"O" Rings!!!! Don't think so.

Ok Guys,

I've just found wet in my drivers side footwell Not as you might think around the tunnel but on the door side. Although, the carpet is slighly damp right up into the footwell it has soaked an area of about 2 x 6 inches by the door in front of the seat.

The wetness feels slimy, and is not pink (coolent) so its not rain water.

i am not losing coolant.

First thing I did was think "Wet Footwell = "O" rings"

So I took all the paneling off around the drivers side so I could get a good look at the rings. If I wedge my head in I could just see the joints. Everything looks clean, no leakage I can see or feel. All around the area looks spotless too.

So I turned the engine on and ran the heater and checked the pipe, joints and area again. I could see not signs of dripping or smell. Pipes got nice and warm.

So, it was a relief to think it is almost certainly not the "O" rings, but what was it.

Then I thought back to what I had been doing recently. I had changed the headlight and read washer pumps.

So I checked the wiring channel down by the drivers side. Yes slightly damp, but not drenched, and as expected no water pipes (the rear washer feed goes via the other side.).

Then I remembered that when I was testing the new ones were working correctly the bonnet was open. When testing the headlights washer the screen washer works too. The jets would be aiming into the scuttle. Note: I did test them quite thoroughly!!!

So my conclusion is:

The slimy water in the footwell is actually the screen wash fluid which has got in through the scuttle and run down from behind the peddles.

So my question is "Am I mad or is my conclusion feasible?"

Hi Steve

I have had exactly that syndrome, I have had an overheating problem and today as part of the general cooling system look over I checked the carpet area and not wet, but has the oily/slimy dampness to it....... I have noticed it before very odd

Ash

Pollen filter housings leak as do the adjacent screw in the scuttle, most likely to be the problem. cover the scuttle screw heads with silicone, I also do the top edge of the pollen filter covers. No leaks since.

Thanks Datatek, but I can find no evidence of water ingress around the pollen filters and I can't see signs of the route it would have taken.
Is there a inner and outer skin that the water can get in between to the footwell? However, I will do as you suggest as it will at least count that out.

Today, I found the area is still wet, in fact worse, and now evidence of red in the wetness (could be a red herring)

So, off with all the trim to look at the "O" rings again. No sign of leakage.

Pulled the carpet up in the drivers footwell as much as I could to feel behind it. There is no dampness from the tunnel, no evidence of dampness up behind the peddles or above, and no evidence on the footwell floor other than the two inch strip along the door side

I've taken the trim off next to the wheel arch, again no sign of dampness.

I've checked the sunroof drain into the wing, no sign off a blockage and also pushed a household pipe drain unblocking wire through it - nothing, clean as a whistle.

So, what other fluid could be getting in there? screen wash? No, cos that's blue.

Power steering fluid? That is red, but I cant see how that could get in there.

Can it be the air con? I think I remember that has a green colour added to it, plus it goes through the bulk head on the passenger side. There is no sign of wetness in the passenger side footwell. Plus I'm sure that is a gas.

So, other than the "O" rings is there any other way the coolant can get into the inside?

Could the trim on the bottom of the screen be letting in water?

The other thing I have noticed is that under the bonnet there are small signs of coolant escape around the throttle warming gasket and the top of the rad connection that goes back to the bottle.

Could that be because of too high pressure in the cooling system?

Could there be an air gap or blockage?

The car runs fine and the temp gauge stays at the middle all the time. I've just got back from a 850 mile trip where I had no problems at all.

I know the coolant pipes are fairly old, so will be looking to change those over the Xmas period.

However I cant see how the pressure in the cooling system cab be causing my problem.

If I could find traces of how its getting into the footwell, then I'd have a chance.

So, other than doing what Datatek suggests, I'm basically stumped.

Anyone got any other ideas?

If it's red, sounds like it's coolant. Of course it could be from an old O ring leak and it's being refreshed so to speak by the supply of fresh water. Otherwise if it is coolant could be the heater matrix has sprung a leak.
Door seals have been known to leak at the top corner. However, if the screws on the valence are the cause, it's hard to see where the water actually tracks down to the interior. Easy to cover the screws with silicon.

Taste it

Is the coolant level dropping or is it still full?
I put a plastic sheet over the gearbox tunnel and see if there is any leaks from the O rings that the carpet is soaking up.
Is the small rubber hose on the air conditioner drain connected properly and not split allowing condensation to soak the carpet
I could be that the O rings only leak when the system is pressurised and it runs uder the carpet to the door .

Saint.V8 said:

Taste it

Click to expand...

If it tastes like antifreeze dont get addicted to it as Anti freeze is one of the most toxic substances in the car and can kill you

ovalandrover said:

If it tastes like antifreeze dont get addicted to it as Anti freeze is one of the most toxic substances in the car and can kill you

Click to expand...

Yeah but you won't freeze to death.

Ok Guys, I think I have finally found the source of the leak.

Further exploration this afternoon resulted in me finding fresh wet traces of fluid below where the "O" rings are.

These traces were found higher than, and four inches away from, the A/C drain Overlander was referring to. And they indicated a drip rather than a splattering.

So, now I have to get to them to see what has happened, and change them.

In the back of my mind I am wondering if I have inadvertently caused the problem!! I recently changed the two hoses in the engine bay that feed the heater pipes. In getting the old hoses off the pipes could I have dislodged them or pulled them out of the where the "O" rings are?

