6 replies to this topic

[Syed Malaysia]

Hi all

I usually wash my mini at home, but today i was too lazy and sent the car to an automated car wash. Thats when i saw water literally "flowing" along the brake pedal and onto the footwell. Where should i check first for leak? Do u think its the windscreen rubber? I think water might be coming in thru the brake servo area and dripping down. What can i do? Its rainy season here! Help...

Syed

[Jordie]

Car washes of that type over in the UK are generally brilliant for cleaning modern cars, but no good for old cars. The water jets and water pressure is that high, it pushes the water past the seals and generally places it shouldnt go.

Dry it all off, drive it on a rainy day and check for the same thing. Rain doesnt have the same amount of force and pressure behind it so might not be a problem.

jordie

[MiniMick]

When I came to restore my mini and stripped out the engine bay I noticed a previous owner had replaced the brake master cylinder. They never put a seal back between the master cylinder and the mounting plate that the top engine steady fits onto, also that mounting plate had a rubber gasket that had perished and that’s where the water was getting into my mini. Hope this helps you out see graphs below.

Mick

[steve_hobnob]

Hi
I have exactly the same problem - when I wash the car (even by hand) water pours into the drivers footwell down the clutch and brake pedal arms. I took both master cylinders out and replaced the foam gasket that goes under the torque arm plate and the gasket that sits under the clutch master cylinder, using plenty of gasket sealant, and it still leaks! We're not talking a drip here, the water pours in around the pedals. I am wondering if either the foam gasket (got it frm Mini Spares) isn't really water tight or if it is getting in somewhere else. There are no obvious gaps anywhere and the body isn't rusted through anywhere. All the cables and wires have rubber grommets fitted. I noticed in your pics another big hole close to the wing - on my car there is a big nut and a rubber seal in there. What does that do and could water be getting under that and into the footwell via the box where the pedal arms go? It seems to be sealed OK but I can't think where else the water is getting in.
Cheers
Steve

[mozzo1]

Hi
I have exactly the same problem - when I wash the car (even by hand) water pours into the drivers footwell down the clutch and brake pedal arms. I took both master cylinders out and replaced the foam gasket that goes under the torque arm plate and the gasket that sits under the clutch master cylinder, using plenty of gasket sealant, and it still leaks! We're not talking a drip here, the water pours in around the pedals. I am wondering if either the foam gasket (got it frm Mini Spares) isn't really water tight or if it is getting in somewhere else. There are no obvious gaps anywhere and the body isn't rusted through anywhere. All the cables and wires have rubber grommets fitted. I noticed in your pics another big hole close to the wing - on my car there is a big nut and a rubber seal in there. What does that do and could water be getting under that and into the footwell via the box where the pedal arms go? It seems to be sealed OK but I can't think where else the water is getting in.
Cheers
Steve

i think the big bolt your talking about is the tower bolt for the sub frame and that wont let water into the car

[onlymelloyd]

Have exactly the same problem here. As above I have also checked over everything and replaced as necessary. The only thing left to do for me is replace the screen rubber which looks fairly perished.
I suggest you take your carpet out, you don't want the water sitting there because it will start to rust the foot well. And carry a sponge around to remove the water!

[MiniMick]

Hi
I have exactly the same problem - when I wash the car (even by hand) water pours into the drivers footwell down the clutch and brake pedal arms. I took both master cylinders out and replaced the foam gasket that goes under the torque arm plate and the gasket that sits under the clutch master cylinder, using plenty of gasket sealant, and it still leaks! We're not talking a drip here, the water pours in around the pedals. I am wondering if either the foam gasket (got it frm Mini Spares) isn't really water tight or if it is getting in somewhere else. There are no obvious gaps anywhere and the body isn't rusted through anywhere. All the cables and wires have rubber grommets fitted. I noticed in your pics another big hole close to the wing - on my car there is a big nut and a rubber seal in there. What does that do and could water be getting under that and into the footwell via the box where the pedal arms go? It seems to be sealed OK but I can't think where else the water is getting in.
Cheers
Steve

One good way of tracing leaks is to put down a fine sprinkeling of talcum powder around the area, when water gets in it leaves a track for you to see where the water is running from and too.
For instance get it above the pedals as high up behind the dash as you can this may help you to determine if it is coming from the screen rubber or lower down.

Hope this helps
Mick