Hi all,

After almost 7 years of P38 ownership and 5 years of relative hassle free motoring, my DSE decided to throw a fit yesterday.
We were green laning with a group of friends and after a water crossing, the P38 started revving madly. Whenever I started it, she would start to splutter and with an inconstant idle until it would shoot the revs all the way up to 5000 while pouring out lots of bad smoke.
The air filter was damp, tried running her with inlet pipe of but same result. Admission was oily as usual but no traces of water.
After being rescued to the road size and applying liberal doses of water dispersant around the engine sensors and FIP, she started alright once again. Drove OK for some 10km (so, no engine damage..) and the symptoms started once again but this time she would cut out instead of revving madly (most of the time, other times the revs would still sky rocket).
And then I got and ABS error fault twice and everytime I would start her, she would shoot to 3000rpm and turn off.
On the nanocom the battery was reading 11.7v. As it should have been fully loaded, I'm wondering if the alternator could have developed some problem that would mess with the FIPs readings ?
Can someone shed some light on this "FUEL FLOW VALUE OUT OF RANGE" ? Which sensors are involved (so I can clean then up or start thinking about replacing them) ?

The error on the nanocom:


Cheers!

I'd start with the battery issue first. These cars hate low volts.

If you take the battery out does it charge and hold the charge? Then try the electrical troubleshooting guide on RR.net.

Could be number 4 injector got wet?

Almost certainly water in the round plug that connects the injection pump to the harness shorting it. Problem is the quantity control servo position feedback being lost. If feedback is lost and the ECU does not know the position of the servo via the feedback pot the ECU will drop the stop solenoid and shut down the engine. Remove the plug blow it and socket dry and hope you have not permanently shorted anything and damaged the ECU.

Water in the round socket was my first thought and I've checked that while out on the field. Your explanation makes perfect sense so I'm going to trace the cables as water may have gotten in at some other connector.

I'm still waiting for her to be delivered by the rescue company (Sunday, bank holiday on Monday..) but will give some feedback later.

Hi all,

Just checking in to say that she's running sweet again: tried disabling all of the sensors one by one without any success until I gave the fusebox and relays a good clean!
Funny thing is she used to do a *chuck*chuck*chuck* sound (much like a old train engine) that's now gone!

The ABS fault was indeed a problem.. Nanocom was reading airgap too big. Easily fixed just by removing the sensor and bushing, cleaning it up, greasing with a lithium grease and resetting.

Cheers all!

mcapinha said:

Hi all,

Just checking in to say that she's running sweet again: tried disabling all of the sensors one by one without any success until I gave the fusebox and relays a good clean!
Funny thing is she used to do a *chuck*chuck*chuck* sound (much like a old train engine) that's now gone!

The ABS fault was indeed a problem.. Nanocom was reading airgap too big. Easily fixed just by removing the sensor and bushing, cleaning it up, greasing with a lithium grease and resetting.

Cheers all!

Click to expand...

Can't think that the fuse box would cause the engine to rev it's balls off to be honest. More likely what was at fault in the injection system has dried out.

Recently, I ran mine after disconnecting the CPS connector & the car jumped into high RPM immediately.
Worth checking the CPS , just under the starter motor.

I would say it was a damp problem Mr Rigsby.
I remember cleaning under my bonnet with a pressure washer(at distance) after start up it immediately cut out. Then it hiccupped after no2 attempt and the then cleared after about five minutes of being left alone running. Shïte, that's why my diaphragm rusted in the eas block.. But the lid was on??..
punching self in face right no...