I've got an xj6 vanden Plas that is leaking a lot right onto the driver and passenger side floorboards. I want to put new carpets in but if I can't isolate the leaks I don't want to put the carpets in and have them get all moldy. I've tried isolating the leaks with a hose and a bucket of water but it's a little difficult as I am trying to do it on my own... If anyone of you have experienced this problem and have fixed it it would be amazing to have some insight as to what I should do, my restore project is at a stand still until I can get these leaks patched up. I'm even reluctant to put my new headliner in as I don't want any of the condensation to deteriorate that either... as always any help is greatly appreciated.

You guys are the best.
Kind regards

Ryan

 

Common: Through the front/rear screen rubber profile....between metal and rubber and also between glass and rubber...


Control: Take off the top of the dashboard and inspect the lower window area from inside the car....






metal/rubber with black Sika
glass/rubber with window sealer like Teroson or Würth


http://www.loctite.com.au/aue/conten...n_Brochure.pdf

When dry inside, protect against rust with Fluid Film or another stuff

 

Have you got any corrosion at bottom corners of windscreen ? This can get so bad it holes through and allows water to enter the car. Only cure is windscreen out, repair with new metal., repaint and glue screen back in.

As suggested, take off the dash top (takes about 5 -10 minutes) and look for water ingression.

 

Wow thanks guys you are awesome. .. that must be my problem because I do have corrosion around the wind screen... man.

 

Classic water intrusion test, whether in automobile or structure windows.

Use hose with low flow. apply water to lowest point on window, observe interior til you see water. Location of hose appliction will tell where the leak is.

In my 85 Ford 4x4 picxlup, t was rather high along the veritical on the driver side. Not a rust issiue, but a rubber seal. I squeezed in a s ealant and all was well.

In our Jaguars. it is more likely a rusted sill isuee. A bit harder to fix. but. doable.

Just for the fun of it. Are the drain gaithers from the vent isn front of the sindscreen clear??

And/or does the fluid reek of antifreeze? If so, think heater matrix or hose leak!!!
Remember, the glycol is toxic.

 

quite common to come through the wiper stem, access from outside, take the tube shroud off and reseal with mastic or silicon...tom

 

I have the same issue and looked into getting this repaired. As Fraser said, the windows have to come out and the area needs to be cleaned up. Of course that's when it gets expensive because the car would have to be repainted. My guy said there is no way to match the original color.

 

hi,
another known source of water leaking into the floor of the XJ-6 is the air conditioner's Evaporator drains getting clogged.

you might check with the car on a lift, inserting a straightened clothes hanger through the drain hoses found hanging around the sides of the transmission.

 

When I did my complete bare metal respray, I had to repair all 4 lower corners - rust and small perforations. Before re installing the windscreens I wanted to know why this happened in the first place.
My theory:
The inner / outer finishers are the culprit. These "finishers" allow water to come to rest under them - they are not seals, they are cosmetic plastic space fillers.
When Jaguar made the cars,.. the economical way of installing the glass into the cars and have those nice stainless steel trim pieces, required a way to bridge the gap from the stainless to the body and from the stainless to the glass. Solution was to use cheesy plastic "gap fillers". A dab of sealant to secure the glass (nowhere near enough)and then push in the stainless and snap in the finishers - quick 'n' dirty, but it looked nice.. Problem is water comes to rest under the finishers and eventually rots the metal in the windscreen channel. My solution
was to forget the finishers.
I instead filled the windscreen channel to the brim with sealant, fitted the glass (centered it) sunk in the (now cleaned up) stainless, and wiped off the excess sealant with mineral spirits, before the sealant set up.. I ended up with a 1/8 inch wide band of sealant showing around the glass. Looks factory stock that you would never notice... BUT the car has been dry inside for over 5 years.
The photo shows the rear vertical section of the car - driver's side.

I got lucky at the local Pull a Part and found a set of perfect Wilton Wool front carpets from a low mileage VDP car. Also had to change the 2 rear door cards as they were distorted from being wet.

If you have this problem with the rear glass, check for water under the rear seat - that is where it collects. As well this same leak allows water to drain down inside the rear wings and eventually rust through.

I have 2 sets of finishers still in their bags , free to anyone who wants them - just pay postage.

 

Thanks for the pics, Brett and Alyn. I assume Brett's method is suitable if you don't want to risk pulling the windscreen and having a big, expensive job on your hands? Instead of trying to seal from the inside after water has penetrated past the windscreen/metal border, would it not be feasible to try sealing from the outside by applying wheatherseal along the outside edge of the rubber seal (parhaps prying it out a bit without removing the screen)?

The "proper", albiet expensive way would be along the lines of what Alyn did.


BTW, where are the fasteners for the dash on a S3? Thanks