Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: D on 29 March 2015, 03:02:30

Title: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 03:02:30
Left car in the rain overnight, got in to drive away this morning and noticed a few drops of water dripping in from the passenger A pillar. At the point where the soft touch fabric meets that odd shaped plastic trim (upper end of the pillar).

What do you chaps reckon is the issue. Sunroof drain blocked?

Door seals look and feel intact. Headlining isnt soaked through. Just a small patch of dampness near the top end of the A pillar where a few drops of water seems to be leaking from.

Maybe I should recycle the old girl and get a new VXR8.  :-[
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 03:13:25
Left car in the rain overnight, got in to drive away this morning and noticed a few drops of water dripping in from the passenger A pillar. At the point where the soft touch fabric meets that odd shaped plastic trim (upper end of the pillar).

What do you chaps reckon is the issue. Sunroof drain blocked?

Door seals look and feel intact. Headlining isnt soaked through. Just a small patch of dampness near the top end of the A pillar where a few drops of water seems to be leaking from.

Maybe I should recycle the old girl and get a new VXR8.  :-[
Exactly :y might need to strip the a pillar top to bottom and possibly also the front wing for access to the drain to ensure it's completely clear and connected at the joints, if any. Rear drains probably in a similar state, drain either side of the boot iirc...
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 15:01:51
Oh bollicks. Might as well crush the old girl then. The old misfire is back as well. Although I think that may be the 135 coil pack being original.

Do you have a working 135 coil pack with you that I could try to cure the misfire issue. It could also be a LPG hardware issue, although my bet is the coil pack, which I think may be an original factory item. Oddly it only misfires when cold and then settles down completely once warm. Which is odd for a dodgy coil pack.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 15:24:02
Coil pack, probably... will check :y

Condensation could cause a cold misfire, so possible some water has gotten past the seal :-\ at least it's the easy side...

As a temporary solution to the sunroof leak, it can simply be taped up and the fuse pulled. But worth running a straightened wire coat hanger down and up all four drains to ensure they're clear, but if they are clear and water still gets in, the repairs will be labour intensive. Not sure it's enough to justify crushing it though, unless you fancy a change... Car is otherwise tidy iirc :y
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: JamesV6CDX on 29 March 2015, 15:26:14
If AL doesn't have a coil pack for you to try - I will - where are you located in SE London? :y
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: robson on 29 March 2015, 15:28:44
Dont know much about this but why not fill the drains with silicone and as suggested take out fuse. better than scrap yard.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 15:33:12
Dont know much about this but why not fill the drains with silicone and as suggested take out fuse. better than scrap yard.
No. No. And, er, no... :o

All that will achieve is filling the roof with water, which is sort of what's happenening with a blocked drain. To seal it requires taping around the circumference of the sunroof to cover the existing seal... this seal is actually a glorified draft excluder rather than a watertight seal, hence the need for the drains...  :y
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 17:20:34
Dont know much about this but why not fill the drains with silicone and as suggested take out fuse. better than scrap yard.

Sunroof isnt watertight, the water is kept out of the cabin via the drains, block it and you will have a downpour into the cabin.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 17:22:12
If AL doesn't have a coil pack for you to try - I will - where are you located in SE London? :y

Sorry, I should change it, but I am in Surrey and often wander close to where Al is based, hence me asking him.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 17:24:26
Coil pack, probably... will check :y

Condensation could cause a cold misfire, so possible some water has gotten past the seal :-\ at least it's the easy side...

As a temporary solution to the sunroof leak, it can simply be taped up and the fuse pulled. But worth running a straightened wire coat hanger down and up all four drains to ensure they're clear, but if they are clear and water still gets in, the repairs will be labour intensive. Not sure it's enough to justify crushing it though, unless you fancy a change... Car is otherwise tidy iirc :y

I remember someone suggesting bendy curtain hanging wire. Lets see what I can dig out.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 21:08:17
I have three 135 coil packs, two are, er, grotty, tother is almost mint except for the #1 coil which is very slightly rusty, but already cracked :-\

Welcome to try any of them though to test the theory :y

And codes from the pedal trick?
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 29 March 2015, 21:22:05
Havent checked codes. Issue is pre-existing codes from when the fuel pump relay issue was throwing up codes. I may need to invest in a code reader.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 21:24:22
Havent checked codes. Issue is pre-existing codes from when the fuel pump relay issue was throwing up codes. I may need to invest in a code reader.
Thee and mee both ::)
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: Andy B on 29 March 2015, 21:28:49
....
I remember someone suggesting bendy curtain hanging wire. Lets see what I can dig out.

They're better if you can find one ..... a straightened out coat hanger, as well as being a bit short, could puncture the plastic drain tube, a curtain wire won't.  :y
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 29 March 2015, 21:44:31
Homebase, Wilkinsons or B&Q probably, or a fabric shop :-\
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 03 May 2015, 21:13:15
So finally managed to get some wire and before prodding it down the front passenger side drain wanted to ask. Given that the drip seems to be only near the a pillar.

Does this suggest the drain tube is leaking along its course? Or perhaps broken? Would actually prodding it with a wire actually make it worse?
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: chrisgixer on 03 May 2015, 21:46:46
Is it possible the windscreen seal is leaking?

Can you poor water down the drain and see if it flows away first, to test?
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 03 May 2015, 22:10:56
Seems to be dripping and wet at the very top of the A pillar, where the soft material meets the plasticky bit of trim. All around the sunroof as such is dry. Which is why I am wondering if it is the drain tube itself that has perished? Viewing the drain tube must involve removing the roof lining I presume?
Suppose I could syringe some water down the drain and check it flows freely/leaks into the cabin.
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: D on 05 May 2015, 21:25:33
So poured some water into the drain on the side of the leak and it all drained down without an issue. No leaks to see following this, but not sure what to do now. Window seal looks like new.

Stupid Omega!  >:(
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 05omegav6 on 05 May 2015, 22:01:55
So poured some water into the drain on the side of the leak and it all drained down without an issue. No leaks to see following this, but not sure what to do now. Window seal looks like new.

Stupid Omega!  >:(
That could be a volume issue... it only leaks when it's pishing down, try again with more water :-\
Title: Re: Leaky A pillar
Post by: 4x4 on 05 May 2015, 23:40:08
I see STMO has not posted on this thread yet,thought he was the resident expert on leaks  ;D