Discovery 2. Manual - part 696

CORROSION PREVENTION AND SEALING

CORROSION PREVENTION

77-4-5

1 Injection holes for tail door
2 Injection holes for front door
3 Injection hole for rear door

CORROSION PREVENTION AND SEALING

77-4-6

CORROSION PREVENTION

Corrosion prevention

Factory treatments
During production, vehicle bodies are treated with the following anti-corrosion materials:

l

A PVC-based underbody sealer which is sprayed onto the underside of the main floor, rear floor, front and rear 
wheelarches and the front valance assembly;

l

An application of cavity wax which is sprayed into the sill panels, 'A' post, 'B-C' post, fuel filler aperture, body rear 
panel and the lower areas of the door panels;

l

A coating of underbody wax which is applied to the entire underbody inboard of the sill vertical flanges, and 
covers all moving and flexible components EXCEPT for wheels, tyres, brakes and exhaust;

l

A coat of protective wax applied to the engine bay area.

Whenever body repairs are carried out, ensure the anti-corrosion materials in the affected area are repaired or 
renewed as necessary using the approved materials. 
 

 + 

 BODY SEALING MATERIALS, MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS, Approved materials.

Precautions during body repairs and handling
Take care when handling the vehicle in the workshop. Underbody sealers, seam sealers, underbody wax and body 
panels may be damaged if the vehicle is carelessly lifted. 
 

 + 

 LIFTING AND TOWING, LIFTING.

Proprietary anti-corrosion treatments
The application of proprietary anti-corrosion treatments, in addition to the factory-applied treatment, could invalidate 
the Corrosion Warranty and should be discouraged. This does not apply to Rover approved, compatible, preservative 
waxes which may be applied on top of existing coatings.

Fitting approved accessories
When fitting accessories ensure that the vehicle's corrosion protection is not affected, either by breaking the protective 
coating or by introducing a moisture trap.

Do not screw self-tapping screws directly into body panels. Fit suitable plastic inserts to the panel beforehand. Always 
ensure that the edges of holes drilled into panels, chassis members and other body parts are protected with a suitable 
zinc rich or acid etch primer, and follow with a protective wax coating brushed onto the surrounding area.

Do not attach painted metal surfaces of any accessory directly to the vehicle's bodywork unless suitably protected. 
Where metal faces are bolted together always interpose a suitable interface material such as weldable zinc rich 
primer, extruded strip, or zinc tape.

Steam cleaning and dewaxing 
Due to the high temperatures generated by steam cleaning equipment, there is a risk that certain trim components 
could be damaged and some adhesives and corrosion prevention materials softened or liquified.

Adjust the equipment so that the nozzle temperature does not exceed 90

°

 C (194

°

 F). Take care not to allow the steam 

jet to dwell on one area, and keep the nozzle at least 300 mm (11.811 in) from panel surfaces.

DO NOT remove wax or lacquer from underbody or underbonnet areas during repairs. Should it be necessary to 
steam clean these areas, apply a new coating of wax or underbody protection as soon as possible.

Inspections during maintenance servicing
It is a requirement of the Corrosion Warranty that the vehicle body is checked for corrosion by an authorised Land 
Rover Dealer at least once a year, to ensure that the factory-applied protection remains effective.

Service Job Sheets include the following operations to check bodywork for corrosion:

l

With the vehicle on a lift, carry out visual check of underbody sealer for damage;

l

With the vehicle lowered, inspect exterior paintwork for damage and body panels for corrosion.

It will be necessary for the vehicle to be washed by the Dealer prior to inspection of bodywork if the customer has 
offered the vehicle in a dirty condition.

CORROSION PREVENTION AND SEALING

CORROSION PREVENTION

77-4-7

The checks described above are intended to be visual only. It is not intended that the operator should remove trim 
panels, finishers, rubbing strips or sound-deadening materials when checking the vehicle for corrosion and paint 
damage.

With the vehicle on a lift, and using an inspection or spot lamp, visually check for the following:

l

Corrosion damage and damaged paintwork, condition of underbody sealer on front and rear lower panels, sills 
and wheel arches;

l

Damage to underbody sealer. Corrosion in areas adjacent to suspension mountings and fuel tank fixings.

NOTE: The presence of small blisters in the underbody sealer is acceptable, providing they do not expose bare metal.

Pay special attention to signs of damage caused to panels or corrosion protection material by incorrect jack 
positioning.

WARNING: It is essential to follow the correct jacking and lifting procedures.

With the vehicle lowered, visually check for evidence of damage and corrosion on all visible painted areas, in 
particular the following:

l

Front edge of bonnet;

l

Visible flanges in engine compartment;

l

Lower body and door panels.

Rectify any bodywork damage or evidence of corrosion found during inspection as soon as is practicable, both to 
minimise the extent of the damage and to ensure the long term effectiveness of the factory-applied corrosion 
prevention treatment. Where the cost of rectification work is the owner's responsibility, the Dealer must advise the 
owner and endorse the relevant documentation accordingly.

