Newbie misc questions

[kend1606]

Picked up my "new" '04 SE7 (17k miles) about 4 weeks ago and am very happy with it. Last weekend was the first time I have taken it truely off road. It performed very well over some demanding roads and "trails". It also came home very muddy! I went through my usual car wash and everything came clean except some areas that might need more serious cleaning. Question: what is the recommended cleaning procedures or warnings for this year/model? For instance, can I take my home pressure washer (max 1200psi) and use a reduced setting (maybe half or less pressure) and spray the wheel wells out? Anythings to watch for? I understand from my indy mechanic that he has seen problems with an electrical connector that is in the left rear wheel well above the tire. I think he said it was a connector in the wire that feeds the fuel pump?? I also would like to spray the areas around the rear mud flaps as there is a lot of mud stuck where the flaps meet the body. This should be OK I guess. Maybe there will not be so much here after my running boards come in. Next ??: My Disco has Goodyear HP 255/55/18's and I would be interested in tire pressures that someone recommends. I have tried the manual's recommendation and that was great for off-road. Seems a little firm for highway driving but letting them down a few pounds didn't make the ride smoother so I put them back to the manual's recommended pressures. Maybe raising them a little from here would mean a slight increase in fuel mileage but I would not want to make the ride any stifer since I have had several rounds of back surgery. I'm sure I will need seperate pressure settings for highway travel and one for off-road. I can say that this baby climbs like a goat! I safely went places that I doubt the National Guard could get to! On the TVA map they were marked as "unimproved trails"! What a great ride! Thanks, Ken

 

[Jaak]

Ken ... 03 SE-7 here ... use a pressure washer with no problems. Both a shop machine as well as my 1400 psi home machine. I have had no problems with using a washer under the truck. I just don't spay it under the hood ... just use a standard hose there. get all the mud out and spray the undercarriage with a good rustproofing liquid. Friend who ownes an Indi Porsche garage sprayed mine with the Porshe liquid just before winter. Works great!!

 

[kend1606]

Thanks for the reply. I'll try the pressure washer this weekend to get the mud out of the wheel wells. I'm curious, is the waterproofing that you mentioned a treatment like some factory coatings or just a temporary spray to use regularly? I haven't looked under her carefully but does Land Rover "undercoat" the '04 Discovery's?? Thanks, Ken

 

[Jaak]

Very little undercoating. The Porsche product is like an oil film that sticks to all parts. You can also use WD-40 every few months or so.

 

[kend1606]

Thanks, but curious about undercoating

Why would such a vehicle not come from the factory thoroughly undercoated? Again, any places that should not be sprayed with WD-40 or equivalent before going into water and muddy places? By the way, hand pressure washing did a great job even after I had to let the mud dry for a couple of days. Thanks, Ken

 

[Jaak]

Don't spray the brakes ...... WD-40 works great on electrical connections.

Undercoating may not be an important issue with LR .... or .... an additional "sales point" at the stealer ....