P38 wont start... does it have heat stroke?

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

sky gipsy

New Member
Posts
20
Location
The Wyre, Lancashire
Evening all.
Just opened up my 4Ltr P38, put key in (it beeped at me as usual, all lights came on dash in ignition setting (as normal), turned key to start & CLUNK from a relay?? from under drivers seat. Engine did not turn over. The vehicle has been parked on drive all week in sunshine for a lot of time. Do the electrics not like extreme heat & any suggestions??
many thanks
 
Datatek said:
Flat battery, search for RF receiver problems.
Click to expand...

Thanks for yur reply datatek
battery showing good on multi meter
Key fob opened up doors ok, so would this show that rf receiver is ok?
Apperently the ECU is set in Japan spec to eliminate lock out problems that a previous owner had in past.
The clunk i mentioned from under the seat sounds like the solenoid would from a starter motor / solenoid with a flat battery.
 
Or you may have a duff battery the heat they can boil sometimes check water levels if possible charge battery first and get it checked along with your alternator output
If battery checks out ok then start thinking as above .
 
Once you get her started check the battery voltage - should be >14.2V @ 2k rpm for a healthy alternator. If that's OK then it's worth checking battery health - P38s really hate low voltage, and it will scare you with all kinds of phantom faults if it is the case :S

If you haven't already check which RF receiver you have; if it's an early one it WILL cause woes at some point.

Aren't modern batteries mostly sealed units that the water can't escape from?
 
Once you get her started check the battery voltage - should be >14.2V @ 2k rpm for a healthy alternator. If that's OK then it's worth checking battery health - P38s really hate low voltage, and it will scare you with all kinds of phantom faults if it is the case :S

If you haven't already check which RF receiver you have; if it's an early one it WILL cause woes at some point.

Aren't modern batteries mostly sealed units that the water can't escape from?
 
TCubed said:
Once you get her started check the battery voltage - should be >14.2V @ 2k rpm for a healthy alternator. If that's OK then it's worth checking battery health - P38s really hate low voltage, and it will scare you with all kinds of phantom faults if it is the case :S

If you haven't already check which RF receiver you have; if it's an early one it WILL cause woes at some point.

Aren't modern batteries mostly sealed units that the water can't escape from?
Click to expand...
Most battery's have gel now but not all . Doesn't stop them over heating if it getting to much from the alternator .
 
Grit Valve said:
Most battery's have gel now but not all . Doesn't stop them over heating if it getting to much from the alternator .
Click to expand...
Very few automotive batteries have GEL electrolyte, if the alternator is working correctly they will never overcharge, the normal problem is that they will never fully charge. Batteries work fine in 50C in the desert so the UK should not be a problem.
 
sky gipsy said:
Thanks for yur reply datatek
battery showing good on multi meter
Key fob opened up doors ok, so would this show that rf receiver is ok?
Apperently the ECU is set in Japan spec to eliminate lock out problems that a previous owner had in past.
The clunk i mentioned from under the seat sounds like the solenoid would from a starter motor / solenoid with a flat battery.
Click to expand...

battery showing good on multi meter, what does that mean? What voltage do you have and what does it drop to if you turn the ignition key?
A battery can show 12.5 to 12.8 volts off load and drop to next to nothing on load if it's duff.
 
Datatek said:
Very few automotive batteries have GEL electrolyte, if the alternator is working correctly they will never overcharge, the normal problem is that they will never fully charge. Batteries work fine in 50C in the desert so the UK should not be a problem.
Click to expand...

You see that's my point its hot!and if the alternator is overcharging your battery will soon die. You do speak in riddles sometimes I've already said this that's why op should get he's battery and charging system checked first . Basics first then move on to other things like the rf reciver .
 
Grit Valve said:
You see that's my point its hot!and if the alternator is overcharging your battery will soon die. You do speak in riddles sometimes I've already said this that's why op should get he's battery and charging system checked first . Basics first then move on to other things like the rf reciver .
Click to expand...
For the alternator to over charge it would have to putting out a potentially very high voltage to over come the internal resistance of the battery, that could fry the electronics.
So you are talking nonsense as is often the case.
Check battery voltage off load, on load and the charging voltage.
 
