[NA] Help me find the water leak!!

[mitch_f1]

Hello,
So following all the rain Sydney has had recently apparently I've developed a leak, but I can only identify it from the mouldy smell; I cannot find damp anywhere! I have pulled all the carpets out (except the floor carpet) to look for any sign of moisture and I have probably sniffed most of the carpet as well, and cannot find it anywhere.

I've checked the usual culprits; soft top drain holes, sill drains, holes in roof etc but nothing.

Any help is appreciated, because after a day in the sun the smell is pretty wicked (not a good wicked either).

Thanks

[greenMachine]

It's not a coolant smell is it? Check around the top of the transmission tunnel, up close to the firewall. Heater cores are a known troublespot, and can sneak up on you. One way to tell is to watch your coolant level, a leaking heater can lead to regular small top-ups.

If that is what it is, it is a PITA to fix, but it needs to to be fixed quickly. Do a search, there are at least a couple of threads on finding and fixing this problem.

Check under the quarter windows in the doors, I have had leaks originating in the 3-way window/softtop/windscreen rail join.

Good luck

[93_Clubman]

Also check inside the doors as well as the sills below the doors, but reckon it might still be in the underlay/sound deadener below the carpet. It's not always apparent as the carpet has a backing that prevents some moisture getting through. Btw, check the ECU & ECU plug is dry - it's under the carpet in the passenger side foot well near the firewall.

[mitch_f1]

Not coolant smell, and not damp in that area.

I have pulled up the carpet where I can and the sound deadener is dry. I will try look inside the doors

[smy0003]

Inside the boot maybe?
Boot seal may have given up.
Could also be the foam in the white heater thingy behind the dash. Mine didn't smell too great when I got the car, so I cleaned it out when I removed the dash.

Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk

[mitch_f1]

Not boot; it's try and smell free. I doubt it would be the blower/heater assembly because the cowel drains are unblocked and there is no way for the water to get in there otherwise. Also I rebuilt and sealed the heater core not long ago, so couldn't be that.

[93_Clubman]

I have pulled up the carpet where I can and the sound deadener is dry. I will try look inside the doors

Does tend to go to the lowest & hardest to access areas - don't forget the sills that run along each side of the car above the pinchweld.

[mitch_f1]

I have already cleared the drain holes from the sills, and can confirm they flow fine.

[ndragun]

If its anything like mine, in heavy rain water drips from the seal at the top of the window onto the side of the seat bolster - and that's what smells.
That's for me anyway... so it could be the seats?

Even now, after having completely re-built the interior of the car and freshened all the carpets, i still have the funky old cloth seats - and that's what smells...