Help - rain is again coming into '84 230CE

[Beautifulbodywork]

I thought I had solved the problem of rainwater collecting in the footwells of drivers' side inside my '84 Merc 230 CE. Four months ago I had corrosion welded in inner cill by seatbelt, new rubber seals put on windows outside, new headlining for the sunroof and the corroded sunroof frame sealed. That seemed to do the trick until this Sunday morning when I opened the car door to find the carpet in drivers' side footwell soaked through and area around the footwell left and doorside soaked under the carpet. This problem now seems incurable. My mechanic reckons if the seal has broken (and you have to undo it to tell) on the sunroof frame a new frame would cost £800. Where is the rain coming from? The seats are dry and the back seat footwell is not affected this time. I think maybe a waterproof tarpaulin may be the cheaper only solution or is there a permanent way of cracking this annoying problem. I want to keep the car but can't if rain comes in.

 

[television]

How about the heater air intake box that can fill up with water and come into the car because the drains are blocked

 

[Dec]

Get a roll of plain white (dye in coloured towel can run and stain carpet) kitchen paper towel and stuff lumps of it into every possible suspected entry point about 6 inches above the floor and wait for it to rain.

This may not pinpoint exactly where the water is entering but will point you in the general area for further investigations. It’s difficult to see water trickling into a car, it is only apparent when something like the carpet becomes wet, placing the paper everywhere that is likely will let you see the paper change colour when it becomes wet.

Dec

 

[SQ_W211]

Very good idea Dec, Main place where the water can come from is under the bonnet around the side gutters where leafs can get stuck and block the water flow. also you could lift the mesh under the windscreen and check if there is any rotten or cracked rubber seal which could let the water in

Finally check the windscreen seal where the roof rail joins the windscreen and make sure the water is moving to sides and not going inside via Windscreen

All in all when you get water getting inside any car at the front behind the dash its usual the case of windscreen been replaced by a non professional company and they havent sealed it properly or the seals are giving away and need replacing. A quick filler for windscreen can easily cure most of these.

Otherwise it could be coming in via air vents in the foot well on passenger side.