The Bloddy British Weather!
The Bloddy British Weather!
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BRGS2

Original Poster:

2,829 posts

271 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
OK - fitted the carpet this weekend and is looking sweet as - didnt put the cover on the car yesterday afternoon - and what happened?

THE HEAVENS OPENED

Possibly the heaviest rain of the year thus far wasn't just falling was lashing down - my new seals simple were not up to the job...

Got back last night to find a centimeter of water under the seat soaked it up with a couple of towels but I fear that this will be the start of an ongoing problem....

If anyone has any advice on:
1) How to dry out the carpet
2) How to make the roof vaguely water tight

I would be forever grateful,

in anticipation

Tim (and a soggy BRGS2...)

WildfireS3

9,916 posts

275 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
The only way I've found of drying out the carpets is to put the car in the garage so it can't get wet, and if possible to heat it. Only way to stop it leaking is to put the cover on it. I put the car on every time I'm not in the car, seems a bit of a hassle at first but it's ok really. Pain in the dark though.

Podie

46,647 posts

298 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Waterproofing the hood...

1) Replace ALL the seals...
2) Treat the roof with Thompsons water seal
3) Pay special attension to the lip areas of the targa panels and the stiching round the rear window
4) hope.


As for the water... heard of people drilling holes in the floor...

BRGS2

Original Poster:

2,829 posts

271 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Podie said:
Waterproofing the hood...

1) Replace ALL the seals...
2) Treat the roof with Thompsons water seal
3) Pay special attension to the lip areas of the targa panels and the stiching round the rear window
4) hope.


As for the water... heard of people drilling holes in the floor...


Cheers for the advice - I replaced the seal that goes all the way round both doors and the top of the windscreen - and the one that goes on the roof hoop (getting the roof on is now a bugger - but thats another story...)
Water seems to have got in through the little hole just in front of the roof pivot - should there be something covering this?
Crude illustration below:



Ironically, i filled the holes in the floor when i put in the new carpets....

WildfireS3

9,916 posts

275 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Tim, where did you get the seals, and how much did you pay for it all? I assume you got the seals in a big roll and cut it to fit.

BRGS2

Original Poster:

2,829 posts

271 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
WildfireS3 said:
Tim, where did you get the seals, and how much did you pay for it all? I assume you got the seals in a big roll and cut it to fit.


Got them here:

www.woolies-trim.u-net.com/doorseal.html

Part number 266 - pretty easy to fit apart from the break that goes over the top of the doors.... - I got 10 meters but you could probably make do with 8.

Podie

46,647 posts

298 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
hole on the roof pivot..?!?!

Not got one of them...!!!!

Could try a rubber grommet with a cover over it..?

A good treatment of thompsons water seal will help the water run off...

John Mac

386 posts

286 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Tim,
You have mail.
John

peter m

385 posts

277 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Had a similar problem. Massive downpour yesterday all over the S2. It is on axle stands (rear up) while I paint the rear chassis. I had covered the majority of the roof with polythene which covers all of the roof seals, and trapped the polythene in the doors.

Get home last night and check for puddles. All carpet seemed dry, until I checked the front of the sills. There was about 10mm of H2O peering back at me. The foot wells are dry. After mopping out, I tried to find the leak, but I can only conclude it is either:-
1. Bonnet hinges, but these looked dry
2. Air hoses where they pass through the wing/bulkhead.
3. A leak at the top of the door pillar when the hood velcros down.
4. Bottom door hinges.

As the car was back end up, all the water collected at the very front of the sills, so was not too bad to mop out. Both sills were equally as wet.

Any ideas ???

S3 Kieran

968 posts

276 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
BRGS2 said:
Crude illustration below:



Ironically, i filled the holes in the floor when i put in the new carpets....


My roof has been treated with Fabsil from memory, and didn't let in a drop yesterday, despite driving A14/M11 in it, but has leaked before in same place as above pic - when wet, I can see where the seals aren't up to the glass - will replace one day

Podie

46,647 posts

298 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Driving is different to the car being stationary... since the movement helps to ensure the water doesn't settle...

Le TVR

3,097 posts

274 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
There shouldn't be any gap in front of the hood pivot. The fabric should overlap this (and the fabric should have a rubber edge strip here).
For the leaks into the front of the sills it's worth checking the bonnet locks, they need being kept full of grease.

Now what's this Water Seal stuff??

WildfireS3

9,916 posts

275 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Le TVR said:


Now what's this Water Seal stuff??



Thompson's water seal for Bricks, works on canvas as well. About £10 for a gallon or so.


Does anybody know what seals are used on the targa panels, where it over laps the glass?

Perhaps item 40 from wollies?

>> Edited by WildfireS3 on Tuesday 23 September 15:18

Podie

46,647 posts

298 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Am I going to be the only S at BTaP...

DustyC

12,820 posts

277 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
and Teds too.

Dont forget I want a look over your S and a quick guide to what to look out for.

If I dont see you before and our hangovers are too bad after then no worries.

Who knows, I may even be joining you in my own S by then anyway!

S3 Kieran

968 posts

276 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Podie said:
Driving is different to the car being stationary... since the movement helps to ensure the water doesn't settle...


Yeah alright, alright, but it was parked up during the day in it as well (car cap left at home)

WonkyGibbon

476 posts

274 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
Le TVR said:
For the leaks into the front of the sills it's worth checking the bonnet locks, they need being kept full of grease.


Erm ... (embarassed look of ignorance) ... how would I know if I had a leak into the front of the sills ? Where would I see the water - in the footwell ?

WG

Podie

46,647 posts

298 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
DustyC said:
Dont forget I want a look over your S and a quick guide to what to look out for.


No problem mate... should be there at a sensible time... it's just gone in for a de-cat too!

peter m

385 posts

277 months

Tuesday 23rd September 2003
quotequote all
WonkyGibbon said:

Erm ... (embarassed look of ignorance) ... how would I know if I had a leak into the front of the sills ? Where would I see the water - in the footwell ?

WG


From my experience last night, water in the front sill is found right at the side of the footwell, between the side of the car and the chassis tube ridge, not in the main footwell area.

My hood does not fit well at the top of the door pillar, so this seems to be the first place to sort out. One side velcros down OK, but on the other side the hood seems too short, so the velcro of the hood hardly touches the body. I suspect it was assembled wrong in the past. However both sides still leaked.


Le TVR

3,097 posts

274 months

Wednesday 24th September 2003
quotequote all
peter m said:



From my experience last night, water in the front sill is found right at the side of the footwell, between the side of the car and the chassis tube ridge, not in the main footwell area.





That's the place.. if the bonnet catches leak the water ends up there.. oh and all over the fuse box too. Lost a couple of fuel pump relays before I discovered where it was coming from
Unscrew the 2 mounting bolts from inside, give them a coat of thick grease and replace them. Don't overtighten or the bonnet release may not work afterwards (....got t-shirt etc, etc.)

Good point about the velcro, had forgotten that (probably because it has long since refused to stick as the hood fabric shrunk slightly).


Oh and thanks for info about Water Seal Wildfire.

>> Edited by Le TVR on Wednesday 24th September 08:38