Technical Help please: water under carpets (again)

[Herts Hillhopper]

My 2001 JTD keeps getting water inside, mainly under the front passenger side carpet (so much so that I've removed the soundproofing felt as it was going mouldy)

There seem to be three places it might come from but I need your help here:

(1) I did suspect the air con condensate was getting in: I located teh drain under the bonnet and 'fiddled' with it and water does now drain from there with air con on. But maybe some more runs inside?

(2) Or, maybe the sunroof drains? Lots of talk about that on this forum. CAn someone describe exactly where these are? Or maybe post a drawing from the manual?

(3) Or even finding its way in from underneath somewhere?

Any thoughts/comments welcomed please. Anyone else have this recurring problem?

Thanks
Pete

 

[JTDman]

poss heater matrix?

 

[missionary]

No drains from the Webasto sunroof - economy build !

Get under the car when on a ramp go as far rearwards - on your back - to the rear part of the subframe. Look up and you will see a large - maybe 40mm diameter - rubber pipe that is moulded into a flattened end which points downwards. This is the drain from the scuttle under the windscreen. This gets full of leaves, prevents drainage and then the surplus water brims and finds itself elsewhere. When you are ready, squeeze the sides of the tube together and be prepared for an eyeful. Take a hooked piece of wire with you to get the gunge out.

cheers
mish

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

...40mm diameter - rubber pipe that is moulded into a flattened end which points downwards. This is the drain from the scuttle under the windscreen....

Thanks - but sorry: already been there. I managed to reach this from above (long, thin arms needed!) and its clear. There's another large drain tube too, that takes any water that finds its way in through the air con filter housing and drains nearer the nearside of the car.

Closer inspection on Saturday (having removed lower part of dash with central and driver's footrests) shows only wet from bottom left hand corner of heater unit (seen from inside car), which is where the air con drain is. Ran air con for an hour -- plenty of water drains out under bonnet and none inside... but maybe with car moving, water is forced backwards? Soundproofing felt seems to go behind the heater unit, and I wonder if it is partly obstructing the drain. Don't think its the hot water circuit: no loss of coolant or antifreezey sort of smell.

I'll keep watching. Now the two hot days of summer are behind us, the air con will get a break. So I'll see if it dries up now

P

 

[the frog]

Need to check mine as it always smells (like a wet dog) after a rain shower on a warm day.

Or maybe it's just the smell from the kids!!!!!

I think I need to get the carpets out for peace of mind.

 

[missionary]

OK but don't rely on smell to check it has anti-freeze in it. A small weep from the heater matrix can create a lot of damp. Press your finger into it so it looks wet then taste it. If it has anti-freeze it will be sweet.

mish

 

[JTDman]

Im not sure on the multi but my old alfa's heater matrix had a tap at the bottom left side and they are quite common to leak but iirc they are easy to replace.