Water in the spare wheel area

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alfazagato
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#1 Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Fri Jul 13, 2018 5:50 pm

My series 1.5 which has not been out in the rain, or even washed if I am honest, for many months had a volume of water in the spare wheel well when I removed the wheel to change the fuel pump today. More on that later.
I have mopped up the water but have no idea how it could have got into that location never mind have been there for the last few months. Any ideas?

On the fuel pump matter my original points unit eventually gave out and I bought a new electronic unit which when mounted only clicked once. I spoke to the suppliers and agreed to return it. However when I had it disconnected from the fuel supply and sitting on the wheel-well floor, I switched on the ignition and it started to work. I gradually connected all the pipes and clamps and re-fitted. It now works perfectly. Again any ideas?
Series 1.5 FHC

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mgcjag
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#2 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by mgcjag » Fri Jul 13, 2018 6:34 pm

Hi Whats your name...please try to put it with you car model in the signature area..thanks.....water...either been there a long time since washed or rained on.....fuel pump ..the click is the points mechanism operating to pressurise the fuel lines..if the lines are full you may only get one click....if the car has been standing for some time then when you switch on it will click till pressurised......if you disconnect the fuel line and switch on it will run continuously...dosnt sound like there is anything wrong... Steve
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#3 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Sun Jul 15, 2018 1:52 pm

Steve,

Thank you for your reply. My real question was how the water gets into that area in the first place. The seal round the hatch is good as are the rubbers to the rear quarter lights. I am not aware of a route from the fuel filler recess as the overflow pipe is intact. The car has not been out in the rain. My question therefore was not that there was water in the well but how it gets in and the potential routes.

As far as the fuel pump is concerned I am aware of the operation of the SU points pump but not of the electronic version this being my first . Thus my comment about the single click and, as the supply and delivery lines were empty, the pump should have started continuously running until sufficient pressure achieved. Again my question was why should disconnecting and then re-connecting an electronic pump get it to work. Tapping had no effect. Is there a initialisation process I missed out?

Stuart (apologies for omitting my name)
Series 1.5 FHC

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#4 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by Heuer » Sun Jul 15, 2018 1:55 pm

Water probably left over from the last time you washed it. There should be a drain hole in the wheel well.
David Jones
S1 OTS OSB; S1 FHC ODB
1997 Porsche 911 Guards Red

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#5 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by mgcjag » Sun Jul 15, 2018 2:05 pm

Hi Stuart...you still dont mention the model...try to put it with your name in the signature area....if its an ots then try a hose around the boot area to see if the seals are leaking...if a fhc then around the rear hatch....at the bottom on the fhc in the seal channel is a drain hole that should drain water to below outside the car..if its blocked then could overflow internally...dont know how the ots drains but look look around the channel....re fuel pump the electronic version works in exactly the same way and has the same mechanical points that click but the electronics switch the higher current and the points now switch a lower current....so mechanically they are exactly the same... Steve ..Edit...i see you mention rear quarter lights so a fhc...check the drain hole right in the center of the bottom of the hatch
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#6 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by Heuer » Sun Jul 15, 2018 3:23 pm

OTS has two drain holes in the lip around the boot opening and these have flexible pipes running to holes on the rear valance to the rear of the wheels.
David Jones
S1 OTS OSB; S1 FHC ODB
1997 Porsche 911 Guards Red

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#7 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:24 pm

Actually I did mention the model in the first line of my post, it's a series 1.5. There is a drain hole adjacent to the spare wheel recess but I don't see one further back which is where the water lodged. I don't wish to make a big song and dance about this but I was hopeful that there may be a known weakness which I could address. This is my third FHC and other two have not leaked. Fortunately the whole of the wheel well area has been Waxoiled.

Stuart series 1.5 FHC
Series 1.5 FHC

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#8 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by chrisfell » Sun Jul 15, 2018 6:40 pm

Another possible leak spot is the drain under the filler cap. This should be connected to a drain at the rear of the wheel arch, but if my car is typical, recent wheel arch repairs would have ignored the filler drain, leaving the rubber pipe loose in the boot. Result? Water in the boot.
Chris '67 S1 2+2

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#9 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by mgcjag » Sun Jul 15, 2018 7:07 pm

Hi Stuart..you mentioned your car was a series 1.5 but not which model...1.5s came as fhc, ots, and 2+2 thats why i ask everyone to put their car model in the signature area......you may have missed the point of my post above explaining that there is a drain hole in the lip just below the rear hatch seal...open the hatch....look at the rubber seal at the bottom..there should be a hole, quite often the seal is covering it and its blocked up with crud...this takes the water away from the channel....if its blocked it overflows into the boot area.... Steve
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#10 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Mon Jul 16, 2018 8:37 am

Thank you Steve, I will be looking in detail at that possibility.

Stuart series 1.5 FHC
Series 1.5 FHC

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#11 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Sun Aug 05, 2018 7:17 pm

Am part way to sorting the problem.....the previous owner has applied a sound deadening matt over all the spare wheel well area which had covered the drain holes. He had also painted it to match the body colour and then Waxoiled it. So that's why the water stayed there and the holes were invisible! All now opened up,

As to the water getting in and the rear hatch seal, it has been bonded into place and I suspect it might also cover the drain hole. Next job is to replace the seal and ensure that it is not bonded over the hole. As a matter of interest how is this seal held in place? Additionally there appears to be no outlet from the drain mentioned....does it exit inside the wheel well?

Stuart
Series 1.5 FHC

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#12 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by mgcjag » Sun Aug 05, 2018 8:16 pm

Hi Stuart...the hatch seal is glued in place....the drain hole at the bottom center where the hatch seal fits should have a tube brazed to it and exits behind the rear number plate.... Steve
Steve
69 S2 2+2 (just sold) ..Realm C type replica, 1960 xk150fhc

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#13 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Wed Aug 08, 2018 2:03 pm

Thanks will have a look for that.

Stuart
Series 1.5 FHC

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#14 Re: Water in the spare wheel area

Post by alfazagato » Sun Aug 19, 2018 5:10 pm

I gently lifted the hatch rubber seal directly above the drain tube.....and there was the drain hole covered by the seal which had been firmly bonded in place over the hole. That is one thing but how the water managed to get over the inner lip and into the wheel well is another. I thank all for their thoughts but I have a feeling that this problem is not yet fully solved.

Stuart
Series 1.5 FHC

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