Help to remove carpets - water leak !!

[mzedbriz]

Water, water everywhere !!

Went to give the Zed an interior clean today and noticed lots of damp behind the passenger seat...pulled up the carpet and it was sodden - the soundproofing is full of water as is the floor - probably a 1/4 inch or so. Removed the seat and it appears that it is in the footwell as well - managed to wiggle my hand up there and lots of water. So, before trying all the various tests for leaks (the drains seem clear BTW) i need to get the carpets out to get the spongy soundproofing dry. I have had a look on the forum, but couldnt find any threads on this subject. Any help advice on how easy/difficult they are to remove would be great - not a job i am looking forward to as it doesn't look particularly obvious on how to remove the trim - and there is a lot of it to remove !!. I could of course just tug the carpet out, but getting it back would be virtually impossible i guess......

Also, saw on another thread, that window seal could be an issue. On mine, the black exterior trim on the bottom of the windscreen is not stuck to the glass. Logic suggests it should be - as i dont have another Zed to compare it to could anyone advise ?

Thanks in advance

Martin

 

[paddy wright]

doesnt sound good! Pics may help people dianose the fault, this much water is the worst I've heard of! Sorry I cant be of more help, have you looked in the boot to see if it is coming in from there? the rear centre brake light can be an area that lets water in.

 

[oli445]

I had a similar problem about 6 months ago when it pissed it down overnight with the roof down. I took the seats out, pulled the carpets back, dried as much as I could with newspaper and left in my dads garage for 72 hours with a fan heater in each footwell and the windows slightly open.

It completely dried out the car and as good as new.

As for where the water is getting in in such volume I cannot help.

I feel your pain Good luck getting sorted

 

[mzedbriz]

Thanks for the replies guys - Paddy, def not coming from the brake light area - dry as a bone in the boot

Oli - paper now stuffed in as far as i can get it. How far did you manage to pull the carpets back ?

Having spent an hour or so gently pulling the carpet away from the door trim, i can now lift it enough to get right under the passenger footwell - swimming in water :?

However, the water does look very clean and a little "suddy". Gave it a good wash last weekend, so that may explain the suds. There are no internal water marks that suggest it may have come through window seals. So my latest guess is via the Windscreen or potentially door seals (maybe a door membrane? - another potential culprit through looking at various threads) I'll let it dry out for a few days (luckily the sun is out - but no roof down action for me ) and then start the leak testing - which inevitably means getting it wet inside again :x - although hopefully not as much as it as at the moment !!

Cheers

M

 

[srhutch]

The plastic trim at the bottom of the windscreen is cosmetic more than anything and keeps the wiper motor dry.

Door membrane or door seal would be favourite. Put a small amount of talk on the door seal this show you where water is coming in if it gets wet.

 

[mzedbriz]

Thanks for the tip - sorry, but being a luddite in these matters, not quite sure what you mean by this "Put a small amount of talk on the door seal this show you where water is coming in if it gets wet."

Would be grateful if you could elaborate

Many thanks

M

 

[srhutch]

If you put some powder ie talc along the Door seal if it gets wet it will leave marks in the talc so enabling you to see where the leak is. Think it was one of cj's tips.

 

[mzedbriz]

agghhh, now i get it. Thank you - some of the most brilliant ideas are the bleedin' obvious .

Just need to get some talc - mmmm...now where does the wife leave it

Thanks again

M

 

[oli445]

Where the two pieces meet under the seats I pulled them up about a foot and wedged them there. Mine was drenched but only at the back behind the hump in the floor

 

[mzedbriz]

Thanks Oli - thats what i have now done and its all slowly drying out. Water test suggests an issue with the door seal at the bottom front where the two holes are. Anyways - its off to the local indy's on friday for sorting out.....