Water in the front foot well ??

Need technical Q/A then you're in the right place

Moderator: martauto

Post Reply
m-dtech
Unapproved Trader caution
Posts: 2068
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:00 pm

Sat Sep 02, 2006 9:50 pm

any ideas as to where its coming from ?

oh and i dont have a sunroof.
kingcruizer
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 749
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: m4 j17

Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:01 pm

hello mate. your water problem may be one of two things. 1, the heater matrix might be leaking located up under the centre consol. 2, your front jackng points may be rotted out and water from the road is getting in there. hope that helps. :)
"BEFORE I DIE, I WANT TO OWN A CAR WITH AN ENGINE THAT STICKS OUT OF THE BONNET"
m-dtech
Unapproved Trader caution
Posts: 2068
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:00 pm

Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:09 pm

underside is sound and sealed i did this few weeks ago.

heater matrix is a possibility....
liam012
E30 Zone Camper
E30 Zone Camper
Posts: 1424
Joined: Sun Aug 28, 2005 11:00 pm

Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:20 pm

passenger side under fuse box in the bulk head is prone to rust and corrosion
Image
jagtech2002
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: cheshire

Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:42 pm

i had this problem on my is, after several water tests turns out it was leaking past the c pillar trim, when the the car was parked on a slight incline it was running forward into the passenger footwell,might be worth checking dude??? :?:
kam-325i
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 4851
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: TELFORD !!!! (Shropshire) Stevetigger Land !!!
Contact:

Sat Sep 02, 2006 10:54 pm

My "water if the front passenger footwell" was caused by a leaky gromet, the big one thats behind the glovebox/under the fusebox. I just took it out, cleaned the area and fitted it back, been fine since....
Pete don't care about colour, He would shag a rainbow if he could find the end of it....
Image
E30Adam
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 8483
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: Bournemouth
Contact:

Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:25 pm

kam-325i wrote:My "water if the front passenger footwell" was caused by a leaky gromet, the big one thats behind the glovebox/under the fusebox. I just took it out, cleaned the area and fitted it back, been fine since....
This begs the question as to why/how there's water getting to that point in the engine bay, definately not a good sign.
Image

2.8 Litre M20 powered - Essen Sie meinen Staub biatch
kam-325i
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 4851
Joined: Tue Sep 27, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: TELFORD !!!! (Shropshire) Stevetigger Land !!!
Contact:

Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:29 pm

E30Adam wrote:
kam-325i wrote:My "water if the front passenger footwell" was caused by a leaky gromet, the big one thats behind the glovebox/under the fusebox. I just took it out, cleaned the area and fitted it back, been fine since....
This begs the question as to why/how there's water getting to that point in the engine bay, definately not a good sign.
Scuttle panel was holed........(Wholed/hole'd/'oled....)...erm rusty as hell and blocked drain....
Pete don't care about colour, He would shag a rainbow if he could find the end of it....
Image
E30Adam
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 8483
Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:00 pm
Location: Bournemouth
Contact:

Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:41 pm

A classic E30 flaw unfortunately!!
Image

2.8 Litre M20 powered - Essen Sie meinen Staub biatch
jagtech2002
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 140
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: cheshire

Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:44 pm

ah great, got that to look forward too then!!!
m-dtech
Unapproved Trader caution
Posts: 2068
Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 11:00 pm

Sat Sep 02, 2006 11:48 pm

its driver foot well and only been in the last few days... all that i have done differently is drive the car.
old_skool
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 3405
Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Glossersure

Sun Sep 03, 2006 10:43 am

Sorry to state the obvious but haver you been keeping an eye on the coolant level?

