Incoming rain leak, passenger side above footwell
Discussion
Wondering if anyone can help. I have a 97 Chimaera. Purchased nearly 2 years ago after wanting one since I first heard, then turned to see one nearly 30 years ago ...
Anyway - to familiar nods, sighs and probably groans - one thing I have been struggling with since I bought it is an incoming rainwater leak, passenger side. Appears to somehow be getting in behind the carpet, beyond the door on that vertical left-hand side above where passengers rest their feet. It collects along the carpet by the battery and makes its merry way back along underneath the carpet under the door. See photo.
I've taken v useful advice from a number of existing posts, used silicon here there and everywhere under the bonnet. I've had the door seals checked, the fit between the door and the door frame checked. All ok. It's not condensation running along from inside the car.
It's defintely a rainwater leak into the car. It doesn't happen with the full length cover on the car, but - perhaps tellingly - it does happen when a Leven-style hood cover is used.
Could anyone possibly offer any advice on this one please? Note that tbph I'm not hugely mechanically minded ...
Thank you v much,
Bumblejag
Anyway - to familiar nods, sighs and probably groans - one thing I have been struggling with since I bought it is an incoming rainwater leak, passenger side. Appears to somehow be getting in behind the carpet, beyond the door on that vertical left-hand side above where passengers rest their feet. It collects along the carpet by the battery and makes its merry way back along underneath the carpet under the door. See photo.
I've taken v useful advice from a number of existing posts, used silicon here there and everywhere under the bonnet. I've had the door seals checked, the fit between the door and the door frame checked. All ok. It's not condensation running along from inside the car.
It's defintely a rainwater leak into the car. It doesn't happen with the full length cover on the car, but - perhaps tellingly - it does happen when a Leven-style hood cover is used.
Could anyone possibly offer any advice on this one please? Note that tbph I'm not hugely mechanically minded ...
Thank you v much,
Bumblejag
Edited by Bumblejag on Tuesday 2nd January 19:09
Thanks folks. Yes I have done checks so many times over the past months. I am 99% sure it leaks with the hood cover on. Somehow. It has driven me a bit (more?) nuts tbh.
I don't get this problem when the full cover is on; I often avoid putting the full cover on due to the faff.
(I have re-waterproofed the hood as well.)
I don't get this problem when the full cover is on; I often avoid putting the full cover on due to the faff.
(I have re-waterproofed the hood as well.)
Might be through door hinges!
Carefully remove the door seal then pull that carpet away to expose fibreglass and you should find holes cut in the fibreglass that give you access to the nuts of said door hinges in the outer bodywork. You might be able to see through those holes if dampness is present.
Carefully remove the door seal then pull that carpet away to expose fibreglass and you should find holes cut in the fibreglass that give you access to the nuts of said door hinges in the outer bodywork. You might be able to see through those holes if dampness is present.
Have the door weather seals been replaced? I can't see enough of it to see if the correct 'pinches' are in place to allow water to run away. When seals are replaced, this is often omitted.
This thread shows them:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=16...
This thread shows them:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=16...
Great, thanks.
Door seal pinches: pretty sure these aren't properly there. This was mentioned to me by a mechanic. Due to the location of where I think the rain is getting in, I don't think this can be the main issue at hand but I will have a proper look through the post mentioned, thanks sixor8.
Door hinges: ah this area certainly sounds like the exact location of where the water is getting in, Classic Chim. Pls excuse my ignorance but is it relatively easy to peel away the seal, then replace once checked?
Door seal pinches: pretty sure these aren't properly there. This was mentioned to me by a mechanic. Due to the location of where I think the rain is getting in, I don't think this can be the main issue at hand but I will have a proper look through the post mentioned, thanks sixor8.
Door hinges: ah this area certainly sounds like the exact location of where the water is getting in, Classic Chim. Pls excuse my ignorance but is it relatively easy to peel away the seal, then replace once checked?
swisstoni said:
I remember chasing this problem on my ‘95 about 20 years ago.
It was as if someone would pour a cup of water in each footwell when I wasn’t around.
I never knew about the door hinge possibility back then.
Ah yes my bad should of looked at the pic better as thats a front pic It was as if someone would pour a cup of water in each footwell when I wasn’t around.
I never knew about the door hinge possibility back then.
I replaced the seal on mine a few months ago, and opted for cuts not pinches, easier to implement.
Pretty dry inside mine, and it lives with the cover off as much as on.
Definitely worth checking the hinge thing, but not sure how you seal that, but many things become obvious when you take a closer look on these cars.
Could also be the grommets in the engine bay, for main wiring loom, heater pipes, air vent pipe, wiper motor wires.
Easy to dig out and replace sealant on all those except the main loom, but that has a very tight grommet and wouldn’t show up there.
The other possibility is the indicator side repeater, which can also cause problems with the air heater motor.
Sometimes it’s worth re-sealing everything you can see.
Consider using a PU sealant like Sikaflex221 or Tigerseal. Standard builders silicone is ok. Just need to keep an eye on it all whichever you use.
Investigate to save yourself a wild goose chase though!
Pretty dry inside mine, and it lives with the cover off as much as on.
