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    Lakes in my car.. leak problem.

    I have searched.. I have troubleshooted.. I have soaked and soaked and soaked up water.. (diapers are god right now.. they hold gallons haha)

    Hokay so every time it rains or snows there is a lake in my driver side foot well (front driver's side if the nose is up hill, and rear driver's side if the nose is pointed down hill..) I've tested the sunroof drains and they do drain... I have noticed a small drizzle coming down the firewall behind the brake/clutch pedal. (that area mines an auto)



    Are there any drains I am missing?

    How long should it take for the sunroof to drain (mine takes about 1 to 2 second(s) to start coming out the rockers)

    Could water be making its way in the vents by my wipers?

    Could water be leaking through the brake booster or any grommets?

    I'm super stumped :( any suggestions would be great thx in advance

    Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

    #2
    Hmm. No rust holes? By the way you describe it, I'm kind of at a loss. Have you tried using a hose on specific areas to see if you can recreate the problem?

    Part of what's getting me is that it happens when it's parked. If there was a bad seal in the booster/whatever, I still wouldn't necessarily expect water to get in there when it rains, reason being, I would think the channel around the engine bay along with the seal would keep water from going down your firewall. I could be wrong, but I don't think the cowl vents would be the cause. That cavity should be sealed from the interior, and I would think it would have a drain as well. Maybe there's a seal in there that has gone bad. I don't know.

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      #3
      Originally posted by rturbo 930 View Post
      Hmm. No rust holes? By the way you describe it, I'm kind of at a loss. Have you tried using a hose on specific areas to see if you can recreate the problem?

      Part of what's getting me is that it happens when it's parked. If there was a bad seal in the booster/whatever, I still wouldn't necessarily expect water to get in there when it rains, reason being, I would think the channel around the engine bay along with the seal would keep water from going down your firewall. I could be wrong, but I don't think the cowl vents would be the cause. That cavity should be sealed from the interior, and I would think it would have a drain as well. Maybe there's a seal in there that has gone bad. I don't know.
      There is a few rust holes in the wheel well and on passenger side.. but those don't seem to be the problem as it happens when parked.. I notice no water when moving.. and no I haven't tried a hose as all the taps are frozen right now [emoji14] (gotta love Canadian winters) I will have to look in to cowel drains.. and the thing that confuses me most is why there would be water in the rear foot well when it's pointed down hill.. you think it would pool by the pedals..

      Thanks for the suggestions though I will for sure try the hose... Maybe take it to the car wash and soak it down. Hope my sub is OK.. it was sitting in the puddle all night :(

      Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

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        #4
        Originally posted by RobTapps88 View Post
        and the thing that confuses me most is why there would be water in the rear foot well when it's pointed down hill.. you think it would pool by the pedals..
        Didn't catch that the first time, had to go back and reread it. Yeah, that makes no sense whatsoever. Gravity doesn't work that way. My first thought would be that you have more than one leak, and that the hump in the floor that prevents the water traveling where you would expect it to go. Have you checked to see if you get water under the rear seat? How are you window seals? Specifically, rear side windows and front windshield. I would also try taking your rear door cards out and looking for signs of water damage.

        Even still, it would be really hard to get water in the rear foot well with the nose pointing down hill. There just aren't many places for it to come in.

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          #5
          Originally posted by rturbo 930 View Post
          Didn't catch that the first time, had to go back and reread it. Yeah, that makes no sense whatsoever. Gravity doesn't work that way. My first thought would be that you have more than one leak, and that the hump in the floor that prevents the water traveling where you would expect it to go. Have you checked to see if you get water under the rear seat? How are you window seals? Specifically, rear side windows and front windshield. I would also try taking your rear door cards out and looking for signs of water damage.

          Even still, it would be really hard to get water in the rear foot well with the nose pointing down hill. There just aren't many places for it to come in.
          I'll go check if there is water under the rear seat right now.. gotta go attach the AFM again anyway

          Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by rturbo 930 View Post
            *Removed* My first thought would be that you have more than one leak, and that the hump in the floor that prevents the water traveling where you would expect it to go. Have you checked to see if you get water under the rear seat? *Removed* There just aren't many places for it to come in.
            Yes there is water under the back seat and tracing it I found this..

            I also found this... Another rust holes under the sound dampening.... FML...



            And as I was typing this I just found this... Fuck what a lemon.. kinda wanna smack the kid I bought it off.. (I even looked at the strut towers ffs.. guess I didn't look good enough..)



            Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

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              #7
              Is that water on the side of the wheel well in the first pic? Inside the cowl in the last pic, or is that a wheel well? Sucks, but those are both pretty small rust holes, and don't seem to extend very far. Minor rust, IMO. Hopefully you don't find much more. Might be tough getting the welder in to fix the second one though without tearing the car apart. Still gotta find the source of the water though. Window seals and sunroof drains are what I'd be looking at. I know you said the sunroof drains work, but if there's a rust hole somewhere that would cause a problem, or if the rubber hoses came off in the trunk.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by rturbo 930 View Post
                Is that water on the side of the wheel well in the first pic? Inside the cowl in the last pic, or is that a wheel well? Sucks, but those are both pretty small rust holes, and don't seem to extend very far. Minor rust, IMO. Hopefully you don't find much more. Might be tough getting the welder in to fix the second one though without tearing the car apart. Still gotta find the source of the water though. Window seals and sunroof drains are what I'd be looking at. I know you said the sunroof drains work, but if there's a rust hole somewhere that would cause a problem, or if the rubber hoses came off in the trunk.
                The first pic is the drivers rear well, it appears water is pooling by the seal then overflowing (or underflowing?) Through the seal dripping on to the shock tower then finding its way down to the rear foot well.

                The hole in the rear seat should be easy to fix and the 2nd hole is the top of the rear passenger wheel well.. it will most likely have to be welded from the outside and because it's not visible it doesn't have to be pretty.. there are a couple more larger holes on the driver's side where the jack would be held but again under trim and in the wheel well..

                Looks like I will be picking up an eBay welder soon...

                Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

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                  #9
                  Where you find water and where it comes from are typically totally different.

                  1) I used some string trimmer string to chase the front holes of the sunroof drains all the way to the door sill where they come out.

                  2) As for the back sunroof drains, I blew air in from the bottom to ensure they are clear.

                  3) There are 3 drains in the HVAC air box. Make sure they are not cracked and connected properly

                  4) Where the AC hoses enter for the expansion valve, that seal can leak.

                  5) Remove the cowl vent covers. Make sure the drains out the side are clear.

                  6) On the passengers side cowl there is a drain out under the hood (AKA the elephant trunk), make sure that's clear.

                  7) Where both the front sunroof hoses exit by the foot well speakers, make sure they are connected properly (but if you snake them down from the top as in #1 you're probably good, but double check

                  8) For the trunk, make sure the sunroof drain hoses are properly connected to the bottom exits

                  9) Again for the trunk, the radio antenna can leak.

                  How's that for a list?
                  2004 525i Manual - 1985 325E Coupe Manual

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Tomstin - Great list! I just printed it for when I get around to diagnosing the driver floor leak on the Touring.

                    One question - the "cowl vent covers" are the black plastic pieces that the wiper shafts go through, correct?

                    Cory
                    1992 325i Cabrio
                    1988 320i Touring
                    2000 M5
                    1977 530i
                    2015 328i - Euro Delivery/Performance Center Delivery
                    BMWCCA
                    E30CCA

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by tomstin View Post
                      Where you find water and where it comes from are typically totally different.

                      1) I used some string trimmer string to chase the front holes of the sunroof drains all the way to the door sill where they come out.

                      2) As for the back sunroof drains, I blew air in from the bottom to ensure they are clear.

                      3) There are 3 drains in the HVAC air box. Make sure they are not cracked and connected properly

                      4) Where the AC hoses enter for the expansion valve, that seal can leak.

                      5) Remove the cowl vent covers. Make sure the drains out the side are clear.

                      6) On the passengers side cowl there is a drain out under the hood (AKA the elephant trunk), make sure that's clear.

                      7) Where both the front sunroof hoses exit by the foot well speakers, make sure they are connected properly (but if you snake them down from the top as in #1 you're probably good, but double check

                      8) For the trunk, make sure the sunroof drain hoses are properly connected to the bottom exits

                      9) Again for the trunk, the radio antenna can leak.

                      How's that for a list?
                      I figured it out already lol.. thanks tho

                      Sent from my LG-H831 using Tapatalk

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by cory58 View Post
                        the "cowl vent covers" are the black plastic pieces that the wiper shafts go through, correct?

                        Cory
                        Correct! They tend to collect a lot of junk
                        2004 525i Manual - 1985 325E Coupe Manual

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