Hello and Water Ingress Problem

OAT · 2017-01-03 16:57:30

Hello everyone, new member here and new Peugeot Expert owner.

I have recently bought a 1999 Peugeot 1.9 TD Expert Stimson Tirol conversion.

It had been standing for a while and and was generally a bit damp inside. Fortunately no mould or smell so hoping to get it dried out ok.

After driving 100 mile or so with the heater on full blast the carpet felt a bit better already. However, when pulling away after parking up on a bit of a 2 way slope, a wave of water crept out from under the center of the plastic console and soaked it again. A considerable amount as it literally flower over the carpet and back as far as the seats. I have done a couple of 100 miles in it since but no heavy rain and no more mini tidal wave.

There was no taint of oil or antifreeze in the water so I am wondering if there is a shelf or pocket which can collect splashed water under there? Even if there is such a pocket though, I am surprised that it can so easily find it's way into the cab!

I would like to inspect the floor to see and treat what rust there may be if this has been happening for some time. On lifting the carpet I find the floor well sealed with padded insulation mat with a rubberised top surface. It seems so well bonded down though and I am concerned about damaging it getting it up and then getting it to go back properly.

Any advice greatly appreciated

edit... Just noticed this post, http://dispatchexpertscudo.org.uk/forum … php?id=171
a few clues in there.

Last edited by OAT (2017-01-03 17:27:27)

Casper · 2017-01-03 18:06:55

Your van the pop top mate. I would also be looking at the seal if it is. The water could be getting in and running behind the trim at the door pillars where you would not notice until your wellies got wet.

OAT · 2017-01-03 19:00:31

Casper wrote:

Your van the pop top mate. I would also be looking at the seal if it is. The water could be getting in and running behind the trim at the door pillars where you would not notice until your wellies got wet.

You may well be right. It is a pop top and there is definately a leak at the os front corner I need to sort out. No doubt this is contributing to the general dampness.

But the mini tidal wave definitely came from the middle of the console and made me suspect a different source. Point taken about the water from the roof taking a tortuous path. Running through internal channels would explain how it got through the bulkhead, in that it didn't need to.

Casper · 2017-01-03 19:36:46

Another option is the Matrix or pipes. Think this is at the dash middle area. Are you losing coolant or heater getting colder? I had a car that it went and the car would stop sending water to the heater if coolant was getting low saving the water for the engine.

OAT · 2017-01-04 16:15:39

After another look I think I can exclude the pop top as the cause. The beginning of the cutout in the roof and the leaking canvass is actually above the B pillar.

OAT · 2017-02-23 18:11:10

Well the much over hyped "Doris" has revealed that my leak is ongoing and not related to cooling or heater.

There is a steady trickle coming it from the top of the near side front wheel arch. This might explain the tidal wave in my first post. The van had been standing for quite a while and had probably topped up all the channels. Perhaps the first time I put it on a fore and aft slope, it tipped the whole lot out.

Hopefully cleaning the scuttle and drain pipes will sort it.

I thought the carpet had almost dried out before finding it swimming again this am. I am going to need to lift it all to allow the foam backed rubber mat to dry out properly.

Casper · 2017-02-23 23:55:37

On a plus side Doris told me i fined the window wiper stalk leaks so the swimming pool is gone. Doris also pointed out a leak at the top corner of the windscreen and every side window. Windscreen as a easy fix. Peel back rubber and fill with Sikiflex. Side windows are all Pop riveted. Drill out rivets, Clean area, Seal and replace then i have a nice dry van.

Your best bet OAT is lift that carpet and take out any lower dash if you can and any soundproofing that is up front of bulkhead. Get a jetwash and spray away. You will soon find where it is coming in. Only reason i missed my screen one is it was ruining down behind the plastic trim that runs up teh side of the windows. I took it all off to take the dash out.

OAT · 2017-03-10 19:09:13

Finally got the time to remove the seats and mat.

