Removal of footwell lake.
Discussion
Upon leaving for work this morning I noticed that my daily hack (Pug 306) appears to have developed a small lake in the passenger footwell. We're not talking "a little damp" here we are talking proper standing water! Given I was already running a few mins late I didn't really have time to muck around with it this morning so I just swapped cars and got on with it.
The pug is still going to need to be dried out however so I'm wondering where to start, while an e-mail from a fellow PH-er has suggested the Top Gear method (shooting a hole in the floor with a rifle) I'm not sure this is going to work for me as (a) the hole will expose bare metal on the floorpan and with this being a french car it would almost certainly rust away before the week was out, and (b) I don't have a rifle. So I think more conventional methods will have to be used.
What do people reckon for this? I'm thinking mop the excess up with lots of towels and then drive it around with the footwell heater set on high-fan high heat untill it dries out. This is of course assuming that the water is there due to a leak/blockage not that my heater matrix has given up the ghost! Any better suggestions?
The pug is still going to need to be dried out however so I'm wondering where to start, while an e-mail from a fellow PH-er has suggested the Top Gear method (shooting a hole in the floor with a rifle) I'm not sure this is going to work for me as (a) the hole will expose bare metal on the floorpan and with this being a french car it would almost certainly rust away before the week was out, and (b) I don't have a rifle. So I think more conventional methods will have to be used.
What do people reckon for this? I'm thinking mop the excess up with lots of towels and then drive it around with the footwell heater set on high-fan high heat untill it dries out. This is of course assuming that the water is there due to a leak/blockage not that my heater matrix has given up the ghost! Any better suggestions?
Those big vacuum cleaners in garages might be able to suck up water. Don't do this with your Dyson 
Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
I had this in my old GOlf.
I sponged all the standing water out and then just left it running with the heater on 'feet' for about 20 minutes and it was fine.
Incidentally, after a garage spending 2 hours and failing to fix this leak, I put the car on ebay and was honest about the problem.
A bloke mailed me and just said "The leak will definitely be caused by leaves in the lip between the windscreen and the bonnet"
Despite the fact I didnt see this making sense, it did indeed completely cure the problem!
I sponged all the standing water out and then just left it running with the heater on 'feet' for about 20 minutes and it was fine.
Incidentally, after a garage spending 2 hours and failing to fix this leak, I put the car on ebay and was honest about the problem.
A bloke mailed me and just said "The leak will definitely be caused by leaves in the lip between the windscreen and the bonnet"
Despite the fact I didnt see this making sense, it did indeed completely cure the problem!
randlemarcus said:
Those big vacuum cleaners in garages might be able to suck up water. Don't do this with your Dyson
Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
...well those garage vackies certainly suck up vomit....Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
randlemarcus said:
Those big vacuum cleaners in garages might be able to suck up water. Don't do this with your Dyson
Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
Cat litter sounds like a good call (we have a cat in the house) would you put it in a tray/bag presumably?Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car. Look at the heater for the source (and check all your drain plugs elsewhere for a reason it leaked in the first place)
I had some water in the footwell of an old car I had. If you don't want the windows steaming up at every opportunity, it's best to do a good job.
Remove all the water that is there. Take the carpet up - you'll probably need to remove some of the dashboard trim to do this. Then there might be foam backed sound insulation under this. There was in my car, and it was like a sponge that soaked up water. I used a penknive to cut through the plastic and sponge, and dried this out properly and the metal underneath it. Drive around like this for a few days to let the carpet dry out. When it's all dry (and you've sorted the source of the leak if possible!), put the insulation back in and the carpet back down.
Remove all the water that is there. Take the carpet up - you'll probably need to remove some of the dashboard trim to do this. Then there might be foam backed sound insulation under this. There was in my car, and it was like a sponge that soaked up water. I used a penknive to cut through the plastic and sponge, and dried this out properly and the metal underneath it. Drive around like this for a few days to let the carpet dry out. When it's all dry (and you've sorted the source of the leak if possible!), put the insulation back in and the carpet back down.
Back in 1997 I took over a 20 month old Pug 306 XLD that an ex colleague had never cleaned inside or out. It was filthy and I scrubbed the seats, carpet, door trim etc: with hot water and soap powder.
I then hosed the interior except the roof lining whilst sucking wate out with a vax. Kept going until the water sucked up was clear. Sucked as much out as possible then left engine running with heater on full blast and rear windows open an inch.
Company diesel so no problem, two hours later(and it was a hot day) car completely dry.
Even took the g/f out in it that evening.
Car evidently suffered no long term problems from this as the guy who bought it from my employer sold it last year with 220K on it, 15 years old, still going strong.
I then hosed the interior except the roof lining whilst sucking wate out with a vax. Kept going until the water sucked up was clear. Sucked as much out as possible then left engine running with heater on full blast and rear windows open an inch.
Company diesel so no problem, two hours later(and it was a hot day) car completely dry.
Even took the g/f out in it that evening.
Car evidently suffered no long term problems from this as the guy who bought it from my employer sold it last year with 220K on it, 15 years old, still going strong.
BelperJim said:
randlemarcus said:
Towel to get most of it out, then clean cat litter to dehumidify the car.
I'm glad you pointed that out I was about to fill the passenger footwell with cat s
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