Definitely worth checking the hinge thing, but not sure how you seal that, but many things become obvious when you take a closer look on these cars.
Could also be the grommets in the engine bay, for main wiring loom, heater pipes, air vent pipe, wiper motor wires.
Easy to dig out and replace sealant on all those except the main loom, but that has a very tight grommet and wouldn’t show up there.
The other possibility is the indicator side repeater, which can also cause problems with the air heater motor.
Sometimes it’s worth re-sealing everything you can see.
Consider using a PU sealant like Sikaflex221 or Tigerseal. Standard builders silicone is ok. Just need to keep an eye on it all whichever you use.
Investigate to save yourself a wild goose chase though!
Bumblejag said:
Great, thanks.
Door seal pinches: pretty sure these aren't properly there. This was mentioned to me by a mechanic. Due to the location of where I think the rain is getting in, I don't think this can be the main issue at hand but I will have a proper look through the post mentioned, thanks sixor8.
Door hinges: ah this area certainly sounds like the exact location of where the water is getting in, Classic Chim. Pls excuse my ignorance but is it relatively easy to peel away the seal, then replace once checked?
Theoretically yes. Door seal pinches: pretty sure these aren't properly there. This was mentioned to me by a mechanic. Due to the location of where I think the rain is getting in, I don't think this can be the main issue at hand but I will have a proper look through the post mentioned, thanks sixor8.
Door hinges: ah this area certainly sounds like the exact location of where the water is getting in, Classic Chim. Pls excuse my ignorance but is it relatively easy to peel away the seal, then replace once checked?
The door seal you should be able to pry away from the corner upwards.
It pinches the carpet which is why you should free that section away so you can pull the carpet away without fraying it
It’s lightly glued so peel it back to investigate behind it.
Once any leaks are cured use some spray glue to tack the carpet back then re fit rubber last. I trim any edges of carpet that fray before tapping seal back in place.
I’m not convinced it’s coming from hinges but if it’s leaking you might aswell pull that carpet away to look.
It might sound obvious but always go to the highest point of damp and you’ll normally find your leak.
Thanks v much all. Really appreciated. I have used silicon in quite a few of the areas mentioned above, but yes it may just be the side repeaters (mine does have those) or the hinges.
When it actually stops raining (and I have made myself the size of a hedgehog so I can crawl around in the footwell and look up with ease) I'll do some more detective work ... thanks
When it actually stops raining (and I have made myself the size of a hedgehog so I can crawl around in the footwell and look up with ease) I'll do some more detective work ... thanks
Thank you all. I've had a really thorough look. This time I peeled back the carpet, the horizontal and the vertical sections, between the door and the end of the footwell by the battery / electrics. Sat in the car in heavy rain with a headtorch on. But I can't see any evidence of any water movement at all. Despite the fibreglass floor along from the battery, on that left-hand side only, back towards the door being sopping wet from the recent rain, including some of the vertical carpet, the bit before the battery, being noticeably wet. Again this is with the hood cover on. Condensation in the car minimal (I use dehumidifier bags).
I'm pretty sure it's not the hinge unfortunately, as that would have been a neat find. The side repeater looks fine, tight against the body. (Although as it happens the one on the driver's side is a little loose, how best to securely fix that to the bodywork? Thank you.) TVR specialist said the door seals are fine. I've also previously taken the battery out and not found any signs of water entry above the battery / by the electrics.
I don't want to let it beat me, but for now it's back to the somewhat faffy full cover.
I wonder which one will come first, me finding the source of the leak or the first new Griffith rolling off the production line ...
I'm pretty sure it's not the hinge unfortunately, as that would have been a neat find. The side repeater looks fine, tight against the body. (Although as it happens the one on the driver's side is a little loose, how best to securely fix that to the bodywork? Thank you.) TVR specialist said the door seals are fine. I've also previously taken the battery out and not found any signs of water entry above the battery / by the electrics.
I don't want to let it beat me, but for now it's back to the somewhat faffy full cover.
I wonder which one will come first, me finding the source of the leak or the first new Griffith rolling off the production line ...
To me the clue is that it happens when the Leven style cover is on (Is that totally waterproof, as I don’t trust anything breathable?) and doesn’t when the full cover is on.
If you are 100% certain of these facts then it really has to be coming from wherever is protected by the full cover and not protected by the half cover.
As Sherlock said, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
If you are 100% certain of these facts then it really has to be coming from wherever is protected by the full cover and not protected by the half cover.
As Sherlock said, when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Hi swisstoni yes it's fully waterproof. Non-breathable. A modern Leven copy. It has a tendency to kind of curl up a little bit in the wet and cold at the sides. I had thought water may be getting in around the wing mirror as its housing / surround is a bit open to the elements the way the cover is designed - unsure if that's even feasible - but anyway investigations have proved fruitless in that regard as well. Though I wouldn't know how to look behind the door card. Thanks.
Well sixor8, that's an interesting one. When I did a hose test once, as recommended in numerous other posts, some of the water went down the hole pictured and nothing came out.
The drain holes appeared unblocked. The actual holes themselves. 3 of them at the base of the door, from memory. Is this normal?
The drain holes appeared unblocked. The actual holes themselves. 3 of them at the base of the door, from memory. Is this normal?
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