Birty Dastards Jeep Club

Tech Forum => Workshop => Topic started by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 10:55:18 PM

Title: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 10:55:18 PM
OK.
My TJ let's water in.
Has done since I got it; wearing either hard or soft top.
Drivers side only - heavy rain = inch or so of water on carpet (I know an easy fix is take the carpet out and drill big holes in the floor but that's a solution rather than cure...!!)
Thought I'd traced it to the rubber thingy inside the door surround between window hinge area and top of dashboard, but have siliconed that and still leaks.
I know how hard it is to trace leaks (having tried and failed miserably on a Renault sunroof many moons ago!) but wondered if this was maybe a common problem or anyone else had experienced it.
Very hard to see where water is coming in from, but it appears to be dripping onto the carpet from underneath the side step lip just inside the cabin.
I've checked door seals and they seem fine - am now going only slightly mad trying to see where water could be getting in...
 :die:
Any suggestions...?
Please...!!
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: willo on July 04, 2012, 10:57:34 PM
I wouldn't drill a hole in your floorplan, just take the bung out :003:
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 11:00:08 PM
Ha ha (there's always one...!)  ::)
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: MOCAJ on July 04, 2012, 11:08:05 PM
you have removeable bungs in both footwells, the round ones

my blue Tj has a halftop and leaks like a dastard, bungs are only fitted when i go offroad
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: MOCAJ on July 04, 2012, 11:13:33 PM
sit inside while someone sprays a hosepipe on it
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 11:14:52 PM
you have removeable bungs in both footwells, the round ones

my blue Tj has a halftop and leaks like a dastard, bungs are only fitted when i go offroad
Yeah, the bungs are out but doesn't stop the carpet getting wet and smelling like a, well, wet carpet!
Like I say, was hoping for prevention rather than cure...
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: Bishops Finger on July 04, 2012, 11:16:44 PM
Live with it....my TJ leaks some years...
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 11:17:24 PM
sit inside while someone sprays a hosepipe on it
Done that too! Can see where it actually gets onto the floor, but not where it actually gets in from outside...
Looks like it may be running down between the 2 skins of the panel to the right of the dash... so hard to see though...
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 11:19:01 PM
Live with it....my TJ leaks some years...
That's kinda my final option....! I don't give up that easily (at least not at the moment...!)
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: MOCAJ on July 04, 2012, 11:20:39 PM
look harder or ditch the carpets
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 04, 2012, 11:22:42 PM
look harder or ditch the carpets
Both of them me thinks, although probably in reverse order...!
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: gazjeep on July 05, 2012, 12:02:29 AM
Take the carpets out or fold right back out of the way, sprinkle talcum powder all around the footwells & side of the seats to trace leak.

Could be comming in from the bulkhead, have a look to make sure the scuttle panel drain in front of the screen is not blocked. Then get busy with lots of silicon sealer around the bulkhead fron inside the engine bay.

Use hosepipe & on the outside while your inside checking.

Its really a process of elimination & patience.
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: Bishops Finger on July 05, 2012, 12:05:49 AM
Or buy a GC.......unless you forget to shut a window.... :banghead:
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 05, 2012, 08:28:35 AM
Thanks Gaz,
Top tip with the talcum; I can see where it gets onto the floor (carpet) and I thought I'd traced where it was actually getting in... until the lake I discovered yesterday!
Carpets are now out so like you say; get busy with the silicone!!!
The middle and bottom hex bolts that hold the dash onto the bulkhead are rusty, so it looks like water is at least passing there and running down between the panel skins, to end up on the floor.
Elimination and patience...
Was kinda hoping it might be a known problem, or someone else had a similar issue...
Thanks all for your advice!
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: gazjeep on July 05, 2012, 01:25:43 PM
Got a hardtop on ours, new rear seals the lot, still fecking leaks in heavy rain at the back. Load of kitchen towel under carpet in the back & a plastic sandwich box in each corner up on the side behind rear seat belt base stops it going too far  :icon_winkle:

They are all different I guess but mucho silicone & clearing out the drain at the base of the windscreen has kept the front dry for a few years now.

Back to elimination & patience .... sorry mate  :greggmo:
Title: Re: Leaking TJ
Post by: cheese_aholic on July 06, 2012, 07:56:33 PM
At least with the current biblical weather I'm getting the chance to investigate!
Looks like its coming in around the area of the rubber insert at the far right hand side of the dash, where it meets the door seal when the door's closed. Its held in with a small black push clip by the looks. Trouble is, it appears that in order to remove the aforementioned rubber insert for inspection, the whole dash has to come out! Not so keen on that!
Silicone doesn't seal to well on the rubber either, so although I've applied generously, I think the water may still be getting in there...
We continue...