Thread: 6 Months of Suspension = Mrs driving = New problems

[QUOTE=chilla;2697316]2003 Dsicovery 2a, Td5, 210,000km.

Hello to all, hope you are all well.

I received my license back this week after a 6 month suspension...long story , and my mrs has been driving the disco around occasionally to keep things running. I've noticed a few problems.

Originally Posted by chilla

1). Noticeable straight away, it was pulling to left. Heavy and resistant when turning to the right and nice and easy like normal to the left. Checked tyre pressures. Were only slightly out. Adjusted all to 36psi and still no difference. Any ideas what could cause this? She hasn't hit anything in it. The wheel alignment couldn't go this bad by itself over a 6 month period could it? Tyres are pretty old, but I doubt tyres alone could cause this amount of pull and resistance when trying to turn one way.

Nothing can happen to the "wheel alignment" if the car isn't doing anything. If the car wasn't doing it before, something has happened. Tyres, which would have been my first question, aren't it if you've checked them. Does it drive OK in a straight line? If it does, then it's unlikely to be tyres or brakes.
Can you turn it easily from side to side when stationary? If not, then it's probably a power steering issue, and I'll leave you there.
If so, maybe it's a ball joint that has become tight. How much have you driven it since you got legal again?

Originally Posted by chilla

2). Coolant leak. While the Mrs was driving about 2 months ago, the radiator hose split and temp gauge went up. Luckily she pulled over and I repaired hose to roll the car home about 2 mins down the road. Replaced hose, flushed system and replaced coolant. Anyway, just underneath the coolant overflow tank cap, there are two tubes. One goes to radiator and the other is a overflow tube about 150mm long that just ends nowhere in particular. I went for a 15 minute drive and the coolant in the overflow tank went down about 12mm! It appears it is dripping out of the overflow tube (the 150mm one that doesn't go anywhere). Why would this be happening, considering the coolant level is below the "Cold Level" on the overflow tank? Could it be due to me not performing the flush properly and there is an air leak or pocket in the cooling system??

Does this help you find your loose hose? :

Screen Shot 2017-07-18 at 11.01.40 pm.jpg

There should be no loose hoses. Easy to knock one off when fixing another.

[QUOTE=johntins;2697327][QUOTE=chilla;2697316]2003 Dsicovery 2a, Td5, 210,000km.

Nothing can happen to the "wheel alignment" if the car isn't doing anything. If the car wasn't doing it before, something has happened. Tyres, which would have been my first question, aren't it if you've checked them. Does it drive OK in a straight line? If it does, then it's unlikely to be tyres or brakes.
Can you turn it easily from side to side when stationary? If not, then it's probably a power steering issue, and I'll leave you there.
If so, maybe it's a ball joint that has become tight. How much have you driven it since you got legal again?



Does this help you find your loose hose? :

Screen Shot 2017-07-18 at 11.01.40 pm.jpg



Hi, thanks for the reply. It pulls to the left pretty bad when driving in a straight line. Harder to turn to right (more resistance). Turning left seems as normal.

I had a quick look at hoses for leak. They all seem fine except for the hose labelled 2 on your diagram ( overflow tube from overflow tank). It seems like it is dripping out of that, even though the level isn't close to overflowing. I read that it may be due to an airlock, all though when I flushed and replaced coolant, I opened the bleed. I might lift overflow tank up, open bleed screw, then pour some more coolant into overflow until it leaks from bleed screw, shut bleed screw and replace coolant overflow tank. If that doesn't work, is it worth replacing the cap on the overflow tank? Thanks.

Probably need a new radiator cap. Otherwise, if system is pressurising too much, probably a head gasket issue.
I wouldn't worry about having to top the level up a couple of times after flushing. This is normal and should eventually come good.

Jack up front end, or at the least LHS front.
Does the left wheel turn easily?

bearing binding? brake binding? Does it make any noises? ... etc.

there is a "loose" hose,,
but the system has to pressurize enough before it releases

Chilla, You mentioned it, so I gotta ask!...what was the suspension for?...If it's a private matter, then please disregard my question.
Pickles.

Originally Posted by Pedro_The_Swift

there is a "loose" hose,,
but the system has to pressurize enough before it releases

Mine isn't loose, per se. It is secured, and so is kind of obvious as to its purpose. I thought the OP meant one flopping about.

My brother who has a D2a had a very similar problem. He said it was hard to steer one way but fine the other way. So i went out to investigate it for him. Turns out the shock tower didn't want to be part of the body anymore! The welds had broken off and the shock tower and spring are now currently under the intake manifold! Might not be it but worth a check. From memory i think it was a problem from the factory on the D2a.