QuestionHi John,
I'm a felow Montrealer and Discovery owner. I have three long-time nagging issues with my beloved toy... the 1st is that both front power-windows don't "lift" anymore. The motor sounds good, but there seems to have been a little plastic bit that broke inside, any idea where I can get a fix-kit? The second is a bit more annoying, the front headlights melt the plastic connectors on the back of them. I've replaced them often and now only run on high-beams (with lovely GE-white/blue bulbs that are GREAT!). Lastly, the largest concern is a loud whinning, or maybe whistling/screaming noise (not a gear noise) coming from somewhere in the engine compartment/transmission area. If I put a screwdriver on the oil-filter, it almost cuts the noise in half... any thoughts?
Sincerely,
Ken.
AnswerHi Ken,
nice to chat with a fellow Disco owner in "La belle province"! Decarie, Laval or John Scotty motors?
Problem 1: power windows
Have you removed the door panels to see if there is any obstruction? Both of us can relate to this: our climate and road conditions can cause salt & water penetration down into the window framing area. I have found on my '95 Disco that certain brakets have corroded and swelled the metal. Thus, the motor works fine BUT the window cannot raise or lower because the framing is jammed. Could this be your problem?
You mention a "little plastic bit" that broke inside. Can you be more specific about the location of this "bit". IF its in the actuator, you'll have to ask your dealer for an entire new part. If its in the switch itself, again the parts are available a your dealer.* I've done some jury-rigging to get my rear window to raise but it took a weekend and there is not much room to work with in that area.
Problem 2: Melting bulb connectors
This is a sign of higher than normal voltage. The problems I've had are more to do with corrosion within the bulb connectors. Perhaps there is a short that is causing this heat. Just in case, make sure the fuses that are being used are the correct ones. Other than that, it's a weird one. Those GE bulbs, did you install them or was this done by the LR dealership? Did you have the trouble BEFORE the GE bulbs? Something to consider.
Problem 3: screaming sound from lower engine area
This is perplexing. The screwdriver on the oil filter that reduces the sound may indicate that vibration frequency is altered. Could be engine mounts are loose, could be a water pump pulley, crank pulley (hope not) or some component within the serpentine belt's domain that is on its way out. I've had strange noises just prior to my power steering pump seizing. This pump is higher on the engine but it affects the steering linkage component below and near the lower part of the engine. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until something starts to really fail...hard to detect a bearing problem until you start to see leakage or hear even larger noises.
One other possibility could be within your gearbox. If you are really concerned about this, you could have LR lift up your Disco and then lower the gearbox to check for metal deposits and condition of the gears. IF the whistle is that loud, "something wicked this way comes!".
I wish you luck on this one, Ken. You can email me a jmcinnis64@hotmail.com if you have more questions. Give me more detail about the window "bit" and I'll check my tech notes to see how complicated it might be to fix. The burnt out connectors are probably due to a short in the wire or corrosion (common faults) in our older Disco's. The engine noise is troubling and hard to pinpoint from where I am sitting. So long as the noise is not getting louder...now if we could only determine where it's coming from.
Regards,
JohnMc
*I've been using salvage yards for some parts. There is one in Watertown, NY that somehow always has the older Disco parts I need. Try www.car-part.com to search for a salvage yard nearer to Montreal. This website is an excellent resource for our older Disco's. The prices are very reasonable and if you are travelling in the US, you can find one within your trip and pick up a part at a very low price. I found a power steering pump for $30. That's $650 less than the dealer!
