After removing the drivers side wheel well liner, I noticed a 4 inch welded tube running aft just above the rockers. I don't know what to call this other than a unitized body component added for rigidity. This tube has a rubber plug which I removed to find a bit of rusty water inside.
I stuck in a 2 foot screw driver which found no obstical. I imagine it is hollow and probably runs from the front wheel well to the rear wheel well. This may be added to Cabriolets to aid in lost stiffness due to not having a roof? I'm only speculating at this point.
If water got in there once it can't help from getting in again. I'm wondering if anyone has come across this and what I might do to make it better?
I have some ideas but Id rather not make mistakes that others have learned in the past as not the way to go.
As always any suggestions are appreciated. Thank you very much indeed.

 

Hi.


You are correct. The convertible has an extra reinforcement tube. How you got water in there, I don't know. Dry it up and put some anti-rust inside.

 

I didn't realise that was a steel tube going all the way to the back, I will need to have a look inside mine now.

 

I put wintergreen alcohol in the tube then jacked up the rear higher to let it flow back forward again then sucked it all out with a shop vac. No smell of wintergreen into cabin.
Before I put any rust inhibitor in I want to be sure it not leaking beneath the carpet. I'll pull rear seat today so I can get a hand under carpet see if it's wet there.
When I pour water on the top and follow the flow I never get all the water back. This may be an accumulative process which builds over time and somehow leaks into the tube.I don't know.
Just spitballing now but I'm wondering if I put a long extention novel on a can of spray foam and stick it in the frame tube possibly this will seal the tube from the inside. But then again it may just make a big mess and I won't be able to extract the water any longer.

Hey Race Diagnostics, does your windshield cowl corner drain tube just dump out of the inner fender or are they attached to another tube to exit the car nearer to the ground? I can nearly see it in your picture. Thanks very much indeed.

 

Pretty sure all these pipes are part of the evap system rather than drains.


Did you get access via the small grommet or the larger round part with the cross on it?

 

Yea small rubber plug there is also one in rear wheel well I been scouring the entire forum for any mention of interior leaks and I think others have had rain problems but never realized the connection with this structural chassis tube.
For every 16 oz of water I sprinkle on my top on drivers side, 4 oz ends up in this chassis tube.
Someone tried to jack car up at some point before I got it and missed the gusset plate designed for jacking. I straightened it out but I suspect did the damage was done to this tube, alloying the rain rolling of off the top which runs off down into fender to exit but is building up at the lowest point the entering this tube. I'm thinking about shooting spray foam into the tube. I have a couple of tests first because I don't want to plug and weep hole that is allowing rain water to exit.
The only other option I can come up with is pulling rear plug when I'm caught out in the rain.
If I ever to do a refit and replace the carpet I will fix it but for now I can't come up with any other options.
RaceDiagnostics, I can see the your cowl drain in your last pic. Jaguar must have designed it to dump there no down hose to carry it downward. Thanks for the pic.

 

Got all rain water exiting where it should. No water in chassis tube any longer. I suspect this may be the reason why so many complaints about the rear floor being wet. No more convertable smell only leather.

 

What did you do to fix it?