Water pouring pouring down bulkhead

[Spiffer]

Is it normal for water to pour down the scuttle panel and bulkhead within the engine bay? There's no water ingress to the cabin (so far). I gently tested with a water hose around the wiper spindles (bonnet open). The water isn't lapping over the edge of the seal to the bonnet; it seems just to go straight down past the wiper motor and emerge behind the sound-dampening felt and over the brake and clutch pipes and servo.

 

Not sure if there's something adrift there or if it's designed that way.

[Breezy_Pete]

If it's the same arrangement as on mk1 there should be two large drainage slots, one at each end.

These feed through into wheel arches behind the plastic arch liners. See whether it does/doesn't come out there if you hose each end of the scuttle.

There's a neoprene foam gasket that's supposed to seal on the vertical metal front panel of the so-called 'water box' and prevent it leaking out down the firewall.

Edited 30 May, 2023 by Breezy_Pete

[Warrior193]

As above ^^^^, check the drainage slots are clear, they can be very prone to blocking up.

[Breezy_Pete]

(The car's) Left end drain, letterbox slot just beyond where wiring loom dives through bottom.

Cabin air entry and recirc flap to the left of shot.

 

Right end drain, same shape, dimly visible beyond/below wiper motor

 

 

Steel cover off front, spun round 180°, showing some plumber's gold sealant along where the original foam seal was, about to be refitted. May need to seal the grommets that the looms go through too if you really want to make it as designed again.

 

 

Edited 30 May, 2023 by Breezy_Pete

[Spiffer]

10 minutes ago, Breezy_Pete said:

There's a neoprene foam gasket that's supposed to seal on the vertical metal front panel of the so-called 'water box' and prevent it leaking out down the firewall.

 

Thanks, both.

 

Drainage is fine both sides. I think you've identified the problem as the neoprene seal. I've just checked again. The instant I pour water at the wiper spindle it pours down and out between the water box and the metal bulkhead. Not sure why it's so bad, to be honest!

[Breezy_Pete]

Could be the seal and the grommets the wiring goes through. Pics of the mk1 arrangement above ^.

 

[Breezy_Pete]

[Spiffer]

I was just about to say the same, from those very good photos.

[Breezy_Pete]

If you do 'attack it', please get some photos of the mk2 arrangement especially if there are any significant differences.  👍

[Spiffer]

I'll aim to get some photos. Incidentally, I'm planning to use silicone sealant (like Granville's). What did you use?

 

And did you dispense with the neoprene seal?

 

 

[Spiffer]

On 30/05/2023 at 14:07, Breezy_Pete said:

If you do 'attack it', please get some photos of the mk2 arrangement especially if there are any significant differences.  👍

 

Job done and problem fixed. The seal had perished beyond belief, which explains the Niagara Falls effect over the entire width of the bulkhead. The grommet/seal for the main cable was challenging and required several more attempts after I'd reinstalled the metal panel, as water was going down the middle of it too, which I hadn't anticipated.

 

I used Wynn's Black Instant Gasket Maker Silicone. Cleaning off the old cruddy seal was a challenge though.

 

As requested, photos attached of the Mk II ...

 

 

[Breezy_Pete]

Looks identical to mk1, at first glance. We'll done and thanks for posting back with pics.