Hi Everyone....
Can you please help?? I seem to have problem with my MRS - 2000 yom in terms of the passsenger side floor is wet and starting to smell... I cannot work out where it is coming from???
Its only the passengers side of the vehicle and it is mainly the side furthest away from the door... its seems to be ok nearest the door..
Any ideas??
Thanks in advance s:D :D s:D
Sounds very much like a leak from the heater matrix or pipes thereabouts.
I'm afraid it will be a head down in the footwell job to check it out.
Also, keep an eye on the coolant level. Are you having to top it up?
Water level is fine and the worst of the leak seems to be behind the passengers side seat !!
Sounds like you might need to clear out your drains.
If you slowly open your soft top, from the outside look in where the hood mechanism is. Can you see or feel and water?
Any water in the storage compartments behind the seats?
No water in storage compartment... Used to be but we cleaned the drain out that is behind the passenger side compartment.. May have to double check it again though
Did a search and found this old post!
My 2004 has got a soaking wet floor, under the passenger seat. the roof appears to be sound, the top of the drain 'plug hole' is clear, as is the outlet behind (both) intakes, I've run a wire through both sides, totally dry and clear.
The luggage bins are both bone dry, as is the drivers side. Its just like someone has opened the passenger door and poured in a few pints of clean water under the seat!
My next plan is to somehow get behind the seats, and get a mate to hose the roof down....
May seem like a silly question, but... Do you park facing downhill? The seals at the top of the windows have been known to let water seep by, and down the door pillar if it runs from the back to the front...
Also, worth checking that the collection bags haven't split. They are made of the same stuff as the roof, and become brittle with time.
Hi, the car was kept in a garage before I bought it, even right up to the minute I went for it...yet another fault the 'genuine seller' obviously forgot about...
I have been parking it with the front slightly higher than the back, with the passenger side about 75mm higher than the drivers, due to being half on a low pavement.
I've pulled out a blanking plug in the floor, about 150mm in from the outside of the sill, and just below the back of the seat rail, must have let out 1 litre of water just doing this! I've used a rigid plastic straight edge to squeeze out about the same again, but its still soaking wet!
I had a look down the sides of the roof, I can see the (passenger side) 'plug hole' down inside the rear panel, its bone dry. Its rained a lot since I tried to get the water out, without driving the car, and its full of water again s:evil: :evil: s:evil:
Its clean water, no coolant or suchlike in it, defo rainwater.
It stinks inside now, after 4 weeks of being kept outside. I'm now thinking of selling it as is, selling the Cobra exhaust I've just bought, and getting a nice, easily tuneable, and cheaper, MX-5! s:shock: :shock: s:shock: Plus, I can get a full Spax coilover set for £395, the MR2 similar kit is £1500 s:scared: :scared: s:scared:
The water is going to collect at the lowest point, so not necessarily a guide to what's leaking. Have you checked the vapour barrier between the door card and door frame? If the adhesive seal fails then water can leak in between door frame and card.
Jonbill makes a good suggestion.
Check to see if the carpet high up in the foot-well is wet. Then it's coming from around the windshield or pillar (unlikely).
If that ain't it, then why not go on a little voyage of discovery? Rather than 'get behind' the passenger seat - take it out (four bolts, five minutes). Pop off the plastic sill cover (30 secs), remove the plastic liner at the outside of the foot-well (5 mins), remove the upright plastic behind the door (2 mins), remove the luggage compartment door (5 mins), remove the plastic liner at the out side of the compartment by popping the two little pull knobs (2 mins), remove the compartment liner (two more bolts and a bit of fiddling (5 mins) peel the edge of the carpet back. Sit in the driver's seat and get your mate to hose the car down. Look for the dribble.
It all goes back together as easily as it comes apart and you'll get to see quite a lot of what's under the skin.
You can do it, just stay patient and you'll get there.
Get a hose pipe and spray water round the side window and over the rear of the hood. Have someone inside looking for leaks. If its not the drains my money is side window where it meets the screen
Thanks again peeps! I'll follow Carolyns (and cabbydave's) advice and pull out the insides then trace the leak: Hopefully I'll find something! I hate water leaks, I'm a Plumber and cannot stand to even hear a dripping tap, its the worse thing ever in my work!
After a massive downpour over the last few hours, I've been and had a look inside my car: the sides of the roof are all dry, can't see any trace of water ingress anywhere, I was looking for water marks or stains but nothing visible...yet there's now 2" of water under my passenger seat! Unreal amount of water, I've removed a grommet from the floor as described earlier, yet its still filling up! s:evil: :evil: s:evil:
Might be time I sold this on and got myself another nice dry MX5!
