[Busas]

Well , in a continuous try to get P38 even better than it is. 8)
And trying to modify things that the Land Rover highly payed Engineers haven´t remembered :evil: :evil: , i am figuring 8-|= :think: a way to seal the BECM , Suspension , and ECU modules from water if it gets inside the veicule.
Has anyone done it already ??


Thanks in advance.

 

[viperover]

Dont know of one yet, your problem is if you get a problem if you do seal it up

P38s were never designed to be submersable but nothings impossable

 

[SERSAN]

Hi,

Well my idea is to put the Becm inside the dashboards, behind the glovebox or the airbag. (it's a left hand drive).. It´s only a idea yet.. If the cables can be lift up from the floor it´s possible to do this, i think..

Regards
Sérgio

 

[81stubee]

The BECM is pretty big! And I would be concerened about extending some of the cables, as to how it would affect the data lines to things like the window switches and doors in regards to timing. One of the data gurus on here would be able to confirm.

I was always thinking about putting it in a sealed container with a breather pipe and perhaps a one way drain valve.

Stu

 

[lrscott]

Extending the wires shouldn't be a problem. Those wires could probably be extended 100ft if you really wanted to... Your problem is going to be when you try to match up a wire if you loose its position LOL. Where would you put it in the dash? thats my question.

 

[dutchfrompredator]

how hot do those chumpies get? i'd hang one from my ceiling in an ad hoc cb rack! :dance:

 

[RRToadHall]

Extending the wires shouldn't be a problem. Those wires could probably be extended 100ft if you really wanted to... Your problem is going to be when you try to match up a wire if you loose its position LOL. Where would you put it in the dash? thats my question.

Since the wires are colour coded a splice extention would be easy. If making an add on of some sort there is always the pin out in RAVE. I would guess that removing the duct to the outter vent would allow enough room for placement. CUtting the back out of the glove box might be another option.

 

[SERSAN]

Hi,

has i said, it´s only an idea yet.
The plugs are colour coded, like the wiring, so that part is the least, my great problem is to know were do the wires come... If all the wiring cames from the front, it´s easy to put the becm inside the dashboard, probably I will lose the airbag or the glovebox (or part of the glovebox) but it will be much more fun and relaxed when I try to pass water. Today its a real problem to measure accurate the deep without crossing it... honestly its the only thing that I have scare in the P38 when i´m offroading.

No one have a solution to the becm problem? anyone tryied something else?
Regards

 

[q-rover]

NOt tried it personally, but this could be a start.

 

[Busas]

It could be a start , but i don´t believe that would be enough.

Does the BECM need breathing ?? Does it heats alot ??

I am thinking about putting it inside a Tupperware , and seal it with Silicone .
Doing the same thing in the suspension module . :think:

 

[onetime]

Hi All saw something in Land Rover Owners or International mag a while back and bloke a bobtailed the P38 and moved all the electrical stuff near the roof, maybe an idea.
cheers
Onetime

 

[Chris X]

It could be a start , but i don´t believe that would be enough.

Does the BECM need breathing ?? Does it heats alot ??

I am thinking about putting it inside a Tupperware , and seal it with Silicone .
Doing the same thing in the suspension module . :think:

Yes it generates heat and needs to breathe.

Maybe you could wrap it in Gore-Tex....waterproof and breathable! `)

 

[Three Phase]

How about giving it its own mini snorkel after sealing it?

 

[dutchfrompredator]

or expanding on the container idea, put it in something pan-like and tupperware with tall walls, then use holes in only the lid for ventilation. and if you go deeper than that you're sorta asking for it...

 

[hildstrom]

I've "waterproofed" printed circuit boards and various electrical components using polyurethane (like Minwax) before. It is cheap and readily available at pretty much any home improvement store. The idea is that the thin coating of polyurethane will keep conductive water/electrolyte off the exposed traces, solder joints, pins, etc. At the same time, the thin coating will not interfere too much with heat transfer. You'd need to disassemble the BECM and other computers to do this.

After coating the circuit boards, the biggest problem is at the wiring harness connector. The connector could be silicone'd, polyurethane'd, or otherwise waterproofed to the computer housing, but that makes disassembly more of a PITA if you ever need to. It's also difficult to guarantee the seal because of the number of small gaps. You could leave the connectors as-is and just wash them with distilled water or WD-40 after submersion. The idea is that the polyurethane coating would protect the circuit boards in the housings and a good connector wash should clean the conductive electrolytes away from the pins and allow things to function properly. The WD-40 could also be done as a preventative measure before submersion.

Moving it higher is probably the safest option and probably the most headache.

I guess it really comes down to how often you plan on getting submerged.

 

[SpudH]

hell, why not just silicone the doors shut `) `)

 

[spikemd]

Waterproofed ECU

Lucky8LLC has waterproofed an ECU. There is even a video of them immersing it in water while the Rover is running. They use a NASA epoxy. Its not a P38, but it is a Rover.

http://lucky8llc.com/Products.asp?ProductID=2149

Epoxying the BECM sounds easier than trying to extend the wires or rewiring it. I agree that extending the wiring may influence the resistance of the wires and make the BECM tempermental. I would have a spare BECM ready in case your experiment doesn't work...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BECM-Range-Rover-body-computer-95-2002-THE-OTHER-OPTION_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2a00b8b097QQitemZ180400730263QQptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

keep us posted. I want to know if it works.

 

[SERSAN]

Hi,

Well, today I dissambled the dashboard, the glovebox side (right side), because my heater matrix as developed a leak... no its not the orings :evil: :evil: :evil: ... the plastic cracked.. Since it was dissambled I look for space to put the becm but there is no space available.. I will go explore the idea of the box, tupperware, something like that.

Regards

 

[TerryY]

Think HEAT!

Heat is the biggest enemy of electronics so you will need some way to cool the unit if you seal it up in something. I would bet that the internal generated heat load in the BECM is considerable between all the electronics and electromechanical devices inside. It has a lot of exterior radiant surface but if you enclose it it will have a minimum of transfer medium (free air) available.

 

[viperover]

Why not water proof the vehicle, its been done to plenty of classics before.

On the flip side I would buy a cheape Disco I to play in water, they are more of a Submerine than a P38

4x4 has nothing to do with water its merely our attraction to it that makes the mind do these daft things, I prefer sand as it can be blown away......