p38 dse auto stalls when selecting drive or reverse from idle.

has anyone found a cure for this problem ,I have changed the fuel filter and the engine sounds sweet idling around 750 to 800 rpm but when I engage drive or reverse the idle speed dips below 500 rpm and cuts out but not all the time,it does it warm or cold I have heard people complain of this before is there a cure please help.

Hi I had this problem with my p38 diesel auto it used to snatch and the engine used to cut out I think my problem was the gearbox oil was not good quality I live in spain and you do not know what you are buying I changed the filter and oil and have not had the problem since hope this helps

Your fuel pump is showing signs of wear.

Get someone with Faultmate to change the idle value for the fuel pump in the EDC from 128 to 129 or 130. It'll tick over at 25 revs higher per increment and will stop stalling.

Can also be a symptom of failing in tank sender pump, but I'm pretty sure its the FIP.

In the short term keep the AC off button pressed, it'll help a small bit to not have the compressor running.

eldescans said:

Hi I had this problem with my p38 diesel auto it used to snatch and the engine used to cut out I think my problem was the gearbox oil was not good quality I live in spain and you do not know what you are buying I changed the filter and oil and have not had the problem since hope this helps

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hi thanks for the reply however I changed the fluid and the filter about 6 months ago with the reccomended fluid,or maybe I have a gearbox problem.

SpudH said:

Your fuel pump is showing signs of wear.

Get someone with Faultmate to change the idle value for the fuel pump in the EDC from 128 to 129 or 130. It'll tick over at 25 revs higher per increment and will stop stalling.

Can also be a symptom of failing in tank sender pump, but I'm pretty sure its the FIP.

In the short term keep the AC off button pressed, it'll help a small bit to not have the compressor running.

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Thanks for the reply, the pump in the tank is quite new as I was having problems starting that cured that problem, I never use the air con as I live in lancashire and its always cold and damp,it could be the F I P as you say as mine has done 170k , I know a guy that has diagnostic equipment does it have to be faultmate cheers.

It could also be an electrical problem, or a sensor. Check the connector to number 4 injector.

Datatek said:

It could also be an electrical problem, or a sensor. Check the connector to number 4 injector.

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Hi I recently removed number 4 injector as it was leaking,I did this using a socket and damaged the wires:doh: which I had to rejoin after refitting the injector would the engine still run if I had connected them the wrong way :

td1 said:

Hi I recently removed number 4 injector as it was leaking,I did this using a socket and damaged the wires:doh: which I had to rejoin after refitting the injector would the engine still run if I had connected them the wrong way :

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It would still run but not correctly as the needle lift sensor and the crank sensor are used in combination to determine the engine revs.

Datatek said:

It would still run but not correctly as the needle lift sensor and the crank sensor are used in combination to determine the engine revs.

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do you think this could be the problem maybe I should try the wires the other way round.

my 2000 diesel range rover is racing in idle at 1500rpm i have only just aquired car. it has a hot start fix and its connected to the very connection you mention, sensor by number 4 cylinder...i would like to remove this hot fix...as i think it may be causing this over fuelling ..what do you think ...car has had head gasket change and only started by me using easy start..i did not do gasket change and picked up range rover cheap as non starter..it sounds good but too fast..it does not change engine speed between cold and hot

Remove the hot start kit and see what its like then. They are useful in there own way but have been known to give issues with idles...

Littelwill said:

Remove the hot start kit and see what its like then. They are useful in there own way but have been known to give issues with idles...

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As above, otherwise ECU engine temperature sensor. Diagnostics would help.

Normally the hotstart just Scotchlocks in.

I might be wrong but I don't think it will cause overfuelling. It should trick the ECU into thinking the car is cold so it puts the glows on and the in-tank pump. Better kits have a timeout on so it only goes for a few seconds rather than all the time. Once the engine is running the lift-pump runs all the time and the glows are out (or should be!) so it shouldn't affect it.

Is there a Powerbox fitted? What does it idle at? Should idle at 750 rpm unless someone has been playing.

Grrrrrr said:

Normally the hotstart just Scotchlocks in.

I might be wrong but I don't think it will cause overfuelling. It should trick the ECU into thinking the car is cold so it puts the glows on and the in-tank pump. Better kits have a timeout on so it only goes for a few seconds rather than all the time. Once the engine is running the lift-pump runs all the time and the glows are out (or should be!) so it shouldn't affect it.

Is there a Powerbox fitted? What does it idle at? Should idle at 750 rpm unless someone has been playing.

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Hot start fix, as you say, tricks the ECU into thinking the car is cold. When cold it normally idles momentarily at 1500 rpm and fuelling is increased. If the hot start is staying on, it will certainly cause an over fueling problem

Datatek said:

Hot start fix, as you say, tricks the ECU into thinking the car is cold. When cold it normally idles momentarily at 1500 rpm and fuelling is increased. If the hot start is staying on, it will certainly cause an over fueling problem

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See what you mean. It continues to trick it into thinking the engine is cold?

Given my recent experience it'd be quick and easy to test the lift-pump is doing its job as per here in Wammer's How To: http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f71/checking-diesel-fuel-pump-flow-rate-182959.html