Frank_38 · Monday at 16:32

Hello everyone,
At the moment my car is against me.
I was at the car wash today. When I opened the driver's door, I saw water on the plastic - see photo.
then i checked the carpet - it is completely wet (underside) - on both sides. Apparently for months.
In the second photo I discovered the hose - the part in the third photo was lying in the bottom of the bodywork. But I don't think that can be it.

I have tried to find out more information. It's not the air conditioning outlets, I've just checked them.
Neither are the 2 covers of the cabin air filter, I've been sealing them with silicone for 6 years - after every change.

What remains is the roof - but where are the drains? and the roof is not wet.

I want to fix it quickly, as it's supposed to rain for a week.

Thank you!!!

pwood999 · Monday at 16:38

Sunroof drains - one at each corner. The pipes go down the A & C pillars, and exit into the outside wheelarches. Could also be doorseals, roof gutters leaking, etc.

kermit_rr · Monday at 16:53

It's not the pollen filter lids that leak in my experience. A bit lower down there's metal plates on either side.. i think they cover the motors? Can't remember, but those leak too

Datatek · Monday at 17:00

The self tapping screws in the scuttle under the plastic leak and the scuttle drains can be blocked if the foam is missing.

Frank_38 · Monday at 17:17

Thank you,

I will remove the scuttle panel tomorrow and then pour water over it.
I wanted to remove it months ago because the foam is completely gone.

By the way, can I just use any foam (water-permeable)?

kermit_rr · Monday at 17:19

Foam.. or a sieve screen is more permanent. So long as it keeps leaves etc out you'll be fine

Frank_38 · Monday at 17:29

ohh, the expansion is complicated. You have to remove the window frame.
Ok, I'll start by pouring water through the grille tomorrow.
If it comes out through the plastic, then I'll have to do it.

Thank you!

Datatek · Monday at 17:50

Frank_38 said:
ohh, the expansion is complicated. You have to remove the window frame.
Ok, I'll start by pouring water through the grille tomorrow.
If it comes out through the plastic, then I'll have to do it.

Thank you!

It's not complicated, you just have to remove the plastic trims at each end of the windscreen. The foam is a waste of time, I use perforated metal and add it to the ends that the foam doesn't cover.

Frank_38 · Tuesday at 06:25

Can I exclude the roof drains from my problem?

I don't know where they are and how to check them.

I'll get started right away. The water problem is my top priority.

Mark Piercy · Tuesday at 06:38

Check the Pollen filter covers as said, if the foam has gone flat or has broken up it will let water into the filters and leak down through the heater motor.
Pour the water on the front windshield and pull the filters out afterwards. If they are wet then this could point to the filter covers or the metal panels above.
I bought some 3-4mm adhesive backed foam from Amazon and redid the seals on the Pollen filter covers, this stopped water Ingress.
For the pollen filter housings under the front screen panel, I made soft metal covers that go over the housings with folds that direct the water away. The one on the drivers side is a faff and has to accommodate the wiper mechanism swing. I have done this on 3 P38's with good success

I did as datatec and fitted the aluminum

mesh grill instead of foam as the sun here destroyed it within a year

... No more leaves!
Also while your in there, check the seals around the Pollen filter plastic housings. These also can lose their sealing abilities.
The very ends of the basin under the screen where the water exits into the inner wings also have little rubber drain ends. Pull them off as they block up with rotted foliage and fill the basin!!!

cornishboater · Tuesday at 09:05

I have mentioned many times that the plastic rivnuts for the self tappers (as per Keith) loose their foam seals and let copious amounts of water in. Just pop them out and dab silicone on the flange, when you put the screws back in give them a dab too, they sometimes crack due to the wrong screws being used. The main offenders are the ones over the cabin filters, I did all of them to make sure. The old girl hasn't had water in since (6yrs now), it did have huge puddles before that and I checked everything else suggested but these little buggers let a large amount of water in, very bad design!

cornishboater · Tuesday at 09:09

As per the mesh insert

Grrrrrr · Tuesday at 11:16

pwood999 said:
Sunroof drains - one at each corner. The pipes go down the A & C pillars, and exit into the outside wheelarches. Could also be doorseals, roof gutters leaking, etc.

