Wet boot

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 11:23 am

Hi folks,

Just bought my first MX5 and its in need of a little TLC. :cry:

One problem that I'm attempting to fix is a leak in the boot, I've searched the forum for possible solutions. To date I have fixed the seal around the lights, unblocked drainage holes, checked the petrol overflow pipe and I'm still getting water coming into the jack well???? My MX has a hardtop and I am stumped as to where the water could be coming from??? Any ideas/solutions would be appreciated.... :wink:

BadBong · Postby **BadBong** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 1:31 pm

What model is your mx5?

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 5:40 pm

1990

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Thu Jul 22, 2010 9:54 pm

Have you tried some controlled watering of various locations with a hose or watering can, looking for leaks into the boot in between? Any leaks onto the rear parcel shelf (lift the carpets)? Could be a leaking rainrail.

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 9:27 am

Yes, I've tried watering different sections of the rear and to my horror I found that he petrol overflow tube was disconnected :shock:

I couldn't find any signs of wet carpet on the parcel shelf, however, I did notice that water starts to drip in around the boot hinge after pouring water around the frankenstein bolts??? :evil:

Guran · Postby **Guran** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 12:39 pm

That might be it then. The Frankenstein bolts screw into a nut that is welded to the underside of the body. There should also be a second bolt with a Phillips head next to the Frankenstein bolt, sitting flush with the chrome plate. If either of these bolts are missing, then you have a hole that goes straight through to the boot area and water can leak through there.

I'm assuming here that you don't have a hardtop fitted. The hardtop rear latch covers both bolts.

Did you check the padding underneath the parcel shelf carpet? It can soak up water without necessarily making the carpet wet.

Mr Morlock · Postby **Mr Morlock** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 5:22 pm

a car of 20 yrs may very well have worn out boot seal. People in the rubber game also use leak finders which is a "chalk" that can be applied with a aerosol can.

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Fri Jul 23, 2010 7:34 pm

I'll be taking the hardtop off this weekend to check out those bolts and have another look for any wet felt/carpet. The boot seal was the first thing I checked but it appears the water is coming from higher up on the body and running down towards the boot hinge??? Thanks for the help guys :wink:

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Sat Jul 24, 2010 4:33 pm

The gasket under the franklenstein bolt plate had perished and the water was getting in past the bolt thread. I used some black windscreen silicone to form another gasket under the plate. Problem solved I hope :wink:

aviper4u · Postby **aviper4u** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 9:44 pm

hey elmo glad you found the leak!
though i have water entering my boot too, and wanted to ask which section of boot the water was appearing (front, back etc) as i need to investigate this weekend and may try the frankenstein bolts first if easier ripping all the rear parcel shelf carpet of to inspect rain rail and drain holes..............

also anybody else think the water draining to holes inside the cabin is a bit archaic?

cheers

Elmo · Postby **Elmo** » Thu Jul 29, 2010 11:15 pm

From the frankenstein bolts the water would run down down towards the jack sits and when it hit the boot hinge it would drop down onto the carpet there. However, I think the main reason my boot was so wet was that the petrol tank overflow tube had been disconnected at some stage...so any water run off that made its way under the petrol cap went straight into the boot :cry:

Good luck sorting out your problem :wink: