Leaky Discovery

[Guest 1079]

Help! I have only recently become a Land Rover owner, I now own a 1995 Discovery 300 TDi. Only after I bought it did I find that the rear floor sound proofing was saturated with water, after much effort and investigation I find that the leak is coming in through the gutter rails at both sides. It enters a box section above the rear window, drips out of this and then runs down the ends to the floor. Some water drips from the speakers and some drips from the trim panel to just on the rear of the back seats. A window replacement man told me this is a known design fault - he discovered this after trying to trace the fault to leaky windows and sun-roof!!


For now, I have resorted to using black silocne sealant in the gutters and also undernearth the gutters to stop the water coming in. I've only just done this and found that some water is still coming in - but a vastly reduced quantity. It's just enough to wet the box section, and to cause a small trickle.

I want to fully cure this problem, so I am asking if any of you Disco owners have been down this route and can give me any tips?? I'd be most grateful of any useful advice!!

[Mark Sims]

I have tried following that one yet, only getting rid of the rust that it causes.

If you have a wet passenger footwell I have found the main culprits.
A small trickle can come in though the spot welding joints inside the wing, this isn't a lot and is probably not worth the effort of taking the wing off.
The main problem is where water in the tray under ther front of the bonnet builds up and flows out through the wiring grommet hole. This drips down in the gap between bulk head and washer bottle. Buried down in here is a wiring loom into which the water soaks. It then travels along the loom and back into the passenger footwell whereupon the loom bends upwards towards the dash. The water at this point drips into the footwell.
I managed to fill my footwell with an inch of water by directing a hose pipe into the gap behind the washer bottle !.

Mark.

[Guest 1079]

Mark - thanks for the tips about the foootwell leaks, these have been duly noted for future reference, in case I get problems in that area too

I am very pleased to say that I have completely cured the rear end leaks by putting silicone sealant in the gutter joints and also underneath the gutter. We went to Donacaster and back today through some dreadful Yorkshire downpours and it's all bone dry!!!

Going to read my Haynes manual again in the small room:toiletpap

[Mark Sims]

Garry, where exactly does it come in ? I can see the drip marks and surface rust in the box section but cannot see any way in via the gutter.

Mark

[Guest 1079]

Hello Mark, :wellHello

well, I was told by a mate who's a landrover fanatic that the water comes in between the roof pressing and the side pressings where they join at the gutter. There is a path from this joint into the box section above the window.

I managed to cure it by putting black silicone sealant INSIDE the gutter along the edge, also sealing around the jointing strips on the gutter trim. For good measure (I'm not sure if it's necessary) I sealed under the gutter in the gap between the gutter and the side panels. Finally, I ran the sealant over the back door between the roof and the edging strip in case it was getting under there.

If you apply the sealant carefully and smooth it out with a rounded knife end, it makes a neat job. Don't worry about cleaning up any splodges left behind at the sides when you do this - just leave it 24 hours and any excess just pulls or rubs off.

I'd give it a go - my Disco has probably been leaking all its life (new 1995) and it's testament to the design and metal finishes that the rust was not more severe!! Best of luck with it, let us know how you get on....

[Mark Sims]

The rust under the rear cargo sound proofing on all of the spot weld points is my proof that they quality can at times be below par. I took a look there after someone on another board said it was a common problem and to take a peek before buying any second hand Discos.

I had a look along the gutter but cannot see any joins that might let water in, there seems to be a layer of paint over it all. However the roof side window things could let it in. Suppose I need to get the hose pipe out again and see what goes where.

Thanks,
Mark

[Guest 1079]

Hello Mark,

I've followed with interest the later thread on water ingress, and I see that M005's LR fix sheets and your findings back up what I've found too. My fix might have been crude - I didn't lift the gutter strip - but the silicone sealant did the job. I got away with it on mine beacuse I used black sealant and the Disco is dark green - with a bigger colour mismatch it might look a mess.

Well, since I used the silicone sealant, and also removed the rust on the spot welds on the floor panel and hammerited them, there have been no further leaks. I hope that you have had similar sucess in curing your leaks. I think my signature below says it all!!

[Ogbyte]

Hmm, during a rare hoovering moment to clean out the sweet papers etc left behind by the kids, my wife called me out to feel the carpet in the passenger side front footwell.

