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MG MGF Technical - Boot Lid Draining

The lid is doubled skinned. I assume water must get between the skins via the engine vents, but how and where does this drain to?

Water in the boot happens mainly when the car is nose up on a slope, and thus failed light cluster seals are less likely to be the cause. More investigation reveals all four rubber bungs inside the lid are missing. Now I know where the boot lid skin drains - straight into my boot! OK, so I'll get some bungs and have a dry boot. It makes sense to waxoyl the lid's inner skin through these four holes, prior to fitting new bungs. However the lid gets warmed by engine heat and I forsee the waxoyl melting and solidifying at the lowest point - which I imagine is where the designer's expect the water to drain out. That can't be good. Any comments?

Jeff
J Lennon

I don't think the bungs were fitted. I find nose uphill attracts much less water into the boot than nose downhill.
Charless

The rubber bung were fitted sometime in the process line mine (nr 8147 april 1996) did not have them. I retorfitted the plugs in order to try to stop the mushroom farm activities in the boot.

9 years further down the line I'm still finding evidence of water in the boot after a really wet trip.

The water should drain to the engine compartment and to the two angles up front near the hinges.

Never considered the waxoil the lid, as the wetted parts are without any trace of rust. Unfortunately the rim at the edge did have rust in the past. A respray did miracles.
Kasper

Thanks for your comments.
It is supposed to be a wet week ahead, so have gone ahead and fitted four bungs to see what happens.
I've not applied waxoyl as it seems a bad idea.

My MGF is nr 5986.

Jeff
J Lennon

Have fitted four boot lid bungs over the weekend.
Yesterday the car travelled 240 miles, mostly in torrential rain and was parked up overnight "nose down", exposed to the elements.
No wet boot this morning - it is absolutely bone dry.
Need to do a final overnight test "nose up" on a wet night to confirm the problem is resolved.
Will report back.

Jeff
J Lennon

Bad news - nose up overnight and a leak!
For sure it's the o/s rear light cluster seal.
I can replicate the problem with a watering can.
New thicker seal is on order - will be here after the holiday.

In summary the problem is twofold:
No bungs - big leak.
Poor light cluster seal - small leak.

Jeff
J Lennon

This thread was discussed between 25/04/2009 and 02/05/2009

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