Rain Water Leak - Someone with intimate body knowledge

[Bumpa]

1977 1850HL. I have a rain water leak despite having a new windscreen and multiple applications of black screen sealant. the drops appear on the extreme right end of the parcel shelf and drip off the fresh air vent hose.

I have pulled the dash forward and have taken the below photo. The picture shows the area immediately behind the right hand air vent. I have arrowed the path taken by the water. It seems to come from behind or above that plate with the bolt in it.

What is that bolt there for? what is the plate it seems to be holding. Can anyone think of a place where the water could get in other round the screen seal? It is spoiling an otherwise fine little car!

[dollyman]

Hi Mike, have you tried talcum powder trick?

Tony.

[James467]

Hi Mike,

The plate holds the tubes in that the wiper spindles pass through, it also holds part of the dash as well. In early cars they are spot welded in, later cars are bolted.

You could check the wiper spindles are sealed correctly. Water may be coming in through them then travelling down the reinforcing plate and dripping off the ends.

James

[Bumpa]

Hi Mike,

The plate holds the tubes in that the wiper spindles pass through, it also holds part of the dash as well. In early cars they are spot welded in, later cars are bolted.

You could check the wiper spindles are sealed correctly. Water may be coming in through them then travelling down the reinforcing plate and dripping off the ends.

James

Ah, thank you James, it would have to be somebody like you who knew! Wiper spindles is a good guess. I had ruled them out because the water drips come from a long way away, but I didn't know about that plate which could well be channeling the water. I shall investigate.

[Richard the old one]

If it is not the wiper holes try putting some masking tape over the full length of the roof gutter so that the rain water in not able to run into the gutter. I was surprised to find that was where one of my cars was letting water in.

If you look at the following photo you can see how there is a seam in the gutter which if not sealed well will let water in. The seam goes the full length of the gutter.

[Carledo]

Vote for the wiper spindles from me too, i've also been a victim, pray yours is not as bad as mine was!




Oddly, the outer panel of the screen frame was perfect on this car, no sign of the horrors lurking beneath.

Steve

[cleverusername]

Yep had that problem, the windscreen motor plate. It holds the motor on and the waterproofing is just sealant. Easy to fix. Just buy some new sealant, unbolt the plate, replace the old stuff. Leak should be gone.

[Bumpa]

No it's definitely not the wiper motor plate. The leak is much further back which is why I thought it must be coming round the new screen rubber, but it isn't. If the rain ever stops I'll have a look at the wiper spindles.

[dollyman]

Spray the talc around Mike, you will soon tell where its coming from.

Tony.

[Bumpa]

In my photo above you can see as much as I can see. The water appears from behind that strip with the bolt through it and follows the rusty line to drip off the bottom - you can actually see a drop. Talc isn't going to help in this instance, although I have used it before, particularly on my MGF which had numerous water leaks through body seams.

[new to this]

I think you can hire smoke machines,put one in side the car shut the door and you should be able to see where the somke comes out that will show where your leak is

Dave

[Bumpa]

Yes I saw that done once on the TV with an Aston Martin. I think it was that Ant Anstead program. I think an old car like the Dolly would have smoke pouring out all over the place!

[cleverusername]

Yes I saw that done once on the TV with an Aston Martin. I think it was that Ant Anstead program. I think an old car like the Dolly would have smoke pouring out all over the place!

Ed China on Wheeler Dealers, on a DB7. The leak was a tired doorseal.

[geeksteve]

Yes I saw that done once on the TV with an Aston Martin. I think it was that Ant Anstead program. I think an old car like the Dolly would have smoke pouring out all over the place!

I think my car would just turn into a cloud.

[MIG Wielder]

I've got the same problem on the nearside also on a 1977 1850. It has suddenly started in all this recent heavy rain.
I reckon I'd get less water leaking in if I just took the screen out !
Oooh yes, its not the screen seal this time.

I've removed the glove box and looked around; and with a watering can and the talcum powder trick I can see water dripping off the centre of 3 tooling holes at the top of the bulkhead. As Bumpa says, furthur back from the wiper arm spindles.
So how does water get into this section at the base of the screen please ? I'll chase up Richard's suggestion of the guttering seam at the w/e. Interestingly it seems to take about 3 minutes for the water to seep through so its difficult to determine where the water entry point is.
Ta,
Tony.