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[terry paget]

Gentlemen,
              I have run Senators and Omegas - wonderful cars -  for many years, but have only just discovered the great wisdom available on this site. I currently run six Omegas (all petrol, all manuals) for my family, doing all my own repairs.

Reading old questions and answers (they make fascinating reading). I  have realised the reason I have suffered misfires caused by water in the rearmost cylinders of several cars  is that it comes in via the scuttle.

What is the best way of waterproofing the scuttle?

Terry Paget
Midsomer Norton
BA3 2LP

[feeutfo]

IMO hose pipe some water on the screen so you can see where it leaks.

If the windscreen seal is firmly clipped to the bottom edge of the screen, and the scuttle itself is clipped in, then ime the most likely places are the spindle hole above pot 5 and the join above pot 6. It poors in from the metal lip underneath. It might be wise to cover the engine with plastic sheet first.

I sealed mine along the metal edge of the scuttle drain with a bead of cam cover sealer, as that was all I had at the time. Since purchasef some black gutter seal. I used sealant in place of the draft excluder foam they fit at the factory. It may be that it doesn't actually stick the scuttle down to the metal, but instead forms a dam and stops the water over flowing into the engine bay, but last I checked the foam in the underside of the scuttle was bone dry, so it seems to be working.

...interesting to see how others did thiers...? Best I could go at the time.



And welcome Terry

[tidla]

The foam hold and carries the water to where you don't want it. Wiper spindles for me.

[amba]

Totally removed entire scuttle and thoroughly cleaned curved section of firewall and removed all old foam from longest section of the scuttle.

Applied a very thick bead of silkaflex the entire lentgh of the curved sction of firewall where it meets the scuttle and refitted it pushing it tight into the goo.

Put black foam washers back onto wipre spindles and then applied another bead of sealant all around the top of them and pushed them tight to the underside of the scuttle and onto wiper spindles.Then another smear of sealant on the other side of the black foam circles to seal to the wiper spindle cut outs in scuttle.

To ensure everything dried I then clamped mole grips on vaious points to ensure total contact whilst sealant dried.Left it over night then refitted wipers and short section of scuttle and cleaned up .

Since then scuttle has never ever been removed despite replacing plug leads/camcover gaskets,but has not so much as leaked a drop so atleast I know the disspack is free from water and #5 and #6 plug wells are also not having the regular shower everytime its rains.

Has been water tight now for over a year     

[terry paget]

Thanks for advice Gentlemen. I have just put a hose on the windscreen with bonnet open, and water floods through the central wiper arm hole. It looks as though the only seal there is the foam washer beneath the plastic sheet (is this 'the scuttle'?). I am surprised that it ever sealed. I hope a new foam washer will cure it. Is there anything more worth doing at this stage?

Terry

[amba]

Just the black rubber/foam washer that sits onto the wiper spindle.

It seems to rely on the pressure of the scuttle panel pushing hard enough against it to form a seal  ...in reality it fails miserabley and imagine almost every Omega leaked through the wiper spindle area where it went through the scuttle.

New washers may reduce the leak but only certain cure is to seal the washer to the scuttle underneath then a smear of sealant around the top.

Could still allow water through wher the wiper shaft does go through but being a pretty tight fit doudt it would ever give any trouble.

Seal it and forget it is my advise

[terry paget]

Thanks for advice. I agree. I will buy new washers, and seal them top and bottom.

Terry

[terry paget]

Have bought new washers, 81p each TC, and replaced. The centre washer was where the leak took place, so I sealed that with cam cover black sealant. Leak cured!

Thanks for all the good advice.

[Sir Tigger KC]

They are buggers to seal!   

I have a feeling due to the 'Dugga dugga dugga' sound coming from under my bonnet that I'll soon be fitting my third dispack in as many years.....