My first Land Rover - tow car!

I've also got this wet passenger footwell problem and have yet to do a proper investigation (every time I look at the land rover it starts ****ing with rain). However, I've heard rumours that there is a large rubber grommet in the bulkhead where wiring comes through which tends to fail and let water through as well. Apparantly from the engine side this is hidden from view by the windscreen wash bottle and it is also awkward to see / get at from the footwell... Will keep an eye on this thread for fixes to either grommet or windscreen seal problems. Daze, that basically looks like a nice solid Disco - old but still a quality drive.

Daze said:

Firstly, went to the local scrapyard this morning on the hunt for an interior light cover. No Discovery's were there, but it appears an MG Rover uses the same interior light, so that's now fixed!

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Before you start using your dosh/time, you'll be happy to find that lots of bits are still available new and cheap.

AMR2577 | Lamp Interior

KiwiTDI said:

Hi Richard, at the risk of hi jacking this thread could you provide some details on the source of leak and how you fixed it pleasee?

Mine leaks when water is poured half way up rhe windscreen, passnger side. Water poured in main gutter at base of windsceen does not cause a leak, its drving me nuts as cannot see how what could leak between the gutter and a point a foot higher!

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Sounds like you're having as much fun as I did! I poured water from the top - no leak, then from half way down the screen - no leak, then from the bottom corner and it leaked! I couldn't understand it at all as all the water was heading in the same direction.

My leak was actually in the bottom corner of the screen and I think the water just takes a while to work it's way from the top of the screen down inside the rubber. If you pour enough from the top and wait long enough it will probably leak.

I filled lifted the trim at the bottom of the screen and filled with tiger seal then ran a bead between the glass and the rubber from top to bottom. I'll see if I can get a photo later but I've since fitted a southdown snorkle which may block the pic.

Typing this has made me paranoid again so I need to go and take the footwell trim off and check it's all still dry

McBad said:

I've also got this wet passenger footwell problem and have yet to do a proper investigation (every time I look at the land rover it starts ****ing with rain). However, I've heard rumours that there is a large rubber grommet in the bulkhead where wiring comes through which tends to fail and let water through as well. Apparantly from the engine side this is hidden from view by the windscreen wash bottle and it is also awkward to see / get at from the footwell... Will keep an eye on this thread for fixes to either grommet or windscreen seal problems. Daze, that basically looks like a nice solid Disco - old but still a quality drive.

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Thanks!

Funny enough I wanted to take my washer bottle out anyway today (see pics below). I now know the rubber grommet you mean and mine looks fine, very well sealed to body & doesn't seem obvious that it would let water in.

auf_wiedersehen_pet said:

Before you start using your dosh/time, you'll be happy to find that lots of bits are still available new and cheap.

AMR2577 | Lamp Interior

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Excellent, thats great to know! Luckily I managed to get that MG interior light (same model number I'd imagine - identical) for free from local scrappy

RichardH said:

Sounds like you're having as much fun as I did! I poured water from the top - no leak, then from half way down the screen - no leak, then from the bottom corner and it leaked! I couldn't understand it at all as all the water was heading in the same direction.

My leak was actually in the bottom corner of the screen and I think the water just takes a while to work it's way from the top of the screen down inside the rubber. If you pour enough from the top and wait long enough it will probably leak.

I filled lifted the trim at the bottom of the screen and filled with tiger seal then ran a bead between the glass and the rubber from top to bottom. I'll see if I can get a photo later but I've since fitted a southdown snorkle which may block the pic.

Typing this has made me paranoid again so I need to go and take the footwell trim off and check it's all still dry

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Haha, same with the paranoid feels! Although I'm still yet to see mine actually leak myself - carpet was wet when I bought the car.

Talking of leaks still, did some investigating and was looking all around at the bottom of the screen. I took these 2 pics of drivers & passenger sides of the screen (passenger right, drivers left in photo). You notice the gap between the rubber on the screen and that plastic trim piece? Also the gap between the 2 plastic trim pieces? This is the only noticeable difference I've seen drivers vs passengers that might(?) result in leaks. Will investigate more, but a dash of TigerSeal around these areas perhaps a good idea? I'll have to test with the jug of water idea.



As said above, removed the washer bottle today as the pumps sounded a little weak and I suspected that the bottle was full of junk. Sure enough, really disgusting inside!





Dropped in vinegar and hot water, along with a sink unblocker-thing, and managed to get most of the junk out as to help prevent blocking of the pumps



After about 30 mins, it was looking a little nicer.



Neck & filter as best as I can get them - it'll do.



