prove spuds theory #2 above if it works!

Don't buy an OBD reader, it won't work. If you want diagnostics then its BBS all the way, the MSV-2 is a brilliant piece of kit.

Trust me, I've been there, I first bought an OBD scanner, then found out that P38 is not compatible with OBD but I kept anyway (Don't know why, the wife drives a Prius, it never breaks down and if it did I wouldn't be able to fix it anyway!!), then bought a BBS EAS Kicker (great bit of kit) to sort out the suspension then moved on the the Extreme when more stuff started to break.
With the price of the OBD and the kicker I would have been half way towards the EXtreme in the first instance which does everything.

hello,
you need a security relearn by a appropriate diagnostic computer.
It sounds like that the BECM has lost the EDC code. The code from the diesel engine ecu has to be recorded in the BECM again.
It normally happens on low or no voltage.
When immobilised like this, on a diesel P38, the engine would turn over but not start.
Regards, Korkut

hi just to let you know the autoelectrician has got it going so i've put the stihl saw away for now!!!!!!!!
it was the ecu that needed some jiggery pokery with a diagnostic thingy bob.
hope this helps

chas33 said:

it was the ecu that needed some jiggery pokery with a diagnostic thingy bob.
hope this helps

Click to expand...

yeah helps alot! sounds like the retro ferkin circuit need the gooboid routing runtimes re-configuring with the anti wobble valve control emulator :doh::doh::doh::doh::doh:

which ever control valve needed ferkin i am not sure, all i'm bothered about he got it going.
apperently the ecu under the bonnet had changed its four figure code so the becm code did not recognise it ,it would turn over but wouldn't fire.He matched the codes up and bingo ,job done.i had taken the battery off for charging this is what we think upset the ecu !!! brand new battery went completely dead in 3 days so i to have disconnected the rf aerial wire.
cheers

isnt that what the eka code does amongst other things?

sorry dont know enough about these i have only had it four weeks still doing my home work.if it can go wrong it has.i will have to find out a bit more on the eka .
luckily it hasn't cost a fortune to sort (this time)just glad its running.
cheers

if i were you i would get the eka code as more often than not you will need it at some stage. do a search on here there are loads of posts and it could just cure your problem if it happens again/ something happens whilst your away from home!

also look up a site called range rovers. net and scroll towards the bottom of the page.!

thanks for that
i seem to spend more time learning about it than driving it!!!!!!!!!

you will progress on to fixxing it more than driving it the fixing and visiting the cash machine more than driving it then onto fixing and spending and not driving at all! dont worry this is normal!

keep on top of everything and you should spend a bit more time driving!!

Like the integrity of the chassis and bulkhead on my 72 series 3 the problem with my non-starting p38 has come to an end.

Today an auto-spark came with a diagnostic computer and found that the code in the ecu was different to the one found in the BECM. cost about 80 squid.

What is interesting is that the EKA code given to me by Land Rover off their database was now incorrect. The sparky thinks that at some point my ecu was replaced and so a security relearn was conducted and the code was inserted by hand through I think the testbook.

My p38 would turn over but not start after replacing the old crappy RF unit with a new one and a new battery. Cheers LR for the inbuilt vulnerability of the RF unit it has kept me occupied for days!

Anyway all things are now back to normal. The only confusing part is that my p38 now starts every time but the ENGINE CHECK light does not show up at all on the dash. Key fob and alarm works fine !

RoverRat out until the next problem occurs in about 2 days ......