If you feel that way go, off you go i wont miss you s;) ;) s;)
You are a bit of a happy chap, aren't you? "Go off you go" doesn't even make sense! s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
I bet my 1996 MX 5 is still bone dry inside .... s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
Rusted to sfuck fuck sfuck too.
Please note the wink.
Does the comma appease you at all?
Mine never leaks.
Blows turbos
hand brake never works
rad gone
subframe rot
Leak never.
Get your head out of Uranus and fix the damn thing. s:lol: :lol: s:lol:
The only thing, I can think of, that could let in that much, that fast, would be the drain=bag either holed or not fitted correctly.
Could be a long shot, but I had a leak in my car when I first got it.
The water was getting between the rubber seal and the A-frame. I fixed this by wiping some silicon grease between the A-frame and the rubber seal. I have had no leaks since.
(http://i1078.photobucket.com/albums/w498/grantfos/Toyota%20MR2%20Roadster/B72C7A54-2C53-4CA3-A8C4-647DCB7A1E88_zpslf3cg5wy.jpg~original) (http://s1078.photobucket.com/user/grantfos/media/Toyota%20MR2%20Roadster/B72C7A54-2C53-4CA3-A8C4-647DCB7A1E88_zpslf3cg5wy.jpg.html)
My leak was at the front of the foot wells.
l viewtopic.php?f=11&t=57865 (http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=57865) l
Is the window frame perhaps leaking and the water running onto the back of the dash.
Mine leaks on the passengers side when parked facing downhill. Uphill fixes it. The water comes in where the roof frame meets the top of the window glass, there is a hinge joint with rubber seating. On mine the water dripped onto the seat (could soak it overnight) but I guess on another angle it could drip between the seat and door straight onto the carpet.
Stick with the two, hopefully you will find it worth it!
Kate's did this. I stripped it all out and got it dry. Took the rear bins out which were bone dry to find a swimming pool underneath them. Poured water on the roof and found a hole in the vinyl attached to the body were the water just poured in (near the hinge when the roof is down). Patched hole. Put dry interior back In. Treated all the rubber seals while i was at it. Problem sorted. Just takes a little time and effort.
Thanks for the helpful replies s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
I've removed the luggage box and trims, theres a drain hole under the luggage box which has got a little puddle of water around it, but its not blocked.
Inside the roof, there is a flap of material that was creased up, I've tucked it down into the gap between the roof skin and the steel frame, so its the same as the OS.
What is the drain bag? I can see clear plastic that covers a pair of relays and connectors, but thats it.
The flap has got a 3" long strap on it with a press stud to attach to something, but what? Theres also shorter straps with press studs higher up, that dont appear to do anything s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
I'm going to try and take a pic or 2, see if I can get a clear image
I've also turned the car round, it's now parked pointing slightly downhill, the OS rear corner is the highest point, been the other way round since I've had it so will see what happens next...
The poppers need to be connected as this forms the drain bag I think. The drain bag collects the water running from the roof and feeds it into the drains in the side vents. If the poppers aren't connected chances are that the bags are not functioning properly causing a leak.
The fabric that leads down to the drain is the 'bag', It catches the run-off from the roof, thus dealing with a lot of water. Sounds like it came away from the side of the car and the run-off was not being caught. It needs to be secured in place. Take a good look at that area and the drain and you'll see how it works.
The other stuff you mention sounds like the attachments that raise and lower the parcel shelf as the roof goes up and down.. It's handy to have that stuff all attached and working.
Slow down a bit and have a proper look and you'll see how it all works.
Thanks again Carolyn: I didn't even know the parcel shelf is supposed to move! There is a plastic trianlgular piece either end of the main shelf, there is a string cable going through them, but don't actually do anything! Its now looking like someone has had a go at the roof, and not had any clue what they were doing.....
I've just pulled the side bit out here:
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu275/jacksdad_01/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4050.jpg) (http://s655.photobucket.com/user/jacksdad_01/media/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4050.jpg.html)
another shot with the 'flap' pulled out
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu275/jacksdad_01/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4049.jpg) (http://s655.photobucket.com/user/jacksdad_01/media/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4049.jpg.html)
Its not east to take pics, I'm just hoping those of you with experience can make sense of them s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
One last pic! What do these do, one each side directly behind the occupants heads:
(http://i655.photobucket.com/albums/uu275/jacksdad_01/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4048.jpg) (http://s655.photobucket.com/user/jacksdad_01/media/Toyota%20MR2/DSCF4048.jpg.html)
That's where the strings from the sides of the parcel shelf attach to the roof.