Or possibly the windscreen bond has let go somewhere.

Frank_38 · Tuesday at 13:58

puhh, spent the morning in the garage. I'm a little disillusioned.
Started with the driver's side.
Strips off, carpet up = shock!
But now I'm relaxed again.

I've already started removing the rust.

Then I doused the windshield with lots of water (water hose). Nothing! Not a single drop to be seen and it was probably more water than yesterday in the car wash.

Then I took a closer look and I now think that all the water is coming from the passenger side - I have marked the spot in red.

I just took the strip off (passenger side) and put my hand under the carpet and it was wet, really wet.

Tomorrow I'll tackle the passenger side.

Giving up is not an option!

At this point I'd like to ask where I can buy floor panels, just as a precaution.

Thank you!

pwood999 · Tuesday at 14:15

If you're gonna weld new metal in, then the carpets & underlay need to come out. If you can clean up the rust & seal any gaps, then it's possible to dry it out in situ.

I had a heater matrix fail back in Nov 2023 (on the way to MOT). After removing the dash top & centre console to sort the matrix, I then propped the carpets & underlay up with blocks of wood. Then fan heater running during the day with windows open about 1/2inch, and it dried out after 3-4 days.

While it was drying, I had the heater box on the bench to fit the new matrix & sort any sticking in the flaps.

I did try a dehumidifier first, but it never collected anything - hence the heater method.

Frank_38 · Tuesday at 14:27

Would you describe my case as hopeless or is it still possible? I can't weld.

pwood999 · Tuesday at 14:44

From the pictures it looks like surface rust. Clean it up & see if you can see light through it ? Then seal any gaps & paint with Hammerite - Kurust. Underneath lots of underseal might work.

But before all that you need to figure out where the water is coming from.

Frank_38 · Tuesday at 16:14

So, after about 2 hours I checked it again.
And sure enough, there are 2 drops of water - see picture.

But I am convinced that this is not the problem.

I tried to trace where the 2 drops are coming from but I can't - everything around it is dry. It's magical.
There is not a drop of water in the footwell.

I'll report back from the passenger side tomorrow.

DanClarke · Tuesday at 16:51

It's probably beads of sweat falling from your anxious forehead as you look intently for the problem.

When I first got my 2000MY P38 the footwells were so wett there was surface water like a puddle.
Stealer took it back and claimed the screen sealant had failed. Only other ingress has been from failed sunroof drains with a failed joint at each C-Pillar where the clear plastic piping goes into a black rubber receiver.

Happy Hunting!

aj1954 · Tuesday at 21:58

Mark Piercy said:
Check the Pollen filter covers as said, if the foam has gone flat or has broken up it will let water into the filters and leak down through the heater motor.
Pour the water on the front windshield and pull the filters out afterwards. If they are wet then this could point to the filter covers or the metal panels above.
I bought some 3-4mm adhesive backed foam from Amazon and redid the seals on the Pollen filter covers, this stopped water Ingress.
For the pollen filter housings under the front screen panel, I made soft metal covers that go over the housings with folds that direct the water away. The one on the drivers side is a faff and has to accommodate the wiper mechanism swing. I have done this on 3 P38's with good success
I did as datatec and fitted the aluminum View attachment 336873mesh grill instead of foam as the sun here destroyed it within a year... No more leaves!
Also while your in there, check the seals around the Pollen filter plastic housings. These also can lose their sealing abilities.
The very ends of the basin under the screen where the water exits into the inner wings also have little rubber drain ends. Pull them off as they block up with rotted foliage and fill the basin!!!

When I had mine, I did it's first service and changed the pollen filters after that, I had a slight leak, never leaked before, I tried to scrape off the old foam seal made a right mess of it, sealed 'em back on with silicone and, just ordered new ones, they were available at the time, after cleaning all the old silicone off fitted the new covers and, no more leaks.

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