Discovery 2 ACE issues

Hi All,
Having recently returned to Discovery 2 ownership after a 10 year break, I'm suffering issues with the ACE system on my 2004 TD5 Landmark (as well as saggy headlining, leaky sunroofs etc!)
The other day the red ACE warning light started flashing along with a 'boing' warning, but it remained solidly lit with no 'boing' after a couple of minutes. I wasn't far from home so carried on driving. When I checked the ACE reservoir, it was empty, so thought the pump had either failed or I had fried it.
Replacement ACE pump fitted today, and ACE block filter changed, as well as renewing the serpentine belt and tensioner while I was in there. ACE reservoir topped up.
Still have the same issue - 30 seconds after starting the flashing red ACE light and audible alarm, along with no movement of ace fluid in the reservoir.
However, have noticed quite a bad leak coming from somewhere low down - under the crank pulley maybe? Leak wasn't there a month or so back when I changed the steering damper.
Could it be that the return pipe to the reservoir is leaking hence a low pressure alarm and no movement in the tank?
Would appreciate the benefit of your collective knowledge and experience.
Thanks in advance.
Roy.

Hi. Did you prime the pump as in the book after it was fitted? ... A leak on the return would not affect the system's pressure only the activity in the tank eventually

Hi,
I've just found it - looks like it's coming out again!
Thanks,
Roy

remove belt and turn pump by hand in its direction of travel

Undo the banjo from the pump's outlet, remove relay R9(this will not let the engine to start) and ask somebody to keep cranking it untill you get good flow from the outlet then fit the banjo back, top up the fluid, put the relay back and start the engine, then that you should have good activity in the tank and you'll be able to see better where the leak is to fix it

Thanks jamesmartin,
So - do I need to remove the pump to prime it or can I leave it bolted in-situ?
Thanks,
Roy

Did you miss the previous post?... that's the easy way

Thanks - think we were typing at the same time. I will give that a go during the week and report back.

A while back, I had the same problem and discovered that the down pipe from the reservoir to the pump etc had a pinhole in it, invisible to the naked eye, cause by the solid metal pipe junction underneath the reservoir was rubbing against something else under the bonnet. Hard to tell if this was caused on the assembly line or later, but it was obvious that some pipes had not been spaced correctly and various fittings designed to keep pipes in their correct positions had not been fitted properly. Fortunately this bit of pipe is no pressure, so I was able to cut it out and replace it with ordinary flexible pipe. No problem since. There are an awful lot of pipes in this area, on both sides of the vehicle, so many of which can be left rubbing together. So I took off the panels on the inner arches and went through all the pipes, taking split garden hose and using this to cover any pipes I felt were in danger of rubbing, tied on with cable ties. It is very low tech but should prevent the massive cost and bother involved in replacing the ACE or power steering pipes. It seems you have spent a ton of money replacing stuff and yet still have a leak. So I hope you have more luck in tracing the actual point at which the leak is occurring and can maybe weld up or even solder up, any pinholes. Cheaper than replacing so much stuff.

Hi Stanleysteamer,
Was your problem a leak only or did you have no movement in the reservoir like me?
I'm going to bleed the pump later today and then try and source the leak - was your leak on the pipe with the banjo fitting or the other pipe that returns to the reservoir which is smaller diameter?
Thanks,
Roy.

roy ingram said:

Hi Stanleysteamer,
Was your problem a leak only or did you have no movement in the reservoir like me?
I'm going to bleed the pump later today and then try and source the leak - was your leak on the pipe with the banjo fitting or the other pipe that returns to the reservoir which is smaller diameter?
Thanks,
Roy.

Click to expand...

Hi Roy, the leak was just a leak, I did not pay any attention to movement in the reservoir. Each time I topped it up it was fine and this carried on until I finally found the tiny, tiny, leak. If you stand at the nearside of the bonnet, next to the wheel and look down onto the ACE/Steering pump reservoir, the pipe with the problem was the second from the left, i.e. the second from the front of the vehicle. I have no idea which pipe it is. In fact, thinking about it, it might even have been to do with the steering. OOPS! So this is a bit of a red herring although the end result may be the same. Admittedly both pipes still take fluid under gravity to a pump and the one next to it is a return from a pump. Sorry If I have been wasting your time. My memory must be playing me up. But I honestly think the solution to the problem will be similar. Basically, - gravity pressure, no need for fancy fittings, replace pipe with some which is resistant to ATF and use jubilee clips, return pipes have a bit more pressure, but not a huge amount, so you may need better fittings, but pipe that can take the pressure, especially hydraulic pipe, should be OK.

Bestg of luck

Update - I have just tried to bleed the pump but haven't had much success.
I removed relay R9 and the outlet banjo from the pump, and while my missus cranked the engine I watched the pump outlet. We must have cranked the engine for a couple of minutes and nothing more than a drop came out of the pump outlet. Am I doing something wrong or do we need to crank more to get it to prime.
Thanks in advance.
Roy.

Roy, hate to say this, but are you sure fluid is getting TO the pump? Is a pipe collapsed, could you possibly temporarily fix a pipe and a fluid container to the inlet to the pump, to see if you can then prime it? As it is new and presumably turning and nothing is coming out then there cannot be fluid in the pump.
Really going left field here but is the serpentine belt threaded the right way round the pump? After all,- fluid to the pump, pump turning properly, pump in good nick, SOMETHING should be coming out of it? Or is fluid going elsewhere and getting lost there? So there is nothing left to return to the reservoir?

Hi Stanleysteamer,
To be honest that was one of my next points to check - that the pipe from the reservoir to the ace pump is free of blockages etc. It's not obviously collapsed.
I checked and re-checked the routing of the serpentine belt as I put it back on so I don't think it's that, but I will check again now!!
Thanks, Roy

I've seen few cases when it primed hard, put the relay back and start the engine just stop it immediately if you get flow

Hi all,
Just to say thanks for all of your help.
Managed to get the pump primed today by running the engine - it still took about 10 seconds to prime though.
Banjo re-connected and ACE now working as it should with no warning lights.
I will monitor for leaks but I've done quite a few miles since the fix with no apparent loss in the reservoir or visible leaks.
To be honest when I took the old ACE pump out the banjo bolt was probably only hand tight - I understand there was a recall for this to be addressed by Landrover but it could be that mine never made it back. Hopefully that was the cause of my leak.
Thanks again,
Roy

Well done... did you fit new dowty washers to the banjo? if not the old ones might start to leak cos it's up to 140 Bar there, part number is RYF100420

sierrafery said:

Well done... did you fit new dowty washers to the banjo? if not the old ones might start to leak cos it's up to 140 Bar there, part number is RYF100420

Click to expand...

Hi can you please confirm are those dowty washers on the banjo the same as on the front and rear rams thanks

lynx45 said:

Hi can you please confirm are those dowty washers on the banjo the same as on the front and rear rams thanks

Click to expand...

I confirm