W124 water in N/S/F footwell

[krimat2005]

hello guys, just need a little bit of advice what the next step to take as am really stuck. so I do get water in front pass. footwell and there is a list what has been done to investigate:
1. removed front carpet with foam underneath to dry (soaked)
2. removed front seat
3. removed rear bench
4. removed few other bits so i could lift N/S part of the carpet up
5. rear bit of the carpet bone dry as well as foam
6. investigated holes where all the wires are comming out all dry.
7. kick panel dry
8. removed all visible water was there
9. test drive, little bit of water came out of the "thing" in beetwen yellow lines


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10. removed all water again the best I could and called it a day.
11. it was raining overnight so first thing in the morning went in the car to check what is what, found water only inside the "thing", had to move car forward/back so the water was moving out the "thing".
12. it's been done before all this but forgot checked all drains and are ok.
So I know I'm getting water inside when raining, I was hosing it down, pouring water down from a bucket, not a drop??? Does anyone know where is water comming inside that panel? should there be a drain plug or something? oh driver side is dry.

 

[krimat2005]

anyone?? help please

 

[balge]

Is the thing in the picture a drain hole/bung? Don't recognise it. Do you have ac, I understand they can leak condensate. Sunroof drains leaking could cause it, or the guttering from the windscreen - maybe the screen itself too.
It takes ages to get water out once it's inside though, I had the carpets out for a week to dry mine not long back, doesn't seem wet now though
cheers

 

[merc estate]

A trick you can use while you have it stripped down, just sprinkle some talkcumpowder around it will show you where it is comming in and where its running to, good luck.

 

[krimat2005]

That hole in red is not a drain as it's at the top of enclosed panel/support. I think I know all possible ways of water ingress but I would like to know how is water entering this enclosed panel/support?

 

[boomtings]

Is the car a cabriolet by any chance?

The floors covered in a sprayed on sound deadening rubber, i had similar problem once. The water may also be in the rear carpets (sponge soaks up alot) and soak back through and appear in the tunnel. water trapped in that tunnel can take time to drain ,front high angle makes a difference.

the water can also get/seep under the rubber deadening through cracks.

check the seals around the vent air intake and wiper.

i never did resolve my leak, but it never happened again.

 

[w124nut]

For what it's worth, my first two ports of call would be the drainage holes in the engine compartment by each hinge and the drainage points of the sun roof. These areas get blocked by all sorts of debris with the resulting rusting of the drain piping.

If not the two areas above, I would seek further help.

 

[Jane270ML]

Does this help... Water Leaks W124 320CE - Mercedes-Benz Owners' Forums

 

[rorf]

You will find the air vent intake at the rear of the bonnet is full of leaves and gunge. Difficult to find but there are two rubber flap valves down by the bonnet hinges which you must pry open with wire and the water should run out with a bit of help from the garden hose.

 

[AnimMerc]

I had a similar issue with mine and tried loads of different options never did get it sorted. Here is a link which may help:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/bodywork/37515-w124-water-front-driver-passenger-footwells.html

 

[krimat2005]

hi, i believe this rubber gromet on RH side in this photo is one of the drains, it's N/S/F fender. where is the top/water entry for this drain? I know it's not sunroof drain as those are hidden beetwen fender/door gap.


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[krimat2005]

www.w-124.info/w124/Mercedes Mainte... (1981-1993)/6030 - Cleaning water drains.pdf

it looks like "side member"? what is this drain?? also where is "component compartment" and "air plenum(cowl)" on page 7 above pdf? it's W124

 

[boomtings]

The drain in the picture is fed from the corners of the engine bay,near the windscreen edges. The centre plenum drains are under the mesh cover under the wiper area, the drain near the gearbox.

 

[WDB124066]

+1

 

[krimat2005]

Are you sure this is correct? Have a look on page 7 of the earlier pdf, there are 3 pics. First one shows drain inlet from bottom corners of windscreen (A pillars). On second pic it looks like top arrrow shows outlet from those corners of windscreen doesn't it? So what is bottom arrow showing in that pic? I'm confused cos when I spray water around centre cowl, below wiper its comming out on the middle of car and corners of w/screen are deff comming out somewhere closer to middle of a car, as pdf shows. There is no water coming out of side member drains?

 

[krimat2005]

is it possible to remove the drain from pic in post 11 and then refit easy? why is water comming out somewhere near middle of the car when I pour water in corner of the w/screen and not through drains from pic? same on both sides.

 

[Steven Stoole]

Hi Guys, im busy stripping my W124 as it is about to have a full respray. I noticed that on the drivers side in the front wheel arch well there is a lot of rust. The place where i found it was behind the white plastic air bottle. When i shone my torch and took out the plants growing in there i saw the rust which has eaten into the side area of the drivers foot well. I am going to pull the drivers fender off and will take photos and send through. Should be later this week if all goes well.
Hope this helps

 

[Prickleypear]

When i had my w124 it had the same problem.
What happened was the it rusted a hole under the battery box and then the drain blocked and all the water ran in under the battery.

Take out the battery and battery box and inspect the body there.
BTW the plastic channel you can see in the photo houses the electrical wires and vacuum pipes going to the rear of the car.

 

[boomtings]

Are you sure this is correct? Have a look on page 7 of the earlier pdf, there are 3 pics. First one shows drain inlet from bottom corners of windscreen (A pillars). On second pic it looks like top arrrow shows outlet from those corners of windscreen doesn't it? So what is bottom arrow showing in that pic? I'm confused cos when I spray water around centre cowl, below wiper its comming out on the middle of car and corners of w/screen are deff comming out somewhere closer to middle of a car, as pdf shows. There is no water coming out of side member drains?

"On second pic it looks like top arrrow shows outlet from those corners of windscreen doesn't it? "

Yes your correct, that drain is in the wheel arch.
The compartment drain, may be for the interior to drain through the sills.

The center cowl drain exits near the gearbox (middle of car).

Check under your battery tray , especially where the bolts come through. I put a bit of sealant around mine.

 

[krimat2005]

Thanks all of you for your input, but I found where is my problem. so I took off plastics that cover jacking points/lower sills to found some rust in there, not a lot but on my TO-DO list for very near future. then went deeper underneath to find this:


to help you all locate where that is:

which in turn is right below there:

just about where two yellow lines end at the top of this pic. also there was one plug missing from there:

that was propably major part of the leak as allready there is very little water comming in after plugin it. I must point that area where the 3 small holes are in 2 first pics was covered in waxoyl/grease by incompetent mechanic So I need a welder, and a good one, anyone can reccomend someone in west sussex? might get the jacking points done too at the same time. thanks