Water Leak

[jaguartvr]

For the last few months I have found the passenger footwell filling with water. It is only the passenger side and the car is parked slightly nose down. I have to regularly use the vacuum to get the water out. I had to remove the glove box for my central locking mod so thought I would lift the carpet and remove all the water, the floor can hold a surprising amount of water before it reaches carpet level.
The question is where the hell is it coming from?

If you feel the side, front and rear bulkhead carpet it all feels dry so I don't think water is running over the carpet but it could be runningbehind it.
The roof is 2 years old and in perfect condition.
The race parcel shelf is bone dry.
The grommets at either side of the top of the windscreen are intact.
If I fit the 1/2 roof cover no more water gets in.

I placed the car cover more forward than it should be so it covered the front scuttle area as I thought this was the most likely area. I vacuumed all of the water out first and the cover has been on for 2 days. I have just checked it and there is water in the footwell so I vacuumed it out but this time measured it..........18 pints in 2 days!

Where the hell is it all coming from?

 

[Stevo7682]

You may have to lift the carpets and get the hose out to try trace problem must be semi serious to let in that amount of water so quickly.
Stephen

 

[jaguartvr]

I know it was raining heavily but 18 pints in 2 days

 

[hard top]

This might be of some help ?

Link :- https://zroadster.org/threads/bmw-z3-a-pillar-leak-fix.5341/

​

 

[jaguartvr]

I had looked at that section but it all seems to be in good order

 

[NZ00Z3]

Have a look at the scuttle drains that go from under the windscreen winders into the back of the engine compartment. They look like two elephant trunks hanging down. One each side of the engine. If they are clogged, then water builds up around the heater fan/windscreen wiper motor area and finds it's way into the cabin.
You may have to take the plastics cover off under the winders and clean out a few years worth of leaves.

 

[jonco]

A process of elimination with some items already covered. There are drains from the hood behind the seats which can block and could result in the quantity of water you are seeing . Presume ingress is when vehicle stationary and not being driven.
This thread touched on this problem but did get a bit heated at times https://zroadster.org/threads/is-th...here-hood-door-body-junction.6462/#post-84050
You should also check the drain inside the box in this photo.

 

[jaguartvr]

I had forgotten about those drains, will give them a rodding tomorrow. I couldn't believe how much water had got in in 2 days which is why I had made sure it was all out before I put the cover on and measured the water that came out.

I had my suspicions that it would be the front scuttle drains that were going to be the cause so I had put the half cover on further forward and secured it. In doing it this way no water could drain into the scuttle, ok it was raining heavily so a few drops may have got in but not18 pints!

There is a drainage channel that sits along the back of the roof, the idea being that if any water gets in it flows along the channel and into the grainage tubes by the back of the seats. As the car is slightly pointing down and to the passenger side it could be all the water on tn the rear of yje roof is being directed here, it could explain the large quantity of water getting in.

 

[jaguartvr]

I think (thanks to jonco) that I've cracked it.

I poured water onto the roof at the rear and it drained into the small tray pictured above, the water level in the tray went down but I couldn't see it emerging anywhere. I suspected that somehow it was emptying into the car and not outside.
I needed to pull the plastic trim panel off behind the door opening to try and see where the water was going. To get this off you have to remove the cubby box, pain in the arse.
Anyway with the side panel removed I could see the problem, the drain in the small tray was blocked but the black grommet in the picture above was missing so the tray fills and spills out of the grommet hole ending up on the car floor. With the roof down and the rubber trim out of the way I poked a stick down the hole and the tray instantly started deaining propery and water could be seen escaping at the sill/wing joint.
Pictures of the missing grommet and a yellow stick showing where to prod.



Just need to replace the 2 grommets, should be 20 or 25mm, anyone know for sure?

 

[jonco]

Well done - looks like that has been blocked/leaking for awhile.
Suggest you lift carpet and re-check for damp in the foam underlay. If it is not fully dried, then you will be suffering with internal condensation and possible mildew for some time. I used a hairdryer (what else on a Z3) to thoroughly dry mine. There is a rubber bung/grommet in the floor below the seat - you can squeeze and drain through this if necessary.

 

[t-tony]

If you look on YouTube @FRANKIE uploaded a video on this subject and he shows you where the drains are and how to clear them.

Tony.

 

[jaguartvr]

I will leave the glovebox out and the carpet turned back so I can keep an eye on it and allow it to dry.
I have a small dehumidifier that I bought especially to dry my cars out, it is amazing how much water it pulls out of each car. 9 convertibles on the drive and most let in varying amounts of water, the only one that never seems to let in any water at all is my daughters (new) VW beetle and an MX5.

 

[jaguartvr]

Success
Heavy rain overnight and no more water ingress,
Left the dehumidifier on overnight and another couple of pints removed so I will leave it running for a few days to dry it out

 

[Stevo7682]

Good news especially since we are heading to autumn/winter
Stephen

 

[MisterP007]

A very useful thread Steve and all the contributors. I am going to check all of the various drainpipes/holes on mine at the weekend. The 250SWB is bone dry inside but the 250 Cal is wet on the passenger side after all the rain, in my case likely to be the under heater/scuttle drain holes but will check all the others as well.