Boot full of water.

[DMT]

My 190 mile drive home in pouring rain, from picking up my new stag resulted in 2" of water in the boot.,

I recently looked into the reason and believe the water is getting into the boot not from the boot seal but from over the tonneau cover seal down the rear bulkhead into the boot that way. I found the tonneau seal was not sealing with the tonneau cover and water was going over it . This is a new seal. I have subsequently raised the seal with window draft excluder and the gap is now much reduced.

Has anyone thought about drilling drain holes in the boot to stop this water invisibly building up. I guess these holes could let water in and be a rust point.

Any opinions appreciated.

Dave

[Lingen]

Dave.
With the soft top up, isn't the tonneau seal completely covered by the hood material all the way round? I can't see rain getting at it while driving. I think the only way water might reach the seal is if the car was parked facing down hill in heavy rain.
Perhaps it is getting in through the rear light seals, as quite a lot of water runs down the boot lid side gutters on to the lights, when driving..
Mike.

[DMT]

Hi Mike

I have replaced the light seals, but I will have another test, with my little watering can.

The car was parked in the garage since picking it up. I removed the fuel tank and re-piped all the petrol connections and the boot floor looked good.

The only time the car has been in the rain was when it was sitting outside the garage for two weeks with no front suspension.

The small amount of water in the boot must have arrived then, as yes the hood covers all the tonneau and seals. As the car didn't move it points to your light seal theory as the boot drain channel is in good nick.

Cheers

Dave

[sujitroy]

if u take off the chrome covers behind the b post u will see a drain hole attached to a plastic pipe. this hole is in the channel for the tonnu seal. may not solve your problem but worth checking that these are not blocked.

[DMT]

Thanks Sujit

Both tubes clear.

I am focusing on rear light seal at the moment.

Dave

[DZP]

Hi Dave,
Check the fuel filler drain pipe.
If you open the fuel cap you will see the hole that drains water out through a pipe in the boot floor.
If the drain pipe is disconnected internally, then rain water etc. flows straight into the boot.
Den

[sujitroy]

on the rear lights there is a u shaped metal bracket. if over tightened they bend the panel a bit. maybe water is getting in at those points . water could be getting in from the boot lid and running through the seal in the rear lights

[richardthestag]

Nowt wrong with drilling a drain hole in the boot floor and protecting the bare steel with grease or something better.

My sister told me that the spare wheel well of her car was full of water, she sent me a photo of two plastic ducks floating in it

[DJT]

Nowt wrong with drilling a drain hole in the boot floor and protecting the bare steel with grease or something better.

My sister told me that the spare wheel well of her car was full of water, she sent me a photo of two plastic ducks floating in it

Doesn’t help here, but the only time I’ve had a car boot flooded with water in nearly 50 years of car ownership was with a brand new Vauxhall Cavalier in 1986. It had a sliding sunroof and one of the rubber drain hoses fed water into the boot instead of through the boot floor. And it was delivered like that. Within 6 months, rust was showing through the bodywork in many places.

[DMT]

I rebuilt the fuel tank drains and breathers, so that should be the first place I should have checked.

I need to wire up a relay mod to stop the extra brake lights coming on when reversing, so will try my watering can test and see if the lights leak.

Dave, I had a new Ford Orion that after three weeks had a flooded boot due to the robot not sealing the rear wheel arches. The next rainy day after receiving it back, boot full of water again.

They had not checked if the other wheel arch had been sealed!!!

Dave

[sujitroy]

under my spare wheel or on that area is a 1 inch rubber plug

[DMT]

Getting somewhere I hope.

Checked the light seals for leaks, all OK. Checked the fuel cap internal drain, OK. Poured water over the outside of the fuel cap and bingo water running down the inside panel, but not from the cap but from the lower Stag rear side badge. It still had it's original gasket but it was hanging off inside. I checked the other side which also had the original gasket but this one seemed to be OK.

I have ordered a couple of new gaskets which now are a different design, now identical to the front side indicator seals.

Once these are fitted I will hopefully have a dry boot.

Thanks for all the help.

Dave

[sujitroy]

Check SOC spares for the original style gasket. My car was repaired and the flat style gasket seals better.

Sujit

Sujit

[sujitroy]

Just checked. SOC Spares . A photo of it is there, but it is no longer stocked.

[DMT]

Thanks Sujit

Dave