Leaking water into the footwell

[Simonp]

I have been leaving the seven in the rain the last few days and despite a well fitting hood, water appears to drip into the foot wells from somewhere under the dash board.

 

This is definately rain as it doesn't happen at other times.

 

Does anyone know if water gets in through the engine bay somehow? Is there an area that should be sealed that I've missed?

 

Simonp

[Dirty Den]

Check the sealant on the cover for the drivers' footwell, where you get access to the pedals?

 

Den

 

😬 - Self portrait - still unable to remove the smile!

[Simonp]

It happens on both the passenger side and drivers!

 

Simonp

[Captainbilos]

This has happened to mine.

 

If its a classic - water could be seeping in via the handbreak securing bolts. A liberal application of silicon sealant cured this for me.

 

You may have a dodgy windscreen rubber - mine was knackered and let water in though where the heated front windscreen wires are located.

 

Hope this helps

 

Paul

[SLR No.77]

This appears to have happened to all 7s at one time or another. Mines a k-series de-dion, and it leaks both sides.

On the passenger side there's a number of spare holes beneath the MEMS unit which are there for different management systems - vauxhall etc. Plug them with M5 bolts. Also the where the side panel meets the bulkhead at the front of the scuttle (hrizontal join) is questionable. Hole where heated screen cables pass through is another entry point.

 

Unfortunately there is only one guaranteed solution. Wear shorts in the rain and make sure you can easily remove carpet mats if you have them fitted. they stink if you don't dry them out properly!

 

I've tried everthing suggested by others and concluded there's no way to truly stop the water coming in

 

Stu.

[Alex Birtwisle]

Check around where the heater mounts on the bulkhead. I sealed this area and it cured all my dampness!

 

Cheers

Alex B

 

S713UMY

1.8K Viper Blue with Black Bits

[SLR No.77]

Alex,

my car doesn't even have a heater - aaahhhh, that's why theres a big hole in the bulkhead.......

 

There's so much sealant around the blanking plate (enough to be the same weight as a heater) that there has to be other leaks. If I had a heater I could probably brew up with the water that comes in. There's a thought......

 

Stu.

[Alex Birtwisle]

Bbbrrrrrrr! Stu, you must get chilly as the nights draw in!

 

I was pondering the water in the footwell question on Satudurday (it rained all day in Cheshire on Saturday) I get more under the seats these days than anywhere else.

 

It could well be possible that some water gets in through the stitching of the hood where it is pulled taught over the hood sticks. It would then run down the hood sticks into the car quite unnoticed.

 

I thought I would seal the stitching in the hood with clear sealant and then see what happens.

Not got round to it yet but will let you know what happens!

 

Alex B

 

S713UMY

1.8K Viper Blue with Black Bits

 

Edited by - abirtwisle on 5 Nov 2002 19:55:56

[SLR No.77]

Alex, you know how hard we are up north ........

 

It's more than likely that water under the seats is coming in from below, possibly through bolt holes or panel joins. My roof leaks at the seams but the flow rate is so low it's negligeable.

 

I have occasionally found that if I hit standing water - apart from the usual aquaplaning nightmare - I get a sudden cold damp feeling in the footwell (usually offset by the warm damp feeling due to the aquaplaning). I think the car was probably riddled with bullet holes last time I ventured south and they realised I was from out of town ..........

 

BTW the Chetwode Arms still calls repeatedly

 

Stu.

[Bricol]

found on my K-series Cat that most of the water came in where the front of the scuttle butts up against the chassis cross-rail.

 

Re-sealed it along engine bay side, leaving cockpit side as is- if water gets into that gap, I want it to be able to get out again. Some comes in past the rubber grommets - not a lot to be done there at the moment - working on it though!

 

But where the column passes through the scuttle - none of it was sealed on mine - where it is bolted up to the support on the chassis - removed the bolts and stuck a screwdriver dwon (gently) behind to push ali away - added sealant around as required from engine bay and cockpit sides - replaced bolts, tightened , wiped away excess leaving a nice bead behind. Also caregully (use masking tape where the sealant is not required) sealed sides of the scuttle top to scuttle bulkhead and along sides of footwell tops to sides. Also re-seal pedal box top section all round.

 

Same areas on passenger side - I used an airline to blow air into footwell along all seams - where it came out I added sealant. Also placed a BIG torch in footwells in a dark garage - where the light shone out, unless the Caterham translucent sealant was really well attached, I re-sealed. Seems to be working at moment.

 

 

Regarding hoods - on a previous Locust and Westfield, I used tent seam sealant - setting type usually but the waxy one once - works fine - may leave slight discolouration but can't be worse than silicon sealant.

 

 

As neither my Westie nor Locust let water in in torrential rain, I refuse to let the cat convert to a swimming pool in a slight drizzle. Even on the move, neither let much water in - apart from the usual spray from front hitting the rear arch and bouncing back under sidescreen.

 

Bri

[Joe 90]

I don't know if they've improved things on later cars, but on mine the bulkhead panelling isn't folded "correctly" for watertightness . With time the sealant stuck between the chassis tube and the horizontal panel that the heater sits on has started to let water through. Re-paneling or some strategic double skins seem the only answer. I folded up a lip on the heater opennings so I don't have to rely on the sealing foam, which makes a difference.

 

99,000 miles so far