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Heater box - how does water get in it ?

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Hey Greg, yes you are crazy and I can relate. I'm so busted. Took yours and Lin's name back out, thinking you guys didn't have BJ8's. Nothing gets by you or Lin. Lin even noticed that I removed the small screws in the wing. But, did you guys see Elvis in the background eating a peanut butter and banana sandwich. Elvis has left the building.

No photos taken in enough detail to see those areas. Oh, I've looked.
 
Roger

U/S - under side

I am days away from removing my BJ7 front wing, ideally this week end butit all depends on the other half. I can view what is a likely source of the problem from there if you have not solved it already. I do not think that this is the source of entry though as the A post and attendant stiffeners further foward and the foot well outer wall are a solid plate system from the shroud down to the cills.
 
Lin said:
Roger,
I am afraid that I cannot help much on this one. However, in reviewing the thread I do recall that you did remove some mounting screws for the front wings to install your accessory light switch. If you were not having the water problem before, might it be that the leak is related to something that was disturbed when you had the wings loosened from their mountings? Just a thought?

Lin
Click to expand...

Lin, I have had this problem and posted about it here a while back.
You saying that I disturbed my car. Ah yes, now is all makes sense. I disturbed her and now she's making me pay of it. You don't want to disturb the Misses. They remember everything.

Back to the, I posted this problem a while back and thought I'd revisit it. Well now that he's back. You know...him. The wise one. No matter what the question, he's been there and done that. Not that he's under any pressure that this post may be the only one he say's..doe no. (he would spell it like that, right).

Cheers,
Roger
 
Bob Hughes said:
Roger

U/S - under side

I am days away from removing my BJ7 front wing, ideally this week end butit all depends on the other half. I can view what is a likely source of the problem from there if you have not solved it already. I do not think that this is the source of entry though as the A post and attendant stiffeners further foward and the foot well outer wall are a solid plate system from the shroud down to the cills.
Click to expand...

Thanks for explaining u/s....Back at you with, FYI, IMO, IMHO, and all those initals that make me LOL.

Well it seems that a possibility may have something to do with not sealing the stainless steel bead between the wing and the shuttle. If the water flows between the two, is the water traveling down the side and into the air plenum.

My thinking. 3 ways the water gets in.
1. From the engine compartment.
2. From the top of the car, the shuttle.
3. From the side of the car.

The water is following some path. On a rubber hose, a wire, or the sheet metal. What's confusing me is how the air plenum is built into the car. As I mentioned, the only openings I think there are:
1. Front opening for the heater box.
2. Bottom opening, 2, for the vents.
3. Back opening for the fresh air tube. But that area is blocked off from the heater section.

The top does not have any openings, right? So if that's true, then the water can only get in from items 1 and 2 or somehow from the ends of the air plenum?

Guys, I really apreciate all the help I'm getting here. It's less frustrating when you have help. I may not figure this out. Been there a couple times.

Drive it like you stole it.
Roger
 
Roger

I have been looking as well and thought of posibilities such as water entry running thru wiper holes and travelling down wiper motor pipe etc, still seems no entry to the air plenum, the wing entry looks favourable but again no entry to the plenum. My pics might help of this area and also the air plenum?

but i cannot see any holes in the 'a' post side panel, unless you have drilled any?

https://www.austin-healey3000.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=10573001&prev=1

the oblong hole in the below picture would channel all water dripping onto the top of the plenum, but how would it get in?

https://www.austin-healey3000.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=5133173&prev=1

not trying to sound stupid, but you are sure it leaks when you wash the car?, I seem to remember you removing the heater matrix lately, have you checked your rad level? just thought I would mention it.... lol

reviewing this picture from the other side of the bulkhead it confirms there are no holes in the front of the plenum as well as none on the top (previous pic):

https://www.austin-healey3000.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=5129749&prev=2

so favourite for me would be the 2 large heater oblong holes as entry points,but whats that got to do with washing the car, sorry (take the heater outand check)

cheers Andy
 
I think I may have cracked it......

looking at this picture again:
https://www.austin-healey3000.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=5129749&prev=2

if the water is running down the gap in the bead near the windscreen it could creep under the shroud and collect on the dash metal top, this is an natural channel to go either down the oblong hole.....or favourite would be to drop of the v curved part just infront of oblong hole, it would then drip onto the cold air paper intake, run around the circumference and drip into plenum.

does that sound any good?

will be hard to see into this area from engine side, but you could remove the cold air grille vent in your drivers side footwell, and check while doing the water test.

fingers crossed

cheers Andy
 
andybj8 said:
I think I may have cracked it......

looking at this picture again:
https://www.austin-healey3000.com/apps/photos/photo.jsp?photoID=5129749&prev=2

if the water is running down the gap in the bead near the windscreen it could creep under the shroud and collect on the dash metal top, this is an natural channel to go either down the oblong hole.....or favourite would be to drop of the v curved part just infront of oblong hole, it would then drip onto the cold air paper intake, run around the circumference and drip into plenum.

does that sound any good?

will be hard to see into this area from engine side, but you could remove the cold air grille vent in your drivers side footwell, and check while doing the water test.

fingers crossed

cheers Andy
Click to expand...

Andy,
Boy do I appreciate all the photos and time you took looking into this.
Can you look, from the engine compartment side, into where the cold air tube goes into the air plenum. Isn't there a wall there, to the left, separating the rest of that channel? If water did get in there, wouldn't it stay in that little area and not be able to get to the air flap?

Roger
 
John_Progess said:
Roger,
On my 64 there is a wall separating the cold air inlet from the rest of the air plenum. Have a good day!

John
Click to expand...

Mine too John, thank you.

With the help from everyone here, I am able to narrow the out some areas and look into the others recommended.

Cheers,
Roger
 
Roger, I just been ah thinking. :wall: At the junction of the Shroud,Scuttle and windscreen side frames, originally the corner inside the door at the A post way up in the top corner of this junction, on both sides of the car, was filled with Dum Dum. You recon them fellas knew what they was doing??-----Keoke :frown:
 
[/quote]

UNLESS, someone out here has a BJ8 with the wings off and would like to do the water test for me.
[/quote]

Roger

Got the front wing off the BJ7 whilst the domestic godess was out, I honestly can't see that any water can enter the plenumn from there, the shround overlaps the outer side panel of the foot well and that is solid right down to the sills. It must be getting in under the windscreen and migrating down some how, have you checked on top of the plenum to see if it migrating from the heater box? As a thought, try rolling out toilet tissue under the shroud but above the plenumn and then apply the water test, may narrow things down a bit more.

As an aside, Keoke was right, I had to remove the air supply tube to the blower - but only the front one. The sight of the work of the wire worm vindicated the removal of the wing and now I am set to kill it off.


Bob
 
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