Forum:
Hopefully somebody here can help with a problem I'm having with my ’92 Sportrak. A few months ago, to my horror I found both rear wheel arches had seriously rusted around the roll-bar bolts and allowed water inside to do more damage. One new wheel arch (could only get one side) and lots of platting latter I now have one repaired and water-tight sporty. Wrong, today I found the area around the drivers seat wet. Where oh where is the bl**dy water coming in? Is there a common water entry point that they all suffer from? The metal around the windscreen is rusty but seems O.K.
I have a suspicion it could be from the fan/duct system but the bulkhead is dry. Could the doors be allowing water in somehow?
Any and all suggestions would be most helpful.
Heater matrix
Your heater matrix is leaking. The heater matrix is central and below the dash ... under the radio,sits in the box on top of the central tunnel. At 18yrs old the matrix will be rotton. Water leaks and drips onto the carpet bewteen tunnel and radio and soaks down to the carpet - hence a wet floor.
Check if the coolant in the overflow reservoir has emptied or reduced. Quite often the sign is a gushing noise in the matrix when a cold engine is started. This is cooland being pumped into the matrix to replace the void where the cooland leaked out whilst the engine was cold.
The alternative fault could be condensation dripping from the roof. Usually just a few drips rather than a soaking!
Wet Sporty
Thanks for your replies. I didn’t consider the matrix; could water from outside in the gully in front of the windscreen let water in? Checked the fluid level in the overflow, O.K. and the carpet around the centre console/dash is bone dry both sides. I did notice a small amount of water on top of the plastic sill guard just underneath the door. I’ve done some work on the door in the past and have removed the polythene from the door inner. Could this allow water in? We’ve had a lot of rain recently this being not too normal weather for summer. The sun roof has been discounted as during the off road time when repairs where being made I seam sealed every butting point in the roof area, treated and repainted inside. Also did round the rest of the car (had the hard-top removed).
Robert
Also check the radiator.
Coolant level in reservoir could look ok but remove the radiator cap and check the coolant is full to overflow. Often the overflow fails due to an air lock at the top of the radiator especially if the matrix is leaking whilst the motor is cold.
I was going to mention a rust
I had mentioned a rust hole I had under the driver seat but what Mace said is more likely.