Should I or Should I not

Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:34 pm

Ok then here is the latest debate raging through my mind. I have a four door e30 which I have converted to manual and put an IS engine in. I had taken the carpets out to allow them to dry and put them back in when Mrs86's mum wanted to use my car as her wedding car. Takes all sorts I suppose. Before taking them out I had a water leak which I know doesnt go down to sunroof tube blockage or elephants trunk. Having spent many hours under my car doing the IS conversion I also know that I do not have holes in the floor and all rubber bungs present and correct.

I enjoy my e30 but the water leak is begining to tick me off. The water gathers in the rear footwells and before having the carpets out, was just wet underneath the carpets. Now however it is soaking right through the carpets leaving a puddle possibly 1/4cm deep. I am getting rather bored of having to wait in the car with the heaters going at full pelt before I can drive anywhere. I suspect the touble is a rotted sunroof tray as when I drive faster than 30 with the sunroof open I get rust flakes fall on me. All together its downright irritating.

My latest dilemma is, should I run the car till unsrance is ready for renewal then appraoch my dad about liberating his much tidier e36 328 off his hands, or get it sorted. Trouble is I think the sunroof tray is going to be a pig of a job and any body shop is going to rape me for it.

It doesnt help that I made the mistake of a speculative insurance quote quote on his bmw with me as the main driver and the doris as the named and I got a rather reasonable quote, considering Mrs86's youth and claims history.

Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:38 pm

robbo86 wrote:Ok then here is the latest debate raging through my mind. I have a four door e30 which I have converted to manual and put an IS engine in

robbo86 wrote: My latest dilemma is, should I run the car till unsrance is ready for renewal then appraoch my dad about liberating his much tidier e36 328 off his hands

Yep take the i.s. and rape the e36 of its engine and pop it in the e30
About time it had a 6 pot under the bonnet

Oh and the water in the bak is probably a goosed door rubber ?

Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:41 pm

inner arches? i had the same problem with water in the rear footwell

Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:41 pm

I knew you would say that steve, the old man wont let me have it if hew knows I was nicking the engine. Door rubber feels fairly pliable and in good nick to me. Plus it doesnt explain the rust flakes flying out at me.

Tue Dec 01, 2009 7:43 pm

jaymos wrote:inner arches? i had the same problem with water in the rear footwell

Could be, I will take a butchers, but from the time the carpet was out It would pick water up when sitting still which says to me its not arches.

Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:23 pm

robbo86 wrote:
jaymos wrote:inner arches? i had the same problem with water in the rear footwell
Could be, I will take a butchers, but from the time the carpet was out It would pick water up when sitting still which says to me its not arches.

The usual place for those tiny perforations is to the rear of the arch, resulting in water in the boot-wells. however, if the holes develop towards the front of the rear arch, water will flood into the rear passenger foot-wells. Time to get stripping

Tue Dec 01, 2009 8:25 pm

Buy a genuine 318is they never rust

Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:11 pm

My understanding was that if you took the engine from an IS the engine healedthe car of its woes.

Tue Dec 01, 2009 9:12 pm

Wed Dec 02, 2009 3:36 am

got some issues with a leak in my escort ive got to sort, i read somehwhere a thing to do with all the carpets out, is to put flour around the suspected/possible areas, and get the hose out ....and the water will show up where its comming in ,with the train to its source...

Wed Dec 02, 2009 7:48 am

Alex wrote:Buy a genuine 318is they never rust

Isn't that because they were fully galvanised....

Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:49 pm

Stifla wrote:
Alex wrote:Buy a genuine 318is they never rust
Isn't that because they were fully galvanised....

Oh yes

Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:56 pm

The 328i every day of the week.

Wed Dec 02, 2009 4:58 pm

Have you considerd the seals around the windows?

Dodgy weather strips?

Is the door hung correctly? It could be the seal is in good nick but the door isn't comprassing it.

Could in be the bit of colour trim at the back of the car? I've heard that this can cause leaks (but that might just be into the boot iirc).

Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:32 pm

i'd be pulling the door cards off to check the membrane behind them. the window seal do not keep the water out, that's why the membrane is there.

rust coming from above does sound bad though.
time to silicone the sunroof shut?

Wed Dec 02, 2009 5:53 pm

As a temporary fix, get some vynel (SP ?) that is used for car stripes etc big enough to cover the sunroof, if u're still getting water it's not that

Mon Dec 07, 2009 5:29 pm

You Kev, that may be an idea. Trouble is there is still water in there. Could at least blot as much of it out though.

Oh yeah and I have checked the door membranes and they are fine!