Disco 2 ACE Fluid Leak

Hi everyone.
I posted this in the introduce yourself section, but got advised to put it here....
Very new to this forum - always loved LR's - previously had a Freelander, a year ago I bought my first Disco - I will have a Range Rover at some point too, but still on the look out for a LWB Defender - just to complete the set! - but they are all unfortunately out of my price range currently.
Anyway, I have searched, but couldn't find anything recent regarding the ACE system.
So, I have had my 2003 TDS ES Auto for about a year now. Yesterday my normal route to work was blocked, the detour took me on some horrendous bumpy country roads. At one particular bend the red ACE light came on. I immediately stopped - I still had fluid, so I continued to work. I drove home with the light on amber. After finding out this fluid is like gold dust, I eventually got some from LR and as soon as I put it in, it has started leaking out towards the back of the car.....almost directly behind the rear wheel. It has obviously been spraying out too as it is all over the back of the car - that will be washed off asap....... car is booked in for next Tuesday - it won't be driven untill then to get it to the garage. I won't be able to get under it until the weekend to see exactly where it is leaking from, but after reading some horrendous stories about what it could be, I am hoping for more sensible answers on here.

Am I potentially looking at a whole new system? The garage said on the phone that he may just turn the ACE system off....? what does that actually mean for me? - is that something I want to even consider?

Also......there is something else. I am female. Now that shouldn't matter, but I have found that it does in my own personal experience. I have been ripped off at garages before, and don't intend to be again. I am not a complete car novice, I am proud of the fact that I can change discs and brake pads, and a few other things - I have a local mechanic that checks my work for free and gives me a discount on work I cannot do.....I am willing to have a go at anything .....unfortunately he won't touch my Disco as mainly it is too big to get into his garage on the ramps and he jokes also because it is a Land Rover!!.... so is this something that I can potentially do myself, or even know what to look for to ask the iright questions at this 'new' garage??

If you got this far - Thank you for reading. And I hope you guys can help/adviseme.

I think you can remain calm as the ACE pipes and actuators are available. Check which has gone and replace. Now it should all be good but the one snag is if its the pipe then it could be a little problematic getting it off the ACE valve block. Again, you can get used blocks and all is not lost.
If its the actuator they are not cheap new but 2nd is always worth a punt in my book. Sometimes a used genuine part is better than a new pattern or aftermarket part.
Dont put ATF back in! Use that German stuff in the gold bottles. Best of luck, its only a leak which is absolutely what Land Rovers love to do. Regularly......

Hi, the leak is most probably from a pipe connected to the rear actuator, remove the lid of the engine bay fusebox which has the relay and fuse disposals on it , identify relay R14 and remove it, this will lock the valves closed and keep the fluid recirculating between the valve block and the pump so the pump is on the safe side, the amber light will still be on but the oil in the tank should not drop so much provided the valves are closing well so only that leaking pipe will get empty. You can drive it this way untill it's fixed if you see that the tank doesnt get empty just expect a bit more body roll, there are cheap ways to fix that with compression fittings rather than get rid of the system.... first of all you must figure out exactly which from the two pipes is leaking and if you can find a shop which works with HP pipes they can fix that pipe for you... when you'll identify exactly the leak i'll tell you more. Good luck

Probably the flexi hose as part of the rear pipe set.

Should be easy for the garage to repair, using original style parts may be a couple of hundred.

A few years ago I bought a brand new rear ARB with ram for £60.

Totally agree with all previous posts, you don't need to panic, it is basically just like plumbing re compression pipe fittings. Check the right hand rear flexible hose, it can rub and if it isn't already make sure it is in the right place where it cannot. I found this out by accident, fortunately before it rubbed through and was able to tiewrap it out of the way.

Know how you feel about the sexist attitude towards female customers, although it might help if you go in with dirty overalls on and talk about the various possible problems as if you know a lot about it! But you can try searching for a garage run by women, they do exist! And I did have a colleague whose daughter became a fully trained mechanic.
I also have a friend who, when he thinks he is about to be ripped off, says "I don't know but I know a man who does." and then rings me in front of the ripoff merchant. As soon as he starts talking to me the guy suddenly straightens up and flies right! i,e he once went from "need a complete new exhaust system, mate." To "I'll just tighten up that u-bolt for you, no charge!"

Hi all.
Thank you so much for your replies.
This is what I have been told - he texted me so this is copied word for word:
Discovery requires a flexible ace pipe, we would recommend trying somewhere like pirtek? They repair hydraulic pipes, otherwise we would suggest removing the ace system & putting on anti roll bars, links & new pulley with belt this will cost £772.43+vat. To replace the offending pipe is likely to be more costly as the pipes don't always come out of the ace block then a new block is required at £1750+vat plus new pipes 8 pipes in total at £135+vat each, plus labour.

Someone PLEASE tell me there is an alternative?

LRover2019 said:

Hi all.
Thank you so much for your replies.
This is what I have been told - he texted me so this is copied word for word:
Discovery requires a flexible ace pipe, we would recommend trying somewhere like pirtek? They repair hydraulic pipes, otherwise we would suggest removing the ace system & putting on anti roll bars, links & new pulley with belt this will cost £772.43+vat. To replace the offending pipe is likely to be more costly as the pipes don't always come out of the ace block then a new block is required at £1750+vat plus new pipes 8 pipes in total at £135+vat each, plus labour.

