Is my car a submarine?

[CDTi]

Some of you may recall that I had some trouble a few months back with a leaking front screen. I am still drying out the carpet from this leak.

Well, I think its time to re-christen my car U75 :mad:. Found more water today in the boot and spare wheel well. I have investigated the usual suspects and it looks like its the rear screen. When I put my hand up inside the nearside wing, its damp as far as I can reach up towards the rear parcel shelf.

Looks like another call to my friendly garage :(

[Raistlin]

The inside of a submarine is drier than you car Eammon :(

I assume the silica gel hasn't arrived yet?

According to DHL's pathetic tracking system, it hasn't even left here yet :(

[CDTi]

The inside of a submarine is drier than you car Eammon :(

I assume the silica gel hasn't arrived yet?

According to DHL's pathetic tracking system, it hasn't even left here yet :(Nope, no sign of the silica. As you say, it hasn't appeared on the tracking system yet :(

The dehumidifier is getting a bit of water out, though.

On the bright side, I don't think the new leak is letting water into the car cockpit - only the boot.

[Zeb]

Solution, smash front and rear windows and replace with new ones fitted properly....:)

[CDTi]

Solution, smash front and rear windows and replace with new ones fitted properly....:)The front one is OK now, but I am tempted on the rear screen ;)

[trebor]

Eamonn,

I have noticed a slight leak in my boot recently, on the carpet drivers side towards the light cluster, but there is no water on the floor just a few spots appear after it has been washed - let me know how you get on with yours.

Rob.

[CDTi]

Eamonn,

I have noticed a slight leak in my boot recently, on the carpet drivers side towards the light cluster, but there is no water on the floor just a few spots appear after it has been washed - let me know how you get on with yours.

Rob.Thats the same place as mine, Rob, only on the opposite side.

If you pull out the carpet trim a bit, you can put your hand up inside the wing and feel for damp. There was a film of water on mine when I tried this.

[Greeners]

You'll probably find that the damp on the inner wing is condensation rather then water running down.

If you haven't check the rear light seals do that first. My rear light was full of water and it was slowly dripping into the boot

[CDTi]

You'll probably find that the damp on the inner wing is condensation rather then water running down.I wish that was the case but I don't think so, David.

The water was a LOT of water on the inner nearside wing. The offside was dry as a bone. When the weather gets a bit better, I'll get the hose out.


If you haven't check the rear light seals do that first. My rear light was full of water and it was slowly dripping into the bootTried that, and the seals look fine.

[190scott]

it will be the vent in the rear wing stick some silicone round the vent. thats what was causing my leak on the n/s.

[12344321]

I found a bit of water in my boot the other week and it was after washing the car. My sherlock holmes side kicked in and off I went looking for clues. After some long and painful testing with a watering can and a very sore arm I found a culprit. If you run water down the roof and let it do its thing it finds its way near the hinges on the boot lid. From there if to much water at any one time run through the tight space it will pass through either the little holes that are on the piston supports or near the rubber weather strip round the boot. Try it and see what I mean, Its a possiblity. Good Luck Pete 12344321:D

[crofts]

Seen mention that water can also leak in via the clip holes for the exterior chrome strip. Silicone should do the trick if it is that or some kind of flexible mastic that could later be removed if trim has to be removed for any purpose (even (Blue Tak)

[CDTi]

Thanks for the help, lads.

it will be the vent in the rear wing stick some silicone round the vent. thats what was causing my leak on the n/s.The water is coming from above the chrome strip, so the problem is higher up somewhere.


Seen mention that water can also leak in via the clip holes for the exterior chrome strip. Silicone should do the trick if it is that or some kind of flexible mastic that could later be removed if trim has to be removed for any purpose (even (Blue Tak)See above reply.


I found a bit of water in my boot the other week and it was after washing the car. My sherlock holmes side kicked in and off I went looking for clues. After some long and painful testing with a watering can and a very sore arm I found a culprit. If you run water down the roof and let it do its thing it finds its way near the hinges on the boot lid. From there if to much water at any one time run through the tight space it will pass through either the little holes that are on the piston supports or near the rubber weather strip round the boot. Try it and see what I mean, Its a possiblity. Good Luck Pete 12344321:DThis is certainly a possibility, I will try it.

[trebor]

Eamonn,

Please let us know the cure when you find it as mine is the same as yours, higher up but on the other side and it would be nice to know if it is something to do with how i wash the car which i can prevent, or something more sinister. We have had a lot of rain lately but surely it can not get in from the wheel arch ?

Rob.

[Raistlin]

Just a thought

If anybody wants to try silica gel as Eamon did, I have a load spare.

