SimonC

I think there is a water leak from the front right door of my 'new' 1980 EuroS. After a downpour, the carpet was damp in the front passenger side, and the previous owner has replaced the soundproofing under the carpet - a sure sign of an earlier leak. There is no sign that water is dripping via the fuse box area (thankfully).

When I opened the door, a glassful of water ran off the bottom of the door seal at the front of the door. Almost looked like it ran out of the seal, but I couldn't see well enough to find the source. I could squeeze the seal and squeeze out more.

Is there a clever way to find the source of a leak like this?
The door seals are expensive, and I am bleeding money with this car already. I don't want to replace the door seal until I am 100% sure it is leaking there.

Anybody got some good tricks for finding leaks? Autumn is approaching and I hate that early morning start and window demist routine from wet carpets.

9two8

You could try sprinkling a coating of talcum powder in the area where you think it,s leaking, remove any carpet make sure all is dry, then put the powder down, any water ingress will show up as track,s in the powder.., You also might want to check out the plastic membrane that seals the outer door frame to the back of the door card. If this is goosed it will let water in.

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

SimonC

I know its not the membrane, I just replaced that when repairing the windows.
Thanks for the talcum tip - will try it out.

btw - it that a lovely Jensen in your pic? Met a guy in Copenhagen who had a 90's model. I didn't know that they started making them again in the 90's, but his was absolutely perfect. Envy. Envy.

9two8

Hi Simon.., the car is actually a 74 " Iso Grifo " .., Italian design with Chevrolet V8 engine..., to my eyes, a very beautifull car .

Ken
80 928 S
5 Speed

UK

Bill Ball

If the water is in the passenger footwell, then the likeliest inlet is not the door seal, but the firewall. There is a drain for the cowl area that is visible on the firewall in the area about 10" below the coolant bottle. It has a rubber trap door covering it. If it gets plugged with leaves, water will not drain, will fill the cowl and enter the passenger compartment. The wetness will corrode the CE panel. Check that first.

SimonC

Thanks Bill. I'm pretty sure its the door, but I will go out and check, just to be sure.

SimonC

Jim Devine

A Bodyman showed me a fairly easy way. Tear some newspaper into strips. Place them around the door & close it. Pull on them- if you can pull it out, the seal isn't sealing in that area. Keep moving them around & repeat until you have checked the seal. Be sure to check the drain on the firewall as Bill suggested too.

SimonC

Thanks Jim, thats a nice trick.

Have just cleaned the drain on the firewall, and it had a few things in there, but not much. I poured loads of water down there, and not a drop seems to have come into the car.

What confuses me is that when I opened the door after a downpour, about a glassful of water ran from the lower front of the door seal - looks like it came out of the seal, but Im not sure. I don't think it can be from the drain-hole on the door, because that is in front of the seal. So, I'm wondering if the seal is in some way transporting water down along its length from the top of the door to the bottom. Anybody heard of that?

SimonC

Maleficio

Your seal may have a tear in the upper section that's allowing it to fill with water. Spread out a layer of black trim RTV on the seal to close the tear, or replace it.

SimonC

I have now checked the seal and it has on tears or holes, and the newpaper trick holds the paper all around the door - some places more tightly than others - but no obvious gaps.

I noticed that there is some water trapped under the plastic door tread. The water just won't come out, even though its been dry for a few days now. Could it somehow be drawing water in and onto the carpet from capillary action?

How do I remove the door tread? It looks fragile, and maybe I should put some kind of sealant barrier there.

SimonC

Maleficio

It should just be screwed in. Have you applied a layer of trim RTV on your seal yet? I would do that first, and observe.

What's the other door's seal like? How about the hatch seal?

SimonC

Oops. There was a typo there. There are no tear or holes in the seal.

The door tread doesn't seem to be screwed on. By door tread, I mean the long plastic piece which says 928 on it in large letters, visible when you open the door. Covers the carpet edge and over the top of the sill. I can't see any fitting, apart from what looks like a rivet at the back. It looks very fragile, so I dont want to pull on it until I know that it will give and not break.

SimonC

dcrasta

Do you have a sunroof? Doesnt the sunroof drain to the passenger side? Maybe the 'rubber' drain hose is done..

SimonC

I do have a sunroof. I will check that too, although I'm pretty sure its coming from the door.

I will go out and probe the drain from the sunroof to check though.

SimonC

Jim Devine

Since the easy stuff didn't work- do you have coin operated do it yourself car washes there?
Stay inside the car & have someone spray it. Use a flashlight to focus on one
area at a time. Have them stay back far enough to not damage the paint. If it's had a repaint, I probably wouldn't try this.