Now you can see how the drainage works, make sure the run-off from the roof can't by-pass the system, and you'll be good. You might have other small leaks (dribbles) that can be fixed, but guaranteed the flood came from the drainage system.
There are others on here who've replaced a roof, I haven't so there may be other tips to learn.
Hi Carolyn, thanks for your input: I've now reconnected the ends of the parcel shelf s:D :D s:D
I've now found another 'spare' press stud or two. Right next to my head when sat in the drivers seat, there is a short strap, with a 'pinch fingers' warning on a yellow label.
Guess what...there's another on the passenger side, and I've just pulled out a length of webbing with matching press stud on, inside a pocket in the roof. Its a little too long to join the two end bits together, what is this bit for? s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
Now, back to the swimming pool behind the passenger seat! I've dried it out until just damp, then, with everything removed as you said, poured 3 watering cans of water along the passenger side, over the door, and halfway round the bottom of the back window...not a single drip inside s:evil: :evil: s:evil:
I can hear water flowing down the inside, and see it running out underneath, but thats it!
I have been parking the car so its pointing slightly downhill and listing over to the passenger side. It was the opposite way before, when it flooded, so I guess I'll just have to see what happens with it parked up this way...
Good progress!
If, when the roof is halfway down, you check the drain bags from the side of the car (you can now see them and get your hand inside), you can make sure they are properly attached (there are more poppers). You can also check for splits or perforations that can be sealed up. Still think the bags are the culprit. You may well have sorted it with all your poking around.
Chilli Girl is going through the same thing (see her thread) but not as extreme.
The extra poppers are to attach the strap that runs through a pocket in the roof. That strap pulls in what are known as the 'ears', which are the bits that stick out when the roof is down. It's purely a cosmetic thing. There are threads on how to get that lot sorted. Look up 'ears'.
You're having the exact same problem as I had, which is now fixed.
The drain bags are the right place, and you're on the right track. My drain bag was leaking from a combination of the joint between the bag and plastic drain moulding, and from cracks in the bag itself which had stiffened with age.
As you've found, this allows water to collect in the area below the storage bins. There's then a rubber drain bung in the metalwork to release water to the ground. However, mine was grotty and didn't seal to the metal, and it allows water past the drain. It then leaks onto the pressing below, which drains to the joint here behind the seats:
(http://i.imgur.com/7HwgYFz.jpg)
That semicircular gap is where it comes from. I know this because I filled it with dumdum, and it promptly leaked from further along the joint, and when I took the dumdum out, drained all over the floor.
As a quick fix, re-seal the drain grommet to the metalwork under the bin, this will save the carpet stinking the place out. Long term, you might need new drain bags, which I fitted last night and it's now jetwash and bucket proof.
Latest news...the front footwells are both soaking wet as well....
I lifted the carpet mats just to check, the whole floor is wet apart from the very back of the rear drivers side. s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:
I've tried parking the car pointing downhill, with the drivers side higher up.
We've had a lot of rain over the last 2 days, and I haven't moved the car. Today, I did drive it, I have to turn a tight circle to get out of my drive, it sounded like a small lake was swilling around behind my head! s:shock: :shock: s:shock:
The steel tray underneath the cubby box NS has got water in it, but nowhere near as much as I could hear swilling about!
The NS hood seems to be folded up incorrectly. I found 2 'female' press studs, one on a piece of fabric, and one on the end of a cord, but no male bits to clip them to.
I reckon the only way I'm going to fix this issue is to have a good look at a roof that has all the daft little pockets and folds in the right place: anyone volunteers around Manchester, let me have a good look at where mine is wrong! s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
It'll all be under your carpets... The MR2 has, comparatively, thin cheap (lightweight) carpets. The carpet itself is plastic backed and only slightly absorbent, but there are 4 pads made of that stuff that looks like recycled clothes that's used to stuff mattresses. One under each seat, one in each footwell. These will be utterly sodden and waterlogged, and as such the additional water is now just sloshing about.
You will need to remove the carpet... if only to clean and dry it, as even once you've fixed the leak, it won't dry out easily. Happily, it's a piece of spiss piss spiss . You may need to do it to treat any rust that's now grown too.
Once you have the carpet out, and while the seats and plastics are out, towel dry the car, and either sit in it while someone hoses it down, or tape pieces of kitchen roll to the pedal box walls, rear bulkhead and such, and hose it down with a non direct, scattered style.
