Uh Oh, water problem!

[KDirk]

I made a disturbing discovery this weekend while gutting out the interior of my Reatta to install new carpeting. After removing the rear interior quarter panel trim and exposing the rectangular "access" panel on each side I discovered the bane of all car owners: standing water.

The area I am referring to is in the inside bottom seam of the body side panel just to the rear of the seat on either side. You can access this area by removing the rectangular panel held in by 4 hex head self tapping screws. This panel acts as a retainer for the remote entry module on the drivers side, and is in place but unused on the passenger side. It can only be seen and/or removed with the rear quarter panel trim out of the car.

I actually removed the passenger side panel to isolate a vibration I was getting with the radio turned up. When I looked down inside the body sheet metal, there was almost 1/2" of standing water in the bottom seam where the inner and outer panels are pinch welded together.

After examining the rear wheel well and under side of the car, I could find no holes or cracks where water may have entered. Then it hit me, the pressure relief vent mounted on the frame at the trailing edge of the door (above the door latch post) could route water directly into this area. This is the apparent point of ingress.

So, has anyone else found this problem (or even thought to check for it?) and if so what is the preferred solution? At this point I have no real damage (I dried the area out with high pressure air hose after draining) but this will obviously happen again unless water can be kept from sneaking in around the relief vent. I plant to spray some underbody coating to inhibit any rust formation but the water intrusion itself needs to be stopped.

Looking at this, I don't see a good way to mod the design to eliminate the problem. Maybe a gasket between the plastic vent insert and the body panel opening would help, but I remain unconvinced that this is the right/most effective fix.

This probably explains why there are a lot of Reattas with rust on the lower rockers between the rear wheel well and the door. Now for what to do about it...

KDirk

[Guest Greg Ross]

Kevin,

Unless you're driving in water depths up over the wheel wells I find it hard to believe water is finding its' way in through those Door Jam Vents. Do you still have the interior strippd out. I'd be inclined to do a "Hose Test" and confirm you don't have leakage around the rear window or trunk lid seal.

I would also not recommend putting undercoating product in there, a heavy weight oil I believe would be better. Those thick undercoating products don't penetrate and will actually bridge over water and hold it in. Any chance you can get access to a Canadian Product, "Krown Rust Inhibitor", it will displace water and is good on an older car even where there's some corrosion established.

[Roadster90]

I found the below, but this page belongs to a site of an actual Krown dealer in Canada advertising it price to do a vehicle/s (this is a FAQ page from the site). The nature of the product reads Great, but the page also states that the product has to be re applied yearly. I was unable to locate any source for the product. Greg ?????

************************************************************

KROWN T-40 is Canada's highest performing petroleum based rust preventative intended for the automotive after market. A non-evaporating liquid product with lubrificant properties, T-40 spreads along metal and painted surfaces, displaces moisture, creeps into crevices, and creates a thin, self-repairing corrosion- fighting barrier. The rust inhibiting performance of KROWN's T-40 is the best of any similar product on the market in Canada.

Fall is just around the corner! Beat the rush by booking an appointment today.

Is Compatible with other types of rust- proofing

Is non-toxic in nature and contains no solvents

Is safe to spray on electrical connections

Has the ability to creep into all crevices.

Is self-healing.

Displaces moisture.

Is a penetrant / Lubricant / Corrosion Inhibitor.

Is unequaled in the marketplace

[Barney Eaton]

I would look higher. It may be a bad seam or rust at the rear window.

[Guest EDBS0]

Let me check some of my secret elixirs and YES there it is $10 a can at last purchase.

I use and highly recommend it. Annual use is probably not required once every 3 or 4 years especially inside. Outside and under the car perhaps annually .

[Roadster90]

But WHERE @ 10 a can O Great One

AND ....I sent you mail and it was returned....something different about your email address please?

Nic

[Guest EDBS0]

same old same old.

Try again with a bigger stamp, Robert ;-)

If they won't ship let me know and I will get you a couple.

Serving Ottawa Krown Rust Control Centre - 613-837-8856

5-1807 St Joseph Bl , Orleans , ON

Krown Rust Control Centre - 613-446-6697

2724 Laurier St , Rockland , ON

Krown Rust Control Centre - 613-521-1800

1768 Queensdale Avenue , Gloucester , ON K1T 1J6

Krown Rust Control Centre - 613-836-1101

Kanata

3 Cedar Row Crt , Stittsville , ON

[Roadster90]

10 4 .... thank ya

[KDirk]

Ok,

I will hose test ASAP, the interior is still out, probably until this coming weekend. FWIW, there is no evidence of leakage around the rear window seal, and no rust around the rear window inside or out. The weather strips on the doors are all tight to the glass with the door shut.

I still think there is a possibility of water getting in around the pressure relief vent. I took it out, and the design has no gasket, and the mounting angle is such that water that may run down the pillar to the rear of the door, could run in/around the plastic vent piece and right down into the bottom of the rear quarter panel.

The design of the door weather stripping on the Reatta doesn't seem to afford much protection against the possibility of water entry at this particular point. Once I eliminate the more common/obvious water intrusion points as the cause (or not), I will report back on this.

I have seen that Krown treatment website, looks like good stuff. And particularly relevant in Canada, where the winters can be brutal. Just wish that the company would recognize that we in a large part of the US also get weather that eats our cars, so we could certainly benefit from the availability of such a treatment product.

KDirk

[Guest Greg Ross]

Kevin,

How often do you wash the car? I can see maybe an automatic car wash having the force and volume perhaps to overwhelm those vents?

[Barney Eaton]

Any chance this car has a sunroof?

[KDirk]

Greg,

I have only washed the car a few times since purchase in January, weather is just now decent for regular hand washing. It has NOT been through an automatic car wash at all, and won't be due to the possibility of water intrusion from high pressure and paint/wheel damage. Hand wash only for this car, period.

Barney,

I have no sun roof, so no issue there with plugged drain lines etc. On closer examination, I am questioning the water getting in around the vent, but I still have not found an obvious entry point. I will hose test this weekend sometime, just been to busy to do in the evening.

I used a high wattage lamp around the bottom rocker edge, pinch weld, leading edge of rear wheel well and around back window and no visible light shines through any hidden open holes/seams. My side door weather stripping was a bit "limp" but I have inserted 3/16" OD vacuum tubing inside them and they now have a good profile and seal very well.

Thing is, the water in there was clear, not dirty or rusted, so it couldn't have been in there too long. We had some heavy rains here recently, so this must be the source of the water. Still doesn't tell me how it found it's way in there.

Will keep the forum advised as I work through this.

KDirk