the sound of sloshing water??

[nixcolley]

hi got caught in the heavy downpours and i have noticed the sound of water caught in the side panel under the drivers seat (LHD). I looked under and could see two, what look like plugs, which I thought may drain the water but nothng came out?  I know someone here will know something because you are always very helpful!! Please can you give me some rough ideas where you think the water could be coming in? Obviously its only when it rains... scuse the ignorant terminology Im not certain what parts are called:)

[dendrinos]

perhaps you just dropped a half consumed bottle of water with the cap still on, on the bench behind you.    

Sorry it sounded funny in MY head.

P

quote:Originally posted by nixcolley

hi got caught in the heavy downpours and i have noticed the sound of water caught in the side panel under the drivers seat (LHD). I looked under and could see two, what look like plugs, which I thought may drain the water but nothng came out?  I know someone here will know something because you are always very helpful!! Please can you give me some rough ideas where you think the water could be coming in? Obviously its only when it rains... scuse the ignorant terminology Im not certain what parts are called:)

280 Sl
Michigan, USA

[nixcolley]

hey you will be asking if Im blonde next???!!! easy....[!]

[waqas]

Hello,
Are you sure the sloshing is from underneath the seat?  Sometimes, when my pagoda gets caught in a down-pour, water flows into the soft-top compartment, and then through the compartment drain holes and into the space underneath the rear shelf (behind the seats). You can check by removing the rear shelf pieces (or the kinder-seat if you have that option). I haven't been able to completely seal the soft-top compartment, so whenever I get caught in the rain, I always open up my kinder-seat compartment once I get home, and drain out the water.

WAQAS in Austin, Texas

[BHap]

could it be in the bottom of the door?  next time you hear it - open the door and shake it a little.... there are three small drain passages in the lower door front, center, rear - remove door panel, pry back the vapor barrier, clean out the bottom/holes, test with some water...  you'll know when you open the door and shake.....

Bob Happe
Pittsburgh, Pa
1970 280SL, white/black 4 speed

[Douglas]

These people are onto something. You probably wouldn't hear sloshing water if it were under the seat. Too much padding down there. It's in another self-contained cavity like either a door or under the rear parcel shelf.

Douglas Kim
New York
USA

[nixcolley]

sorry i will try to be more specific, its the panel underneath the car, its the sides of the car right underneath where I sit to drive, not in the door panels but in the actual car??

[Chad]

Underneath the sill, rockers, or descriptively that part of the car inside of where there is the flat black Wurth coating protection?



1967 230SL

[jameshoward]

I don't think there's any cavity that could hold water at that place in the car. The rear part of the seat sits just behind a sort of oblong box that could concievably hold water, but how would it get there? It's more likely to be under the rear shelf, or perhaps in the sides of the soft top compartment where your seatbelts sit (or would sit if it had a 3 point harness). If you remove the chrome where the soft top hinges and the 4 screws that hold in the moulded metal you can see into that area. As someone has mentioned, the soft top drains through there (I think - it's been a while) but it's certainly an area that could hold water after a down pour if the drainage plugs are blocked. Probably worth a squint. Or check the doors as someone else has mentioned. Water coming in down the side of the windows can collect in the doors. (It did in my car).

Thinking about it, it could also be water stuck in the firewall. Do a search under "TUV" which was a post of mine and you'll see that I found my firewall drainage pipes had perished thus causing water to build up there and cause all sorts of dramas.

Let us know what you find.

JH

[jeffc280sl]

The side rails of the car are hollow.  A rubber gasket is mounted on the splash guard to prevent water from passing from the tires and road surface behind the fire wall.  If this gasket is dry and broken water can easily infiltrate behind the splash guard/firewall seal and enter the hollow cavity of the frame rail.  Do a search on splash guards for more information.  Here is a pic of the part.

Download Attachment: splash.jpg
21.36 KB

Jeff C.
1970 280SL 4-speed

[bpossel]

My guess is that the water is in the rockers.  There are small drain holes on the undersides (one front, one rear) where the water drains out.  If these are plugged, water will remain in the rockers until it evaporates.

Here is a picture of my rocker when I had my rocker panel off for painting, and was replacing the rubber door sill covering.

Download Attachment: rocker.jpg
37.15 KB

Water could can also be behind the seats, under the rear shelf covers...




bpossel  (Memphis, TN.)
'71 280SL  /  '97 E320