Water leak again!!!

[_WILL_]

Okay guys I know this has been covered a load of times but I am really struggling. A lot of water leaking into my boot and has been on and off for a while.

1st time i noticed it was the day after a very very wet drive though north Wales. The spare wheel well was completely full. Looked into finding the leak, thought I had and sealed it up. It seemed to work, but hasn't.

I have also had the boot seal checked and it was found not to be sealed correctly, but it is know and still leaking. I'm worried because it seems to be a lot of water.

There is a very small dent on the edge of the roof, do you think it could be getting in here and working its way into the foot well?

1.Basically im going to try the talcum powder trick.
Do i need to take the whole interior out to do this (everything behind the front seats)

2. Then seal the front of the car off with news paper or something(like i was painting inside the back of the car) then put talc everywhere

3. put a hose on the car and wait and see ?

Will this do the job? then the talc should just hoover out?

Cheers,
Will

 

[pip.]

Talc is the way. I wouldn't strip the whole rear personally, I'd just remove everything behind the rear seats and go from there.

 

[_WILL_]

Talc is the way. I wouldn't strip the whole rear personally, I'd just remove everything behind the rear seats and go from there.

That's a much better idea think I was getting a bit carried away, plus if I strip everything out I may never get round to putting it back in.

 

[Jonny1*2]

can you tell if it is coming from the top or underneath? have you checked the rear lights are secure and no cracks etc?

Try talc, as that should give you a bit more of an idea where it is coming from.

You getting it in the drivers footwell too? strange, but won't be connected to the boot. Door seal is the usual one. Maybe blocked drain holes on the door. Had mine fixed once and it was fine for a bit, then leaked again. renault couldn't find it. now it only does it occassionally. depends how bad yours is I guess.

 

[_WILL_]

Its not the boot seal as i have had that re-fitted as it was leaking slightly, but not on this scale and the boot is still leaking, hasn't done it for a while, but noticed it this morning, we had very heavy rain the other day.

Not getting it in the foot well, just the boot, although the first time I ever noticed it there was a little run of water under the back seats. But i think that was because there was so much in the boot splashing around.

I have checked the lights they are fine, but not sure how I check the drain holes on the door?

It is def coming from the drivers side of the car, as the boot carpet sometimes gets wet on that side and it has stained the carpet a bit.

Do you think there is any possibility it is connected to the small dent in the roof? I know it sounds stupid as it is very small, but where it is I could see it causing some sort of seal being broken and it right above the general areal the water seems to be coming from!

Also would it be possible for the water to come in somewhere under on the side of the car, but only as a result of driving in very wet weather? Think i have heard this mentioned before in other threads, bolt whole or something?

 

[lemonnobby]

what you need to do is take the carpets out and the ones on the side of the boot and the black plastic trim by the lock. sit in there and let someone get a hose over the rear end and you behind the rear bumper as if it were road spray and in the rear wheel arches

 

[_WILL_]

what you need to do is take the carpets out and the ones on the side of the boot and the black plastic trim by the lock. sit in there and let someone get a hose over the rear end and you behind the rear bumper as if it were road spray and in the rear wheel arches

This is a good call, thanks for the advice becasue this is driving me insane. I hate not being able to fix something so simple!

 

[lemonnobby]

do it all the time at work. at the rear its mostly something simple has it ever had bodywork that you know of?

 

[a.jenkin]

Sorry to hijack but I found a load of water in my boot this weekend too. Recently had bodywork done on the drivers rear quarter. The water looks as if it may have come in through the rear cluster that was replaced.

Lemonnobby - where else could water have come in having had bodywork done recently?

 

[_WILL_]

well long story, but yes and maybe!!

Was run into the other day and fully repaired as I wasn't at fault etc... It doesn't leak because of this though, They had a look into the leak for me and they re-sealed the boot lid seal, and said they think that was it. But it leaked again.

While it was in tho they said they are pretty sure it has been hit in the back before, not to hard bit its noticable, it is hpi clear but obviously hpi's don't tell the whole story!! It is a cup!! I think it has had an off at the front as well. Im rubbish at buying cars, but to be fair its not as bad as it sounds, drives perfect...

 

[_WILL_]

Re: Water leak again!!! (just added pics, help needed!)

