Should I be concerned about this surface rust on drivers side door pillar 90 CSW

Noticed this patch of rust on my drivers side door pillar of my 1999 300 TDI CSW just below where the seatbelt is.

passenger side is absolutely fine by comparison. I’ve never known it to be wet or anything driving about in rain so I am unsure if it’s perhaps an old rust patch that was subsequently sealed. Assume caused by water ingress? Is this area common failure point?



Other than this there really is no rust anywhere inside and externally there is no Ali corrosion or anything that I can see

Err no...Its not ideal and you should try and trace the leak but from a structural perspective it is but surface rust.

Search for the water ingress manual, there are lots of spots it could be coming from. It has to be coming down your B POST, or along from the back (less likely)

That’s the body capping that is rusting, not the door pillar. It will get worse if you don’t sort the water ingress but the body capping was painted and not galvanised from the late 80’s and is a known issue on Defenders. The best fix once any water ingress is sorted is to remove the cappings, get them galvanised and painted if wanted.

Knappster said:

That’s the body capping that is rusting, not the door pillar. It will get worse if you don’t sort the water ingress but the body capping was painted and not galvanised from the late 80’s and is a known issue on Defenders. The best fix once any water ingress is sorted is to remove the cappings, get them galvanised and painted if wanted.

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thanks
Thing is I don’t know if it’s leaking still now or not. Only owned it three weeks. The patch has never been wet when it’s been in my ownership or anything and I’ve driven in heavyish rain.

My Landy was restored by Silkstone 4x4 back in 2010/2011 so maybe this was something which was subsequently repaired? Unsure how I can tell though

ryan_1993 said:

my 1999 300 TDI CSW

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ryan_1993 said:

My Landy was restored by Silkstone 4x4 back in 2010/2011

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if I can count, it wasn't that old before restoration

Rich.

Zed. said:

if I can count, it wasn't that old before restoration

Rich.

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It was given a full repaint by them in around 2010/2011. Would’ve been around 11 years old at the time, it’s of course 22 years old now.

there’s no damp or water getting in to that rust patch though so not sure why rust is present to begin with. I’ll treat it tonight and see how it goes.

lt could be just condensation causing the steel to rust on the surface, l treated everything with wax based rust proofing spray on mine, you can get an extension hose into the B pillar.

When it rains check to see where the water is coming from. As said it's just surface rust and the body cappings are thick steel.
I thought the TD5 engine was used from 1998?

[QUOTE="Al2O3, post: 5231401, member: 112131"I thought the TD5 engine was used from 1998?[/QUOTE]

I think mines probably one of last of the 300 TDIs registered. It’s on an April 1999 T reg. can’t says it’s THE last, but fairly confident that potentially it is one of the last civilian ones.

The newest 300 TDI’s I’ve seen prior are on 1998 S Reg plates. Yet to see another T reg 300 TDI. Mine did have a build date of 16th April 1998 but wasn’t registered on the road until the following year.

lt was, but the military continued with 300tdi so it could be ex military, they did take some SW although generally in base spec (vinyl seats etc)
There are occasional very late public sale 300tdi turn up as well.

lightning said:

lt was, but the military continued with 300tdi so it could be ex military, they did take some SW although generally in base spec (vinyl seats etc)

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Yeah I think overseas Market production of 300 TDI ended in like 2003 Didn’t it?

Mines a Factory County Spec Station Wagon. It does also come back as a 3 door estate car rather than a panel van on the documentation. I’d guess if military spec it would’ve been one of the Station Wagons which are registered as a commercial van rather than a car?

HPI check also says its never had a colour change (it was always red) unsure if the army would’ve picked Metallic Rioja Red? That seems to be the colour it’s always been. It was resprayed in the original colour in around 2010/2011 but the interior bulkhead etc is Rioja red too. So it doesn’t seem that it’s ever been changed to a different red

Yes l doubt they would choose red, it would be like a moving target in that colour !!

ryan_1993 said:

[QUOTE="Al2O3, post: 5231401, member: 112131"I thought the TD5 engine was used from 1998?

Click to expand...

I think mines probably one of last of the 300 TDIs registered. It’s on an April 1999 T reg. can’t says it’s THE last, but fairly confident that potentially it is one of the last civilian ones.

The newest 300 TDI’s I’ve seen prior are on 1998 S Reg plates. Yet to see another T reg 300 TDI. Mine did have a build date of 16th April 1998 but wasn’t registered on the road until the following year.[/QUOTE]
The build date and registration date would explain it. People joke that LR fitted what was lying around at the time, to explain the odd variety of parts fitted to same age models, but who knows. Defo sounds like you have one of the last civilian 300Tdi's. Well worth having! Mine's a 1996 plate and also rioja red!

Take the plastic cover off to expose the B pillar and the capping. You may also want to take off the other plastic so you can see the whole window ...
Sit inside whilst a friend uses a hose on the side of the car - a leak will present itself.
Captain Tolleys Creeping Crack Cure is your friend or silicone sealant if it's really obvious.