If the matrix was leaking it would more than likely do it hot because of the thermal expansion of the matrix and the pressure of flow caused by waterside resistance accross the matrix. :cool:

Have had experience of this myself. I haven't looked at the matrix on mine but at may be as easy as to do a visual inspection. otherwise, pop up the carpet, dry the area with tissue and take the little fella through the local car wash with your partner upside down in the passenger seat with a torch :wink: that'll do it! 1/2 an hour and the jobs a goodun'
User avatar
patrick85
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 94
Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Rep. of Ireland

Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:36 pm

Check the drain off thingy on the bulkhead. It's beside the brake servo. It's a 2" long rubbery pipe and if it gets blocked the water will fill up behind the bulkhead and make it's way in. This happened to me on 2 E30's with wet passenger footwells.
visionz
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 327
Joined: Tue Jun 13, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Weymouth

Sun Sep 03, 2006 5:53 pm

As liam said check under the fusebox.. mine rotted out there and i had a 325 swimming pool :(
Bavarian Motor Works - German Muscle
geo1400
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Paphos, Cyprus

Thu Sep 07, 2006 9:41 pm

Def check under the fuse box AND under battery/tray. I had both, letting water in both footwells!!

Best thing to do is pull carpets back, dry the footwells off and spray talcum powder or flour all around the high points. then with a hose or kettle try different parts of the car at a time, i.e battery tray, under fuse box, vents where wiper motors are etc. This will show you exactly where it's coming from, how to fix it? mmm.... If you do let me know how!!

Geo1400 :x
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:37 am

recently had a plate welded in passenger floor

ever since mine has a wet carpet
turns out to be the sunroof drain the tit has managed to bugger up the end
of drain so now wet carpets :cry:
classic swimming pool in footwell
god knows how im gonna solve it :roll:
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:40 am

headlining out and trim around A-pillar and stick some plastic tubing in to make your own drain channel?
dazleeds
old skool raver
old skool raver
Posts: 12883
Joined: Fri Apr 01, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Empire Building @

Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:41 am

E30BeemerLad wrote:headlining out and trim around A-pillar and stick some plastic tubing in to make your own drain channel?
oh nooooooo
not the rooflining please anything but that :cry: :cry:
www.oldskoolfantasy.co.uk
in the shit,the one to blame,yeh its all my fault ;)
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Fri Sep 08, 2006 10:42 am

or maybe some chewing gum in the drain hole in the sunroof enclosure.
haha
geo1400
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Paphos, Cyprus

Fri Sep 08, 2006 12:27 pm

First things first... drill a hole in the lowest part of the footwell, but make sure you use sealer or waxoil around the edges so it doesn't rust!! drilled holes are NOT an MOT failiour. This will take care of any puddles!

Tell me this tho... I've just had a plate welded in both footwells, where does the problem arise with the drain?

Hope m-dtech has sorted his prob by the way!

Geo1400
brightyboy
E30 Zone Newbie
E30 Zone Newbie
Posts: 128
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: south wales UK
Contact:

Sat Sep 09, 2006 2:21 pm

i have this problem in my passenger footwell and im stumped aswell,check all the rubber grommets under the carpets,still aint figured it out though.

it pays to dry the carpets properly though or your car will smell damp
Image
E30Mark
E30 Zone Team Member
E30 Zone Team Member
Posts: 8107
Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Wimborne, Dorset

Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:57 pm

my dear old 323i used to be a mobile swimming pool, but then i found the leak! the water was running in through the multiway wiring connector on the A post, resealed rubber boot and the leak stopped!
1 & 2 bed flats in Bournemouth areas, with parking
PM for details
E30BeemerLad
Married to the E30 Zone
Married to the E30 Zone
Posts: 16806
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2005 11:00 pm
Location: Norfolk

Sat Sep 09, 2006 4:15 pm

just gotta hope your bulkhead ain't rusted through under the fusebox area like mine was.

It was a proper poseidon adventure theme going on. It also rusted through into the wheel arch area so when you drove in the wet the tyre chucked water straight up against the bulkhead area and into the cabin, look where the rust stains are coming from up behind the glovebox
Image
geo1400
E30 Zone Regular
E30 Zone Regular
Posts: 275
Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 11:00 pm
Location: Paphos, Cyprus

Tue Sep 12, 2006 9:26 pm

Have you nicked my car and painted it silver?!

I think we have to come to terms with the fact our cars are old and slowly rotting so just have to grin and bare it. :eek: I've decided just to drill the holes to stop puddles and then try block water from getting into the 'problem' areas. Don't think there is a solution, or at least a cheap one anyway.

:x
Post Reply