My alarm/door latch has been playing up in the hot weather. A mate of mine had a Discovery 3 that didn't start in really cold weather and the main dealer could never find the fault. Considering Land Rovers are supposed to be go anywhere vehicles it amuses me that they can be so temperamental with weather changes lol :)
 
stjohnsmythe said:
My alarm/door latch has been playing up in the hot weather. A mate of mine had a Discovery 3 that didn't start in really cold weather and the main dealer could never find the fault. Considering Land Rovers are supposed to be go anywhere vehicles it amuses me that they can be so temperamental with weather changes lol :)
Click to expand...
Batteries often cease to function in cold weather.
LR products are designed to look good in the showroom, after purchase they should be kept in an airconditioned garage and polished, you are not meant to use them.
 
Datatek said:
For the alternator to over charge it would have to putting out a potentially very high voltage to over come the internal resistance of the battery, that could fry the electronics.
So you are talking nonsense as is often the case.
Check battery voltage off load, on load and the charging voltage.
Click to expand...

Alternators can damage low water and weak battery's it rare but can happen as for it frying the electrics the batter distributes the power to the electrics not the alternator so if the battery was fried it stops there .
 
Grit Valve said:
Alternators can damage low water and weak battery's it rare but can happen as for it frying the electrics the batter distributes the power to the electrics not the alternator so if the battery was fried it stops there .
Click to expand...
Funny that, on all the cars I have seen, the alternator is connected directly across the batter (sic) so the the electrics will see whatever voltage is being output by the alternator. The alternator will normally limit this to 14.2 volts in the case of the P38, at this level it's impossible to over charge the battery unless it has an internal short on a cell in which case the voltage will be held below the regulator limit.
Boiling batteries dry more or less disappeared along with mechanical regulators and dynamo's.
 
Datatek said:
Funny that, on all the cars I have seen, the alternator is connected directly across the batter (sic) so the the electrics will see whatever voltage is being output by the alternator. The alternator will normally limit this to 14.2 volts in the case of the P38, at this level it's impossible to over charge the battery unless it has an internal short on a cell in which case the voltage will be held below the regulator limit.
Boiling batteries dry more or less disappeared along with mechanical regulators and dynamo's.
Click to expand...

And what if the regulator within the alternator fails the first symptoms are boiled battery's that have run dry and consecutively blown bulbs .
 
Grit Valve said:
And what if the regulator within the alternator fails the first symptoms are boiled battery's that have run dry and consecutively blown bulbs .
Click to expand...
A shorted regulator is pretty rare, semiconductors usually fail open circuit, but you have just confirmed what I said earlier, excessive voltage from the alternator will do more than blow bulbs on a P38 or L322, it will fry the electronics.
 
Hi
Well I didn't think the battery was an issue (only about 6 week old exide type) and had no problems with drain etc since i've owed the vehicle, but had it on charge overnight anyway. Went to it today, all the same (and usual) start up beeps, lights & abs pump noises, but when it comes to the start position on key, I still get that clunk from under drivers seat. If i got the same noise from a starter solenoid, it would give it a tap & hope it would help. Multi meter showing 12.4 across battery.
I realise that alot of the electric biz is under the drivers seat, is there anything worth tapping under there :confused:
 
sky gipsy said:
Hi
Well I didn't think the battery was an issue (only about 6 week old exide type) and had no problems with drain etc since i've owed the vehicle, but had it on charge overnight anyway. Went to it today, all the same (and usual) start up beeps, lights & abs pump noises, but when it comes to the start position on key, I still get that clunk from under drivers seat. If i got the same noise from a starter solenoid, it would give it a tap & hope it would help. Multi meter showing 12.4 across battery.
I realise that alot of the electric biz is under the drivers seat, is there anything worth tapping under there :confused:
Click to expand...

There's the main brain BECM, wouldn't start tapping that, sure someone will give you advise about that fella, Rick the Pick know a bit about it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

A
Sporadic Won't start and No Cranking
2
Replies
22
Views
1K
ANR
A
DollyBird
Engine disabled, keys not working, tried the guide “Re-synching the Range Rover P38 diesel engine with the Solved - BECM using a Nanocom” no luck
Replies
9
Views
2K
DollyBird
DollyBird
dogsbody
P38 no crank
Replies
13
Views
2K
Grrrrrr
Grrrrrr
DefendingLancashire
Major leccy issues - everything dying when rolling off the power
Replies
4
Views
370
DefendingLancashire
DefendingLancashire
P
Complete electrical failure.
Replies
1
Views
558
sierrafery
sierrafery
Back
Top