water inside car

[bjudd]

A neighbor who has a '70 280 automatic (with air conditioning) has discovered significant water under his floor matts.  The car is in very good condition and the hard top never comes off (he's in his 80's).  He had full size rubber matts over the carpet which was over foil lined insulation.  The insulation and carpets on both sides were soaked.   It clearly had been this way for some time because there was mold in the insulation.  The insulation on firewall below the ac is also soaked.  

I checked his radiator overflow and it is normal.. no green/yellow tint to the moisture either.  So, where could this be coming from?   He did tell me that he goes to a brushless car wash (I know...) could it be coming through the vent?  Other source?  There is no indication of it coming through windows or the hard top.  

thanks,



bjudd
1969 280 SL 5 sp

[Paddy_Crow]

Could be coming from the AC if he's used it recently. You can get quite a bit of condensation in the evaporator, this normally drains out and under the car (if you've ever noticed water coming out from under your car on a hot day, that's what it's from). If that drain somehow malfunctions, plugs, whatever, you've got water in the car.

Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch...

[BHap]

i would check the two drains on either side of the firewall, about half way down.  Sometimes they will have dirt and debris inside the tubes.  if he runs it through a car wash, water will enter the front air vent and come into the passenger compartment...  as for the carwash itself, i'd help him find a local detail shop that will do a hand wash...

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

[seattle_Jerry]

I had a 220D that leaked through the clean air intake, but it lacked the cool hood scoop of the SL's. Pine needles built up in the bottom of the intake and retained water/blocked the drains. It caused a rusted hole into the interior behind the console.

The time honored way of detecting leaks is to get the hose out and start low...work to high and see when it starts leaking.

Or gut the interior and go for a ride through the car wash.

My SL has signs of leaking in the lower corners of the windshield.



1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[al_lieffring]

I used to wash my 230sl at my dad's Robo Car Wash many years ago, There were just a few leaks at the seams of the door window rubbers.
If the cowl vent drains are clean it should handle the water from a carwash without running over. You will most likely have to remove the scoop on the cowl, the vent door and the filter screen to get inside the vent area and clean out the debris that has accumulated over the years. Also check the black rubber ball over the steering box where the drain water flows out, these get filled up with gunk too.

Al Lieffring
66 230Sl
a-cheesin with a new 85 l. tank

[jameshoward]

Further to Bob's post, below, when I took delivery on my car from the US, I also had a great deal of water on the floor. Following the advice from the group, I checked all the hoses that join the various steel drainage pipes: from the air scoop down through the firewall and thru the top of the footwell area above the cosmetic card pieces on driver and passenger side then back into the lower part of the firewall and out into the engine bay via the 2 rubber ball drains (if still present); also the hoses that link the drainage pipes in the soft top box to the drainage pipes inside the rear panels that direct water out of the car through the sills. Three of the four hoses were either shot completely or leaked. I have not subjected the car to much water since then, so I do not know if I have rectified the problem, but I have certainly addressed it in part. I would check these rubber hoses.

Also, remember not to neglect the carpets under the seats - like I did. They were equally very wet. All in all it cost me 2 new floor pans on the drivers side.

JH

[seattle_Jerry]

I suspect 37 years of nights at the drive-in has created the moisture build up.

Seriously...the plugged drainage and dead rubber hoses sounds like the likely candidate.

1967 230SL Havana Brown Auto with A/C

[bjudd]

It was the clogged tubes.   The mats they installed look great and have a foam backing which I fear will break down quickly.  I was disappointed to see that the repair place did not put down dynamat type of insulation under the new mats.    My neighbor is happy since things look good.  He was charged $700  for the "clean up", mats & clearing hoses that were dysfunctional.  I would have hoped they would have put in the other insulation under the mats.  I'm not sure about getting involved further since he's content.  ... thoughts?

bjudd
1969 280 SL 5 sp

[J. Huber]

Well, my first reaction is 700 is too much for whatever they did. But I don't really have all the details. However, I just replaced my leaking drainage hoses (see recently renamed thread "water inlets").
To clear the drains you simply:

remove the old 6 inch hoses,
remove the cowl cover
find the drain holes and poke a hanger wire down the tube
then do same for the lower section inside the cab
(if you have the balls, remove them and clean them out).
replace the hoses

This should take 20-30 mins and the hoses and clamps will run you about 4 dollars. Probably a bit more if you go Mercedes parts.

Not sure what kind of mats they replaced...



James
63 230SL