I hear you RD. I. Putting rear bushes now. Once done Ill take a look in the front wheel wells and make a trip to the tubing store. The water dumping from the center of the cowl comes out over the tranny shouldn't be a problem.
Thanks for the lead.



1999 XK8 Cabriolet Alpine Pearl (Gwendolyn)

 

might be irrelevant so please do ignore if this is not helpful in your case
when I first got my xk8 last year I had significant water ingress around the bottom of the doors and rear footwells, boot and drivers footwell when it rained heavily.

solved this almost completely, (i'm now only slightly damp).

A nice body shop rehung my doors for me for free (they said they inevitably drop over time as they are so long and heavy). Which got rid of most of it...

I cleaned out the drains at the back of the convertable top with compressed air and waxed the inside of the boot run offs, (in the dip before seal)... this stopped water accumulating there and overwhelming the seal, filling the boot.

Then I discovered that the two covered compartments on either side of the engine bay (one houses the brake servo I think), where full of water, which was sloshing around and entering the drivers footwell). I pulled a good inch of filthy leaf mulch out and it came gushing out on to my foot!

would be interested if you have a photo of the drain layout around the boot?

 

(I cleaned out the drains at the back of the convertable top with compressed air and waxed the inside of the boot run offs,) (in the dip before seal).
I am unaware of this drain I'll need to look for it

 

I pulled off both wheel well liners. It looks like there are no drain lines in the inner fender. The water is left to drain down harmlessly and exit from beneath the car. The right Side was also designed to fall in the wheel well. I think the design of the drain is a good one. Things looked great.
Thanks for the heads up RD.
If I hadnt pulled the liners I wouldn't have seen the road debri deposited On both inside fenders which amounted to over 1/2 cup of compacted sand on both sides. This debri can't be removed with a spray wand from beneath. If your car has over 10 years on it I recommend removing both front wheel well liners next time you time you have the front wheels off.
I suppose this would also be a good time to add antifreeze to the degas tank located in the right wheel well.

 

I'm trying to figure out how rain water, is channeled off the the rear (sides) of the Cabriolet. The boot in the rear is a given but when pouring water on the side of the rag top, the water flows forward then exits in the front of the wheel well.
I can't find the anything to blow out with compressed air.
Any guidance hear, as always, is appreciated .

 

I found the interior rain gutter which had some loose bolts which mounts aluminum rag top mount. That stopped water getting under rear seat.
Nearly every weep hole in the rockers where plugged or pinched just enough to clog.
The internal tubular chassis component on drivers side was getting rain water in it. I sealed the area where water was getting in with spray foam. I suspect this leak was left unchecked for years. I will monitor and spray In rust inhibitor after a couple of good rains then annually.

 

sorry for the slow reply - glad you found it in the end, I think I need to have another look down there, mine is wet behind the rear seat again annoyingly. (though I suspect the rear window is leaking).

Do you have a photo or a description of the location of the loose bolts you found in the rain gutter and the gummed up weep holes so i can check?

I've got my 3/4 top car cover out again, which defo helped last year, might be worth investing in while you problem solve?
Thanks
J

 

Sorry no pics, but I will describe. When you say rear window do you mean side rear window or back glass? On Cabriolet you can pull out the interior rear deck and see the gutter. It's flexible enough to pull out just enough to figure it out without removal from cabin. My loose bolts where on drivers side. If you look i between head liner and top just aft of rear seat drivers side window you can see the the silver track mounting rag top to fender. I had 2 loose bolts which connect this track. It's a tough reach for a right hander. I couldn't see it and do the work at the same time. I dropped my ratchet and had to retrieve it with aa magnet. Then I used a string to aid in retrieval just in case I droped it again. Working in the blind is tough but can be done. This stoped the leaking under rear seat on drivers side.
The water getting into the chassis tube was traveling along the designed path but couldn't exit fast enough do to the weep holes in the rockers being either plunged or pinched. The car needs to be up on jack stands to allow you to get under the car to see them. They are under rockers. They are where the painted surface meets the under side of the bottom pan and are inboard. I suppose you could use a mirror if you had to. There is five to seven weep holes per side. I used a heavy screw driver, visegrips and a plastic zip tie to open the pinched ones then the zip tie inserted to wiggle around to allow water to flow. Debri had built up Inside of rockers.
Water entering chassis tube was an easy fix. Just took time to figure out. Only one side was leaking. I suspect not every car is affected by this.
Rear seat floor is the lowest point on pan any water on drivers side will eventually end up there. I had a hole under drivers left foot. Road water was getting in There and ending up in rear seat pan.
Im not sure water would ever evaporate under the foam carpet underlay. Very thick dense foam.
After analyzing rain water passage I would recommend cars outside be parked level or slightly nose down hill. Parking forward uphill is asking for a leak.
Hope this helps.

 

Steve, found this in another post:


Before re-installing tranny, make sure a/c drain hose is clear & the end is not restricted or stuck closed. This hose is nearly impossible to access when tranny is in car. Water backs up & soaks carpets.


sounds like part of the problem you described.....maybe this could help.

 

Thanks Frank - will take a look at this weekend

 

sounds good...maybe it'll work maybe it won't....but...easy to find out. GL


https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...drains-103186/