P38 Diesel No Dash Lights and Not Starting

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

argcoupe

New Member
Posts
4
Hi All,

I'm new to here and have a problem with my 1995 P38 Diesel.

Tried to start this morning to raise suspension to bleed brakes.

All dash lights on and car turned over slowly but didn't start.

Tuirned ingnition off and back on this time no dash lights and not turning over or starting.

You can hear various relays click in when the ignition is turned and also once turned to the start position you can hear the becm click

All other electrics work fine

Bit confused now

Thanks Andy
 
Hi,

Remade connection to earth no difference. Battery has been fine since I got the car last week, it spins freely and has always started on the button.

Bit concerned that there is no display from the dash but there is relays clicking in the becm.

I have checked all fuses and there all good

To top it all off today put my foot on the clutch and it hit the floor. Slave cylinder ok but the clutch release arm moves freely with no resistance. Gearbox now out to find the roll pins snapped on the clutch release arm.

Anyway need to get back to this electrical problem.

Andy
 
Have a careful look at, and smell of, the under bonnet fuse box. Burning, especially around the blower relays, can cause interesting faults.
 
But if you're not actually in need of emergency assistance get yourself out of here and into the Range Rover section.
 
Hi,

Last night before I started to put the gearbox back in the car are the clutch release arm problems I thought I'd turn the ignition on.

The car had been sat for about 24 hours with the battery connected

Turned the ignition and bingo it came to life. The dash lit up with alk the usual warnings I'd expect and using a jump lead to provide an earth for the starter motor (as lifted out for gearbox) it soun over.

After this turned ignition off/on 10 times and it still worked. I have also checked the fuse box payimg attention to the relays mentioned before and they all look and smell ok with no melting or burning signs. Measured voltage was 12.10 volts no ignition on and 11.7 volts after glow plugs had turned off.

I know something is still lerking and strongly suspect it doesn't like the voltage from the battery ie to low. Will post when all back together and can turn over and hopefully start the engine.


Thanks for all the responses

Andy
 
argcoupe said:
Hi,

Last night before I started to put the gearbox back in the car are the clutch release arm problems I thought I'd turn the ignition on.

The car had been sat for about 24 hours with the battery connected

Turned the ignition and bingo it came to life. The dash lit up with alk the usual warnings I'd expect and using a jump lead to provide an earth for the starter motor (as lifted out for gearbox) it soun over.

After this turned ignition off/on 10 times and it still worked. I have also checked the fuse box payimg attention to the relays mentioned before and they all look and smell ok with no melting or burning signs. Measured voltage was 12.10 volts no ignition on and 11.7 volts after glow plugs had turned off.

I know something is still lerking and strongly suspect it doesn't like the voltage from the battery ie to low. Will post when all back together and can turn over and hopefully start the engine.


Thanks for all the responses

Andy
Click to expand...

11.7 volts equals a very flat battery, 12.1 is not much better.
 
12.10 and 11.7 sounds low for a p38, the rollpins in the clutch fork are made of chocolate use good ones and double pin it one inside the other or steel right diameter you dont want to have to do it all again
 
Sounds to me like it's ur battery matey.mine shows around 13 or just under with ignition on.and when running for the alternator 14.7 with lights and heaters on.d2 td5.
I had a similar problem years ago with my 300 tdi. It turned out the battery had a poor cell eventually it died completely.
 
richard prince said:
Sounds to me like it's ur battery matey.mine shows around 13 or just under with ignition on.and when running for the alternator 14.7 with lights and heaters on.d2 td5.
I had a similar problem years ago with my 300 tdi. It turned out the battery had a poor cell eventually it died completely.
Click to expand...
Sounds like your meter is out of kilter, unlikely to see more than 12.8 volts after half an hour engine off and 14.2 volts is the norm on the P38 engine at 2K rpm although 14.7 is OK.
 
richard prince said:
Sounds to me like it's ur battery matey.mine shows around 13 or just under with ignition on.and when running for the alternator 14.7 with lights and heaters on.d2 td5.
I had a similar problem years ago with my 300 tdi. It turned out the battery had a poor cell eventually it died completely.
Click to expand...

TD5 is not a 2.5 P38, newer cars have higher charge rates. Highest charge rate you should see on a P38 is 14.5 on a 4.6 fitted with a 150 amp unit. Everything else should max at 14.2.
 
Datatek said:
Sounds like your meter is out of kilter, unlikely to see more than 12.8 volts after half an hour engine off and 14.2 volts is the norm on the P38 engine at 2K rpm although 14.7 is OK.
Click to expand...
Could be it's only a 5 quid jobby. And it is a td5.as stated.sounded like the issue I had
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
P38 diesel not starting
3 4 5
Replies
97
Views
5K
Grrrrrr
Grrrrrr
N
freelander 2 starting issues
Replies
16
Views
1K
Nodge68
Nodge68
P
Freelander not starting at all??
Replies
10
Views
848
BikerB
BikerB
x5mms
Electrical fault -windows, heated seats and dash lights
Replies
11
Views
829
x5mms
x5mms
O
Series 3 Series 3 2.5 diesel Not Starting
Replies
8
Views
389
Bobsticle
Bobsticle
Back
Top