Wet driver's footwell
Discussion
Got back from 3 weeks away to find the car started perfectly (hooray!) but has a (very) wet driver's footwell. That could be water ingress as I went away in driving rain... but it does seem a bit too localised for that, if for example it was getting in through a door or window seal I'd expect it to be broadcast a bit wider. Only the carpet is wet, there's no sign that it's coming down from higher up or under the bonnet. A friend reckons it could be a leak from a heater pipe, is this possible? The coolant header tank is only half full so I may have lost some, although as I've only had the car a short time I'm not sure that's significant or not.
Rain water can collect in the footwell from leaks, but if the carpet behind the drivers seat is dry, then it won't have come from the hood - common problem for it to wick through the stitching behind the drivers seat and make its way to the lowest point.
But my last leak was through a hole in the inner wing, where the throttle cable passes through. The grommet was not sealing and that allowed the rainwater to flow into the footwell.
Another likely cause is from around the cover for the clutch master cylinder. This is held in place by mastic, and if there is a gap, rainwater will find its way through there!
Bob
But my last leak was through a hole in the inner wing, where the throttle cable passes through. The grommet was not sealing and that allowed the rainwater to flow into the footwell.
Another likely cause is from around the cover for the clutch master cylinder. This is held in place by mastic, and if there is a gap, rainwater will find its way through there!
Bob
RumbleBee said:
Check that its water and not clutch fluid coming down the clutch pedal.
You've got me worried now... no, the clutch pedal is dry. It doesn't smell like it's anything other than pure water. However the floor carpet behind the driver's seat is wet, but not under the seat or the rear shelf, neither was there any water on the seats. Which is odd, as it's a pattern which suggests that water is coming in from underneath while driving rather than when stationary - when the car has been idle for 3 weeks. Unless it came in when I was driving just before I went away and I didn't notice - although I don't remember driving in heavy rain that day, the rain came later.Next question - what's the best way to dry it out in the winter? A couple of hundred miles with the top down and the heater on full blast?
The stitching on the hood near the velcro attachment can be the culprit. With lots of rain, the hood just gets saturated and the water starts to wick through to the carpet on the door pillar. Then it gradually goes down to the carpet behind the seat.
What you could do is take out the removable carpet from the footwell and next time you'll see it going along the floor channels in the footwell
.
When the hood is dry a nice coating of Fabsil (tent sealant) or Thompson's waterseal should solve the problem for a while.
Bob
What you could do is take out the removable carpet from the footwell and next time you'll see it going along the floor channels in the footwell
.When the hood is dry a nice coating of Fabsil (tent sealant) or Thompson's waterseal should solve the problem for a while.
Bob
That Daddy said:
Big favorite is the sealer round the brake fluid reservoir,it may look ok but when you pick at it you will find it is no longer bonded to the bodywork,yes it happened to me(footwell swimming pool)
Thats where my leak was too! Been fine since i resealed it.If you were parked on a slope then this may obviously have caused water to run further back to the carpet under / behind the seat too.
As it's both behind the driver and in the footwell I am working on the theory that it's soaked in through the material of the hood (as some people have suggested). I'll dry out the removable carpets indoors and take every opportunity to leave the top off if the weather's nice or go for a drive with the heater turned up... not that I need an excuse after being away from her for 3 weeks. And buy some fabsil.
saxmund said:
As it's both behind the driver and in the footwell I am working on the theory that it's soaked in through the material of the hood (as some people have suggested). I'll dry out the removable carpets indoors and take every opportunity to leave the top off if the weather's nice or go for a drive with the heater turned up... not that I need an excuse after being away from her for 3 weeks. And buy some fabsil.
Don't buy the spray on type, it is better applied with a paintbrush.Bob
Check the seals round the door as well. Under the bonnet its not just the brake res, but the electrical connection, hoses & cables thru wing, clutch cover, and the rivets... all need sealing. Running a strip channel on the top of the wing can prevent torrents of water draining into these areas - but they still all need sealing.
Dave
Dave
Pupp said:
[Bingo. Even with the 'pinches' done, water still wells up over the sills in my experience. ..
Take especial care that the seal is sealed with sealant where it is inverted at the top front (kind of above the door & under the screen) otherwise it just seeps round behind the seal 
Dave
spend said:
Pupp said:
[Bingo. Even with the 'pinches' done, water still wells up over the sills in my experience. ..
Take especial care that the seal is sealed with sealant where it is inverted at the top front (kind of above the door & under the screen) otherwise it just seeps round behind the seal Dave
spend said:
Its where it clips onto the GRP, ease it off and spread some sealant on the outside of the fg lip and then press it on again. Doesn't need to be done where the rubber seal clips over, just where water can get between the fg & seal. I was surprised how much could get down there!
Dave
Nice one...taDave
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