Feeling glum

[peanut]

sorry to hear about your woes. Mine was off the road for 4 months over Christmas because I couldn't find a no start fault. Grrr it was so frustrating to know that it was probably something simple and obvious and I couldn't use the damn car.

Have you checked the door seals yet ? My Lux pass door seal leaked terribly. My footwell carpets were always soaking wet and with the condensation it was like driving in a sauna.
Also check the trim strips along the window glass. If rainwater is getting inside your doors it can find a way into the car when you brake. The water sloshes into the car from the bottom of the doors through the numerous holes in the doorsskins

A sign of leaking door seals is staining drips on the cills under the doors after heavy rain.

The most likely area to check is the front scutle. It hangs over the front footwells and fills with water whenever it rains or you clean the car.

I'd chuck a bucket of water into the scuttle and then sit in the car and wait[]

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

I will check the scuttle area again at the weekend. Cheers again for the help.

I took some photos earlier as there werea few things which I would like to pick peoples brains on if you would be so kind.

1) I found one of these large round plugs underneath the carpet in the passenger footwell. The ones along the outer edge of the footwell all seem to be in place so im not sure where it has come from. Are there others located around the bulkhead? Obviously this could well be causing a leak but i cant find a empty hole []

2) Since stripping the carpet/underlay the only water I have found in the footwells has been here (circled green) and where the blue dot is. I think the water can pass through a little hole (pink dot) and it then filters out where the blue hole is so this may explain why the rear carpet behind the passenger seat was also wet. I will check this further at the weekend - will just pour water on the floor of the footwell and see where it goes.

3) The black tube which runs from behind the headunit along the footwell (Ive added yellow dots to it) - is this speaker cable for the rear speakers and if so is this where it is located on other 944's? I just want to know if this is an aftermarket addition and if so this could be installed badly causing the leak. The water is beneath this tube. It passes out through a hole in the sill (seems dry)

Sorry for my noob queries like! [&o]

 

[peanut]

I.m pretty sure that the loom on top of the cill is the original loom that supplies the rear lights, hatch area light, sunroof motor,and rear speakers etc so the bottom one must be for the rear speakers but there could be other wires bundled with them. Only way to tell is to use a multimeter or continuity tester.

Have you removed any of the rubber bungs to the inner cills yet? this is a fantastic opportunity to inspect your inner and outer cills and inject some Waxoyl rust inhibitor whilst the seats are out.

The rubber bung in the floor is presumably to drain water in the event of the car getting flooded fording a flooded area etc.

the small drain hole you say allows the water out into the cill ? I'm wondering now if that is the source of the leak and it is actually your cill which is filling with water and leaking it into the floor through that hole and others.? the cills should drain but the drain holes frequently get bunged up with mud and rust . I'd remove the rubber bungs in the inner cills and inspect inside the cills

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

ORIGINAL: peanut

The rubber bung in the floor is presumably to drain water in the event of the car getting flooded fording a flooded area etc.

Sorry I didnt make it clear, I probably should have mentioned that the bung isnt actually in the floor. I just took a photo of it as it rested on the floor. I dont know where the bung actually came from - it was just lying under the carpet. There are no obvious holes missing this bung which is why I was asking if there are any further bungs in the dash area.

I will remove the bungs at the weeked and look in the sills (but to be honest I am scared to [] )

 

[peanut]

ahhhhh! thats interesting. In that case you maybe right. The bung may have been pushed through the bulkhead or scuttle from within the engine bay allowing water in.

if you see any rust in the cills you could make up your own rustproofer from sump oil and grease. I mixed up a bowl and painted inside my cill and the rust has stopped dead for the last year..

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

ORIGINAL: sc0tty


Isnt that rubber bung from the inner sill wall?

Its doesnt seem to be mate. There are bungs all the way along as you can just about make out in the photo. There are certainly no unplugged holes. I could just do with knowing if there are similar bungs used in the bulkhead area as it may have fallen through. I somehow dont think I will be lucky enough for this to be the reason for the leak - it would be WAY too convenient! []

 

[DivineE]

Only thing I can add is that when my sunroof drain tube was blocked it got into the car from an unknown location and soaked the carpets without any sign of damp on the roof? Only thing I can think of is that it was running down inside the pillar and out somewhere behind the dash.

Do not give up hope. She will bring you much pleasure[] my first 944 had lots of problems but nothing ever failed twice so one you've sorted something on a 944 that's it. Not many cars would last 25+ years of abuse. You've got to remember that when you find niggles.

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

Sorry to ask again but one of you guys must know if the thick black wire/tube that runs along the passenger sill and passes into the sill is present in their 944?

The plug which I found lying under the carpet could well have been used initially to bung the hole which this tube passes through into the sill hence my question.

Cheers again.

 

[peanut]

ORIGINAL: graham.webb

BUT I've got a leaky tailgate seal (can smell exhaust esp when it's rich after start up)

Graham have you eliminated your rear light units by taping a piece of polythene over them ? its the most common route into the cabin for exhaust fumes.
To eliminate the tailgate seal you could smear some vaseline around the seal and shut the hatch and see where it isn't touching but my guess would be the rear light seals

 

[Eldavo]

Dirtyharry - did you get my email about where you are? Am in Newcastle with plenty of drive/garage space if you need a hand.

 

[Skooby6]

You're very right about taking a car off the road is the worst thing you can do.

