Soggy Chimaera

[Steve _T]

All,

Having had my chimaera re-sealed a while ago, it no longer seams to leak on the move in the rain. This weekend however, I discovered an indoor swimming pool in the driver's side footwell. When I washed the car a week ago, I could hear water sloshing around in the door, however it was only this weekend when I noticed the swimming pool had returned.

When I checked with the dealer he mentioned the drain holes located in the bottom of the door. He said if they're blocked then water can apparently build up to a level to get around the seals and into the car. I checked them yesterday and they appear to be clear (could get a screw driver in there no problem). Two questions, firstly, how can I be sure the drain holes are sufficiently clear not to be a problem. Secondly, is there an alternative path for water into the footwell, when the car is standing?

Thanks in advance,

Steve (and soggy chimaera 5L)

[trefor]

Depends on what you mean by resealed. If the leak is in the footwell then your leak is probably through the clutch inspection cover or one of the other holes going through the inner wing in the engine bay.

[Steve _T]

Trefor,

Thanks for the reply. The panels under the bonnet were resealed last time she leaked by the dealer, I could see the silicon sealant had been replaced. Like I say, I've been out in the rain since and not had a problem, so I think that that area of the car is reasonably waterproof. I believe the issue is just when she's sat on the drive and it rains the water gets in then somehow. Any hints an trips on what seals to check and how to their integrity gratefully received.

Best regards,

Steve

[Maj]

I had the same problem and when I took it back to the dealer they said that the seal where the brake pedal goes through the bulk head had perished. They simply replaced the seal and it worked fine.

[Bob C]

In my experience even if the drain holes in the door are clear you will still get a build up of water, the holes don't seem to me to be low enough down. If you swing the door back and forth you can get most of the water out. It seems inconceivable water from the door could get into the footwell. Like others I'd bet on a seal on the bulkhead leaking.

[WillM]

There is another potential source of water ingress in a chim. If the window glass doesn't sit properly against the rubber seal on the hood (at the back of the window glass), there can be a significant gap which allows water to get in and run down the door seal into the footwell. I have a flooding problem at the moment and the dealer reckons this is the reason - the gap is over 0.5cm. In my case it is unlikely to be perished seals as the car is only 3 months old. With a TVR however, nothing is impossible.

[MikeyT]

Solution: Jack it up, remove wheel, ask other half to spray hose in wheelarch area and observe from the inside.

If dry, move onto the hood and so on.

TVR owner one day

[ATG]

I find that even though the window glass produces a good seal if the window is lowered and raised, the glass does not always seal correctly if the door is opened and then closed as it tends to drag on the rubber seal on the side of the roof panel. This leaves a gap between the vertical seal on the roof hoop and the back edge of the window at the top. Easily sorted by being careful when closing the door (i.e. push the rubber seal on the roof panelup a bit) and then giving the window a bit of a shove inwards.

[paulbellchambers]

As I have learned the main route for water into the car is through the seal around the Brake fluild resevoir. The fix is to scrape out the sealer in there, clean up the bulkhead and the resevior and re-seal with some black silicon sealant.

So far it has worked ok on mine.

PB