It was soaking wet, ill check out Marks pointers and see if it can be stopped.

Mark Sims - how did you prevent further ingress of water via the loom wiring, would like to know what you solution (if any) was

cheers
Ogbyte

[Mark Sims]

My latest go at it was to remove the washer bottle. The two bolts under it that go through into the wheel arch are the worst offenders to get out, I had to cut one off and the other spun. You can just get a long phillips screw driver down behind the bottle to the outer one. Once out I taped all of the loom up to stop water getting in to it.
I also put lots of silicon around all of the holes through the metal tray thing that collects the water below the windscreen. Especially at fault is a transpartent bung that sits in the base of it just above the loom, the others done were the bolts holes for the washer bottle (etc).

I have also just tried cutting off the bottom of the transparent bung and siliconing some tube to it once in place. This then provides an extra drain point. It has hasn't fallen off yet.

Some water is still getting in and I have yet to properly track it down. For the moment I think it is when the car is parked pointing down hill, the water flows out of the gutter and down the windscreen piller. This allows it to go down inside the wing. In there is some examples of fantastic design, the metal plate overlaps are arranged so that if any water gets on them it will go inside. If I can prove it is this I will unbolt the wing (again) and properly weather proof the entire area.

Mark

[Mark Sims]

My latest go at it was to remove the washer bottle. The two bolts under it that go through intot he wheel arch are the worst offenders to get out, i had to cut one off and the other spun. You can just get a long phillips screew driver down behind the bottle to it. Once out I taped all of the loom up to stop water from getting in to it.
I also put lots of silicon aroudn all of the holes through the metal tray thing that collect the water below the windscreen. Especially at fault is a transpartent bung that sits in the base of it, the others for instance are the bolts hoeks for the washer bottle.

I have also just tried cutting off the bottom of the transparent bung and siliconing some tube to it once in place. This then provides and extra drain point. It has hasn't fallen off yet.

Some wate ris still getting in and I have yet to properly track it down. For the moment I think it is when the car is parked pointing down hill, the water flows out of the gutter and down the windscreen piller. This allows it to go down inside the wing. In there is some fantastic design, the metal plates are arranged so that if any water gets on them it will go inside. If I can prove it is this I will unbolt the wing (again) and properly weather proof the entire area.

Mark

[dragon_well]

Hi Garry

I have a 96 Disco and have a similar leaky problem. When parked facing downhill and in rain I find that water comes in through the roof and the interior above the windscreen is soaked.

I notice you mention a fix sheet M005, can you let me know wher I can get hold of this?

Best regards

[Guest 1079]

Hello Dragon_Well

welcome to the forum!! There's always lots of help and advice to be had here - also a lot of banter

Sorry to hear you have leak problems, but not unexpected if you have a Landrover!! The fix sheets for Discovery Leaks are located on the web-site of forum user M005 - however, I've added a shortcut here so you may go and see them.....

Do post a reply to tell us how you get on......

p.s. here, still a totally dry Discovery (inside) since I fixed my leak, fingers crossed it stays that way!!!!

[dragon_well]

Garry

Many thanks for this. I've had a look at these excellent documents and they seem to cover my problem and others!

My Discovery is currently in the garage having an engine water leak fixed! It's a '96 300 TDi bought last May.

This is appears to be very useful forum and I shall certainly be coming back. And I'll try and keep you posted on the success of fixing my Roof leak problem.

Many Thanks.

[Neil Miller]

I've just traded up from my '93 model which never leaked at all even in a wet home in New Zealand - I believe body wise in the area of concern this will be the same as yours?

However I am now a proud owner of a 2002 Series II that does leak - profusely through the rear door - I mean when you wash it it RUNS in! - upon inspection neither of the double seals come in contact with the door itself around the entire half opposite to the hinge side (passengers side) - seals appear OK so I suspect it is poor assemply?

Would appreciate help from any others who may have heard or experience similar

[da bomb]

We empathise with your problems but consider this.......

If you owned a series vehicle, you wouldnt be bothered about leaks because as everybody knows its all part of the character, and they have plenty of holes in the bodywork to let all that water out.

The solution......replace your current vehicle for something that wouldnt get you worried if it was wet... i.e. a series vehicle.

"SLO" Freedom through simplicity

The "SLO" would like to thank you for your time taken to read this.