Only one seized bolt so not so bad. Some of the other bolts were replaced by hex heads though and were very long. An eighth of a turn over a 2 1/2" long thread has done my arthritis no good at all.

Glad I did it though. The original rubber mat had been covered in carpeting which had dried out nicely. But the foam backing under the rubber mat was sodden. I could only just pick it up with the weight of water in it! The van was on a slight forward slope and after lifting the mats out there was still an inch deep pool gathered at the front.

Just caught it in time I think as surface rust had got hold in a few places and plenty of areas had rust coloured bubbles in the paint. It would never have dried out without lifting the mats and I recon a year or so and the floor would have needed major repair.

Nearly ran myself over!

When I removing the hand brake lever from the side of the seat it of course took all tension off the cable. The above mentioned forward slope and gravity did their thing and I noticed it starting to roll. Just managed to jam my boot under the back wheel before it gained too much momentum. But then I was stuck.

Managed to reach a spanner which allowed me to reach a hammer and a bit of wood to replace my foot as a wedge. Otherwise I might still be there now.

vaz2121 · 2017-03-14 17:57:33

Having read this Thread and A previous one also about Water Ingress Paranoia has some what set in .....

During the time the front Spring was fitted It was noted there was a rubber tube of some kind just about the suspension turret which turns out to be a drain for the scuttle..........

On reading this thread Ive taking off the little grills that are on the wiper/scuttle cover, I saw some water sitting behind..........
I used the hot water technique mentioned and a bit of wire........ it now appears to flow and clear nicely all be it not as fast as the outer two....

I have also taken off the two rubber tubes at each outer end of the scuttle panel and both were flowing freely (as mentioned above)

Firstly I'm hopping Ive prevented a problem and is this why/where some vans have let water in (Scuttle drains).........

I don't have any sloshing sounds, don't have windows steaming up with heater on....... Nothing within the van feels damp or shows any signs off of dampness/water getting in............ But I'd like to know is there any where else that could get a block and become a potential problem.....

Is boiling the kettle/cooking and over night condensation build up just fueling ............ The Paranoia

Last edited by vaz2121 (2017-03-14 18:02:42)

OAT · 2017-03-17 22:46:26

vaz2121 wrote:

Having read this Thread and A previous one also about Water Ingress Paranoia has some what set in .....
Is boiling the kettle/cooking and over night condensation build up just fueling ............ The Paranoia

I think it's impossible to avoid occasional slight dampness when living in a van in the colder, wetter months vaz. Not too bad so long as you can dry out with a good drive and some heating and ventilation every couple of days. Without that I think we just have to minimise it and put up with it.

Any actual water leakage into the cab area though really does need fixing right away. Once that rubber coated sponge mat gets soaked, it will never dry out without lifting.

Mine has had a few days in a greenhouse with through ventilation. I was very pleased how quick it dried even at this time of year.

tee_cee · 2017-03-18 11:29:02

Hi, how did you remove the mat? To me it looked like major dismantling of the dash, so I just removed the seats and rolled it up as much as I could.

OAT · 2017-03-18 11:49:19

tee_cee wrote:

Hi, how did you remove the mat? To me it looked like major dismantling of the dash, so I just removed the seats and rolled it up as much as I could.

Just needed to take out the center console, the plastic trim over the wheel arches and on the sills. A few large round plastic turn buttons hold the front edge of the mat up under the dash.

I slit the mat to allow for getting it over the handbrake lever but you could just release the cable.

A couple of bad patches of surface rust on mine and the hard drive looking thing for seat belt pre tension I think was quite rusty. The worst bits were around the seat mounting bolts which of course isn't good.

