Leaking Hood?

[Guernsey Griff]

Hi

Anybody had trouble with a wet parcel shelf? My 1995 Griff has been almost faultless for the three years that I've owned it (usual starter motor problems aside)! However, this spring after some pretty heavy rain, I notice that the parcel shelf was wet. I recently bought the Renovo kit and cleaned, re-blacked, and re-proofed the hood. On reading the re-proofer label, I discovered that this task should be done every six months and assumed that my never having done it was the reason for my leak!

All was well, or so I thought, until I got in the car today, after more heavy rain, and saw that the parcel shelf was sodden again! Any ideas what might be causing this? The only thing I wondered about was the rubber seal on the rear section of the roof that joins the hard panel - this has been split at the rounded corners on both sides all the time I've owned the car, so it seems unlikely, but I can't see anything else out of place....

Any help gratefully received.

Many thanks

Guernsey Griff

[Ballistic Banana]

Can you pour some water over the top seal and see if water is running anywhere? The roofs can be put on differently and the seal can not sit properly so worth re checking teh targa is sitting properly.
Also would check the velcro bits inside and out are properly down. The velcro on the body can lift ( glued and riveted down) If its off you can see where the body and carpet meet from the outside so water could get in there.

BB

[Guernsey Griff]

I was going to try a water test over the weekend so will check as your suggest thanks.

I'm pretty sure it is not coming in from the velcro side flaps as the wet patches are right at the back of the shelf, i.e. higher up than the area under the velcro.

If it turns out to be the seal where the folding section joins the targa panel, is it an easy job to repair or is it one for the experts?

Guernsey Griff

[Ballistic Banana]

No The seal is easy to change, Needs riveting at either end If my memory is right. Think you can get the seal from europa spares. Although I am sure someone will pipe up of cheaper place to get some

Must admit it does seem strange why it has suddenly happend, IS it wet all over and where abouts is it wettest what side).
Remeber if the whole shelf is wet that it will soak up the sides anyway. Is it wet anywhere lower?

Simon

[Guernsey Griff]

Does seem strange, but it has never leaked before! The wettest parts are right at the back of the shelf where the shelf carpet meets the rear bulkhead(?), the vertical section of bodywork which separates the cabin from the fuel tank....

So you rivet the seal at each end and.... presumably glue the rest of the seal in place?

[Ballistic Banana]

Is the boot side wet? maybe the Petrol filler seal would be worth a look too, but i would expect the some more wetness in the boot. If not either of them suggested then maybe the hood is the hood/rear window is teh problem.

[Guernsey Griff]

Will check the integrity of the window at the weekend too as the only part of the Renovo job I haven't done is the rear screen polish. There was certainly nothing that looked untoward when I did the other parts of the treatment, but I agree it's worth a closer inspection. I think that the seal in the boot behind the fuel filler is fine but will also check this.

Thanks for your help Simon.

Jim

[seasider]

The stitching around the window doesn't always seal with a general hood sealer, you can get a seam sealer used on tents. It's like lypsyl tube, use on the inside as it does leave a small residue

[Guernsey Griff]

Thanks Seasider, I'll bear that in mind when I do the leak test this weekend.... I think I might even still have some of that stuff left from the last time I re-proofed my tent many years ago

[seasider]

Guernsey Griff said:

Thanks Seasider, I'll bear that in mind when I do the leak test this weekend....

Mine didn't show up with watering can or hose (unless really blasted!! Even then it was a tiny drip ) But the goo cured it

[simon.b]

I had this condition a few years back, the water was seeping through the hood and running down the back panels. I’d also check behind the seats as it tend to run round that back corner and down to seat wells.

I have never used the Renovo products so can not comment on them.

I apply Thompson’s Water Seal (not the ultra one) once a year taking care to ensure all the seams are well treated and have never had any leaks since. I also gave the new hood a coat just the other week and she’s been out in some heavy rain over the last few day’s and still snuff dry

Cheers,

Simon.

[Griffter]

There are vents under the bottom rear section of the folding hood section. At a guess, in torrential rain, if the car was facing slightly downhill, these might get flooded by water building up in the channel under the front edge of the boot lid. Otherwise, if your hood and seals are sound, sounds like the stitching may be leaking.

[Guernsey Griff]

That sounds like a very likely cause as my driveway is slightly sloped downwards towards the road and it fits the exact spot where the water is appearing. That said, it ony started tihs summer....

Still, I'll check at the weekend.

Thanks

Jim

[mikedavis1]

When I recently had the hood off the car (not due to leaks) I found the two vents under the rear of the hood had been partly filler with silicone. Just a narrow bead along the bottom of each vent: Cant be seen with hood on and pretty obviously there to prefent water getting in: Not pretty but would solve a problem if water is getting in when the car is parked facing down hill...

M

[simon.b]

I found the silicone in one of my vents not bonded to the body but just the carpet, which would allow it to leak behind the carpet. However in my case it never did, but I still resealed it just to make sure, then again I don’t ever remember parking nose down.

Cheers,

Simon.