P38A Pi553d off with myself

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Jon Dor

Well-Known Member
Posts
1,672
Location
Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire
My P38 air suspension recently dropped to the bump-stops so, as I was going to an appointment, I decided to put each corner on an individual Schraeder valve temporarily using my trusty ALDI 12v digital compressor. After some "faffing about" to get the car level, the compressor starting to labour. Stupidly, I was depleting the car battery significantly. I disconnected the compressor and, not wishing to have the EAS compressor running unnecessarily when I drove off, I removed fuse 40. If I'd had my 8mm spanners with me, I'd have disconnected the EAS compressor, but the connector was tucked underneath the compressor, so I just removed said fuse.
When I tried to start the car, I could hear relays doing their job, but it refused to crank and I figured that was "obviously" due to voltage drop. Voltage was WELL down, so I removed the battery and, under the superb guidance of "MOZZ", and comments/advice from other forumites on here,put the battery on charge overnight at home. Day 2: Returned charged battery (14.6v) to P38. STILL wouldn't start. MOZZ had patiently guided me through the process of checking out door pack, EKA code, critical battery voltage et., and, during this, I discovered a rod was disconnected from the driver door handle -to - microswitches arrangement. Sorted that out, but car still wouldn't start.
My recovery cover had expired some months previous, despite supposedly being on Direct Debit. Took out fresh cover and, yesterday, after leaving it a few days on new cover to call them, recovery company visited car. Recovery guy said he'd been told battery was flat...IT WASN'T! He figured it was the starter motor but refused to do anything about it then buggered off! After complaint to recovery company, second guy arived very promptly. He was great and, after checking car out logically and much whacking of the starter motor without any success in getting it to kick into action, he recovered P38 to my local "tame" and trusted Motor Engineer. As P38 was pushed into their workshop, I was removing my bits'n'bobs to take home as they looked at the car. About two minutes later, the P38 roared into life at the first turn of the key! Wayne had spotted the mising Fuse 40 and replaced it from the spare slot I had put it in.

I am truly amazed, nay GOBSMACKED, that removing fuse 40 TOTALLY IMMOBILISED THE P38!

Has anyone come across this issue before? I hope that posting my experience on here will alert and prevent others from inadvertently getting stranded in this manner.
I now also have an 8mm spanner gaffer-taped to inside of EAS cover!
 
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On mine at least, 43 is the heater blower, 44 is engine management
Thanks for making this point! My memory's frequently not what it used to be. I'm in hospital at minute and car at home. Inside the fuse box cover, it was the fuse with the pic of the RR with an arrow pointing upwards underneath the car AND an arrow pointing downwards above the car. Apologies if I've got the fuse number incorrect. When I get home shortly, I'll edit the fuse number appropriately.
Thanks again for highlighting my likely error. I've been wrong twice before in my 66 and a bit years!
 
Which half of the fuse protects and feeds just the Compressor Wammers? Then I'll be sure not to kill the starter too if ever in the same quandry?

If you wish to disable the compressor remove relay 20. That is the first yellow relay to the left of and next to the MAXI fuses.
 
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