Re-fitted, topped up & tested. All washers good now Took a little time for the pumps to unblock themselves, but they sound fairly healthy now



Fairly unrelated, but I decided to remove the rear spare wheel cover. I'm not sure yet if this looks better or worse removed? Or if its a good idea? I know the reason of the spare wheel covers is to prevent the tyre from perishing, but looks fairly perished already!



What do you guys think?



And finally, been meaning to get some interior photos, I'm happy with how clean it is inside. Its important to me that the car is a nice place to be, as after a long & tiring drift event with my Nissan, it'll be refreshing to jump back into the wagon for the drive home in comfort.



I've got a 3.1amp (fast charge) dual cigarette USB charger for my iPhone, and I've ordered a neat phone holder too - hopefully arrive tomorrow.

That, along with the radio I picked up from Halfords for £65 (clearance) which also has Bluetooth handsfree. Things like this will help on the long drives up & down the country that I'll occasionally be doing while on tow.

This is where mine was leaking



I put sealant under the rubber as well as along the joint with the glass.

Thanks Richard, Ill give that fix a bash. What puzzles me is how water can get from the screen to the footwell! Does it get inside the pillar and then into the footwell?

Ive had both the wings off and there is virtually no rust on my car, whilst there I just redid the sealant on the vertical seam under the gutter drain hole, including the blob of sealant just under the screen corner where several panels join. I also drilled a hole in the box section to let water out rather than sit where the panels join under the gutter drain hole.

Its a mystery as to how water gets from the screen and then to run down the vertical panel on the left of the passengers feet.....

PS sorry daze if im hi jacking yr thread

KiwiTDI said:

Thanks Richard, Ill give that fix a bash. What puzzles me is how water can get from the screen to the footwell! Does it get inside the pillar and then into the footwell?

Ive had both the wings off and there is virtually no rust on my car, whilst there I just redid the sealant on the vertical seam under the gutter drain hole, including the blob of sealant just under the screen corner where several panels join. I also drilled a hole in the box section to let water out rather than sit where the panels join under the gutter drain hole.

Its a mystery as to how water gets from the screen and then to run down the vertical panel on the left of the passengers feet.....

PS sorry daze if im hi jacking yr thread

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I'm sure daze will find the info handy

I think the gutter under the windscreen is double skinned so there is a void underneath and it's lowest points are the sides of the car. You can see the shape of it if you can fit your head up the footwell and see past the ECUs.

My thoughts are that water is dropping into this void and ending up tight against the wing as it's the lowest point and seeping through the joints. I'll see if I can dig out the photos that I took as I drill some extra drain holes as well.

Awesome info guys, keep it coming. I don't mind for hijacking threads!

I'm defiantly going to be spending some time soon on identifying leaks & fixing them, for sure!

hi:daze, as you have the water tank out you can check the rubber seal around the wires isnt your source of leak as it is exposed when the tank is out, normally you cant see it.

That seal does not leak on mine, or at least thats not where the leak shows itself, im not sure how water would get to that seal anyway, and also if it did how good a job it could do keeping it out of the foootwell.

Hi nice disco I wish my auto one was as good!

I did my trailer test a couple of months back and to be honest its not too bad, listen to the instructor and just drive sensibly and you shouldn't have a problem. They expect your driving standard to be at car test standard nothing more.

KiwiTDI said:

hi:daze, as you have the water tank out you can check the rubber seal around the wires isnt your source of leak as it is exposed when the tank is out, normally you cant see it.

That seal does not leak on mine, or at least thats not where the leak shows itself, im not sure how water would get to that seal anyway, and also if it did how good a job it could do keeping it out of the foootwell.

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When I had the washer bottle out, I did mention that I double checked around that grommet & where the loom enters the cabin, but mine looked fine - well sealed & not perished, doubtful it leaks there on mine either.

pauldaf44 said:

Hi nice disco I wish my auto one was as good!

I did my trailer test a couple of months back and to be honest its not too bad, listen to the instructor and just drive sensibly and you shouldn't have a problem. They expect your driving standard to be at car test standard nothing more.

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Thanks! That's good to hear. Maybe I'll start practicing "test standard" driving over the next couple weeks then!

So, still playing around with cruise control.

I've now replaced all vac lines, was very easy. The only one that I'm unsure on is the cruise control pump/unit (under jack in engine bay). I have no idea how to remove it to inspect it? And I can't even see the damn thing! I could feel 2 pipes which the vac lines could attach to, one larger than the other. I've connected the vac line to each one with a drive in-between and no luck

I'm not even 100% sure how the cruise control even is suppose to work? Are there any dash lights telling you its activated or not? I've had a search on Google for owners manuals, but the only ones I've found appear to be a different/newer model than mine.

