Electronic rust prevention kit installation

[jofnui]

Gidday,

I've recently puchased a Discovery III, and want to fit a Couplertec rust prevention kit to it. This kit has 4 pads, one for each corner. I can get into the front (both) and rear right corners OK, but the left panel is obscurred by the air-con fan assembly. I tried to take the taillight assembly off by un-screwing the two obvious screws (hoping to get access through there) but I can't get the assembly off. There's something else preventing it from coming off. The dealer sells a single pad system that I didn't want to use, so it's a bit rude to get them to fit the system I've purchased and therefore have to do it myself. Does anyone know how I can get the rear left tail-light assembly off, or have any other info that may be helpful to me in successfuly completing this task.

Best Regards

[BogMonster]

I thought it was just some screws holding it on.

Have to say I know nothing of electronic rust prevention but it sounds to me like either magnets that clamp on fuel lines or whizzy whirly things that go in the air intake

[NeilF]

I'd never heard of this - seems too good to be true, and therefore probably isn't - I did find this..... http://www.ruststopnorthamerica.com/capacitive-coupling.htm . If it worked, why isn't it OEM?

Here's another view: http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Car/car-electronic-rust.htm

Every other forum discussion or independent article that I have read says the same thing - it can't work 'cos there is no electrolyte to complete the circuit. I have sacrificial anodes on my outboard (and the've been doing this for decades) and it works because it's immersed in sea water.....

Sorry to rain on your parade.......

[q-rover]

Snake oil, don't bother.

[BogMonster]

I'd never heard of this - seems too good to be true, and therefore probably isn't - I did find this..... http://www.ruststopnorthamerica.com/capacitive-coupling.htm . If it worked, why isn't it OEM?

Here's another view: http://www.corrosion-doctors.org/Car/car-electronic-rust.htm

Every other forum discussion or independent article that I have read says the same thing - it can't work 'cos there is no electrolyte to complete the circuit. I have sacrificial anodes on my outboard (and the've been doing this for decades) and it works because it's immersed in sea water.....

Sorry to rain on your parade.......

Perhaps the theory is that corrosion works mostly when it is wet (hence the massive difference when a vehicle is garaged) and when it is wet there is an electrolyte. I still wouldn't bother though, a good coating of Waxoyl is likely to be a better investment.

Edited to say I have just read Corrosion Doctors and it does appear that is is a load of blx!

Edited April 10, 2008 by BogMonster

[Milemarker Type S]

Hi Jofnui,

Sorry to join in with the doubters but... get your self a refund and buy some waxoyl. These these items cannot work on vehicles unless you keep them fully submersed in water (preferably saline)... the chemistry just wont work without it!

Now about this lead that I reckon I can turn into gold...

[JimAttrill]

If you don't want rust, come over here B) Though it has been a rather wet summer it will soon stop until about October.

It seems that your first post has not been very well received, but you can keep on trying

[jofnui]

Gidday,

Back to read the responses to my first post, and find that detractors are trying to turn it into a discussion on electronic rust prevention. Thanks for your interest in my post, but I've researched this topic extensively and there are lots of blogs on the net ad infinitum, so if you want to debate electronic rust prevention per se, please go there and do it, not here.

To the detractors; no the Disco isn't a boat, doesn't have an outboard motor, doesn't use magnets and whizzy things, so lets keep this discussion to facts if you want to discuss it further. Rust prevention on water craft and on submerged steel structures is a well understood scientific process that is different and unsuitable for cars, so if you want to read more about that go to the blogs on the net and pick out some of the more sensible responses written by people in the industry who know what they are talking about.

I did quite a lot of research on this before buying the system I did, and while I agree that some of the electronic systems on the market I wouldn't use, the Couplertec and the CounterAct (same system) are the only ones I could find that have been tested by recognised scientific labs, and come with lots of experiential evidence from uses to demonstrate that they do in fact work.

I live in the mining area of Nth Queensland Australia, where our biggest industry is exporting coal all over the world.

The coal mining environment is sulphurous, and vehicles rust out heavily in a couple of years.

The mining companies fit these devices to all their vehicles and heavy machinery, and experience has shown that they definitely do work.

Our State University is one of the labs that have tested these devices, not to prove rust prevention per se, but to demonstrate that they do exhibit an electronic effect on the surface of the vehicle, which would support the premise that it has a rust inhibition effect.

If you want to read about the lab reports, go here:

http://www.counteractrust.com/t&t.htm

If you want to see a list of reputable Aussie companies, organisations, and state councils who are happy to put their name in support of this system go here:

http://www.couplertec.com.au/usedby/credentials.html

If you want to add some snake oil comment about rust prevention, please go elsewhere.

