Raining cats and dogs

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.

NickMcKee

Member
Posts
68
Location
Bolton
now before anyone states the obvious, I know pretty much every defender leaks but I have been trying to get to the bottom of a fairly serious leak in the roof of my 2003 td5 110.

So far I have
- replaced all the door seals (just in case)
- replaced the alpine seals (they were shot)
- sealed the gap between the windscreen and the roof (it was +5mm in places)
- had the roof seems sealed
- had the roof gutters each side sealed

Last night the rain was very heavy and this morning the water poured out of the gutters on both sides as I drove down the hill outside my house.

I've not yet sealed the little bit of gutter above the safari door but I can't see a leak path there. bizarrely it doesn't seem to leak when it is parked facing up hill but that is a pain in the ass to do where I live.

The water seems to gather in the internal gutters but I've no idea where it's coming in. Anyone got any ideas (besides waterproofs etc)?
 
Last edited:
I did much the same as you to reduce water ingress into my Landy, I found water each morning in the inner gutter and for the life of me could not pinpoint the source, eventually (with the roof liner out) I climbed inside and got the wife to use the garden hose the roof of the Landy and using a torch I was able to find a weep coming in from a roof joint at the rear passenger side, I cured (lol) this at the moment using Captain Trolly's Creeping Crack Cure. The roof looked absolutely fine so it really the water could be coming from anywhere, try and get your Landy as level as possible and try the above and hopefully you can find the leak
 
now before anyone states the obvious, I know pretty much every defender leaks but I have been trying to get to the bottom of a fairly serious leak in the roof of my 2003 td5 110.

So far I have
- replaced all the door seals (just in case)
- replaced the alpine seals (they were shot)
- sealed the gap between the windscreen and the roof (it was +5mm in places)
- had the roof seems sealed
- had the roof gutters each side sealed

Last night the rain was very heavy and this morning the water poured out of the gutters on both sides as I drove down the hill outside my house.

I've not yet sealed the little bit of gutter above the safari door but I can't see a leak path there. bizarrely it doesn't seem to leak when it is parked facing up hill but that is a pain in the ass to do where I live.

The water seems to gather in the internal gutters but I've no idea where it's coming in. Anyone got any ideas (besides waterproofs etc)?

Do you have a roof aerial ? Check the corner roof seams, they are a favourite for ingress ...
 
I did much the same as you to reduce water ingress into my Landy, I found water each morning in the inner gutter and for the life of me could not pinpoint the source, eventually (with the roof liner out) I climbed inside and got the wife to use the garden hose the roof of the Landy and using a torch I was able to find a weep coming in from a roof joint at the rear passenger side, I cured (lol) this at the moment using Captain Trolly's Creeping Crack Cure. The roof looked absolutely fine so it really the water could be coming from anywhere, try and get your Landy as level as possible and try the above and hopefully you can find the leak

Thanks Woodcote. I have done pretty much what you suggest back in June but I couldn't find the leak. I will however be trying it again!
 
If l park my 2005 110 TD5 facing downhill, the tops of the front door seal rubbers seem to fill with water, then when l drive off there's a stream of water that hits me on my knee until they are empty.
lt only happens when l park facing downhill, and then only from time to time.
 
now before anyone states the obvious, I know pretty much every defender leaks but I have been trying to get to the bottom of a fairly serious leak in the roof of my 2003 td5 110.

So far I have
- replaced all the door seals (just in case)
- replaced the alpine seals (they were shot)
- sealed the gap between the windscreen and the roof (it was +5mm in places)
- had the roof seems sealed
- had the roof gutters each side sealed

Last night the rain was very heavy and this morning the water poured out of the gutters on both sides as I drove down the hill outside my house.

I've not yet sealed the little bit of gutter above the safari door but I can't see a leak path there. bizarrely it doesn't seem to leak when it is parked facing up hill but that is a pain in the ass to do where I live.

The water seems to gather in the internal gutters but I've no idea where it's coming in. Anyone got any ideas (besides waterproofs etc)?
I sealed the roof joins with greenhouse tape and left breather holes above the rear door. That stopped mine so I think there is or was a combo of water ingress and condensation which stopped after i sound proofed the roof. No more leaks at all.
 
Are the Alpine seals doing there job, I ask because I had my windscreen seal replaced and as it was shot, then had to use a sealant along the bottom of it as was leaking!
 
If l park my 2005 110 TD5 facing downhill, the tops of the front door seal rubbers seem to fill with water, then when l drive off there's a stream of water that hits me on my knee until they are empty.
lt only happens when l park facing downhill, and then only from time to time.
Thanks Lightning. On mine the water is def collecting in the internal gutters which are higher than the door seals. The water pours (and I do mean pours) out from the edge of the headlining. Yesterday there was so much that it gushed out along about 1m/3ft of the edge of the headlining on the passenger side.
 
Are the Alpine seals doing there job, I ask because I had my windscreen seal replaced and as it was shot, then had to use a sealant along the bottom of it as was leaking!
Well I replaced then about two weeks ago and I'm vicar/chemical engineer, not an auto glass technician! That said, they are a good tight fit and so I am pretty confident that they are a good fit. I also can't feel any water in the gutter directly below them. I'm increasingly thinking that the leak is in the load space roof area but to be honest I'm only guessing. Roof lining coming out today...
 
Hopefully you get it sorted, please keep us informed.

I'm trying to stop mine leaking, I've re-sealed all the joints along the roof and will be having the Alpine seals replaced on Monday. Hopefully one of us will stop theirs from leaking soon!

Tony.
 
Loose rivits between the outter roof skin and the channel are common.
The outer gutter and the inner gutter are the same piece of steel incase you were not aware.
A helper playing a hose pipe or watering can whilst you check with a mirror and a torch will soon show up the area that is dodgy but the liner has to come out.
 
Hopefully you get it sorted, please keep us informed.

I'm trying to stop mine leaking, I've re-sealed all the joints along the roof and will be having the Alpine seals replaced on Monday. Hopefully one of us will stop theirs from leaking soon!

Tony.
Thanks Tony. I removed the headlining today but have parked downhill and so am not expecting any water tonight, though the rain is forecast to be quite special!

I've also put some sikaflex 221 on the external gutter over the safari door.

Will keep you posted.
 
Loose rivits between the outter roof skin and the channel are common.
The outer gutter and the inner gutter are the same piece of steel incase you were not aware.
A helper playing a hose pipe or watering can whilst you check with a mirror and a torch will soon show up the area that is dodgy but the liner has to come out.
Thanks Flossie. I hadn't thought of the mirror idea but that will make it much easier to see.
 
IMG_0200.JPG
Look no headlining
 
Back
Top