I am glad I did it.

tee_cee · 2017-03-18 18:26:30

When I took the console off, it looked liked I would have to slit the mat or do some dismantling - I checked the book time for changing the mat and it was 5 hours, so I gave up on the idea of pulling it out. Hopefully I'll not have to do it again - cleaning the rubber tubes is now part of my service schedule!
Vaz, I wouldn't get too paranoid, my windscreen had a decent layer of condensation every morning - in retrospect it was pretty obvious that something was wrong

vaz2121 · 2017-03-18 19:59:15

tee_cee wrote:

I wouldn't get too paranoid, my windscreen had a decent layer of condensation every morning - in retrospect it was pretty obvious that something was wrong

We have nearly always had condensation on windows every morning after (Ahem) in the van.............
The night we spent out when the spring broke was possibly the coldest night we had ever spent in van although we were warm enough. Plastic overhead shelf had a touch of condensation on it as well as the usual glass and exposed metal next morning............

I had a windscreen fitted last August I think it was... Around MOT time and before heading off to Spain. Also then the carpet got a really good scrub and being light grey is desperately needing it again, have I introduced I damp wonder ....... to then do it all again
I'm semi considering changing the carpet but I would rather prevent than cure if i have any dampness lurking and creating/causing tin worm ETC

The Van even when standing for those weeks not getting used doesn't steam the windows up any worse than either of our cars.... I have however got an old sock with some silica beads on the dash and one of those Dehumidifier pots U put in a wardrobe etc, which I have to say has been in van for about 3 months and has put out about a cup of water ...
Which is most likely from cooking /kettle ETC

tee_cee · 2017-03-19 10:40:35

We gave up on the carpet (tiles) in the back - any moisture on it at all and it would just smell mouldy for ages.
I replaced it with very cheap stick on lino from B&M - and now use a large "dirt stopper" rubber backed mat. When it gets dirty you can take it outside, hose it down, scrub it or even put it in the washing machine.
If the van is standing for a month or two over the winter a good blast with the dehumidifier before and after seems to ward off any problems.
On the road, we keep the sliding door open as much as possible when parked up , and the sliding windows are left open at night. Still get condensation in the mornings, but now use a squeegee to clear the water away.

tee_cee · 2017-04-07 17:37:22

If anyone is interested Lidl are selling washable rubber backed mats 80×120cm for £10. Been using these for a couple of years and can reccomend
https://www.lidl.co.uk/en/Non-Food-Offe … cleId=2208

vaz2121 · 2017-04-19 18:33:14

I've bit the bullet and lifted the carpet in the van and taken it out to either replace or give a good scrub.

I also made an attempt to take out the van's own rubber mat but cant find a socket that will go in the hole and fit the nut to allow the handbrake to unbolt.............
However some one has been here before me ( undoubtedly the company that fitted the van out when it was new ) as the mat has a little cut at the handbrake and let's the mat lift over and lift up a bit .......

I discovered they've put a course jute (Horse Hair) type insulation under cab flooring and found it a little damp so has been removed to get dried.............
Think that could just as likely been us when we scrubbed the van out last year .....
Or a combination with wet shoes in and out as it's only damp around the middle between the seats....

It's amazing the amount off crap you find when doing this even after sweeping and Hoovering out before hand

Have decided to buy one of those full width over mats to save the carpet in the cab area (if it doesn't get changed) and could help with the wet boots ETC......... And maybe one of those mats that Tee_Cee mentioned out of Lidl's (if there's any left)

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#1 2017-01-03 16:57:30

Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#2 2017-01-03 18:06:55

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#3 2017-01-03 19:00:31

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#4 2017-01-03 19:36:46

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#5 2017-01-04 16:15:39

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#6 2017-02-23 18:11:10

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#7 2017-02-23 23:55:37

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#8 2017-03-10 19:09:13

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#9 2017-03-14 17:57:33

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#10 2017-03-17 22:46:26

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#11 2017-03-18 11:29:02

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#12 2017-03-18 11:49:19

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#13 2017-03-18 18:26:30

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#14 2017-03-18 19:59:15

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#15 2017-03-19 10:40:35

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#16 2017-04-07 17:37:22

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

#17 2017-04-19 18:33:14

Re: Hello and Water Ingress Problem

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