My dad and i own a 1971 Triumph Stag but it's in my hands, i took it off the road so as i can repair the small hole in the floor pan ready for it's MoT. That was roughly 2 years ago now [&o]

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

ORIGINAL: sc0tty



Sorry mate, cant help you there.  I cant see why you have a cable there though, as the standard wiring routes along the top of the sill in that black sticky tape near your 'porsche' sill kick plates. 

I reckon it can only be for the immobiliser. Will hopefully figure it out at the weekend.

 

[peanut]

nothing to do with an immobiliser.[] they operate on the ignition system via the fusebox which is forward of the bulkhead .

If its that much of a problem cut away part of the plastic sheafing and check the wire colour codes against the 944 schematic for crissakes tsk []

 

[zcacogp]

.... or trace the wires forwards (or backwards) and find out what they connect to. They are however (as Peanut said) very unlikely to be anything to do with an immobiliser.

I'd offer some words of wisdom but I've never had the carpets out of my S2 so don't know what's normal and what isn't. Sorry.


Oli.

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

Could it be one of the battery leads?? The battery is in the boot (passenger side)

 

[peanut]

you're not going to know unless you check it yourself. It could be anything.Rear Aerial boost,roof hatch motor etc
I suggest you worry less about the cable and more about finding the source of the flippin leak []

ok .... there have been a lot of excellent suggestions made by experienced members DH and it would be very helpfull to us if you could answer them and confirm which ,if any, checks that you have actually made. You must check everything systematically and keepo a check list to eliminate any leak source however unlikely.

First of all have you told us which 944 model you own ? I can't find a reference anywhere.
Which of the following have you actually checked (no fibs)
1. Inside both doors ? check inside bottom of doors by removing door panels. Replace the polythene sheet under door panels and seal with glue and tape.
2. Checked door window glass strips have no gaps ?
3. Remove inner cill bungs and check for signs of water inside the cills ? Also remove air grille in door jamb & use good torch.
4. Checked around and under rear light clusters for water ?
5. Checked rear storage and spare wheel wells for water /stains ?
6. Check front windscreen seals ?
7 . Checked under heater matrix in scuttle area ? heater might be leaking.
8. checked scuttle by pouring lots of water on windscreen ?
9. Checked around rear hatch seal ? smear vaseline around rubber seal ,shut hatch and check where seal not touching hatch (unlikely leak source tbh)
10. Wife's dog is weeing in the car ?

might be worth placing some masking tape around the sun roof and taking the car through a vigourous car wash

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: peanut

10. Wife's dog is weeing in the car ?

If it was this, I suspect your other senses would tell you ... [:'(]


Oli.

 

[Mike_Pollock]

Wifes dog is only allowed in the back.
Mike

 

[dirtydirtyharry]

Hi, sorry, its a 1986 lux 2.5.

1. Inside both doors ?  check inside bottom of doors by removing door panels. Replace the polythene sheet under door panels and seal with glue and tape.

I have checked inside doors and the door seals. these are dry and no leaks. I have placed kitchen roll in between the door cards (which I have previously removed) and the door. Water is NOT getting in by the doors. I have sealed some tears in the plastic sheet but like I say, the water is not coming in through the doors, Im certain.

2. Checked door window glass strips have no gaps ? No gaps

3.  Remove inner cill bungs and check for signs of water inside the cills ?  Checked inside the passenger side bungs yesterday and is all dry inside (surprisingly! )Also remove air grille in door jamb & use good torch. (did this a matter of months ago when i cleaned and oiled mechanisms etc

4.  Checked around and under rear light clusters for water ? Yes, the boot area and back seats are dry. Unless the water somehow bypasses the back of the vehicle and goes straight to the front then the leak is not happening here. I have also recently replaced bulbs in rear clusters and tightened boot catch mechanism. No water ingress found.5. Checked rear storage and spare wheel wells for water /stains ? Completely dry.

6. Check front windscreen seals ? Not yet as I plan on doing this over the weekend - removing dash and inspecting scuttle/heater matrix area!

7 . Checked under heater matrix in scuttle area ? heater might be leaking. as above - ps the leak is water and not anti-freeze but I gather water can get in from around the heater seal - as above I will be checking this at the weekend.

8. checked scuttle by pouring lots of water on windscreen ? Yes- did this last weekend, it drains at both sides onto the road (as does 4 sunroof drains)

9. Checked around rear hatch seal ? smear vaseline around rubber seal ,shut hatch and check where seal not touching hatch (unlikely leak source tbh) There are no watermarks around roof which Im sure there would be if roof leaked. Have not tried the vaseline trick but when I give car thorough clean the inner hatch area is not wet, water does not seem to build up in there which it would if water got past the seal

10. Wife's dog is weeing in the car ? LOL, no pets allowed!

might be worth placing some masking tape around the sun roof and taking the car through a vigourous  car wash - may try this but I just sort of 'know' that the sunroof is not the problem. I have also blasted water at the suspect areas such as this using my powerwasher but no leaks were apparent.

Since stripping the carpets there has been little rain but the only water I have found on the floor of the vehicle was in the passenger footwell just inside the door. The leak may not be too bad but its poitnless me putting the new underlay and soundproofing in until im sure the leak is sorted. Obviously in wrmer weather the water may evaporate without causing much problem but over the winter the water builds up and the car steamed up VERY badly.

Cheers for all the help. Im hoping the weather is not too bad tommorrow and I will get chance to take the dash out and check the scuttle and heater areas!

 

[poprock]

I'm really impressed that you're paying this much attention to getting it properly sorted. Fair play to you for wanting to make sure it's dealt with once and for all!