just2zang
Member Since: 26 Dec 2013
Location: nicosia
Posts: 4
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Fault Found I Believe. Damp ECU Connectors... CURE? | |
Hi all this is the first time I have posted on this forum. I have a UK Spec, FL2 xs TD4 2.2 2007 Manual in Black with what I believe to be Alpaca half leather/blue inserts interior. I am located in Cyprus. The car has cruise and the alpine speakers, no armrests, no sunroof and no memory or electric lumber support on the seats.
The car has around 117k mostly motorway miles, has had a new gearbox I believe and also a recon engine when the flap in the intake manifold entered the engine. It also had a rat eat through some wires and enter into the car. So its had a dark history.
Anyway, I have been experiencing a problem every time I have washed the car myself. Essentially the car starts and just dies without warning. If you try and restart, it says hdc switched off and then it won't fire. If you take the key out, lock the car and then unlock, it starts again but may repeat the fault at any time.
The last time I took it to the LR dealer, he couldn't find a fault, although it had been sitting there for a few days. I suspected that water had penetrated some electrical component, maybe the ECU. We have over 40 Degree C here during the day.
Anyway, many breakdowns later, I found that the ECU connectors were damp. I cured by sprayed wd40 into them and then using compressed air to blow out liquid from the plug. The car seems to be behaving itself so far. My FL2 also had some poorly put back together scuttle panel. Essentially the scuttle panel was not fitted into the windscreen plastic that runs along the bottom of the windscreen. Although looking at it now, even if it is fitted correctly I wouldn't call it watertight or a perfect fit.
Has anyone else here experienced similar problems and does anyone know a cheap fix to prevent water getting into these connectors? I have thought about packing Vaseline into the connectors but am worried that this may interfere with communication of the ecu. Currently have a plastic bag covering the connector. It maybe that water left standing on the car after a wash at night, may evaporate during the night next day and causing damp to penetrate the plugs?
Does anyone have any high res pictures of their scuttle panel and bottom windscreen surround? I am wondering if there is anything missing that is causing water to penetrate.
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18th Aug 2014 1:09 pm |
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parrafin23
Member Since: 24 Jun 2013
Location: Norway
Posts: 57
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Heya, and welcome to this forum.
Your issue with damp in the ecu connector is well know amongst Discovery3 owners, including me, You mentioned that you could use some vaselne to sort the issue, but im not so sure about that. I found here in Norway a type of gell that the el guys uses. they use a snapon connector to splice the cables, then they put it in a box, and fill the box with a special non conductive gell. I have tried it and it is awesome. its not sticky at all. it behaves like quick sand, as soon as you push something threw the gell it gives no resistance at all, but when left there for 5 mins it completly stiffens up and make a waterproof seal. the cool thin about this gel, its completly transparent, so you can inspect whatever you put in there. This is a Norwegian product that just hit the market, I do not remember the name of it, but i can find that out.
MAGIC POWER GEL is one type that you can use, Raytech is the company that make this stuff
WATER STOP TETTENDE GEL is the stuff that the El guys uses.. search for it on the net and see if it fits your needs.
You can try and talk to Collin over at BBS and see if he comes up with a idea. Cyprus isnt that big.
Blackbox Solutions Ltd.
3 Spyrou Loui,
Ayios Spyridonas.,
3051 Limassol
Cyprus
Contact Number:
Phone : +357 25 384 427
I hope this helps
Mr.P
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18th Aug 2014 3:48 pm |
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