Discussion
I have just bought my first TVR a 4.0HC and am busy making it look luvly ready for those sunny days?but a question came to mind as i woz lying under it last night polishing the underneath ignoring my g/friend(not)people say they do leak and my carpets are a bit,well moist,has anyone ever found out where the h2o gets in????or asked TVR if they know???im going to buy all new rubbers,if you know wot i mean,but any other ideas?
Where can the water get in? Where do we start? How about everywhere.....
Sorry to be unhelpful, but once you have a leak it can be a nightmare to find. Dont get me wrong, look and search and fix it - they can stay bone dry. Mine is, even after being left in a rain shower - though have to add that it is currently leaking by the battery bracket bolt at the moment!
Normally nothing leaks around the dash, but check the footwells anyway. There are a couple of spots where cables and stuff goes through the bulkhead. Check the gromits and seals. Check the battery bracket as this is bolted to the floor and so are the seats - again check these too. Unlikely to be the roof from what you say, but some leaks come in round the sides and run down the sides to the floor.... remember its a GRP tub so any water ingress will stay in the car.... a good hunt around usually finds where it is..
Cheers,
Paul
Sorry to be unhelpful, but once you have a leak it can be a nightmare to find. Dont get me wrong, look and search and fix it - they can stay bone dry. Mine is, even after being left in a rain shower - though have to add that it is currently leaking by the battery bracket bolt at the moment!
Normally nothing leaks around the dash, but check the footwells anyway. There are a couple of spots where cables and stuff goes through the bulkhead. Check the gromits and seals. Check the battery bracket as this is bolted to the floor and so are the seats - again check these too. Unlikely to be the roof from what you say, but some leaks come in round the sides and run down the sides to the floor.... remember its a GRP tub so any water ingress will stay in the car.... a good hunt around usually finds where it is..
Cheers,
Paul
My Chim leaks slightly (But then did my brand new MGTF!)
To stop any water getting in, and for piece of mind, I bought a Leven hood cover. It's £150 but I have to say I have not had any more water ingress since then. It also protects the rear screen from the frost.
The only downside is that the edges of the cover leave slight marks on the bodywork, but nothing too much to worry about.
Chris
To stop any water getting in, and for piece of mind, I bought a Leven hood cover. It's £150 but I have to say I have not had any more water ingress since then. It also protects the rear screen from the frost.
The only downside is that the edges of the cover leave slight marks on the bodywork, but nothing too much to worry about.
Chris
Check the seal around the brake fluid reservoir, as this needs resealing regularly. Also the seal for the clutch fluid (the black thing that looks like an elbowpad. )
Put some sealant around the windscreen washer tubes where they exit the body.
Check the various rivets (heatshielding, VIN panel etc)
Reproof the roof with Thompson's Weatherseal (for masonry)
Check the door seals - it's worth pinching the bottom rubber on each side, about 10cm from the front, and then supergluing it so that the pinch is permanent (this allows water to drain better, rather than overflowing over the edge, and into the car.
There, that should get most of them...
>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Tuesday 11th February 11:35
Put some sealant around the windscreen washer tubes where they exit the body.
Check the various rivets (heatshielding, VIN panel etc)
Reproof the roof with Thompson's Weatherseal (for masonry)
Check the door seals - it's worth pinching the bottom rubber on each side, about 10cm from the front, and then supergluing it so that the pinch is permanent (this allows water to drain better, rather than overflowing over the edge, and into the car.
There, that should get most of them...
>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Tuesday 11th February 11:35
Also check the side windows have no gap at the top and that the velcro behind the doors holding the roof is secure and has no gaps.
Also make sure you park it flat or facing up hill if possible for 2 reasons;
1. Water will drain from the boot area. If you park facing down hill there's a chance the water level will rise above the seal and drain into the boot.
2. any water that does get inside the car will run backwards away from the expensive electronic bits at the front of the passenger footwell. If you park down hill (as it's a FG tub) you could end up with the ECU, battery etc. under water.
>> Edited by plipton on Tuesday 11th February 11:45
Also make sure you park it flat or facing up hill if possible for 2 reasons;
1. Water will drain from the boot area. If you park facing down hill there's a chance the water level will rise above the seal and drain into the boot.
2. any water that does get inside the car will run backwards away from the expensive electronic bits at the front of the passenger footwell. If you park down hill (as it's a FG tub) you could end up with the ECU, battery etc. under water.
>> Edited by plipton on Tuesday 11th February 11:45
Waterproof the hood with Thompson's Water Seal from B&Q.
With the bonnet up, check and reseal the silicone seals around all the piping, grommets, fixings, brake fluid reservoir and clutch cylinder cover that sits in/on the drivers side of the engine compartment.
I did this and the beast has changed from a damp squib inside to desert dry. Not a whiff of damp or moisture.
With the bonnet up, check and reseal the silicone seals around all the piping, grommets, fixings, brake fluid reservoir and clutch cylinder cover that sits in/on the drivers side of the engine compartment.
I did this and the beast has changed from a damp squib inside to desert dry. Not a whiff of damp or moisture.
I bought this stuff
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=28195&f=13&h=0
and sealed everywhere under the bonnet. Mine was leaking through the hollow (how sensible) rivets that hold the engine/chasis tag on and the little rivets just under the windscreen, where there's a row of them together with all the usual places, brake fluid resevoir, cables through the bulkhead. Also the trickiest to find was in the door seal where the leather edge to the floor carpet tucked in .... I cut this off and ran a bead of sealent right round the frame before replacing the seal.
Basically run the black squidge over anything suspicious looking, after all the bonnet covers the mess. It is possible though, my 94 Chimaera is now 100% watertight having leaked like a sieve.
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=28195&f=13&h=0
and sealed everywhere under the bonnet. Mine was leaking through the hollow (how sensible) rivets that hold the engine/chasis tag on and the little rivets just under the windscreen, where there's a row of them together with all the usual places, brake fluid resevoir, cables through the bulkhead. Also the trickiest to find was in the door seal where the leather edge to the floor carpet tucked in .... I cut this off and ran a bead of sealent right round the frame before replacing the seal.
Basically run the black squidge over anything suspicious looking, after all the bonnet covers the mess. It is possible though, my 94 Chimaera is now 100% watertight having leaked like a sieve.
rear n/s carpet was getting very wet, i found - eventually, water was seeping under the hood velcro, this was peeling off at the edges, you can re-glue it or i ran silicon under it as the surface was uneven and guess what, dry carpets - lovely.
Also waterproofed hood with thompsons, much better than fabsil.
Also waterproofed hood with thompsons, much better than fabsil.
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