Wet Carpets

[J8 TRO]

Help!
I got in the car on Monday morning to smell a damp kind of smell. investigated last night after work, to find the pasenger carpet behind the seat damp! and slight damp behind my seat! i have checked the seals round the roof and they seam fine and i cant figure out how the water can be getting in. has anyone else had this problem?
I dried it out last night with a hair dryer then got back in today to find it as damp as it was before, but it didnt rain during the night! im stumped and starting to smell like a swamp donkey!

[schueymcfee]

I have same problem, I'm working on the basis that this is the problem...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?p=1&f=8&t=117364&h=0

anybody have a template by the way?

[beano500]

Right - you're going to need some "Moisture Mate" mate, or something similar to carry on doing the drying for you.

Best not have the car parked facing downhill.


Mind you best not face uphill either

There are a million and one ways that water can get in - yours isn't the first and won't be the last.

In no particular order, possibilities include, but are not limited to:

- Door seals
- water collects in front wing around brake cylinder
windscreen
- collects around fuel filler and finds its way in
- doors have drain hole bunged up and doors fill with water
- various holes of indeterminate reason appeared at the factory
- that's just a starter for ten......

[Zippee]

I recently had exactly the same problem as you, carpets behind the seat soaking wet and the sides behind the doors also wet but no sign of roof leakage or dampness anywhere around the inside of the roof. However, after a very liberal application of Thompsons water seal (paying very special attention to all stitching, especially around the velcro) it has now stopped. Also ensure that your velcro is done up tight and that you little rubber bits at the bottom of the roof and behind the doors are still in place as these channel the water down the side rather than in through the door/window/roof gap at the back of the door.
The canvas hood dries very quickly so its often very difficult to tell if this is the problem.
Also, I tried drying mine with a hairdrier and next day it still felt soaked, the hairdrier only dries the top of the carpet, any water still under the carpet will soon soak back through making it feel as if its still leaking.

[J8 TRO]

Thanks guys
Ive had a look through the link you gave me. looks like its time to waterproof the roof. (several times). The thing that confuses me is that the side carpets and none of the side trim is wet. just the bottom carpet.
Havent got any of those ears either. i take it as they didnt come with the car? mines an early one (94)

[Zippee]

Try this link, was discussed on here a few weeks ago, I think FlipFlopGriff mentions them about half way down the post..
[url]www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=117364&f=8&h=0&hw=LEAKING[/url]

[edward1]

I have had exactly the same problem, thought it was solved by waterproofing the roof, but then the Christmas snow resulted in damp carpets again. My only conclusion was that the roof needed more coats.

My elephant ears are in place, and functional so I've ruled that one out.

I also find it puzzling that the side carpets don't feel wet apart from the very bottom of the flap that covers the locking mechanism.

IMHO The best way of getting the car dry is a good long run with the roof down.

[jimothy]

edward1 said:

IMHO The best way of getting the car dry is a good long run with the roof down.

Unless its raining....

[beano500]

jimothy said:

edward1 said: IMHO The best way of getting the car dry is a good long run with the roof down. Unless its raining....

Mere technicality

[jessica]

I have a reuccurent wet carpet also,just behind the drivers seat.some of the pile is missing and currently having dried it out and placed silica gel parcels dotted about to dry out the residual.
I am at a loss.
also.my carpet keeps getting white mould on it,and this mould is what has eaten the pile.
Once I cure the leak from where ever then I intentto replace the carpet.

[tvrmadmarc]

Its good to know I am not going mad. Recently returned from hols and prayed for the car to start at the airport - it did.

Then I noticed wet bits behind the passengers seat and could not wok out how or why. I genuinely thought the car had been sabotaged with the aid of a watreing can through the side of the hood.........how stupid do I now feel.

Hope the new boss Mr S doesnt put an end to all these foibles!

[jem]

once your carpets smell of mildew how do you clean them properly?

Yours blokishly

J

[Nuggs]

jem said:

once your carpets smell of mildew how do you clean them properly? Yours blokishly J

Jem, from my days of leaky MGF ownership , I always found that Autoglym Car Interior Shampoo followed by a liberal dousing with Febreez always did the job.

Febreez also means that one never needs to clean one's clothes again...