Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega General Help => Topic started by: iansoutham on 19 January 2016, 18:07:55

Title: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 19 January 2016, 18:07:55
Okay, after having read through all the search topics on this and the problem now repeating, it is time to ask for some assistance.....

MY 1997/8 MFL Estate is collecting a lot of water in the ns footwells. The scuttle drain is completely clear and empty. The pollen filter is dry. Under the rear seat is dry and not rusty or showing signs of previous water ingress. Along the vertical parts of the carpet on the sills are dry. The windows are shut and the bottom of the door cards are dry with no obvious signs of water ingress on the inner sill trims. Now, the rear footwell is wet enough to put your hand on and get a hand under water. The front carpet feels "cold/damp" but when lifted has a LOT of water in the foam. The coolant level is not dropping, the heater floor vents are dry.

This originally happened around Christmas and the the rear carpet was dried out and the front was mopped out and then the foam hoovered to get as dry as possible. (The water was almost over the loom running along the bottom of the floorpan at the front). Fast  forward a week from then and everything was good again. No wet windscreen, no misting, etc.... Now, the last couple of days has seen this return. The sunroof is dripping on the inside of the glass from condensation, the windscreen is that wet you need a drying towel and both footwells are as bad as before.

I now know the carpets can be removed (will look at this this coming weekend possibly), this will be entertained. In the meantime, what else can anyone suggest?

I cannot park the car off road, so this does limit options slightly.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: BazaJT on 19 January 2016, 18:29:48
Does it have a sunroof?If so are the drain tubes for that clear?
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: Entwood on 19 January 2016, 18:30:21
Sun roof drains?  Pour some water down them and check it falls on the floor and does not dissapear into the car .. I seem to remember reading that the pipes can come off ?? Might be wrong but .......
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 19 January 2016, 18:38:31
Had thought of that but been unable to test the theory. What is the exit point if blocked/separated?
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 January 2016, 18:41:24
Had thought of that but been unable to test the theory. What is the exit point if blocked/separated?
Potentially the floor...

Remove the carpets regardless, would recommend the interior sill covers too, only a few screws, but might help to reveal the source...
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: BazaJT on 19 January 2016, 18:43:54
Don't know for sure-others will know better-but I think fronts run down screen pillar and empty behind front arch liner,rears again I believe empty into rear arch area.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 19 January 2016, 19:13:59
Had thought of that but been unable to test the theory. What is the exit point if blocked/separated?
Potentially the floor...

Remove the carpets regardless, would recommend the interior sill covers too, only a few screws, but might help to reveal the source...

Floor is sound. Have had all the carpets up enough to see as am used to 1980s Fords so am used to rusty floors
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 January 2016, 19:20:54
Sills and front bulkhead/floor seam to name but two...
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: minifreek on 19 January 2016, 19:52:36
When this happened on mine, it turned out to be a hole the size of your fist had appeared in the rear arch, behind the plastic cover at the front of the arch...

Had to remove everything in the rear so it didnt catch fire when I fabricated and welded new metal back in.... hasn't leaked since LOL

It happened when we was about 20 miles from our 2 weeks holiday and my lad was complaining of his feet getting wet.... they was wet alright, the rear footwell had about 2 inches of dirty water in it that had been thrown up by the tyre and into the car through the hole LOL
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: Andyv6 on 19 January 2016, 20:51:53
As its an estate does your rear washer work ? I have known this with other cars in the past where the washer pipe has split, not to sure where it runs on the omega estate, another thought does your a/c work and are the a/c drains clear ?, had this once with my vectra didn't twig it till I tasted the water to see if it was coolant or screen wash lol.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 19 January 2016, 21:04:16
As its an estate does your rear washer work ? I have known this with other cars in the past where the washer pipe has split, not to sure where it runs on the omega estate, another thought does your a/c work and are the a/c drains clear ?, had this once with my vectra didn't twig it till I tasted the water to see if it was coolant or screen wash lol.

