HELP WATER COMING IN

[DJCarlos]

I've discovered a small leak in my Mk 2 Scala - no water in the car when I get in it, but when I pull away a little trickle appears from under the fuse box shelf.

It seems as though it's pooling somewhere and runs out when I move the car, it's not a huga amount at all but a bit worrying - any ideas where that might be coming through?

[ianaudia4]

Check all the grommets are in place, also the windscreen seal.

[DJCarlos]

Check all the grommets are in place, also the windscreen seal.

Will do cheers!

[dozzum]

Ive spent the last month with the carpets out tracking down leaks, the door membranes were the big cuprit and now I am just down to a small dribble into both front footwells coming down just in front of the doors that I'm still working on.

[ghost123uk]

The missus and I spent ages yesterday with a hose pipe (not banned here = in fact we have too much rain !!).
At least it got a good rinse after the wash we gave it !

Couldn't find a leak

Windscreen corners OK.

Any water getting past the door windows comes out the drain holes and I cannot see how it could be getting into the car via that route (though I may be missing something ?)

Front scuttle (by the wiper motor) all in good nick.

No sign of entry from the tailgate, rear lights, etc.

It was parked up for over a month (during the spell of daily heavy rain) and the passenger side was not damp, but a 2 inch deep puddle = took a load of messing to dry it properly ! Perhaps the tailgate was not closed properly while parked up for those weeks !

Just have to see what happens next time it rains !

[roccoGTX]

I have heard that water in the boot can come from where the rear spoiler joins the tailgate. I have had this problem - the tailgate seal seems good and I've checked the rear light clusters.
If you can loosen the spoiler slightly and gently lift it up, then put some sealant in it may work. Apparently not silicone, but I have used this where the bonnet release cable at the front goes through the bulkhead to cure a leak, about 4 years ago and had no problems with this.

John

[roccoGTX]

Does anyone remember the ad in the '70s for the VW Beetle. It was in a lake and they said 'It floats'. It did.
Roccos leak.
Beetle - flat bottomed, air cooled and such a simple engine. (Good stuff).
My Mk3 F??d Esc??t Gh?? didn't leak.

Sorry

John

[roccoGTX]

Could be where the gas struts are bolted to the C pillar.
I've sealed these where they fit and I'm waiting for it to rain.

[roccoGTX]

The gas struts are ok. I had a leak from the tailgate lock but still have water in the boot.
The only other place that I think it may be coming from is where the spoiler is bolted to the tailgate. Check this and seal it.
Also check the rearlight clusters and seal them.

The old Beetles in the ad in the '70s said that they would float - and they did!!
Not Roccos

Might get an old Beetle.

John

[roccoGTX]

.....and I've still got the ol' girl for sale the Mk2 1.8 GTX 'Rocco
Reluctant sale due to family illness.
You could put a bit to macmillan cancer research if you like.
Thanks

John

[klittle]

I had water coming in on the rear drivers side of mine recently, after much investigation & removal of the door cards to check the state of the membrane (which were in perfect condition) I did find that near the lower bottom right of the door is a vent (looks like a series of 1-1/2in square holes) that should have a black piece of rubber inside it, the rubber had broken away on mine & I suspect that because the vent is resessed into the door that the water was running down the inside & being diverted inside the car due to the rubber flap falling off.

What this vent actually does is beyond me as there are vents down the lock edge of the doors, so I'm afraid I have sealed the one's behind the door card with special roofing repair tape, no way that is going to fall off. So far the carpet has stayed dry since, but as I'm in NE Scotland I'm sure I will be blessed with rain heavy enough to test it soon. You can actually see the vents in question by looking up behind the bottom of the door pockets, but they can only be sealed properly by taking the cards off completely.

[The Autoad]

The water is unlikely to be coming in from your doors, they have drain holes at the bottom of the panels so water will naturally find its way out as long as the drain holes are clog free. Still unlikely if the drains are clogged as the water will have to make its way above the inner frame. A biblical flood to do that unless your door seals are particularly ruinsome, which In doubt.

Water will find its way to the lowest point of the car, then work its way up through absortion. Hence where"rear seats used to be" as quoted by original post. Water will work its way up the carpet (as it is absorbent) and populate the next low lying area, so the rear seat base is sodden.

Amongst a page of speculation you can largely count on the the following to be the cuplprits: Rear light seals; Rear boot seal (at the striker for the lock where the seal joins); windscreen corners (rusty). That is unless you have holes in your bodywork or a friday batch of rear window seals. Sunroof will always present itself as leaking in the headlining first, as it pools in the cassette due to the drain tubes being metal for about the first inch, then plastic.

Start with the rear lamp and work your way through unless you find clear evidence of moisture above the fuse box or the drivers parcel shelf. You can get 3M body sealant/caulking from most motor factors to re-seal the rear lamps. Windscreen frame rot is the most troublesome to fix,sealant may hold it back, but most permanent solution is to cut and weld. We have the technology.

[klittle]

Just to confirm, the water does seem to have been coming in the recessed vents in the bottom of the doors, had a lot of rain in the last 24hrs & the carpets are dry for the first time since I sealed them up. I had checked the door drains by spraying the door with the hose & confirmed they were draining nicely, but it also confirmed that water was also running down the inside of the membrane & when it came to the vent it was trickling down from behind the door pocket & straight onto the carpet. This may not be the same cause in every case, but worth checking as it's not that obvious. It's nice to get into the car without a squelching noise, I was considering putting some fish in it so I cold get my feet manicured while driving!! LOL