Punto (Mk2/2b) Got a wet floor issue any help appreciated?

[Ollie29uk]

Hey guys i bought a fiat punto mk2 1.9 diesel 2002 reg, ive noticed today that my passenger footwell is sopping to the point of puddles but foamy ones like a shampoo in the carpet, anyway i check the leaf catching drain in the scuttle panel with no joy as the drains were empty, followed the damp from the carpet to the centre console and put my fingers in the lower passenger vent which was wet so i undone the centre console and vent and found green slippery water in the console so the question is what is it and where is it coming from and how do i plug it and sort the carpets out? Thanks

 

[dave]

is your coolant also green? sounds like heater matrix leak

welcome to the forum.

 

[Ziggy122]

is your coolant also green? sounds like heater matrix leak

welcome to the forum.

i'd be inclined to agree as well

A - check your coolant level
B - Check your coolant colour

I bet if you stuck a pressure tester on there - you'd soon see where the moisture was coming from as well

If it is the heater matrix - for the love of god DONT DRIVE IT

The heater matrix will have the same boiling coolant at a stupid temperature which WILL SCOLDE if the pipe work was to rupture in a fantastic fashion

Ziggy

 

[Ollie29uk]

i'd be inclined to agree as well

A - check your coolant level
B - Check your coolant colour

I bet if you stuck a pressure tester on there - you'd soon see where the moisture was coming from as well

If it is the heater matrix - for the love of god DONT DRIVE IT

The heater matrix will have the same boiling coolant at a stupid temperature which WILL SCOLDE if the pipe work was to rupture in a fantastic fashion

Ziggy

I noticed that the coolant level is min but its not green its got not going down and the blowers work nicely although after 20 mins the air blows cold aswell as warm but mostly warm, if it was heater matrix how would i get it fixed or plugged up from leaking?

 

[Ollie29uk]

I noticed that the coolant level is min but its not green its got not going down and the blowers work nicely although after 20 mins the air blows cold aswell as warm but mostly warm, if it was heater matrix how would i get it fixed or plugged up from leaking?

I just topped up the coolant to max and i noticed that the cap had no pressure inside it like a hot engine cap and ive not long been driving it so i expected some pressure in the cap, is that telling you anything?

 

[dave]

when the heaters are on does it smell like a dead fish that had eaten a rotten egg?

 

[MikeSalt]

I just topped up the coolant to max and i noticed that the cap had no pressure inside it like a hot engine cap and ive not long been driving it so i expected some pressure in the cap, is that telling you anything?

Won't really tell us anything until you've driven it for a bit and noted any change in the level. If you've got red coolant though, then a green liquid in the footwell probably isn't coolant. What colour is your screenwash?

 

[Ollie29uk]

when the heaters are on does it smell like a dead fish that had eaten a rotten egg?

No smells or anything no, i used a suction bulb to pull some coolant out and it did have a greenish black tint with some cream residue around the inside but no mayo on the oil cap, earlier there was a little white froth in the expansion tank but after a while settles to just the liquid, almost like a lager head

 

[Ollie29uk]

Im sat in the car with engine running and blowers on hot which heated up quickly and temperature guage is at cold but when driving normally its half way and never overheats

 

[MikeSalt]

At the very least, it sounds like you need to refresh the coolant. The diesels are more tolerant, but Fiats in general don't like old coolant.

 

[flisko]

when the heaters are on does it smell like a dead fish that had eaten a rotten egg?

LOL!!!

uncledave2win

 

[Ollie29uk]

At the very least, it sounds like you need to refresh the coolant. The diesels are more tolerant, but Fiats in general don't like old coolant.

I cant find the leak at all i just know the carpet is saturated right through to the floor pan, theres sticky residue on the vent in the passenger foot well and when removed a small pool of green water in the bolted section but the pipes going in are hot but not leaking and for that amount of water i cant find any causes as the rest is bone dry around the firewall and door seals etc but the source is from the vent

 

[Ziggy122]

I cant find the leak at all i just know the carpet is saturated right through to the floor pan, theres sticky residue on the vent in the passenger foot well and when removed a small pool of green water in the bolted section but the pipes going in are hot but not leaking and for that amount of water i cant find any causes as the rest is bone dry around the firewall and door seals etc but the source is from the vent

Those 2 pipes go up into the engine bay
As a result it may be a tiny leak on the matrix itself that's spraying and causing it come down

I'm really strongly suspect heater core at fault
A cold engine coolant pressure test will give you answers
Loss of pressure and more fluid leads to the heater core been at fault

Ziggy

 

[Ollie29uk]

Those 2 pipes go up into the engine bay
As a result it may be a tiny leak on the matrix itself that's spraying and causing it come down

I'm really strongly suspect heater core at fault
A cold engine coolant pressure test will give you answers
Loss of pressure and more fluid leads to the heater core been at fault

Ziggy

Ive just done some more tests, i went 8 miles to run the car up to temp and the temp was stable just under halfway, got home popped the bonnet and tried to open the expansion tank lid hoping for some pressure but there wasent so i dipped my finger in and it was cup of tea hot, u know when u dunk ur finger in ur tea and its hot but not scalding. So anyway looked around the engine bay with a torch but nothing obvious, also the coolant is the same texture slipperyness as the water in the foot well so what i did was went back into the car and under the glovebox/console i followed two warm pipes to a plastic cover squeezed my fingers up into the cover and found the wetness so the two pipes that go back up from the floor to the top of the console passenger side is wet so whats up there?

 

[flisko]

lucky you didnt get burned putting your finger inside, never do that again!

 

[Ollie29uk]

lucky you didnt get burned putting your finger inside, never do that again!

I knew it wasent that hot, it wasent gurgling, bubbleing or giving off any worrying heat, plus i hovered my finger inside before touching the coolant to get the steam temperature and it was a quick dip not a plunge,

 

[oldhammer]

get hose pipe on car,
& see if its a screen leak,


Punto is abit of a rot box,best to get carpet up and let it dry out properly.
once problem is solved.

 

[MikeSalt]

Ive just done some more tests, i went 8 miles to run the car up to temp and the temp was stable just under halfway, got home popped the bonnet and tried to open the expansion tank lid hoping for some pressure but there wasent so i dipped my finger in and it was cup of tea hot, u know when u dunk ur finger in ur tea and its hot but not scalding. So anyway looked around the engine bay with a torch but nothing obvious, also the coolant is the same texture slipperyness as the water in the foot well so what i did was went back into the car and under the glovebox/console i followed two warm pipes to a plastic cover squeezed my fingers up into the cover and found the wetness so the two pipes that go back up from the floor to the top of the console passenger side is wet so whats up there?

Sounds like a heater matrix leak, or at least the connections to the hoses.

 

[deagz]

I just fixed a leak on my punto, sounds different to yours though.

I had water coming from windscreen drain and then entering the car on drivers side around brake servo. I filled it with some black silicone sealant from Hellfrauds.

If its the windscreen, i'd suggest taking the carpet up, pour a hosepipe on the windscreen and just wait in the car until you see water coming in. However if the fluids green I doubt its the windscreen

 

[MikeSalt]

Even if it is the heater matrix, they're quite cheap. Just double-check that I have the right one for your car (I assumed mk2b 1.2 8v). Probably quite a fiddle to do though, so I'd recommend a Haynes manual. I'd almost say replace it as a matter of course since you'll expend so much effort getting in there.