Someone PLEASE tell me there is an alternative?

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Hi if you do a search on ACE pipes you find lots of info I converted mine not so long back to a modified valve block and hydraulic hose lot easier and cheaper but can be fiddly I did mine on axle stands at side of road also look on d2bc for help hope this helps

£200 for a full hose conversion if DIY but pay a machine shop to machine block

lynx45 said:

Hi if you do a search on ACE pipes you find lots of info I converted mine not so long back to a modified valve block and hydraulic hose lot easier and cheaper but can be fiddly I did mine on axle stands at side of road also look on d2bc for help hope this helps

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Timing is bad too as MOT due in a week or so, so need to do something.
Is this something I could do myself? I'm willing to have a go at anything - I would class myself as novice but very keen to learn....willing to buy more tools if needed etc....just need to be sure of what I am doing!

MJI said:

£200 for a full hose conversion if DIY but pay a machine shop to machine block

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Hi. Sorry - could you 'dumb' this down for me a bit please? Could you explain the "pay a machine shop to machine block" line please?

LRover2019 said:

Timing is bad too as MOT due in a week or so, so need to do something.
Is this something I could do myself? I'm willing to have a go at anything - I would class myself as novice but very keen to learn....willing to buy more tools if needed etc....just need to be sure of what I am doing!

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Hi is the disco your main driving car ? Or do you drive something else so mot not an issue at the moment do you have off road parking ? Yes it's doable with basic knowledge and tools though would need couple of larger spanners for compression joints like I said plenty of write ups

LRover2019 said:

Hi. Sorry - could you 'dumb' this down for me a bit please? Could you explain the "pay a machine shop to machine block" line please?

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Hi in reference to machine block and machine shop if you look under your drivers side between drivers door and rear door you will see a block with 4 x pipes going to the front and 2x pipes going to rear this is what needs to be modified to except hydraulic fixings so would have to pay a machine shop to do work or you could buy a already modified block from eBay

LRover2019 said:

Hi. Sorry - could you 'dumb' this down for me a bit please? Could you explain the "pay a machine shop to machine block" line please?

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The block needs modifying to take hydraulic fittings join D2 boys club, huge thread on there

LRover2019 said:

Timing is bad too as MOT due in a week or so, so need to do something.
Is this something I could do myself? I'm willing to have a go at anything - I would class myself as novice but very keen to learn....willing to buy more tools if needed etc....just need to be sure of what I am doing!

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Don't panic, take your time to figure out how you can fix it, if you remove the relay as i explaind in my first reply the leak should stop and as only the rear ram is leaking the front is still locked so the body roll will not be excessive and the vehicle perfectly driveable, if you think that the ACE warning light is an issue i can tell you how to disable that too with a piece of wire... what you was quoted is silly money no need to pay so much it's fixable with much more less.

lynx45 said:

Hi is the disco your main driving car ? Or do you drive something else so mot not an issue at the moment do you have off road parking ? Yes it's doable with basic knowledge and tools though would need couple of larger spanners for compression joints like I said plenty of write ups

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Yes - disco is my main car. I do have off road parking so if I had a go at this myself I could let the MOT lapse and probably hire a cheap run around to get to work etc. Thank you for your reply.

lynx45 said:

Hi in reference to machine block and machine shop if you look under your drivers side between drivers door and rear door you will see a block with 4 x pipes going to the front and 2x pipes going to rear this is what needs to be modified to except hydraulic fixings so would have to pay a machine shop to do work or you could buy a already modified block from eBay

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OK. That makes sense. Thanks.
It is one of the rear pipes that has kinked and split where the leak is. Totally floored by the prices gi en considering it is just a little pipe! Thank you for your reply.

sierrafery said:

Don't panic, take your time to figure out how you can fix it, if you remove the relay as i explaind in my first reply the leak should stop and as only the rear ram is leaking the front is still locked so the body roll will not be excessive and the vehicle perfectly driveable, if you think that the ACE warning light is an issue i can tell you how to disable that too with a piece of wire... what you was quoted is silly money no need to pay so much it's fixable with much more less.

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Thank you. I think this is the route I am going to take as it seems like quickest (due to the MOT issue). Am I right in assuming that if I stop the leak like this and get the warning light off then it should get through its MOT like that?
If so, then I think I'm going to put it through its MOT to make sure of no other issues and go from there.
Could you let me know how to disable the warning light please?
Thank you for taking the time to reply and your advise.

LRover2019 said:

Could you let me know how to disable the warning light please?

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Remove the glove box(it's easy, undo those 4 bolts at the bottom) there you will find the ACE ECU, unplug C0647 and bridge terminals 11 - 36 with a piece of wire as in the picture and let it so don't plug it back, you can drive it this way as long as you want provided the level in the tank stops dropping ... only if you are unlucky the valves in the block are not closing well then it will still be a slight leak... pressure wash the area where the leak was . Good luck

When my ace pipe corroded through to create a leak on a clip holding it to chassis I found a plant hydraulic fitter who cut and replaced part of pipe with a new piece using compression fittings, took about 30 minutes and you may find a mobile one who can repair on site.