12 replies to this topic

[markaboot]

everytime i get in the mini, there is ice everywhere. windowns, sunroof even the on the clocks.
modern cars never get this, my 306 is bone dry on the inside. apart from the odd bit of mist on the windows.

i can only assume, and possibly answer my own question, that its something to do with the ventalation. The mini interior is open to the outside through the vents.
i presume that modern cars are different being completely sealed.

am i correct? or can someone else shed some light on this.
this must be a major problem for rust issues from the inside out. i know mine has plenty on the inside. if it could be solved some how surely it could help prevent rust, the annoying drips on the head and the misty/frozen windows.
theres got to be a design fault somewhere that can be rectified.

Edited by markaboot, 11 December 2008 - 08:24 AM.

[JohnGordon]

Aboot how many seals have been replaced on yours?

When I rebuild mine every seal was changes and the only time i've had moister on the inside was when my heater matrix started leaking and put about a litre of coolant all over the carpet!
Plus any holes you have will let moister in, when the body work is solid and all seals have been changed you wont have that problem.

[markaboot]

Aboot how many seals have been replaced on yours?

When I rebuild mine every seal was changes and the only time i've had moister on the inside was when my heater matrix started leaking and put about a litre of coolant all over the carpet!
Plus any holes you have will let moister in, when the body work is solid and all seals have been changed you wont have that problem.

haha non.

still might do something with those vents tho, when i get round to it. if i need fresh air i'll open a window.
at the mo i just get a cold draft lol.

[998dave]

if you turn the little knob it closes the vents?

And I suspect your car is damp inside, try getting one of the dry bags or something inside to try to take the moisture out.

Suspect you've got leaks door or window seals, take a look under the carpet, any damp?

Dave

[markaboot]

if you turn the little knob it closes the vents?

And I suspect your car is damp inside, try getting one of the dry bags or something inside to try to take the moisture out.

Suspect you've got leaks door or window seals, take a look under the carpet, any damp?

Dave

how about a hole i can see the road through.

[rozzer1275]

my fav is water coming in past the front window seals, then some how getting on the back of the door card then through the inside of the door getting both front and rear carpets wet.

also front and rear screens leak, renew seals every few years esp on the front.

[998dave]

if you turn the little knob it closes the vents?

And I suspect your car is damp inside, try getting one of the dry bags or something inside to try to take the moisture out.

Suspect you've got leaks door or window seals, take a look under the carpet, any damp?

Dave

how about a hole i can see the road through.

Well of course it's not waterproof if you can see the road!?
Suggest you start by fixing that?

D

[Ethel]

Ventilation is good for eliminating damp, as long as it doesn't let water in too. Minis being small means there's less air on the inside to dissipate your breath and other soggyness.

[Dan]

Modern cars have vents too, have you never been in one?

The difference is that modern cars also have stale air exhaust vents, usually under the boot floor. These let the incoming fresh air blow the damp stale air out of the car. Driving with your rear quarter lights open can have the same effect. Having said that, Minis aren't naturally damp cars. Early Mk1s were but the floor pressings were redesigned to fix that. Your car is full of holes and in a bad way, that's why it's wet. Fix it and it will be dry.

The drop glass design in a Minis door uses an older design of glass seal and the doors are intended as a wet design. The seal won't prevent a thin film of water running down into the door. All the openings in the door pressing should be sealed with gaffer tape before the door card is fitted, that's original and how the doors were sealed at the factory. In fact even in more modern cars the door pressings are sealed with plastic before the trim is fitted. Like most common problems with Minis, the dampness often found is normally the result of poor maintenance or bad physical condition or simply poor quality rebuilds and repairs. If you fail to seal the doors up, the car will get damp inside but that's not the fault of the design it's because you or a previous owner didn't fix it properly.

[markaboot]

Modern cars have vents too, have you never been in one?

The difference is that modern cars also have stale air exhaust vents, usually under the boot floor. These let the incoming fresh air blow the damp stale air out of the car. Driving with your rear quarter lights open can have the same effect. Having said that, Minis aren't naturally damp cars. Early Mk1s were but the floor pressings were redesigned to fix that. Your car is full of holes and in a bad way, that's why it's wet. Fix it and it will be dry.

The drop glass design in a Minis door uses an older design of glass seal and the doors are intended as a wet design. The seal won't prevent a thin film of water running down into the door. All the openings in the door pressing should be sealed with gaffer tape before the door card is fitted, that's original and how the doors were sealed at the factory. In fact even in more modern cars the door pressings are sealed with plastic before the trim is fitted. Like most common problems with Minis, the dampness often found is normally the result of poor maintenance or bad physical condition or simply poor quality rebuilds and repairs. If you fail to seal the doors up, the car will get damp inside but that's not the fault of the design it's because you or a previous owner didn't fix it properly.

i dont think the previous own fixed anything on it. just incase the guy who i bought it off reads this, not you lol. the person you bought it off. it was sat in his garage for sometime before i aquired it.

i cba anyway lol. at the mo it has no brakes so its not gettin driven. need to pull my finger out and order some parts. next weeks wage i think.

Edited by markaboot, 11 December 2008 - 02:57 PM.

[Ferretboy221]

doesnt help the older mini's that there is a lot of exposed metalwork in the cabin....
lots of potential for condensation to form and as has been previously mentioned there is no real way to remove moisture-laden air once its in other than opening the windows whilst driving or parked in a dry - heated garage..... wish i had one my clubman estate lives in a barn!!

though he seems to stay quite dry as long as i leave each front window cracked a little and keep an eye on him...

[AndrewJ530]

You could put a water trap in your mini. I've seen them i morrissons and i'm pretty sure any hardware store will do them. They are just a box which holds crystals which absorb water. Simple and effective.

[Disco Dan]

Yes, seal up those holes!!!

The doors are easily overlooked as someone mentioned.

Once you have got things sealed up - put a household dehumidifier inside your car for a couple of days. I routed the power cord through a partially open window. Mine managed to suck several liters of water in a couple of days from a seemingly dry mini. You will be surprised how much moisture becomes trapped in foam, trim, carpets etc.

Mini's had very primitive rust protection and water ingress protection compared to modern cars - trouble is as we are all finding out, most old minis are even worse than when they left the factory... so this only compounds the problems with rust and moisture.