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  #1  
Old 05-25-2012, 12:08 PM
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240 water leak = efficient rainwater collection device!

Help, I'm drowning! Of late my 240D has developed this situation where water collects in the rear passenger footwell. Yesterday it rained maybe a half an inch, but the water was 3 inches deep in the footwell! I've taken out the carpeting and I bail out a couple gallons daily, but this is getting old.

So far I've cleaned out the drains under the hood hinges, which were clogged, but that doesn't seem to have slowed the water. I do have a sunroof, but in the two years that I've owned the car I've never messed with it - the inspection I got at MBI said that it was inoperative, so I have just never risked doing anything with it (seems like I've always had bigger fish to fry in the repair department).

I don't think that this is a door leak. This multiplier effect seems to suggest that water hits a large surface and gets channeled into an entry point. I've got to figure that it has something to do with water hitting the windshield or the hood and then running down into some clogged place. The car is parked on the street, and the street slopes to the passenger side, so water that hits the car tends to run to the side that is collecting.

Suggestions on how to proceed? My next step is going to be to take the battery out and look around under there. Thanks,

Kurt

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- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride!
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  #2  
Old 05-25-2012, 12:27 PM
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easy

The rear passenger footwell in my 85 300td used to fill with water regularly. I drilled a small hole in the low part and it has been dry ever since. I got tired of wringing out wet, dirty, cold towels.

Tiny rust spots on the front fender are gone too. There are only holes there now. Simple.
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  #3  
Old 05-25-2012, 01:02 PM
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look under your battery...
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My drivers:
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1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

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  #4  
Old 05-25-2012, 03:26 PM
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It might be leaking at the wiper tray drain points. But battery tray comes to mind first.
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  #5  
Old 05-25-2012, 03:27 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gastropodus View Post
Help, I'm drowning! Of late my 240D has developed this situation where water collects in the rear passenger footwell. Yesterday it rained maybe a half an inch, but the water was 3 inches deep in the footwell! I've taken out the carpeting and I bail out a couple gallons daily, but this is getting old.

So far I've cleaned out the drains under the hood hinges, which were clogged, but that doesn't seem to have slowed the water. I do have a sunroof, but in the two years that I've owned the car I've never messed with it - the inspection I got at MBI said that it was inoperative, so I have just never risked doing anything with it (seems like I've always had bigger fish to fry in the repair department).

I don't think that this is a door leak. This multiplier effect seems to suggest that water hits a large surface and gets channeled into an entry point. I've got to figure that it has something to do with water hitting the windshield or the hood and then running down into some clogged place. The car is parked on the street, and the street slopes to the passenger side, so water that hits the car tends to run to the side that is collecting.

Suggestions on how to proceed? My next step is going to be to take the battery out and look around under there. Thanks,

Kurt
Look for clogged cowl drains here's a Vid http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbpqoZMpvAc&feature=player_embedded
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  #6  
Old 05-25-2012, 04:43 PM
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Thanks all, I'll start digging around!
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- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride!
- '86 190D (W201-126) - 2.5 NA engine, 5 speed, cloth interior, manual climate controls, 33-34 mpg (sold to forum member).
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  #7  
Old 05-25-2012, 10:20 PM
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Could someone clarify how water from the battery tray could cause significant water collection inside car?

On my w115 220D, the battery is in the engine compartment up front near the headlamp. I am not familiar with other vehicles, so maybe that is what I am missing.

I have a similar problem as the OP, and I know my battery tray is rusting out. But I am not sure if these are somehow related. Thanks.


EDIT FROM 10 MINUTES LATER: Nevermind, I finally finished watching the video linked above and it answered my question.

Last edited by Shortsguy1; 05-25-2012 at 10:44 PM.
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  #8  
Old 05-25-2012, 10:53 PM
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yeah... MB moved it to the worst place possible for acid to collect...
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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!
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  #9  
Old 05-26-2012, 05:09 AM
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The problem is not the battery tray. It's the firewall underneath it. Or rather it's absence...





And once it got in for some time, there's a chance that the sills are gone too...



Just saying...
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  #10  
Old 05-26-2012, 01:25 PM
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Wow, amazingly depressing photos. Thanks a lot! (kidding)
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  #11  
Old 06-22-2012, 02:04 AM
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OK, a month later, and I'm finally getting around to dealing with this problem. I've found that the problem is indeed the drain system up front, where water rolls off the lip of the hood into the pocket drain where the hinge is, and from there down to the drain hole below the battery. That drain hole below the battery was plugged with debris and rust pieces from the disintegrating battery tray.

I've got that cleaned out finally. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, so I guess I will find out if just clearing the channel will be enough to keep it from backing up and leaking into the interior. If not, then I guess it will be wire brush, POR, and bondo. Lots of bondo.

Kurt
Attached Thumbnails
240 water leak = efficient rainwater collection device!-img_5939.jpg   240 water leak = efficient rainwater collection device!-img_5940.jpg  
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- '79 240D - engine swap complete! Engine broken in! 28-31 mpg! Lovin' the ride!
- '86 190D (W201-126) - 2.5 NA engine, 5 speed, cloth interior, manual climate controls, 33-34 mpg (sold to forum member).
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  #12  
Old 06-22-2012, 07:43 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gastropodus View Post
OK, a month later, and I'm finally getting around to dealing with this problem. I've found that the problem is indeed the drain system up front, where water rolls off the lip of the hood into the pocket drain where the hinge is, and from there down to the drain hole below the battery. That drain hole below the battery was plugged with debris and rust pieces from the disintegrating battery tray.

I've got that cleaned out finally. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, so I guess I will find out if just clearing the channel will be enough to keep it from backing up and leaking into the interior. If not, then I guess it will be wire brush, POR, and bondo. Lots of bondo.

Kurt
It doesn't look like its rusted thru yet in those pictures. How are your window seals?
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  #13  
Old 06-22-2012, 07:49 AM
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There are drains under the hood pockets and a dimple in the wheel house below the vertical pieces that run under the vertical pieces inboard of the hinge pockets. There are also drain dimples at the back of the wheel houses allowing water to drain between firewall and wheel house.

Keep ALL these drains clean and you will most likely solve the problem. BTDT!

The footwell wading pool was a problem I dealt with all through the nineties. It was the second problem that I solved thanks to this forum in early 2000. The solution came from a fellow in Denmark as I recall.
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  #14  
Old 09-03-2012, 09:31 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by T200 View Post
The problem is not the battery tray. It's the firewall underneath it. Or rather it's absence...

And once it got in for some time, there's a chance that the sills are gone too...



Just saying...
This is the exact state of my car (83 300D), only moreso on the driver's side. Makes me very Although I do have a 240 donor car with substantially less rust to transfer the good bits over to...but I still have to chase leaks in that car as well!

It seems the most water is *always* NOT from the firewall area, but the area to the *right* and *above* where the passenger's feet rest.

Window seal?

Thanks for this thread...although I always come away from this forum with another project...

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