Rear washer works fine. Good thought on the a/c drain. Will have to find where that goes.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: 05omegav6 on 19 January 2016, 21:09:47
As its an estate does your rear washer work ? I have known this with other cars in the past where the washer pipe has split, not to sure where it runs on the omega estate, another thought does your a/c work and are the a/c drains clear ?, had this once with my vectra didn't twig it till I tasted the water to see if it was coolant or screen wash lol.

Rear washer works fine. Good thought on the a/c drain. Will have to find where that goes.
through the top of the tunnel about level with the bell housing ;)
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 22 January 2016, 16:46:53
Cheers guys.

The plan is to remove the carpet after work tomorrow (advantage of a heated large workshop at work) and hang that up to dry.

I understand that the rear carpet comes out nice and easy after removing the seat belt mounts, loosening the rear of the centre console and not a lot else.

How does the front carpet remove? Is it in 2 pieces (left and right)? Do you NEED to remove the centre console or can it be loosened?
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: 05omegav6 on 22 January 2016, 17:21:04
Take the filler trim off the side of the seat, remove the trim panel from above foot well, locate and unscrew the two retaining the clips up on the bulkhead, slacken the front seat bolt next to the centre console then simply hoik the carpet out ;)

Refittimg will require removing the kick panel...
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 24 January 2016, 11:06:47
Well, removed the carpets yesterday. An hour after hanging the rear carpet up to drain, it was still raining  :'(

I had to cut the underlay foam on the front passenger footwell about a foot up as it would not remove. I can either replace later with a replacement one but will probably just put that one back for now, glued together to help join the 2 sections.

The underlay in the front drained about 2 litres out of it before I gave up and left it to dry.

It has rained last night but there is no fresh water trails yet. So will leave it for now and use it as is for work and see what happens next.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: 05omegav6 on 24 January 2016, 11:14:09
It's frightening just how much water that foam holds... ;)
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 27 January 2016, 17:18:18
Good news, have found the water leak.

Bad news, it is a small rust hole in the bulkhead where the pollen bulkhead tray meets the inner wheel arch. It would appear that years of built up gunk has eroded a small patch of metal.

This weekends work is to fix said hole. Pics to follow in daylight at the weekend.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: robson on 27 January 2016, 17:27:25
Its good news that you found the leak. Will this mean welding or a good patching with underseal or epoxy.Some kind of sealant maybe silicone or roof seal  could solve it. :y
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 27 January 2016, 17:58:58
Would ideally need welding, but, having worked in a Vauxhall bodyshop for 7 years, I have the same stuff that manufacturers use to bond body panels together.

The area will be cleaned to metal, a panel patch bonded on and then sealed both inside and out.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: robson on 28 January 2016, 09:06:49
Interesting is that a metal patch put on with your panel joining goo?
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 28 January 2016, 09:35:11
Interesting is that a metal patch put on with your panel joining goo?

Yep. I'll try to take pics of it to show what I mean
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: Ralph on 02 February 2016, 15:43:19
Hi Ian,
Where is the problem area visible from?
I've a water ingress that I'm struggling to find, maybe the same area.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 06 February 2016, 17:32:26
Hi Ian,
Where is the problem area visible from?
I've a water ingress that I'm struggling to find, maybe the same area.

Sorry I have not got back to you, computer rebuilding, lack of time and having to use phone for forums.

The hole was on the passenger side where the wheel arch meets the bulkhead and the inner wing. It looked okay on the outside, but the under seal was hiding it.

If you lift the carpet and put your hand under the underlay on the bulkhead, it will be wet if leaking gel there.
Will get some pics up when the computer is back up and running.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: Ralph on 09 February 2016, 10:29:58
Thanks Ian, yes that's leaking at the same place on mine, I guess it will a problem on quite a few migs, not easy to locate though.
The difficulty in getting the sound deadening pad out is a pain but it's never going to dry out in situ.
Title: Re: Wet Carpet, not scuttle or matrix
Post by: iansoutham on 09 February 2016, 14:45:36
Thanks Ian, yes that's leaking at the same place on mine, I guess it will a problem on quite a few migs, not easy to locate though.
The difficulty in getting the sound deadening pad out is a pain but it's never going to dry out in situ.

I ended up using a propane torch and a father for 45 minutes to dry it out enough, even after leaving it to dry for a week.