1992 300ce - Very Wet Passanger Footwell??!

[fraz]

Hello All,

I am a new owner of 300ce and have just discovered that after a spell of leaving the car out in the rain that the passanger footwell is very wet! Did a quick search of the site and see that others have had this problem but no specific reference to the 300ce. So I undertand that the darin holes under the bonnet may be blocked with leaves etc. where abouts are these located on the 300 please andwhats the best technique to unblock them.

Also sunroof has been suggested - what can i do to check if this is the culprit or not.

I noticed the problem when i went to pull the bonnet release catch and water dripped down from underneath it! this would suggest it.s comig in from the bulkhead area - so under bonnet blockage would be the obvious cause at this stage.

Also i notice that there is some trapped water/moisture between the front windscreen on the bottom right (passanger) side corner. So there may be a leak here or a bodge replacment screen job in the past? whats the best way to dry this area and seal? also if i needed a replacement screen to cure are these readily available and whats the likely cost.

Finally as my passanger footwell carpet is totally soaked - water all soaked up into the foam underside - are these replacable these days? and again whats the likely cost to replace?

many thanks for any help in advance.

Fraz

 

[Casual Traveller]

I have/had the same on my 1993 220TE. The drain pipe was blocked on the passenger side, cleared that but there was still a leak. I later had to remove the wiper motor to change the heater blower motor. I found that the rubber seal at the bottom of the windscreen was split underneath by the wiper motor.

I cleaned and repaired the seal with superglue and replaced it. I also sealed up the joints between the four piece gutter that sits under the screen. Touch wood, it seems to have worked and the well is still dry this morning after last nights rain.

The passenger carpet was dryed out in the airing cupboard and the rear carpet which was also soaked was dryed out by leaving all the windows open when weather permitted.
Sorry it's not 300CE specific but hope this is of help.

 

[fraz]

very helpful Casual - i will have a look at these areas and see if i can find any obvious probs. Many thanks for your help

 

[fraz]

Hi All , I have this mornign replaced the battery on the 300ce and so far so good. Whilst doing so I was on the look out for the 'drain areas' under the bonnet buyt i can't seem to locate them ( i was pushed for time!). I have taken a photo under the bonnet - so if anyone could point me in the right direction from the pic that would be appreciated

Below is a photo of the rear passanger side floor carpet which i also found to be soakig wet this morning. Looking at the spray of water on carpet it appears to have come throught the black plastic vent on the floor (i assume it's a heater vent) but bizzarley the drivers side rear passanger and drivers mats are bone dry?

Here is a photo of the bottom right pasanger side corner of the front windscreen where there is some water trapped between the glass and dash. I suspect this may well be the cause of the leak - how can this be re-solved?

finally looking under the bonnet the engine is leaking oil? what would be the mosyt likely cause of this leak and is this easily fixe or likely to cost me and arm and a leg? Photo below:

Many thanks for any help with this people.

Regards Fraz

 

[fraz]

can anyone help me out with the locations of the drain areas under the bonnet and other stuff as above pleeeeeease!

 

[Casual Traveller]

Based on experience on my 220TE.

Drains:

For the passenger side remove black plastic cover behind the battery, it should just pull out. You should then be able to see an “s” shaped black rubber pipe about 1” diameter in the corner which runs from underneath the gutter spout (like house guttering) below the windscreen and goes down through the top of the wheel arch. This is probably blocked.

You could clear this in situ but I pulled it out to clean. It is a pig to get back but is possible.

If you can find this then you should find the one on the driver’s side.

Water in the rear passenger side:

Yep, I had that and took all the vent out thinking water was getting into the duct, but that was earlier on. I found water can pass from the front to the back, hence the wet back. I parked on a steep slope (my drive) with the front lower than the back to allow the water to drain down to the front foot well and started drying it out. It took a while, several days.

Once you get it dry, try putting some dry sheets of kitchen roll either side in the foot well at the lowest points and wait for rain or use a hose. Try and see where the water is dripping from. On mine it was dripping from the bulk head on the gear box side. The carpet covering the gearbox tunnel on the passenger side was also wet. If you can find the drip, it will give you a clue where to look.
I also suspected the corner of the windscreen but came to the conclusion that water could not run up between the screen and the dashboard, when the car was stationary.

I think from the photo, the water you are seeing and the pattern it makes is water ingress between the laminations of the screen which is a fault in manufacturing. (I was in the automotive glass industry). This is not causing your leak I think.

I have to go now, roasting a rack of lamb for dinner. I will try and put some more thoughts down next week.

Graham.

