Rust In Cargo Area

[FelixLockhart]

Seems like whenever I get things working well on my truck, something screws up. This weekend, I was out of town (in my other car), and the Rover was left at home. We had a bunch of rain, and when I came home, my truck had this lingering smell in it, like someone had pissed in the cargo bay. I opened the tailgate, removed the carpet, and the foam-rubber pad underneath was quite moist. Underneath it, there was quite a collection of rust. The two channels running along the length of the truck are rusted pretty bad, and there are spots cross-ways across it along an underbody rail.

Is there a specific spot I should look for the leak? Anyone seen something similar to this on a '95?

[John C]

Typical, rain leeks thru the alpine windows or the rear door weatherstriping. You probably have the front floor boards rusted also.

I painted the whole inside of my Disco with Herculiner. I used white because my DI is white. I purchased the truck from a guy in FL so there was no rust but I wanted to protect it before it started.

Get some Pelican Dessicant and thow them under your carpet (under the fabric carpet not the rubber ones). it will dry the interior out in a few days. I would buy around 4 or 5 of them and place them under each carpet.

Good luck.

[pavel]

Our 96 disco also leaks in the back area, rust just starting to show. Alpine windows seem OK but I'm not sure here. To check the weatherstrip around the door, does anyone have any suggestions? The door strip seems soft and flexible but I thought to bungeychord the door tightly closed from the inside - the idea being to put more compression on the rubber strip and see if this stops water ingress. Any ideas anyone?

[John C]

You can adjust the rear door to close tighly. Just look at the latch on the body and on the door.

In order to figure out where it is leaking you will need to remove the panels in the back, just be carefull not to break the clips. Then have someone spray water on the outside of the vehicle with a garden house. Just a thought.

[pavel]

Yes, over the summer removed all the panels and floor pad in the back and hosed her down for 20 minutes. Only a tiny leak occured when I directed the stream of water at the little gaps beteen the alum body panels and the steel door frame at the two top 'corners' of the door. Really never got to the route of the main problem. Since its going to rain hard tomorrow thought I'd climb in the back and sing 275 verses of 'I left my heart in old Solihull' until I can see where the water is coming in. If that doesn't work, I'll just tighten up the door latch - thanks John C !

[borneo_boy]

My Disco 96 has 2 sunroofs that leak down the manual lever and panel just top of the windscreen. A bit of silicone sealant around the rubber channels below the glass sunroofs stopped most of the leak, but anybody know how to fix this permanently? I suspect the drain channels are choked but have no idea how to test this.

[pavel]

OK JohnC, yesterday was a sunny day so put the Mrs. into the back of the Disco and soaked the back of the vehicle with the hose sprinkler for about 45 minutes - nothing - not a drop in the back - no leaks around the door, the alpine windows, the tail lights - nada. We gave up and went in for lunch. Came out 30 mins later and there was a small buildup of water in the slot running along the inside of the weather strip of the back door! The little slot has welded tabs for the metal strip that holds down the carpeting. Sponged it all out and used paper towel to get all the dampness away. Reinserted the Good Woman into the back and restarted the hose. Nothing! I know this is almost Halloween but really this is spooky! After about 30 minutes, a tiny amount of water started to appear on the passenger side of the slot as shown in the attached photo!!! So the water is wicking between the body panels and being 'pulled' very slowly into the rear compartment between the floor panels that are not properly sealed. I guess the factory seamseal has shrunk and there must be a small gap. So, some sealer is the next step. Of course, I wonder if water is permanently trapped between the panels...

[me.guevara]

Apparently, we have the same issue. I fear that the interior part of the seam, the one we can't see without tearing up the flooring, may have some rampant rust which may continue to spread even after we seal it. Anyone know how we can get at this problem?

Cheers,

[pavel]

I'm taking the Disco in to be 'Rust Checked' soon and first will have to figure out if there are any potential voids where water can be trapped between the sealed rear floor panels. If there are, holes will be drilled as drains (and plugs inserted) by the Rust Check guys as part of the service.
Just in case anyone has not heard of 'Rust Check', its a process in which a special oil is sprayed into doors, hollow body panels and over the entire bottom of the vehicle to slow rusting. Access holes for the spraying are then plugged. The process is pricey (Canadian$200+ for the first treatment and then less for follow ups). Originally I understand the process was developed for the aircraft industry but is common in eastern Canada due to the phenomenonly fast automotive decay (heavy road salting). One problem with Rust Check is that the vehicle drips for days after application and is best left outside for a while. If I can get some good pictures of the underside rear of the Disco, where water might be pooling, I will post.

[4x4disco]

Re Rust in cargo area,
Check the area between floor and tank is not caked in mud; this will of course hold water and promote rust. With the fuel tank being plastic the mud does not bother it much.
If in doubt stick a jet wash in the space.

This is a common problem on the older Discovery’s.
You can buy a replacement panel for around £50, drill out the old spot welds and tack a new one in.
If yours is not rusting now is the time to protect it.
Sean

[pavel]

OK me.guevara & 4X4, after studying the Disco underside where our leak is, there clearly is no enclosed void which could hold water and there is no caked on mud up above the gastank. So I used a hair dryer to thoroughly warm up and dry out the upper and lower surfaces and then used some silicone (bathtube) seal - see pictures. It has been raining hard now for a couple of days and so far at least, there has not been a drop of water inside. Got a big reward from the 'little woman'....a kiss on the cheek! If there is no water inside over the next week I'm going for the big manly reward....apple pie!

[me.guevara]

Looks good - hopefully it'll hold and you can get your reward (make sure there's some vanilla ice cream on that pie!).

Cheers,

[pavel]

Oh bugger! I must report with a heavy heart, that there is no pie (with or without ice cream) for Pavel! This morning there was a small amount of water in the back of the Disco, so the sealing process must continue.....

[me.guevara]

Taking advantage of the cooler weather (70°F and raining), the fact that the Beast is laid up waiting for a new alternator, and in preparation for a session with the Rhino Linings dealer, I stripped off all the rear interior panels this morning.

In addition to 10 years worth of dust behind there, I discovered that both my alpine windows leak - not appreciably, but enough for a small puddle to form under the carpet, built by a steady stream of almost imperceptible drops running down the frame behind the E pilar moldings.

I know from reading LRO that this is a very common issue in our beloved trucks - what I can't find is the best way to fix it. What have you guys done that works?

I'll take some pictures of the progress once the sun comes out.

Thanks!

[Rovin4life]

As for the bathtub sealant not sure if it will really work. Usually most dealers I know that have problems like that use special body fillers and stuff that a body shop uses. but it might be the same stuff.


MG, with the rear panels out now is an easy time to check out the leak.

Do yourself a favor and take a glass of water and pour it onto the sunroof and just see where it is coming from. start slow. and put it into a grid pattern. Start at one end and work your way to the end. taking a look as you go.

When you locate it then try to fix it. If you need some sealant try using windshield sealant. Works great. oh and check the buttons on the sunroofs for leaks. If they are leaking put some sealant on them.