I have this button


And this button on the steering wheel (along with a matching on the other side)


The illumination on the "motorway button" works, but nothing else tells me anything is happening? I would expect a light on the dash somewhere? But I get nothing.

Anyone have any advice or knowledge on the subject? Would be nice to get the cruise control working!

The light on the button is all you get I'm afraid, nothing on the dash. The unit on mine is a bit loose so I'll try to slide it across to get a photo, at least you'll have a clue what you can feel on the unit. My vacuum pipes are bright blue as well so they are easy to see

When mine had a slight leak it would almost hold speed when I held the ACC button so it might be worth holding the button rather than just pressing it.

I never use the CC though but that's not the point, the car had it so I wanted it to work!

Ah, cool, thanks for the help Richard!

I've been tapping the ACC button, holding it, pulling it, everything! Nothing seems to work with it, at least not at the moment. When its in correct working order, to set speed, do you hold it for a couple seconds? Or is it just done on 1 press?

As I said, from what I can feel there are 2 pipes that the vac hose could connect to (I've tried both), but how I have it currently I think is correct.

From looking at this photo (from a Google search) I guess this is the item in question?



You can see the 2 pipes in this photo. 1 clear with a bevelled end, and 1 black & straight, with another pipe coming off of it.

From searching around, it appears there is very little info regarding this, all I've found is this photo which I presume is correct, and shows the hose to the actuator is connected to the pipe with the other hose coming off of it (straight black pipe on pump)



Next up to check is the brake pedal switch. I guess there is some adjustment with it, but I've yet to look at this properly.

So that's what it looks like !!

I think you're right and it's the black connector with the other pipe attached. If you have plenty of vacuum hose could you extend it into the cabin so you can test for vacuum when driving. Safer for your passenger to check while you're driving obviously

the CC on a D1 is very basic, first u must understand that a vacuum pump is sucking therefore there must be an outlet the exhaust the air, which is the white outlet, the black is an inlet which the vac hose attaches to.

If your sure u don't have any leaks from the hose or pump and brake pedal switch connections then the diaphragm in the throttle actuator may be faulty (split)..

What's left is electrical, u may have an iffy steering wheel switch but ECU and pump are pretty reliable, in my 15 + years the only issue was the rubber vac hose and I use CC every time I use my disco.

Also CC only operates around 30mph and over.

I was nearly pulling what little hair I have out trying to get the cruise working. Working my way along I eventually got it working. However, I think, as discool says, that it's quite a basic setup. 60mph, cruise on and tha accelerator pedal heads south to the floor like a sub in a hurry, I can literally feel it fall from my foot to the floor and I don't think that'll help fuel consumption much.

I know you're doing long distance driving but don't, in my opinion 'obsess' to much about it.

Daze said:

carpet was wet when I bought the car.

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Is there any chance your Disco is leak free (at least in that area) and the previous owner had spilt a bottle of water in the passenger foot well and couldn't be bothered to dry it out before selling it.

My old disco 300 had heater matrix leak during the winter months.....

RichardH said:

So that's what it looks like !! ...

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discool said:

the CC on a D1 is very basic...

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Thanks to both of you for explaining how the CC works on the Discovery a little more! I've still yet to replace the last vac pipe between T-piece and brake pedal, but I suspect that is the cause of the problem. Yesterday down the motorway I tried it again and indeed felt the pedal drop to the floor, only for a few seconds! That last remaining pipe must have a leak in it, so I'll be replacing that very soon

iwantone said:

I was nearly pulling what little hair I have out trying to get the cruise working. Working my way along I eventually got it working. However, I think, as discool says, that it's quite a basic setup. 60mph, cruise on and tha accelerator pedal heads south to the floor like a sub in a hurry, I can literally feel it fall from my foot to the floor and I don't think that'll help fuel consumption much.

I know you're doing long distance driving but don't, in my opinion 'obsess' to much about it.

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Hmm, interesting. Thanks. Perhaps I won't worry too much about it if I can't get it working 100% then. It's good to know at least everyone has this problem, not just me! :doh:

DiscoHat said:

Is there any chance your Disco is leak free (at least in that area) and the previous owner had spilt a bottle of water in the passenger foot well and couldn't be bothered to dry it out before selling it.

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Yes, that kind of thing did cross my mind. Still no leaks as yet, but it has been real nice weather recently! I'm yet to also do the jug of water test, but I will soon!

Skynet said:

My old disco 300 had heater matrix leak during the winter months.....

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Interesting, I didn't think of that. I'll keep an eye out!

Couldn't persuade the multiplug to come off but I managed to side it over to get some pics.