 

[Blobcat]

Looking at your screen I would expect to see quite a bit of rust behind the rubber seals. :-(

 

[television]

Might not sound good, but if you have screen insurance , say no more. Screen sealer seldom work, and everything has to be dry.

Thewter as the other answer,either the screen or heater drain is blocked.

Malcolm

 

[fraz]

Ok many thanks casual traveller and television for your replies. I'm going to have to have a good investigation of the water ingress soon and will follow your tips.

Any idea about the oil leak and the manitude (cost!) of a fix?!

regards

fraz

 

[television]

The most common leak for the oil is where the timing case cover meets the head though it can leak from the head gaskit, only by de greasing the area can the leak be seen as the fan blows it every where. If it is the timing cover then only by removing and re fitting can it be solved, even then it is hard.

Clean it down maybe something could be stuck over area concerned, though it would have to be clean.

Malcolm

 

[Casual Traveller]

Not fixed yet

I thought I had got the leak but the last days rain prooved otherwise.
I have been through the gutters and drains under the bonnet and checked everywhere I could when I replaced the heater motor but to no avail.

I am convinced the water is getting past the rubber seal around the wiper and or past the rest of the wide rubber seal. The seal is maybe not as flexible as it should and will not push back into the plastic moulding at the bottom of the windscreen even after cleaning out collected dirt from the moulding.

Even if water can get past the seal, it should be collected by the gutters under the windscreen.... except the gutter does not extend to cover the area of the wiper. So any water seeping under the seal above the wiper will pass down inside.

I am thinking of buying a new wide rubber seal, dread to think how much they are. Mine is a one piece deal which involves taking the wiper assy out. This at least should push back and stay in the plastic moulding.

Question: Is this wide rubber seal normally one piece or does anyone know if a better arrangement can be bought which improves the sealing around the wiper?

I have ordered some Permatex flowable silicone which "seeks the leak" in case I get really desperate but this would be bodging at it best.

I am beginning to suspect that the windscreen has been replaced at some time (It's a SafeVue with a blue sun band at the top) and I might be missing the original seal arrangement.

Also would like to check sunroof drains but could not see any drain holes. Could someone advise on the location of the holes and the routing of any drain tubes.

All help gratefully received. One can put up with a lot of faults and repair them but water inside the car (220TE, 1993) is really frustrating.

 

[Casual Traveller]

Water leak

As a PS some two years later, I found the water was coming in through two holes in the bodywork underneath the "ECU black boxes" on the passenger side. Removed the ECUs, plugged the holes up and never had a problem since.

My 1993 220TE is still the best car I have ever owned.

 

[television]

As a PS some two years later, I found the water was coming in through two holes in the bodywork underneath the "ECU black boxes" on the passenger side. Removed the ECUs, plugged the holes up and never had a problem since.

My 1993 220TE is still the best car I have ever owned.

Thanks for the update,,I have spent much of my day fixing leaks on my 230 500SL

 

[Casual Traveller]

Malcolm,

Since you are on, can you recommend a good seat rebuilding company, saggy seat syndrome!

Regards, Graham.

 

[television]

Malcolm,

Since you are on, can you recommend a good seat rebuilding company, saggy seat syndrome!

Regards, Graham.

Why not have a go yourself,,it will be a combination of foam and maybe a couple of springs.
The cover is only held on with clips,, if you got the inside from the passenger seat from a breaker you could swap them over

 

[Casual Traveller]

Thanks, Malcolm,

I did have a go two years ago, bought foam of two different densities to try but they were too thick to get the covers back on. I put three sheets of stiff 2mm. plastic sheet on top of the springs, which helped shore them up. Got rid of the sag but it's still hard on the back end after a couple of hours. I now have problems with my hands, have worn them out finally after many years in ship's engine rooms, so I would like to farm the repair out.

Regards, Graham.

 

[television]

Send a PM to Jaymanic he has had loads of seats rebuilt and who ever did them did a good job

 

[RiceBurner]

As a PS some two years later, I found the water was coming in through two holes in the bodywork underneath the "ECU black boxes" on the passenger side. Removed the ECUs, plugged the holes up and never had a problem since.

My 1993 220TE is still the best car I have ever owned.

Any chance of a photo of this area? My 230TE has some small leakage into the drivers side - luckily not much yet though!

 

[television]

Any chance of a photo of this area? My 230TE has some small leakage into the drivers side - luckily not much yet though!

Casual Traveller has not been on the site in 5 months.

The air intake box in the most common for water in the car, on the passenger side

 

[RiceBurner]

Casual Traveller has not been on the site in 5 months.

The air intake box in the most common for water in the car, on the passenger side

Yeah - I've been reading that on other threads too.

I understand (from a different thread), you have/had a reference document for this issue? Would you be able to send me a copy?