Wet carpet....
Wet carpet....
Author
Discussion

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
I've noticed the carpet on the driver's side of the Chim is getting wet after it rains. I've checked the rubber door seals and the rubber seals for the windows. The only thing I can see is that there is a small square gap between the top right hand corner of the window and the middle roof section rubber seal that could be the culprit. Anyone else have this or are my seals just a bit too short??

Should I be looking elsewhere? The wet patch is down to the right of my right leg which would suggest rain coming in from the right hand side of the car. The door card leather is a bit wet after it rains hence why I think this is the problem area.

AJV8

526 posts

176 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Mossyboy1978 said:
I've noticed the carpet on the driver's side of the Chim is getting wet after it rains. I've checked the rubber door seals and the rubber seals for the windows. The only thing I can see is that there is a small square gap between the top right hand corner of the window and the middle roof section rubber seal that could be the culprit. Anyone else have this or are my seals just a bit too short??

Should I be looking elsewhere? The wet patch is down to the right of my right leg which would suggest rain coming in from the right hand side of the car. The door card leather is a bit wet after it rains hence why I think this is the problem area.
Have you checked in the engine bay for broken seals around where the throttle cable is fed into the arch?

I had water streaming down the doorcard and dripping over the passenger speaker the other day in heavy rain so i'd be interested to hear people's suggestions to what is causing that. To me it looks like, as you've suggested, that the seals aren't long enough, either that or my door has dropped and isn't matching up at the top corner which is where the water is getting in.

AJ

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Now you mention it that door doesn't always close completely without a decent slam. The other side is fine. So perhaps it's door alignment. One for the bodyshop to consider I think.

Jon Brown

681 posts

214 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
I've also been trouble this week in the same area, drivers footwell at the seat end, there was a large puddle there this morning.

Unfortunetly the search is down, but I'm sure I read some where about the seal around the wind screen and targa roof seal.

If I find the cause I will let you know

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Thanks. I spotted a bit of perished rubber near the bottom corner of the windscreen. have resealed so will update on progress. It's not the targa seal at the front. Will keep looking.

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Have had a deeper inspection. Appears to be coming from the bulkhead where the clutch cable comes through. No idea how I'm going to deal with that. ANy ideas? More importantly, on a fibreglass car - how much does it matter if I have a slightly damp driver's side carpet?

SpecB

1,939 posts

178 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
You will get mouldy carpets.

These cars have hydraulic clutches. I sealed all the grommets in the front wing with sikaflex as well as the clutch fluid access panel and the brake master cylinder reservoir.

I have a tiny leak stil l(inconsequential compared to before I sealed everything else) and I think it may be the pedal box bolts.

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Think I have same problem. Front wing is sealed nicely. No gaps, no perishing. It's the bolts in the pedal box. Pig to get to without removing half the car.

SpecB

1,939 posts

178 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
I have some rechargeable silica gel packs under the seats which I am hoping will keep it dry enough to stop it getting mouldy.

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
How do they work then?

SpecB

1,939 posts

178 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
They have an indicator in them that tells you when they are saturated and you put them in an oven to dry out and they can be reused.

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
made a difference so far?

SpecB

1,939 posts

178 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
I've only just started using them so don't know yet.

ChimpanLucky

9,637 posts

209 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
Mossyboy, have you done/got the door seal mod?

Mossyboy1978

Original Poster:

140 posts

175 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
No. Tell me more please. Sounds like it could be useful. Even if the leak is in the pedal box

ChimpanLucky

9,637 posts

209 months

Thursday 10th May 2012
quotequote all
The door seals are a common source of leaks.

Water seems to pass through the door itself because the window seals are ineffectual.

As this water exits the door via it's drain holes it can pool on top of he seal door itself.

It then overcomes the door seal and enters the car wetting the carpets.

The door seal mod is very simple but overcomes this problem.

At each corner of the horizontal lower run of the door seal just before it turns to go vertical, you need to make a small hole.

Squirt some super glue into your two holes and press the seal flat, the super glue will hold it flat permanently.

The two flattened seal areas act as channels for the water to escape.

Result, no more wet carpets.

It's hard to describe in words and I cant find a photo, but someone will be along in a minute with a snap that will better demonstrate what I am talking about.

It's a very common mod, a lot of Chims & Griff you see have had it done, your car may even have it already.

I think dealers may have cottoned on to it when the cars were current, if your car hasn't got it, I would do it as a precautionary measure.

John042

904 posts

199 months

Friday 11th May 2012
quotequote all
Hi Mossyboy1978. I've chased a drivers footwell water leak for months. Did all the good things with door/roof seals, windscreen and wiper areas. Eventually put it down to a poorly fitting clutch cover as the water appeared to be running down the forward pedal box area. Wrong! Time and time again I ignored the brake reservoir as the seal around it looked perfect. That was until I lent on it and it moved sideways into the wing! The sealant had oompletely de-bonded between the reservoir and wing. Re-sealing cured the illusive leak. How that much water tracks down into the pedal box and then into the footwell is unbelievable. Good luck in tracing your leak. Cheers John C

V8 GRF

7,299 posts

240 months

Friday 11th May 2012
quotequote all
On a convertible you also need to make sure the roof panel is on correctly or that's a source of leaks as well.