Leak Help

[GregT]

Hi guys,

I've got a water leak in my terrano somewhere. A puddle of water has appeared twice now under where the rear seats usually are. It's only been after heavy rain both times. I've sat in it when it was raining lightly and no sign of a leak and no puddle afterwards.

I just can't figure out where it is coming from. There is no trail of water none of the carpets are wet or the roof lining, it's dry around all the windows and sunroof. :nenau

I'll have to sit in it while someone uses a hose to see if we can find it, I just wondered if anyone else has had this and if there is a known place I should check?

Any help would be great,
Cheers :thumb2

 

[Monaro Pete]

Have you driven it whilst it's raining or after while the roads are still wet?

 

[GregT]

Have you driven it whilst it's raining or after while the roads are still wet?

No mate, it's been off the road for a couple off months now

 

[Monaro Pete]

Looks like the hose treatment is a good idea.
I would suggest just watering the tail gate door area on the roof first as water seeps around the door seal, my old truck did this, but the water made the boot area damp & not the rear seating area.
My sunroof leaked a little on my new truck in heavy down pours so it got the Tiger Seal treatment as I dislike sunroofs anyway

 

[jims-terrano]

I have heard of the tailgate seals leaking.
The seal that runs along edge of roof becomes detached from the adhesive that holds it on the ends .
The seal clipped to tailgate becomes squashed basically. Various methods, I found a length of wire that fitted inside the seal. Unclipped the seal and fed it through but be careful as the seal rips easily.
I also found that removing the tailgate kick strip on edge of carpet. Then bedded it in on a really thick bead of silicone as it stops water seeping under it.
Also do you have a mag mount cb aerial with the wire running between tailgate and seal? Water will run down there.
Roof rails, the front to back things can leak and water runs down behind plastic trims and ends up under rear seats.

If you still can’t trace leak remove the carpet from boot area and see if you can monitor where water is getting in. Hopefully your floor isn’t rotten.

 

[GregT]

I don't actually have the rear seats or carpet in, the floor is really good and I'd like to keep it that way.

I thought the first time I noticed it I might not have shut the rear door properly.
I don't have the plastic bit that holds the carpet at the rear screwed down either. maybe it's seeping under?

I don't have roof rails or a CB. :nenau it's suppose to rain again tonight so maybe a camp out is in order...

 

[jims-terrano]

Sooooo

Try the silcone rubber under the plastic first and then take it from there.

 

[Monaro Pete]

I have heard of the tailgate seals leaking.
The seal that runs along edge of roof becomes detached from the adhesive that holds it on the ends .
The seal clipped to tailgate becomes squashed basically. Various methods, I found a length of wire that fitted inside the seal. Unclipped the seal and fed it through but be careful as the seal rips easily.
I also found that removing the tailgate kick strip on edge of carpet. Then bedded it in on a really thick bead of silicone as it stops water seeping under it.
Also do you have a mag mount cb aerial with the wire running between tailgate and seal? Water will run down there.
Roof rails, the front to back things can leak and water runs down behind plastic trims and ends up under rear seats.

If you still can’t trace leak remove the carpet from boot area and see if you can monitor where water is getting in. Hopefully your floor isn’t rotten.

Jim.
Do you recall when Clivvy's old truck leaked when I first got it?
The door seal had split near the top so I removed it & spun it 180 degrees so the top became the bottom & bottom top. This cured the leak through the tail gate, but for good measure I also ran sealant under the plastic trim & also the seal across the top of the door that's fixed to the body.

 

[RobN]

Try the Mastic sealant for Caravans, it can be bought as strips and is easier to fit. The other advantage is it does not set as silicon does and therefore does not lift with movement. :thumb2

 

[GregT]

Well I have been pulling my hair out trying it fix this leak. Its coming from the top left of the rear door.

Made one hell of a mess with tiger seal, stopped leaking out the bottom and is now leaking from further up. replaced the rear door seal off another terrano, it wasn't in brilliant condition but that truck wasn't leaking but that didn't work, replaced the top seal on the truck itself, still leaking. more sealant.... more sealant.... ahhhh.

given up for tonight. all i can think is my rear door is bent or something and not properly closing? doesn't look it but I'm out of ideas

 

[solarman216]

When I had a rear door leak I removerd the inner rubber all round and found it straight away as you can see much better, Rick

 

[GregT]

I can see were is is coming from. I just cant stop it, no mater how much sealant I use.
As water runs along the top gutter/seal and down some water seeps across and in.

I tried using a different door seal and top seal but still leaks, that makes me think it could be the door as the truck they came of wasn't leaking, unless the lwb door is bigger? it seamed to fit ok. Sealed all around the inner door seal and put the kick plate back in with a bead of sealant.

It's really frustrating, seemingly such a simple thing has me pulling my hair out. give me a mechanical problem any day but this... feel like a right muppet

 

[solarman216]

Think you must have a rust hole maybe, as long as the seal is compressed by the door and non setting mastic ed to the body you should not have a problem, Rick

 

[jims-terrano]

OK try rubbing a smear of vaseline around the tailgate seal. You can buy purpose seal rejuvenator which is silicone grease. I’ve used it on the sunroof seals and so far fingers crossed appears to be fine.

 

[Monaro Pete]

You can buy purpose seal rejuvenator which is silicone grease. I’ve used it on the sunroof seals and so far fingers crossed appears to be fine.

Sun roof seals...…….. Seal Rejuvenator...…. Nah, Tiger Seal :augie

 

[jims-terrano]

Sun roof seals...…….. Seal Rejuvenator...…. Nah, Tiger Seal :augie

On the plus side rejuvenator will not stick the glass shut when you smear it on the rubber.

 

[Monaro Pete]

On the plus side rejuvenator will not stick the glass shut when you smear it on the rubber.

Yes, but I cured the leak :lol

I dislike sunroofs anyway. The power supply for it now supplies my reverse camera monitor :thumbs

 

[GregT]

Thanks for all the help guys, I have managed to cure it though what it was exactly I'm not quite sure, combination of tiger seal another door seal and some luck.

 

[jims-terrano]

Main thing is that it’s fixed, well done you :clap

 

[GregT]

AND its leaking again.... totally out of ideas. With the amount of sealant Ive used I cant imagine anymore will help. Its getting to the stage where If I cant fix it soon it will have to go and it seems such a stupid thing for me to get rid of it over but it will have expensive tools in it and i cant have them getting soaked.