As per Carolyn's post, the straps and studs you're finding may be related to the 'ears strap' which acts to give a smooth appearance to the top when folded away, or related to features to hang the parcel shelf from. However, to the rear of the roof, there's nothing 'strappy' at all which helps to rainproof it. The roof is designed to drain into the bags all the time, not just as an emergency, or if it's badly fitted. Leaks from the roof specifically will come at the seals to the window and screen frame only.
Seek out CabbyDave, he's Manchester based and is a decent chap, he sorted me out with a spare wheel, drain bags and some other hard to find bits. Good man. He also has about 6 MR2's to look at!
Thanks Slice, I'm going to strip it out and have a good look, the rain is flowing out through the drain behind the air intake panel, but collecting in the steel 'bucket' under the cubby box, then soaking through to the carpet. I'll check the drain itself is ok, I can poke a wire through it to the road, maybe its split?
Its easy to strip as you say: I've done a lot worse!
I'll try and contact Cabbydave, will be good to get the origami flaps back into their original positions s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
Quote from: "trooper99"Thanks Slice, I'm going to strip it out and have a good look, the rain is flowing out through the drain behind the air intake panel, but collecting in the steel 'bucket' under the cubby box, then soaking through to the carpet. I'll check the drain itself is ok, I can poke a wire through it to the road, maybe its split?
Its easy to strip as you say: I've done a lot worse!
I'll try and contact Cabbydave, will be good to get the origami flaps back into their original positions s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:
Yep, same as mine, the drains look like they're working, but are leaking too. Mine has a crack in the bag itself, and the plastic drain part was broken and leaking. It then dribbles into that steel pressing. From there it should go through a rubber drain hose to the road, but if it's missing, gummed up or badly sealed, it gets to the pressing beneath, and leaks out down the rear wall behind the seats.
That's the good thing about the MR2, the tininess and featherweight style means it's like stripping a Tamiya model. I've taken carpets out of an E38 BMW 7 series because someone spilt a tray of chicken satay into it and it stank the place out. Good sweet Christ that was a far bigger job than I thought possible, and the carpets were so heavy I reckon they were load bearing.
Quote from: Carolyn on September 10, 2016, 10:34Jonbill makes a good suggestion.
Check to see if the carpet high up in the foot-well is wet. Then it's coming from around the windshield or pillar (unlikely).
If that ain't it, then why not go on a little voyage of discovery? Rather than 'get behind' the passenger seat - take it out (four bolts, five minutes). Pop off the plastic sill cover (30 secs), remove the plastic liner at the outside of the foot-well (5 mins), remove the upright plastic behind the door (2 mins), remove the luggage compartment door (5 mins), remove the plastic liner at the out side of the compartment by popping the two little pull knobs (2 mins), remove the compartment liner (two more bolts and a bit of fiddling (5 mins) peel the edge of the carpet back. Sit in the driver's seat and get your mate to hose the car down. Look for the dribble.
It all goes back together as easily as it comes apart and you'll get to see quite a lot of what's under the skin.
You can do it, just stay patient and you'll get there.
Hi Carolyn,
I'm in the process of stripping out the interior on the passenger side of the car as the passenger footwell is sodden.
I've got the seat out and some of the plastics but there are a couple of areas that I'm struggling with.
I've included all the photos here:
https://imgur.com/a/mf717HR
I'm struggling with the upright plastic behind the door. Do you pull it straight off? I notice some plastic heads up by the parcel shelf and am not sure if the law need removing first.
Secondly, the wiring running along the top of the door sill. Is this a case of just pulling it up and it unclips? I've tried but it seems to be fairly firmly held (didn't want to pull on it too hard in case I damaged something).
I've also noticed water pooled inside the back left hand fixing point for the seat (closest to the door).
The main are of water is in the foot well which makes me think that it's coming from the window which is hanging off (photographed). I tried sealing this but with the weather not being ideal it's not taken. I'll try again once conditions improve.
It's also damp towards the back of the passenger seat floor and as I say in the fixing point for the seat itself.
My JDM car is a little different, but I would remove those two fixings at the top - then the trim should pull off (gently does it!).
The wiring will move, again- gently does it!
That loose rubber round the A pillar is probably part of the problem. I'd clean out that silicone and use a good rubber adhesive and glue the seal back in place.
Here's a link to an excellent adhesive:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Glue-High-Impact-Flexible-Strong-Bond-Gap-Filling-Rubber-Toughened-BLACK/233013268330?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
Hi, yes the top press clip does need released. If you haven't done one, press centre in by 2- 2.5mm with a screwdriver blade at a shallow angle. If you push straight down & it goes in 4mm, it's a gonner. But they get brittle with age, so it may break anyway...
