Water in footwells

Body parts, seats, dash, headlining, windows and stuff!

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Pjr
Senior Poster
Posts: 250
Joined: Sat May 31, 2014 17:28
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Red
Year: 1985
Location: The South West

Re: Water in footwells

Post by Pjr »

On mine, I had a blocked heater plenum as mentioned above, but when I sorted this I still had water ingress. For me, it was the door seal where it curves to go along the top of the door aperture. The seal was slightly cutting the corner - it looked fine, but was not fully seated. So I put silicone in it and wedged some wood between the sill and the door seal until it set. No more leak. fYI the water had been emerging at the bottom of the A pillar just above the sill carpet.

......or it might have been the ill-fitting door inner panel that I tinkered with when I fitted new speakers.....

I found that sufficient water got into the footwell, that if I parked with the car elevated on the passenger side, the water would pool on the transmission tunnel side. I just say this because these leaks are hard to trace and really you just have to check all the options until it eventually stops leaking!

Good luck.

Phil

CHRISYD
Senior Poster
Posts: 858
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 19:53
Model: N/A
Colour: N/A

Re: Water in footwells

Post by CHRISYD »

the pool of water sits in the passenger footwell on the right hand side and you can feel a wet trail running down to the puddle from behind the centre console. that's what made me think wiper spindle or matrix area but all newly sealed. I'm going to take seat out, lie on my back with head under dash with a torch and get missus to spray hose about.
I REALISED YOU CANT LIVE WITHOUT A LOTUS!!! Until now :oops:

CHRISYD
Senior Poster
Posts: 858
Joined: Sun Jul 19, 2015 19:53
Model: N/A
Colour: N/A

Re: Water in footwells

Post by CHRISYD »

there appears to be a sort of heat shield or summert pop riveted to the transmission tunnel on the passenger side next to the bell housing and some water was seeping through 1 rivet hole, but hardly any. Also, is the bulkhead/ footwell area double skinned? as the water also seemed to be seeping up through the corner of the footwell.
I REALISED YOU CANT LIVE WITHOUT A LOTUS!!! Until now :oops:

Zag
Junior Poster
Posts: 95
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2017 04:35
Model: Excel SE
Colour: Ice Blue
Year: 1986
Location: East Yorkshire

Re: Water in footwells

Post by Zag »

I've just found my passenger footwell leak after 3 years of trying! It appears that the upper and lower body are separating, possibly due to heat from the exhaust manifold, and the water is getting in through the join. You need to remove the plywood blanking panel that covers where the steering column would be on a lhd car to see where it is getting in. Unfortunately there is no access to the outside with the engine fitted so it will have to wait until I have the inclination to do a major strip.

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