Water leak....

[chapel gate]

Im going back in the mists of time now, but iirc the fsm for airbag models states to use a adhesive in the bottom of the rubber to bond in the glass, then fit the screen and rubber to the car sealing rubber to body and rubber to glass with a sealant. This is what i did with mine.

The pre airbag fsm doesnt mention the adhesive.

after a little reading up the best explanation i could find was for the airbag to deploy and work correctly the windscreen cannot collapse outward, it has to support the airbag and the impact on it by the driver.
Correct me if i am wrong, but thats my understanding, and the memory fades...

 

[StarCruiser]

Your screen rubber looks like mine. But it may have a good dollop of sealer in it. In the cold, it's like concrete, In the warm not so. True, it's not a bonded screen in the true sense as these are as described by the fitter. The 80 airbag version is sort of a hybrid.

When mine was replaced (I think the fourth time) they (Autoglass) smothered it in Arbomast and swore it wouldn't leak. It did, within a couple of months as the Arbomast cracked.

 

[chapel gate]

Captain tolleys creeping crack cure made me chuckle for some reason.

 

[StarCruiser]

Yes me too…

 

[StarCruiser]

You don't want a creeping crack I can tell you!!

 

[frank rabbets]

Perhaps use a spray bottle TP so you just wet the suspect area? Dried PVA would be difficult to get off paintwork.

 

[MODVRS]

Could be worth trying the soapy water and compressed air test I mentioned in the 90 Series section today. It worked very well to identify my leaks which I couldn't trace visually.

 

[Towpack]

So, after a morning of playing around with the smoke machine I could find only 2 obvious leaks. First was a big one where the steering column passes through the bulkhead. Looks like the boot has perished and isn't doing much but this is too far over to the left to be the culprit, plus it doesn't appear to get wet. More of a problem when wading no doubt.
The second leak was from the large cable boot/grommet in the top corner (driver's side) of the bulkhead where part of the main loom passes through along with numerous other wires added over the years, some by me. There was the beginnings of a tear in the rubber probably caused by over stretching. This is directly above where the water appears inside. With a deluge of water from a hose and possibly heavy rain , water spills over onto the bulkhead and soaks this grommet and I guess capillary action does the rest. I've injected some sealer into the grommet with a syringe and made a small extension to the boot from a piece of inner tube filled with waterproof grease and secured with two small cable ties. I also 'padded out' the rear bonnet weather seal with a piece of silicone tubing so it's now a much snugger fit. After several minutes with the hosepipe, still no water inside so fingers crossed.....again.

 

[Chris]

Good to hear TP. Not good when the inside is continually wet. I had the same hole around the steering column too. I made up a sort of bush to go in there and a boot off something or other. Incredible how much noise it cut out.

 

[Towpack]

The steering column seal is under £6 + shipping + taxes from Amayama
so I guess under £20 from a dealer but not a quick fit, so I'll do the same and make something to fit. Never really thought of the sound deadening aspect but must be worth it for that reason alone.

 

[Gary820]

Good find, smoke machines are great for stuff like that. Saved me many hours over the years, good for engine related leaks etc too

The column seals are cheap iirc and quite easy to replace. Had to replace mine, just added a bit of grease so doesn't just wear it away.

 

[Towpack]

Just been out and checked the footwell after a day of on/off heavy rain and it's bone dry so I'm going to call that a success and get the underlay/sound deadening and carpet back in permanently. Just thankful it didn't turn out be the screen. Definitely going to sort that steering column boot though. Thanks to you guys for the tips and advice

 

[chapel gate]

Im pleased to be wrong and glad it wasn't the screen.

That steering boot is completely shot on mine, ill add it to the list...