Boot Leak Syndrome!

[Martin75]

Hello everyone,

Over the 4 years, from new I've owned my 75, I've had a periodically wet boot. At high-tide the spare wheel well was brimming.

Anyway after a scan of the posts here, I armed myself with silicone lubricant and went all round the rear light clusters 'a la Greeners' post.

Presto the tide went out! (8 months ago).

However there's always been a suspicion of damp, and just recently I found just the near-side carpet soaked and the chipboard rear deck tray resembling the rear of a cello.

So out it all comes, dried the panel out over a week, with weights to return it's original flat condition, carpets over radiators etc etc.

Loathe to go through all this again, I thoroughly dried the naked boot out with a fan, lining it afterwards, with double layered newspaper. I left the car outside for 48 hours (rain in this period) and upon inspection the covering in the same near-side position had reduced the jolly 'Sun' to pulp (or returned it as many would say)!

As the car had not been driven, I conclude the ingress must be emanating from the rubber boot lid lip/cover that runs around the weld seam, or possibly the oft referred to side trim clip holes.

I pulled the rubber boot lip liner up and then re-seated it. (not siliconed)

A few gallons later via a watering can around the boot lid and side trims - no water showing inside, after 10 mins!

Next morning the same area again was wet - so;

Can the light clusters leak that much, even when the vehicle is stood?

If it's the side trim holes, can the water travel time exceed 10 mins?

Can it be as simple as the boot lid lip seal just needs siliconing?

Any help from fellow sufferers appreciated.

Martin

[GERFIX]

Originally Posted by Martin75

Can it be as simple as the boot lid lip seal just needs siliconing?

Any help from fellow sufferers appreciated.

Martin

I'm beginning to think that this might be the case as I have done all the same fixes but still ended up with water getting in from somewhere. I'm convinced the rubber seal is to blame and I have re-seated it a couple of times to try to fix it. There are a couple of nicks out of mine which might be part of the problem too. It really is frustrating though.

[Parker]

I too had rear light syndrome which I cured but was still getting water in the right hand side of the boot. Turned out that the fitting holding the rear chrome trim on were not fully tight, tightened them up and since then no water at all. I have also read a dab of silicone around the fittings may help.

[Martin75]

Thank you both, I'll take a photo of a small top surface nick on my boot lip rubber.

This morning I think I've traced some of the problem to the nearide rear light cluster, at least that's where it seems to be coming from after another early wet morning.

It's amazing - I've never had this with any make of car previously owned. I wonder why 75's suffer this problem? Too many trim holes perhaps?

I suppose its a matter of 'bunging' up every possible crevice and rivet hole until it stops, but it seems many have tried and failed in this byzantine endeavour.

'Parker' is yours a facelift? Both my Mki's were company cars, with dry boots. Whilst they covered 87 & 67k each, they were only 2 years old, when replaced. Maybe WBS is an ageing process?

I'll put the photo of the tiny imperfection tomorrow.

Martin

[Devilish]

My water in the wheel well was water ingrress through the boot seal.
A lot of water runs down the void past the light clusters and it does get underneath the seal at the bottom
Remove it completely (marking the top centre) for accurate refitting, clean and dry the seal. Clean and dry the retaining lip, if there is any rust due to the water ingress clean and paint it. This may well indicate where the water was getting past the seal. Replace the seal, do not push all the way down. I used a skeleton gun and black silicone with a fine nosel cut. Run a bead of silicone just under the rubber lip of the seal from just above the top of one light cluster to the other, then press seal into place. If you have run an even bead, sufficient to seal under the lip. job done. I had to wipe a tiny ammount of silicone from the seal all the way along the seal where I ran the silicone bead, so I know I used enough. As for the 'Yeh but how do you get it off' if you clean and seal it correctly it will also prevent rust through water ingress. If you have to remove it, it will be bacause it needs replacing, and it is just a bead of silicone, the seal will pull off.

[Martin75]

Thanks,

I'm going to have a go tomorrow, with the silicone, the inner trim is very wet at the bottom (rt hand corner as you stand behind) where the light cluster seal finishes, so I'll have that off and give your suggestion a go and thanks for the help.

Martin

[Glyndwr]

Reviving an old thread here but the 2002 75 SE T that I bought today has its own pond under the spare wheel...

About silicone: is there any particular brand or type that is eminently suitable for the repair jobs mentioned above?

[wuzerk]

For goodness sake drill a couple of drain holes in the spare wheel well then at least you will not be lugging several gallons of water around because, sooner or later it seems you will get a leak in the boot from any one of four or five possible places. Drill two holes and immediately paint the edges, job done.

[First_damned]

Best to sort the source of the leak rather than just drill holes like what was done in my car. I used glazing silicone but bathroom silicone would do too

[MrDoodles]

Originally Posted by wuzerk

For goodness sake drill a couple of drain holes in the spare wheel well then at least you will not be lugging several gallons of water around because, sooner or later it seems you will get a leak in the boot from any one of four or five possible places. Drill two holes and immediately paint the edges, job done.

Or of course, find the leaks and stop them!