K guys i have had some of the boot interior out to find this leak and have traced it to where there is a metal sheet join, just above the light cluster. (see pics). The red arrows are where its leaking from and the black is where the light cluster is, to give a bit of a refrence point.

Problem is I can't work out where it is coming from above this point or how its getting into the car.

Any help with where the water might be getting into the car would be great as its really pissing me off.

 

[172Ben]

Check the plastic circles that are the bump stop things for the boot, take them out, bit of silicone = Done!

Bet there leaking from the same place mine were

 

[_WILL_]

Check the plastic circles that are the bump stop things for the boot, take them out, bit of silicone = Done!

Bet there leaking from the same place mine were

I have done that already, but thanks. The leak is coming from somewhere above them!

 

[172Ben]

I would be putting sealent around everything in that case

Talc is a good shout though

 

[_WILL_]

yeah think i might have to, but i'm pretty sure the join in the sheets of metal is where it is entering the boot, problem is i can't find where it comes from before that, or how it gets into the car, plus i don't wanna seal it til i know where its coming into the car in case it just pools somewhere else in the car that I don't know about.

 

[lemonnobby]

Sorry to hijack but I found a load of water in my boot this weekend too. Recently had bodywork done on the drivers rear quarter. The water looks as if it may have come in through the rear cluster that was replaced.

Lemonnobby - where else could water have come in having had bodywork done recently?

Hi mate did it have a new rear quarter.? if so it may not be sealed correctly in the arch. if there was bumper damage then there are air flaps behind that these can leak if not correctly sealed

 

[lemonnobby]

yeah think i might have to, but i'm pretty sure the join in the sheets of metal is where it is entering the boot, problem is i can't find where it comes from before that, or how it gets into the car, plus i don't wanna seal it til i know where its coming into the car in case it just pools somewhere else in the car that I don't know about.

right there is a plastic trim above on the rear of the roof try and take it out i think there clipped on but on a 100 percent i have never know a leak here but thats where the roof and side panels join also inspect the top of the boot shut on the O/S you could sit inside and do one little area at a time with a watering can

 

[_WILL_]

Thank you for the help, i will get on it today... I think it may have had a new panel but not sure, but has defiantly had a new rear bumper. I will give everything a check.

If it turns out the panel hasn't been sealed then what will i have to do to seal it?

 

[lemonnobby]

i try and tell you that if you find the leak. the panel thing was mostly for the other chap

 

[_WILL_]

okay thank you, haven'y had a chance to have a look today, but should be able to to have a look tomorrow, so with any luck i will have some idea where its coming from.

 

[rich-6]

Check where the join on the boot seal is, It should be at the bottom, If its at the top it'l allow water in and run down into the car.

 

[Daz.]

ha so its not just me...

my car has been stripped out for weeks, mine is on the passenger side though and it's 100% never had a new panel - mine leaks from a similar place up high and trickles down that cavity - it's killing me slowly!

my suspision was that it may be the loom seals that go from the rear of the car up into the boot - there is a cavity running along the top into the sides of the c pillars.

If you park downwards does it do it slightly more? to be honest I wish mine was on that side its a pain it going under the rear seats..

What pisses me off the most is it's not done this in the 12 months I've had it until now!

 

[_WILL_]

Check where the join on the boot seal is, It should be at the bottom, If its at the top it'l allow water in and run down into the car.

I suddenly thought about that last night and went out and checked but it is at the bottom, that would have been 2 easy!!!

ha so its not just me...

my car has been stripped out for weeks, mine is on the passenger side though and it's 100% never had a new panel - mine leaks from a similar place up high and trickles down that cavity - it's killing me slowly!

my suspision was that it may be the loom seals that go from the rear of the car up into the boot - there is a cavity running along the top into the sides of the c pillars.

If you park downwards does it do it slightly more? to be honest I wish mine was on that side its a pain it going under the rear seats..

What p**ses me off the most is it's not done this in the 12 months I've had it until now!

Its driving me insane too!!! Its worse i think on mine when i have my car facing up hill, but i aint sure. Going to have a good look at it now. I will give the loom seals a check.

If i want to remove the boot seal and refit it, how do i fix it back on to the car. Do i just slot it on or do i need to re-seal it somehow?