The panel has two hidden fixings (maybe 3..?) & may take quite a tug to come free.
The wiring has natural/cream strips underneath the blue tape. A clip goes vertically down from the horizontal part. Use a stout body clip fork tool to prise it up.
There is wadding under the seat. It gets sodden, & after that the water spreads around with car movement. Have you checked your drain works?
Thanks for the rubber adhesive recommendation Carolyn, I'll pick some up.
Thanks Gaz, I'll get a body clip fork tool. How/where would I check the drain?
I looked in under the luggage area behind the seats and there is a small amount of water gathering in there (looks like it's leaking from the black pipe):
(https://i.imgur.com/qnMbMCv.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/g8LJO3b.jpeg)
Any tips on a fix for this?
That black pipe is the roof drain. Using a plastic body tool, pry off the outer vent cover. Behind that is the drain output. It's almost certainly blocked. You can unblock it from there and also the top of the pipe can be accessed with the roof halfway down. If you look with a torch you can see it. I make sure the outlet is clear and then flush from the top by pressing a hose nozzle on the top of the drain and turn on the tap.
Sometimes the bags leak, sometimes it can be at the junction of canvas & pipe as you're suggesting.
You could try using talc or tissue to pinpoint it. Some type of silicon slathered over it perhaps. If it's towards the outside of the car it's more awkward. I wore a vinyl glove, cut another one up & plastered it with Tigerseal.
However, if you've only found a tiny amount of water, that's insignificant. (Both sides the same?)
You'll see there are two rubber circular things, one each side. They are extra drains in case of a leak above. They are short-length pipes. The 'hat' sticks up too high, & because the pipes are so narrow they silt-up. I recommend hauling them out with a good pair of pliers. Any water getting there will escape far easier.
When the drains are working ok, if you pour some water at the bottom rear corners of the hood, it should immediatedly appear on the ground.
Since your carpet was sodden your leak must be coming in the door aperture. If the drain bags have a bad leak the metal bin area gets flooded.
Thanks guys, I'll have a go at repairing the roof drain whie I have the interior apart. Many thanks for the tips on that.
I think you're right about it being the door seal. When I siliconed it initially and had taped it up, the carpet had definitely dried out slightly. Since the tape has come off and the gap has opened up, the carpets a lot worse again. I'll use the rubber adhesive and see if that does the job.
I thought I'd fixed this but on lifting the carpet again it was sodden at the back. I've now found the culprit which is where the pipe joins the bag (on the outside - the difficult to get at bit). It's dripping down from here and then finding it's way down to the back off the passenger seat foot well from the bin. I'm going to try your tigerseal tip to stop the leak.
Does anyone know how these ears are supposed to be properly positioned (located directly above the drain holes on the indside of the car). Mine have lots of perished velcro on them and some press studs that aren't attached to anything.
Video here: imgur.com/a/MIKoMJw
The various bits of canvas are a bit of a mystery to me....can't help you with that. If the 'bin' area under the plastic is filling up, it means that the secondary drain isn't working. The round rubber thing in the bottom.... pull it out with good-sized pliers, or poke down it to see if you can clear it. They're about 6" long. Put the Tigerseal on something to make a big 'plaster' & press into place.
Think I've gotten to the bottom of this.
I opened up the drainage bag and somehow the plastic surrounding the drain hole has split in two:
(https://i.imgur.com/E19348P.jpg)
Tried silicone, it helped but didn't do the job.
Would epoxy be a better bet? I've cleaned off a lot of the crud that was surrounding it now.
Quote from: Erudite on May 18, 2021, 18:42Think I've gotten to the bottom of this.
I opened up the drainage bag and somehow the plastic surrounding the drain hole has split in two:
(https://i.imgur.com/E19348P.jpg)
Tried silicone, it helped but didn't do the job.
Would epoxy be a better bet? I've cleaned off a lot of the crud that was surrounding it now.
Tigerseal or Sikkoflex
Quote from: Carolyn on May 18, 2021, 18:45Quote from: Erudite on May 18, 2021, 18:42Think I've gotten to the bottom of this.
I opened up the drainage bag and somehow the plastic surrounding the drain hole has split in two:
(https://i.imgur.com/E19348P.jpg)
Tried silicone, it helped but didn't do the job.
Would epoxy be a better bet? I've cleaned off a lot of the crud that was surrounding it now.
Tigerseal or Sikkoflex
Thanks, I've cleaned off the silicone so will pick up some and try again.