[CDTi]

We have had a lot of rain lately but surely it can not get in from the wheel archI still think the rear screen is the most likely culprit, but I need a few dry days for the car to dry out before I take the hose to it.

If anybody wants to try silica gel as Eamon did, I have a load spare.The silica gel is working for the cabin carpet, but the source of the leak would need to be cured first.

[CDTi]

Please let us know the cure when you find it as mine is the same as yours, higher up but on the other side and it would be nice to know if it is something to do with how i wash the car which i can prevent, or something more sinister.I came across a possible cause over on .org and I quote:

"The cure ,on my car,was to seal with silicone around the rear quarterlight. I am referring to the continuation of that shape which is mounted on the rear wing,(rear quarter panel)? Still no leakage since I sealed it."

Seems like a contender with my car.

[CDTi]

Well the cabin carpet is finally dry :hurray:.

Most of the credit must go to the silica gel packs that Paul provided. The dehumidifier did remove a few pints of water over the course of a few weeks but the weather was really too cold for it to function properly.

Now to track down the boot leak.

Anyone got the part number for the MGR bilge pump....

[trebor]

I came across a possible cause over on .org and I quote:

"The cure ,on my car,was to seal with silicone around the rear quarterlight. I am referring to the continuation of that shape which is mounted on the rear wing,(rear quarter panel)? Still no leakage since I sealed it."

Seems like a contender with my car.

Eamonn,

Mines still leaking i will check this out but you might beat me to it !

[CDTi]

Eamonn,

Mines still leaking i will check this out but you might beat me to it !If tomorrow is fine and not too cold, I will be having a go at it, Rob.

I will report back here with my findings :).

[75ConSE]

I have only had my car around 6 weeks and yesterday found the carpet wet in the boot on the left hand side. When I lifted the carpet and looked in the wheel well, BLIMEY! An olympic sized pool! Thanks to this club, I went about tackling it and the first thing I went to was the left hand light cluster. Sure enough, the seal was next to useless and was filling up with dirt. I have now WELL sealed it with clear sealant.

One tip, I noticed that the left hand rear cluster was also full of moisture, another reason I went straight for the seal. This could be a very quick way of telling if the cluster seal is not doing its' job.... if there is moisture in one or both lenses, I would say it is 99% sure to be the seals.

[trebor]

If tomorrow is fine and not too cold, I will be having a go at it, Rob.

I will report back here with my findings :).

My quarter light extension ( bit where the union jack badge is located ) seems fine and i dont think it is getting at the back of the chrome trim strop either as all seems well and it is positioned lower down from where the leak is - will keep at it.

[CDTi]

Well I MAY have located the source of the leak, although I haven't fixed it yet. It looks like it may be the chrome strip after all.

Got the hose out today and ran it for a few minutes on the quarterlight plastic piece and got no ingress in the boot. I then ran it over the rear screen and again no signs of water.

There was nothing for it then except to climb into the boot with a torch while the hose was pouring water over the side. The neighbours already think I'm a bit daft so I'm sure seeing me hop into the boot confirmed it for them :D.

As I looked up along inside the wing I could see a water trickle from the 2 furthest forward chrome strip mounting holes. These holes were not easily visible without getting into the boot.

However this does not explain why the entire inside of the wing above the chrome strip felt damp when I first found the problem. I'm hoping that this may have been due to condensation.

Now, how do I remove the chrome strip? :)

[trebor]

Eamonn,

You may already know but there is a " How To " on this

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=188

Let me know how you get on as mine is probably the same and if i get stuck i can phone you on a Saturday afternoon again for help !

Hope someone lets you out of the boot soon.

[CDTi]

Eamonn,

You may already know but there is a " How To " on this

http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=188 Thanks Rob - I've been looking for that but I couldn't find it.



Let me know how you get on as mine is probably the same and if i get stuck i can phone you on a Saturday afternoon again for help !.Anytime Rob!!




Hope someone lets you out of the boot soon.Actually now you mention it, could you ring my wife and let her know where I am? The battery is almost gone in my laptop and I'm starving!.

[CDTi]

I removed the chrome strip last weekend and broke some of the clips. Its probably quite impossible to do this without breaking them, so if you are going to do it then make sure you have spare clips. See here for more info: http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=15999.

I had a go last evening at sealing the holes/clips with silicon. I used clear stuff, although I could have used black on my car. I first filled up the hole in the clip and then put a little around the flange.

There was some rain overnight and there was no sign of any dampness this morning, so fingers crossed that its cured.

[CDTi]

Just a last update on this.

My tinkering with the chrome strip seems to have done the trick alright. After several days of intermittent and sometimes heavy rain the boot is still dry as a bone (touches the wooden dash for luck :))

The only place I want to see water from now on is in the rad - and the washer bottle I suppose :D