Soaked Carpets

[Glasgow 911SC]

Can someone help. The rear drivers side carpets in my SC are soaked. The rear seat is aswell. Even around some places on the parcel shelf are wet but this may be due to condensation?! Ihave hosed the car and can't find any leak (at windows) although my front passenger side sunroof drain is blocked and I cant unblock it, but surely the rear ones should drain enough at the back of the car?! I did notice though that the vent above the rear window (outside) has nothing blocking it apart from foam (looking through unzipped headliner). i don't think rain could come in so easily at this angle. Has anyone got any other suggestions? or tips for unblocking drain tubes.

[Milu]

It probably is the rear window seal, they are devious at hiding the entry point. Try checking under the rear seats, the water will often collect there and run on to the carpets. You can try stopping it with a silicone sealant, but you will probably need to replace the rubber seal. It's worth unblocking the sunroof drainage, (have you tried from the engine compartment?), but I don't think enough water could come from there to be serious.
Good luck.

[Formerly Steve Wilkinson]

Got to be the rear window, almost certainly at the left lower corner, where a small quantity of water continually pools inboard of the gasket. Same thing had happened on my '83 SC when I bought it--rear bulkhead was rotted away, rear seats soaked, rear carpets junk, all on the driver's side. Still leaks, if I occasionally leave it out in the rain, even though I replaced the rear-window gasket when I restored the car. Next step will be to inject some 3M windshield sealant that I have, but I haven't done it yet. Careful of what kind of sealant you use, by the way, if you decide to try this. Most of the modern sealants are intended to glue windshields firmly in place and will make a dreadful mess. (They're glued in place because the windshield is a necessary part of the passenger-side airbag system: if the exploding airbag blows the windshield out--which is exactly what happens after some cheap windshield-replacement jobs--the airbag is useless.) You need a sealant designed to simply seal.

Stephan

[82SC]

mine was a leaky sunroof seal, with a clogges sunroof channel...

check both...suroof seal is an easy fix, and for ht drains use a long coat hanger....and pouto teest to make sure the drains are clear...I never figures out how it went from the sunroof to the ground without it dripping on me...but I think it travels down the B-pillar or something...

[Glasgow 911SC]

Thanks for the help everybody. I have tried to re-seal the window so hopefully thats sorted. I cant unblock the sunroof drain though. It seems clear right down to where it curves and then I cant go any further (kinked possibly). Water does pass through but takes ages by which time, in heavy rain, I am getting wet.

[Bill Douglas]

It rains so hard in Glasgow I'm not suprised you're getting wet

The rubber door seals on the coupes need to be good and sealing tight against the door at the fron't. I noticed this on my SC. The water runs down from the windscreen and drops down where the front of the door shuts, then runs down the outside (hopefully the outside) of the door seal when the car is parked.

Bill '79SC

[SRT356/911]

Can you blow air back from the outside of the drain? Maybe get to the tubes from the zipper and see if you can spot the source of the blockage.
Could be you have more than one source of water.

[82SC]

when I did mine I took the sunroof door out and did it that way...taking it out is cake...see Pelican's techarticle about fixing a broken sunroof motor...

MJ

[Superman]

Call me nuts (most do), but you've already answered your question. In heavy rain, the sunroof dribbles on your head. There's your leak. Sunroofs are notorious for this and there is a reason why they drain in four places.

[SRT356/911]

Good point. Sounds like no felt seals around the sunroof or they are not installed correctly or are damaged. They wont leak when properly sealed and the roof is closed.
Unless you drive it with the sunroof open and it is raining and the drains are clogged.

[Glasgow 911SC]

The bodywork was restored under a year ago and the seals replaced. The sunroof only has the felt bit on 3 sides. Is this right?

Glasgow has only 2 seasons; wet & mild then wet & cold!

[82SC]

no wonder...

all 4 sides need seals it is a two part seal...one in front and one in back...they meet about midway up the sides


MJ

[Glasgow 911SC]

I have one big seal running around 3 sides. There is a small felt strip under the back end which seals upwards. Is this what you mean?

[82SC]

you definately need the rear piece...

replacing is easy if you are careful with the adhsive...try to get the black type to cover mistakes...

look on the pelican tech site to find an articel on how to....it is relatively simple...

MJ

[PanAmeriCan]

OK, I am right in the midst of (hopefully) solving this exact problem with my '84. Originally, I suspected the sunroof drains, and/or window seals. After I removed the water damaged headliner, examined the sunroof drain hoses that connect the metal tubes and made sure they were clean and tight, then performed the drain test, I was a little surprised at what I found. For the record, I did the test with Mr. Clean as the liquid due to its high visibility. The drip came not from the drain tubes, but this white plastic bullet shaped piece NEXT TO the drain hose (at the rear of the sunroof cavity). At this point, I do not know what it is or how I am going to fix it...but at least, I've found it. Otherwise, the drains allow the liquid to escape quickly and completely (except for what lands on the rear floor and seat...which seems to be residual ie: the amount dripped does not directly correspond to volume of liquid poured into the channel 1oz=4 drips/ 1 gal=4 drips).

HTH,

[Jdub]

Funny, when I opened this thread I thought I was going to hear about a Targa!!

2mil "weed whacker" line is very good at clearing channels. Short of this, get a bicycle derailleur cable and try that. Also, reversing your work and getting at the drain from the bottom side up is useful. You may have a small rock. Typically an air compresser nozzle with a wand can blow back up the drain hole.

Recently I plugged about eight holes under the pass. seat of my car. The PO had put some sort of amp/? there and removed it without plugging the holes. I had water in the back, under the carpets: no longer. Might check this out??

Jw

[82SC]

i'll bet if you put the seal on the partial leak will not come into the cabin anymore...I think the drain tubes do not do much draining...since the seal help keep out most of the rain...The only time Iwould be worried is if you parked your car outside in the rain for many days....order the seals...they are the solution to your problem

MJ

[Glasgow 911SC]

thanks for all the responses. I am going to order the missing seal tomorrow and will try and get an air line to the bottom of the drain tube to try and clear it. Shall inspect under headliner to make sure everything is connected. Hopefully problem solved once and for all.

[Superman]

I would suggest that the seal and the drain both need to work. Sunroof leak. Even sealed ones. Ergo the drains.

[CamB]

Those little plugs beside the drain tubes got me too!

Mine leaked badly through those plugs because.... they weren't there. The water then runs down the back of the headliner, down the rear pillar and into the rear shelf/rear seat.

I have siliconed them up, but as I haven't reassembled the car I have no idea if they work or not.

Does anyone know WHY there are holes there?

Cam