Forums Forums Enthusiast Forums A - Z Autowirral Water getting in

funny, i bought a 1300VP off a guy in north wales last week and i was talking to him about your mums car.

my wife's granddad used to have a garage opposite your mums one, he had a 71 teal blue clubman in it.

Mum's car will be the one you have seen around Wallasey Village. Yes, I do remember her having a "smoke" problem one day. It was due to a short in the trafficator switch. The switch was replaced - but ironically is in need of replacing again. I have just picked up a replacement of Ebay.

I went to see Chris_G today and he gave me a few ideas (THANKS CHRIS) that I can have a go at fairly quickly.

I am sure you are right about the real source of the problem being the box on the bulkhead where rainwater drains through the grill just under the windscreen. I have checked that the box drains OK ie pout in a can of water and it drains out under the wheel arch as it is supposed to do. I am not yet quite sure from WHERE it drains - I need the car up on my ramps for that. It is common for the drain pipes to get blocked with decomposing leaves and other junk - but these drain freely.

However, almost certainly there is some corrosion/ holes in the base of that box. NOT the easiest job to get in there to seal anything up (big understatement). IF (big IF) I could push a stick or similar up the drain pipe from the box (so it will not get blocked) then I guess I could pour several successive lots of Waxoyl in through the grill and then let each lot set to build up a layer. If that job was done on a hot summer days (is that a joke?) the Waxoyl solvent would evaporate quite quickly. When set - pull the stick back out of the drain pipe.

Should work

Heath Robinson would be proud of me

Snod

Try a plastic bag over the grilles, and then give it a good hosing to with water to see if it's stopped.

David - effectively that procedure in place as of this afternoon. Once the full car cover arrives it should solve a lot of the problem anyway. I suppose the real answer is that mum should go put her car in her lock-up (200 yards away) BUT I do not want her to do that because it will be a disincentive for her to USE the car and (a) the car needs using regularly (b) it is good for mum to get out and about. So, a car cover and parked by her front door is the answer for the moment.

I picked up a full car cover from Motorworld but it was far too heavy and bulky. Even I had problems handling it. I have a lightweight one on order. OK, it will not last as long but who cares - just get another if it wears out. They are not that expensive.

Snod