124 estate, rain leak misery

[Dexter]

Sad to report ongoing woe with rain water still pooling at right hand rear foot of drivers seat and getting in and around central locking pressure devise - carpet backs constantly getting sodden.

Despearate for any fresh views on the likely cause

Not coming from front as car parked slightly nose down.

Not sunroof drains as still leaked when sunroof waterproofed taped up.

No wetness from back windows into compartment where jack is kept even after deluge or hose test.

No wetness on sides of carpets therefore door seals presumably doing their job.

Have checked rear window seal where borders door surround and smeared with sealant.

Boot is dry

headlining is dry

Shell bungs in floor pan and all door and sill drains are clear

Not getting into small whole where interior light trigger is on central pillar

Where on earth can it be coming from ???????? crack in body?

Grateful

 

[996jimbo]

How about rust / holes in scuttle or failing that leaking heater matrix?

 

[neilairman]

leak problem

right hand rear drivers seat?
if you were looking down on the seat from above are we talking right rear corner of the seat where it bolts to the floor?
the door pillar is hollow and rain water could be entering the pillar somewhere.
since the carpets dont fit the contours of the car perfectly, it could be running from the base of the door pillar under the carpet and collecting.
this other place its getting into can you be a bit more precise as where this is
ta.

 

[tom7035]

My tuppenceworth: Remove ALL of your carpets, front and rear, and dry off the floor area thoroughly, even using a hairdryer. Dust whole floor with talcum powder and leave the car in the rain, even use it like this for a few days if necessary. You should eventually trace the source via the talc.
Good luck.

 

[stever]

I have had 2 W123s with the same problem, and in both cases it turned out to be blocked drainage holes under the bonnet hinge springs. You can test them with a watering can - the water should come out inside the wheel arch.

 

[jimhumph]

back seats woe

any one out there knows how to fold the back seats of a 1992 200te estate?

 

[tom7035]

Hi Jimhumph.
Not familiar with the estate myself, but you'd be better starting a new thread with your query. Might get a better response.
Cheers, Tom.

 

[Dexter]

Cheers neilairman

Yes the water is showing on the back right foot of the drivers seat where it bolts to the floor. From that point the rear footwell carpet backing RH side is the first to get soaked and doubtless pooling in the floor pan recess near the central locking pump.

I've partially taken off the pillar trim and run a hose but can't ever feel any wetness.

A complete mystery to this point but don't wnat tto weck the interior by taking it apart a further time.

Grateful

 

[Dexter]

Finally found to be the rear side window seal. This may seem obvious but it was by no means apparent with no wetness in boot sides on carpet edges or linings how it was making its way down and into the floor pan to behind the front seat and even into the front footwell. I had stripped back all the pillar trim some time ago and found nothing. There must be a very slight aperture not evident when you look in the side of the bootspace (which always appeared dry). Found out by taping up the entire window perimeter with sellotape brand water proof tape and waiting for the evidence.

Then taking off the side trim (same colour as the car) enables you to peel back the window seal partialy to reveal some pretty ropey and brittle factory sealant once that is dug out and cleaned you can stick a gun in and bond and seal with a product called sikaflex (£10 a tube) its marine grade so should last longer than the car!

No more misery after a night of rain, ......joy!

Hope this helps

 

[mike65]

Picture are always great on a thread like this (just an observation!).

Mike

 

['89 250TD]

Rain leak - '89 250TD

I've a sort of similar rain leak problem except its only on the nearside & seems to create a pool in the front footwell firat & then slosh through to the back!

Seems to collect even if the car isn't being driven.
I've taken up the carpets & it seems to be leaking from under the sound absorption? material that's bonded onto the front of the footwell & forms the bottom of the glovebox.
Can't work out if it's easy to remove & replace this or even necessary - any ideas what to look for & what's the scuttle & is it something I should know about!

How about rust / holes in scuttle or failing that leaking heater matrix?

 

[andy_k]

[QUOTE='89 250TD]I've a sort of similar rain leak problem except its only on the nearside & seems to create a pool in the front footwell firat & then slosh through to the back!
[/QUOTE]


have you checked that all the drain holes are clear?

Andy

 

[tom7035]

Drain holes in the scuttle water channel under the bonnet (base of windscreen) and tucked away in each corner are particularly prone to blockage. Clear them with a stiff wire (no sharp points though) then flush through thoroughly.

 

[zaphod]

Hi all, first timer here ........ May I drag up this thread again? Mine is a 123 estate...hope it's the same for this problem.

The drain holes Tom mentioned, + the ones near the bonnet hinges I am 90% sure are the ones I need to tackle......but, I cannot find them! --- Any chance of elaboration? -- or even a pic please??

(Funny part with my 300TD 123 is that when I turned on the fan recently, the centre face vents were open & I received a delightful cold shower to the face.
I thought, easy, it's the vents from the scuttle box(?) blocked......I even took the rubber tubes out & inside the chamber was dry.......but i could see the water just below the vents from inside the car!.........?????)

 

[mrzippy]

The old girl is not watertight...

It's all inside!! here in wet and always windy Brittany, the 'old girl' has the same problem... it rains and there is more water inside than out! will have a crack at those rear window joints. (Note: the 'old girl' is a 1986 250TD on a 'D' plate 90bhp with an auto box... still chuntering on with 235000 on the clock) if anyone knows where I can get some spares.... rear hatch struts, heater fan (sounds lika an AK47) and rear wiper motor????