 

[_WILL_]

right there is a plastic trim above on the rear of the roof try and take it out i think there clipped on but on a 100 percent i have never know a leak here but thats where the roof and side panels join also inspect the top of the boot shut on the O/S you could sit inside and do one little area at a time with a watering can

Is this the plastic strip? I can get it to move about a bit but i can't get it off!

The other places it looks like it could be leaking from?

or (but i think its unlikely as i don't think there is actually a hole here!!)

The water is def coming into the boot at the join (see below), so its just a case of finding how its getting there. Would it be possible for the water to get in at one of the points shown above and make its way to the boot through the join below?

Cheers for the help guys, i know im being a pain.

 

[lemonnobby]

will test small areas at a time with a watering can, that trim does come off but of very carefull it should just lift up unless someone has glued it on

 

[_WILL_]

will test small areas at a time with a watering can, that trim does come off but of very carefull it should just lift up unless someone has glued it on

Okay, going to get my mate to help me this evening. He has a bit more patient with things like this than me. Hopefully we will find it.

 

[Daz.]

I want to set fire to mine right now - its doing my nut in = had the strips off at the top and can't see how it could ever leak in there so i'm ruling that out, as I am the rear windows, as I am everything else!

I can't recreate it thats the problem with mine it does it when its naturally raining, hose, jetwash, kettle don't help but the main problem is that on mine it's coming from down this cavity

And without turning into a hamster with climbing gear I'm never going to be able to sit and watch it do it.

 

[_WILL_]

Haha, yeah i know what you mean, i got my hand pretty stuck last night trying to find out where the f**k that went.

Are you sure it id def coming from up there cos thats where i thought mine was leaking but it was actually coming from the join next to it! (the join is in the very top left of your 1st photo, it looks like there is a small run of water coming from it as well??)

ps. your photos and arrows are way better than mine

 

[Daz.]

yeh the mark looks like a water trace but annoyingly its in the paint, you might be right though about it being the join though I've never caught it in the act yet, when I put my hand up it was wet but the more I've looked into I think thats just condensation as the roof is like it which you would expect in this weather.

My next job then is to whip the seam sealer out of the shed and seal all those seams.

Incidentally on my old williams it was in a very similar place where one panel meets another, I just can't believe that it might the same place on two different cars!

 

[_WILL_]

I thought it was coming from up there as well because it was wet, but there was a bit of sponge in the gap that absorbed the water, so once i took that out it was easier to find the actual leak (if that makes sense?)

Im worried bout sealing it until i find the source as i don't want it pooling somewhere else!!

Also how did you get the plastic strips out of the roof? did they just pull out?

 

[Daz.]

slide them to the boot as far as they will go then use a screwdriver and carfully unclip the end one - then you can just pull it off.

The sponge was wet through so did some of the job but the water was still creeping past it into the cap

All you should see by the way is 4 (i think) painted rivets under there, not much to see!

 

[_WILL_]

Don't think i will remove them then, there are other places i think i need to check first. Off to my mates in a minute to see if i can find it. Wish me luck, i will let you know if i find it.

 

[lemonnobby]

i think you looking for a leak around this area small pin holes in mastic or anything can give leaks. aslo have you looked in the head lining on the side you cant see as this may have water marks on it?

 

[_WILL_]

^^ Cheers i will get on it, haven't had time tonight, but going to tomorrow. I have checked the roof it seems fine. However the boot seal seams a little lose (the bit in the red square, but i don't think its that!)

 

[lemonnobby]

it will be bodywork sealing i garenty it

 

[_WILL_]

it will be bodywork sealing i garenty it

Okay, cheers

 

[Daz.]

it will be bodywork sealing i garenty it

That wouldn't explain mine though, nor its sudden appearance!

 

[lemonnobby]

yea possibly you may have move some dirt that was sealing it or the car has flexed and made a small hole

 

[_WILL_]

I have been trying to solve this for about 2 hours today, and absolutely no luck. I'm 90 percent sure its not the rubber wire things at the top of the boot. I just can't work it out. Is there anywhere i can find a detailed drawing of how the metal sheets that make up the rear end go together to see if i can trace it somehow.

The all the seals i can see look fine. I can't get the plastic strips from the roof off. I can move them back and forwards about half an inch but that's it. I just can't work it out??

 

[lemonnobby]

right your 100 percent sure its runnning down that inside bit?