Now to return to the original thread of my discussion:

Does anyone know how to take the back tail light assembly off the Discovery III.

Maybe I should just tug a bit harder?

[BogMonster]

After some consideration I have made the above post visible despite the fact that it contains some inflammatory comments.

Jofnui, you are out of order coming in here with a 1st post and then slagging off the responses you recieved and telling them to go elsewhere so I suggest the approach is moderated because if this turns into a slanging match I will delete this thread. People are entitled to be sceptical about a process and rustproofing is a particularly well thrashed out one on this forum.

I assume you have no connection with any of the companies making this stuff?

[sotal]

the left panel is obscurred by the air-con fan assembly. I tried to take the taillight assembly off by un-screwing the two obvious screws (hoping to get access through there) but I can't get the assembly off. There's something else preventing it from coming off.

I did a quick search to see if I could find any instructions for removing the light cluster and found the following which may help you:

Open the tailgate and you'll see two screws inside the door recess that hold the lampgaurd on, remove these, then undo the two outer lamp gaurd screws and pull the whole unit out of the body towards the rear

I've not got a Disco 3 so can't check but hopefully it will be of some help?

[freeagent]

Jofnui, you are out of order coming in here with a 1st post and then slagging off the responses you recieved and telling them to go elsewhere so I suggest the approach is moderated because if this turns into a slanging match I will delete this thread. People are entitled to be sceptical about a process and rustproofing is a particularly well thrashed out one on this forum.

I assume you have no connection with any of the companies making this stuff?

Couldn't agree more Steve, who does he think he is...

[BogMonster]

Getting back to the question, it appears simple in the workshop manual and the process reads as follows:

1 . Open the liftgate and tailgate.

2 . CAUTION: Always protect paintwork and glass when removing exterior components.

Remove the rear lamp assembly.

Remove the 2 screws.

Release the 2 clips.

Disconnect the electrical connector.

Remove the wiring harness. Release the wiring harness from the 2 clips.

Release the 6 bulb holders.

Release the electrical connector.

I guess there are 2 hidden clips in there which either pop out or the light needs to slide sideways to release them, I have taken one out in the past but I honestly can't remember what I had to do.

[Marc1187]

Take the 2 screws out and pull the lamp hard, 2 clips on the outer edge hold it on, they're usually pretty tight.

[jofnui]

Whoops , Sorry about that.

It was a bit tongue in cheek, now that I read it again.

Warped Aussie humour!

Didn't mean to offend anyone.

This has been my first contribution to forums, and I was afraid that I going to be overrun by comments on rust proofing, when what I really wanted to know was how to get inside the left hand rear panel area.

I'm acutely aware that there is a strong debate on the effectiveness of electronic rust proofing systems, as I read a lot of them when I was researching this topic. Interestingly, I haven't found any on the LR site, but that may be because I haven't looked hard enough there as yet.

To clear things up, no I don't have any affiliations with companies who make or sell these products.

I'm just someone who wants to keep his new Disco in top condition, and I've found that there are two groups of people in the world; those who believe they do work; and those who strongly contend that they don't.

Unfortunately for someone like me who wants to believe that they do (and local experience supports that belief), the strength of opposition against them makes you wonder why so many say they don't.

The LR dealer here sells and recommends them (a similiar brand) so I guess LR don't oppose the use of these products, and lends support to the belief that they do work. At the very least they can do no harm, other than I'll be a few $$$ out of pocket.

As for my original question: Thanks for the advice on getting the tail light assembly off. Trouble is having done that, it doesn't give me access into the rear panel area as I thought it would. The back area is a sealed by a welded metal panel, which probably adds to the strength of the vehicle.

Guess I'll have to find another way to get into that space.

Regards

[steve_a]

As I subscribe to Aus 4wd monthly I can back up Jofnui about the popularity of these products in Oz, one of the recent editions even had an article on fitting one. As to whether they work or not, I can see why they would in some circumstances, but for a road vehicle I am doubtful.

Jofnui is just fitting a popular product in Oz ( and it appears from an informed view), I would have thought it more appropriate to ask him how he gets on with it, but that would take a few years to get some info back!

Curiously, the Oz mag also carries and metions the HI-Clone as well.... another item that seems to get classed as snake oil.

welcome to the forum Jofnui, it might be worth remembering that we all tend to be friendly but products like these do tend to generate the same response of disbelief and you might have to be just a tad more patient before letting go