Bad water leak into Transit Motorhome cab

Is anyone familiar with the Transit construction sufficiently to offer any helpful suggestion about tracing a worrying water leak?

The model is the Mk3 and it has a fibreglass "high-top" which has been well fitted and doesn't show any signs of leaking anywhere.

The water is running down right in the extreme corner of the bulkhead (INSIDE THE CAB) where it joins the inner wall (double-skin) of the area under the near-side door pillar (immediately above the front n/s wheel). This is just forward of the door lower hinge bolts. The water finishes up in a tight little corner where the bulkhead, bottom of the door pillar, and wheel bay, join. Just behind the shock absorber upper mounting.

There is nothing to indicate that the windscreen is leaking. The door pillar appears to be constructed of two vertical channels. One can be checked by removing the trim, between it and the windscreen, inside the cab. The other is more of a problem but, if it were running down that, it would presumably be visible through the hole that one uses to get to the door lower hinge bolts. There is no evidence of water in there.

Neither is there any indication of water leaking through the bulkhead in this corner of the windscreen.

If anyone can help in any way I shall be very grateful because, although this is only a small leak, the water runs down into the thick sponge-rubber floor matting Ford have fitted to the cab floor, in order to deaden diesel sound, and the result can be easily imagined.

Eric

Reply to
Cire
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Have you checked all the grommets mounted in the bulkhead on the engine side?

From what I remember, we used to get the occasional new one at work with badly fitted windscreens (both by the factory, and if they'd had the windscreen replaced), which could be problematic to locate the actaul source off the leak. Usual way to check for leaks is to leave a hose running down the motor at various points, until you found the area the water was getting it.

Reply to
Moray Cuthill

sponge-rubber

not the fresh air intake drain holes bunged up by any chance is it? Derek

Reply to
Derek

Can't find any fresh air intake drain holes. Can you please give me a clue as to where I should be looking, Derek?

Have also checked all grommets, but no problems there.

I have found a nasty rust patch where two panels are welded together and just above where the water is congregating. Have treated it and sealed it well with body filler and if tomorrow's promised rain arrives I should know if that has done the trick.

Eric

Reply to
Cire

I knew I should have kept stumm we changed over to mercs ages ago I'll have to check with one of my pals where about the holes are you say mk3 tranny (bear in mind I have been in haulage since the end of 3wheel artic days ) what year do you mean I would be thinking of this type

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even though there were (atleast) 3 different models priorDerek

Reply to
Derek

Derek

Sorry I haven't answered your message before.

Yes, that's the model shown in the picture, year 1998. A bit old now but it is a motorhome and they tend to be better looked after than your average van, of course. (Certainly a bit better than the one in the pic!)

I've traced the water leak back to the lower nearside corner below the screen and on the CAB side (inside) of the bulkhead. How you search from there, I don't know. It could be coming down the inside of the door pillar (which itself is split into two sections), but you can't get to them without half dismantling the van!

If I can't find where it comes in, what do you reckon to drilling a small hole (5mm) in the corner of the bulkhead so that it can drain out into the engine bay? It really only amounts to a very small quantity of water that is getting in but once it gets into the sponge-rubber floor insulation it builds up, and has no way of drying out?

Eric

Reply to
Cire

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