P38 prop snapped on motorway - gear selector now playing up?

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Matticus

New Member
Posts
59
Location
Melksham, Wiltshire
Hi all, recently got a 1996 p38 2.5 DSE (and I see what people mean about the performance!)

Was just taking it for an extended drive to find any probs before handing over to the other half for winter - cruising along the M4, just got past J18, going up the steep hill, started feeling even more sluggish then

BANG

Thought the bastard engine fell on the floor! Pulled onto hard shoulder and saw the Prop resting on the chassis. Currently waiting for a lift home from the AA.

My main concern is that even though I can get the selector into R, N, and D, and the light shows up corresponding with what's on the dash, no amount of force will put it into P, and I can't get from 3 into 2 either.

Is this a gearbox issue or just selector cable?

And in before Datatek yes I'll be checking the VCU!
 
Matticus said:
Hi all, recently got a 1996 p38 2.5 DSE (and I see what people mean about the performance!)

Was just taking it for an extended drive to find any probs before handing over to the other half for winter - cruising along the M4, just got past J18, going up the steep hill, started feeling even more sluggish then

BANG

Thought the bastard engine fell on the floor! Pulled onto hard shoulder and saw the Prop resting on the chassis. Currently waiting for a lift home from the AA.

My main concern is that even though I can get the selector into R, N, and D, and the light shows up corresponding with what's on the dash, no amount of force will put it into P, and I can't get from 3 into 2 either.

Is this a gearbox issue or just selector cable?

And in before Datatek yes I'll be checking the VCU!
Click to expand...

The flailing prop may have done extensive damage, if you are lucky it may only be the selector and not the gearbox casing.
Lack of grease in the UJ's is a more likely cause of failure than the VCU.
 
Matticus said:
Hi all, recently got a 1996 p38 2.5 DSE (and I see what people mean about the performance!)

Was just taking it for an extended drive to find any probs before handing over to the other half for winter - cruising along the M4, just got past J18, going up the steep hill, started feeling even more sluggish then

BANG

Thought the bastard engine fell on the floor! Pulled onto hard shoulder and saw the Prop resting on the chassis. Currently waiting for a lift home from the AA.

My main concern is that even though I can get the selector into R, N, and D, and the light shows up corresponding with what's on the dash, no amount of force will put it into P, and I can't get from 3 into 2 either.

Is this a gearbox issue or just selector cable?

And in before Datatek yes I'll be checking the VCU!
Click to expand...

Looks like you found one of the problems then. Also looks like you have created a few more. Props don't snap for nothing. Either the UJs were seriously knackered which you should have picked up on by driving it, or the VC is seized. That is the only thing that can exert enough force to snap a good prop.
 
Thanks Datatek, should have known you'd have a different suggestion!

It's the front prop that's gone. It's dented the gearbox sump and the transmission tunnel but other than that looks ok. It has sheared off on the UJ. If I was to remove the prop would it drive as a RWD to get me home?
 
Matticus said:
Thanks Datatek, should have known you'd have a different suggestion!

It's the front prop that's gone. It's dented the gearbox sump and the transmission tunnel but other than that looks ok. It has sheared off on the UJ. If I was to remove the prop would it drive as a RWD to get me home?
Click to expand...

If you can get it in gear yes.
 
Matticus said:
Thanks Datatek, should have known you'd have a different suggestion!

It's the front prop that's gone. It's dented the gearbox sump and the transmission tunnel but other than that looks ok. It has sheared off on the UJ. If I was to remove the prop would it drive as a RWD to get me home?
Click to expand...

it should get you home , selector will be cable or external mechanism damage may only need bending back
 
Matticus said:
Thanks Datatek, should have known you'd have a different suggestion!

It's the front prop that's gone. It's dented the gearbox sump and the transmission tunnel but other than that looks ok. It has sheared off on the UJ. If I was to remove the prop would it drive as a RWD to get me home?
Click to expand...

Daft as it sounds your lucky!
Ive heard some realy concerning horror stories about snaped props and associated linkages
 
Thanks gfromleeds, I know I'm lucky, could have been much much worse - that is as long as the gearbox casing isn't cracked! Looks ok but with the wind and rain not really the best conditions to be having a good check!
 
As usual James was right on target.
A very, very nice man has removed Matticus' prop and bent his selector mech back enough to get him some gears and he was last seen heading back down the M4.
 
Matticus said:
Hi all, recently got a 1996 p38 2.5 DSE (and I see what people mean about the performance!)

Was just taking it for an extended drive to find any probs before handing over to the other half for winter - cruising along the M4, just got past J18, going up the steep hill, started feeling even more sluggish then

BANG

Thought the bastard engine fell on the floor! Pulled onto hard shoulder and saw the Prop resting on the chassis. Currently waiting for a lift home from the AA.

My main concern is that even though I can get the selector into R, N, and D, and the light shows up corresponding with what's on the dash, no amount of force will put it into P, and I can't get from 3 into 2 either.

Is this a gearbox issue or just selector cable?

And in before Datatek yes I'll be checking the VCU!
Click to expand...
What do you mean about the performance?
 
Tomcat - in all fairness it's not that slow, I think I'm just too used to my daily driver which is a 2013 1 series so is a lot lighter and still has all it's horses.

I find that if I give it enough of the loud pedal to do what I want it to, it keeps going into kickdown and I don't want to be using kickdown all the time! Think I just need to get used to where the kickdown activation is.
 
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