Is there anyway an airlock in the heater could cause me problems? I cant see how, as the heater is all working as it should, but I am open to someone telling me otherwise.

Anyway, all the trim around the console and footwell is off, but there is a plastic heater air tube, that comes from high up in the dash and goes down the side of the centre console feeding the rear blowers that obscures access to the "O" rings.

My thinking is that I will cut that away a high up as I can inside the footwell. Then that should allow me to unclip it from the next piece half way down the centre console. Removing that should allow me access to the "O" rings. Once repaired I will reattach it and tape round the cut joint.

Good plan? Any other ways of doing it, without a total dash out job?

I did the "O" rings on my last RR, but that was a '95 plate and I pretty sure that didn't have the pipe in the way.

Best I order some "O" rings as well!!

Cheers

stevef1964 said:

Ok Guys, I think I have finally found the source of the leak.

Further exploration this afternoon resulted in me finding fresh wet traces of fluid below where the "O" rings are.

These traces were found higher than, and four inches away from, the A/C drain Overlander was referring to. And they indicated a drip rather than a splattering.

So, now I have to get to them to see what has happened, and change them.

In the back of my mind I am wondering if I have inadvertently caused the problem!! I recently changed the two hoses in the engine bay that feed the heater pipes. In getting the old hoses off the pipes could I have dislodged them or pulled them out of the where the "O" rings are?

Is there anyway an airlock in the heater could cause me problems? I cant see how, as the heater is all working as it should, but I am open to someone telling me otherwise.

Anyway, all the trim around the console and footwell is off, but there is a plastic heater air tube, that comes from high up in the dash and goes down the side of the centre console feeding the rear blowers that obscures access to the "O" rings.

My thinking is that I will cut that away a high up as I can inside the footwell. Then that should allow me to unclip it from the next piece half way down the centre console. Removing that should allow me access to the "O" rings. Once repaired I will reattach it and tape round the cut joint.

Good plan? Any other ways of doing it, without a total dash out job?

I did the "O" rings on my last RR, but that was a '95 plate and I pretty sure that didn't have the pipe in the way.

Best I order some "O" rings as well!!

Cheers

Click to expand...

If there was air in the heater matrix you would have over pressure in the system when hot.

Wammers,

could that be over pressure in the whole cooling system or just in the heater matrix?

Going by what I said before about a couple of small leaks recently appearing on the top of the rad and throttle heater, could that be a result of over pressure?

stevef1964 said:

Wammers,

could that be over pressure in the whole cooling system or just in the heater matrix?

Going by what I said before about a couple of small leaks recently appearing on the top of the rad and throttle heater, could that be a result of over pressure?

Click to expand...

If you wiggled the heater pipes under the bonnet, odds on that has caused the O rings to leak, it did on mine.

Thanks Datatek, I suspected I might have had something to do with it!!!

stevef1964 said:

Wammers,

could that be over pressure in the whole cooling system or just in the heater matrix?

Going by what I said before about a couple of small leaks recently appearing on the top of the rad and throttle heater, could that be a result of over pressure?

Click to expand...

Pressure in the whole system. Trapped air expands when hot causing over pressure in the entire system. Your system should run at about 5 to 7 psi under normal conditions rising a bit under load. If you know someone with a static test rig they could check it for you.

As I am intending to change a couple of other hoses whilst doing the rings, I'm going to have to drain the cooling system anyway.

Well, first thing this morning, got going on finding and resolving my leak problem.

First I checked the a/c vents just in case they were blocked and they were fine.

So after taking vent tubes off, drilling holes and other bits an bobs, I could see the pipe ends and the clamp.

I gave the the heater pipes in the engine bay a wiggle and low and behold, fluid gushed from the joints.

So, off with the pipes, "O" rings changed and pipes reconnected.

I then spent the next 40 mins with the car running, looking for signs of coolant, nothing. I then ran the car round the block, about 20 mins (it's a big block!!).

No signs of coolant.

So almost all the trim is now back on, leaving the final pieces off so that I can keep an eye on the pipes over he next week or so.

Now I just have to wait for the carpet to dry out - I'm directing the heating to the floor.

Took me about 3 hours all in all, not counting the test drive.

All in all, I'm very pleased.

Having just changed my o rings and blend motors I understand the pain. Did you change the little screw for an allen key one? I did and it's a bit longer as well. No leaks so far either

stevef1964 said:

Well, first thing this morning, got going on finding and resolving my leak problem.

First I checked the a/c vents just in case they were blocked and they were fine.

So after taking vent tubes off, drilling holes and other bits an bobs, I could see the pipe ends and the clamp.

I gave the the heater pipes in the engine bay a wiggle and low and behold, fluid gushed from the joints.

So, off with the pipes, "O" rings changed and pipes reconnected.

I then spent the next 40 mins with the car running, looking for signs of coolant, nothing. I then ran the car round the block, about 20 mins (it's a big block!!).

No signs of coolant.

So almost all the trim is now back on, leaving the final pieces off so that I can keep an eye on the pipes over he next week or so.

Now I just have to wait for the carpet to dry out - I'm directing the heating to the floor.

Took me about 3 hours all in all, not counting the test drive.

All in all, I'm very pleased.

Click to expand...

Make sure you have the aircon on to dry it out with the airflow on recirculate.

Well, its been a couple of days since I did the "O" rings and with a lot of Xmas running around, so far so good.

No sign of coolant and the carpet is drying out nicely.

:cheer2::cheer2: