When I pulled off the covers from under the car to do some inspection, I get a stream of water pissing out one of the screw holes the rear engine covers uses for attachment. See the drip in the picture. Shot taken from under the driver's seat facing forward looking at driver's front wheel there. Water poured out of that hole as a stream for about 30 seconds before I grabbed the camera.

I immediately pulled the mats out of the driver's side, and interior is dry as a bone. I checked the rubber drain plugs on each side and holes were open, and everything dry inside there.

This water accumulated in the frame. It's been raining a lot around here lately, so it doesn't surprise me some got in. Water came out clear, not rusty at all. I don't think it's a chronic collection area. I think the water is normally supposed to spill out the causeway Mercedes has stamped into the frame piece facing rearward. (You can see this near the top of the photo, dead center about 1/6 the way down from top edge.) I checked that sealant hadn't plugged it closed, and was able to poke a wire through right up to the leaky hole. Same on both sides of car, that spot in the sealant is open and I think is supposed to be the lowest spot to allow drainage. Obviously it wasn't the lowest spot on the driver's side and my car sits normally, not jacked up in the rear or anything.

Another odd and maybe related thing. I'm driving around in the rain the other day, and I get some drops of water landing right on my big toe on the accelerator pedal. Not coolant. Not A/C condensation (not on). Just rainwater leaking in from somewhere... only a few drops. Driving straight, slow and level. Drip drip drip... that was it, after driving about 20 minutes in pouring rain. Maybe my frame filled up! ;-)

Other possibly related note, took a hit-and-run bump on the front bumper the other week. (This is what I was repairing yesterday - put a new bump strip on the bumper). The damage was very small to any metal - only affected area was immediately behind the hit the very edge of the bumper I banged it back to shape with a rubber mallet. Just wonder if the hit jarred something loose in the windshield ducting area?

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Cheers!
Scott McPhee

1987 300D