Where corrosion has become evident and is emanating from beneath a removable component (e.g. trim panel, 
window glass, seat etc.), remove the component as required to permit effective rectification.

Underbody protection repairs
Whenever body repairs are carried out, ensure that full sealing and corrosion protection treatments are reinstated. 
This applies both to the damaged areas and also to areas where protection has been indirectly impaired, as a result 
either of accident damage or repair operations.

Remove corrosion protection from the damaged area before straightening or panel beating. This applies in particular 
to panels coated with wax, PVC underbody sealer, sound deadening pads etc.

WARNING: DO NOT use oxy-acetylene gas equipment to remove corrosion prevention materials. Large 
volumes of fumes and gases are liberated by these materials when they burn.

NOTE: Equipment for the removal of tough anti-corrosion sealers offers varying degrees of speed and effectiveness. 
The compressed air-operated scraper (NOT an air chisel) offers a relatively quiet mechanical method using an 
extremely rapid reciprocating action. Move the operating end of the tool along the work surface to remove the material.

The most common method of removal is by means of a hot air blower with integral scraper.

Another tool, and one of the most efficient methods, is the rapid-cutting 'hot knife'. This tool uses a wide blade and is 
quick and versatile, able to be used easily in profiled sections where access is otherwise difficult.

Use the following procedure when repairing underbody coatings:

1 Remove existing underbody coatings 
2 After panel repair, clean the affected area with a solvent wipe, and treat bare metal with an etch phosphate 

material

3 Re-prime the affected area

CAUTION: DO NOT, under any circumstances, apply underbody sealer directly to bare metal surfaces.

4 Replace all heat-fusible plugs which have been disturbed. Where such plugs are not available use rubber 

grommets of equivalent size, ensuring that they are embedded in sealer

5 Mask off all mounting faces from which mechanical components, hoses and pipe clips, have been removed. 

Underbody sealer must be applied before such components are refitted

6 Brush sealer into all exposed seams
7 Spray the affected area with an approved service underbody sealer
8 Remove masking from component mounting faces, and touch-in where necessary. Allow adequate drying time 

before applying underbody wax

CORROSION PREVENTION AND SEALING

77-4-8

CORROSION PREVENTION

After refitting mechanical components, including hoses and pipes and other fixtures, mask off the brake discs and 
apply a coat of approved underbody wax.

NOTE: Where repairs include the application of finish paint coats in the areas requiring underbody wax, carry out paint 
operations before applying wax.

Cavity wax injection
Areas treated with cavity wax are shown in the previous figures. After repairs, always re-treat these areas with an 
approved cavity wax. In addition, treat all interior surfaces which have been disturbed during repairs whether they 
have been treated in production or not. This includes all box members, cavities and door interiors. It is permissible to 
drill extra holes for access where necessary, provided these are not positioned in load-bearing members. Ensure that 
such holes are treated with a suitable zinc rich primer, brushed with wax and then sealed with a rubber grommet.

Before wax injection, ensure that the cavity to be treated is free from any contamination or foreign matter. Where 
necessary, clear out any debris using compressed air.

Ensure that cavity wax is applied AFTER the final paint process and BEFORE refitting any trim components.

During application, ensure that the wax covers all flange and seam areas and that it is adequately applied to all 
repaired areas of both new and existing panels.

It should be noted that new panel assemblies and complete body shells are supplied without wax injection treatment. 
Ensure that such treatment is carried out after repairs.

Effective cavity wax protection is vital. Always observe the following points:

l

Complete all paint refinish operations before wax application;

l

Clean body panel areas and blow-clean cavities if necessary, before treatment;

l

Maintain a temperature of 18

°

 C (64

°

 F) during application and drying;

l

Check the spray pattern of injection equipment;

l

Mask off all areas not to be wax coated and which could be contaminated by wax overspray;

l

Remove body fixings, such as seat belt retractors, if contamination is at all likely;

l

Move door glasses to fully closed position before treating door interiors;

l

Treat body areas normally covered by trim before refitting items;

l

Check that body and door drain holes are clear after the protective wax has dried;

l

Keep all equipment clean, especially wax injection nozzles.

Underbody wax
The underbody wax must be reinstated following all repairs affecting floor panels. The wax is applied over paints and 
underbody sealers.

Remove old underbody wax completely from a zone extending at least 200 mm (7.874 in) beyond the area where new 
underbody sealer is to be applied.

Engine bay wax
Reinstate all protective engine bay wax disturbed during repairs using an approved material.

Where repairs have involved replacement of engine bay panels, treat the entire engine compartment including all 
components, clips and other fixtures with an approved underbonnet lacquer or wax.
 

 + 

 BODY SEALING MATERIALS, MATERIALS AND APPLICATIONS, Approved materials.