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MG MGF Technical - Windscreen leak

Hi all,

I managed to solve a leak that has been causing me headaches since I bought my F... well, sort of.

The water seemed to run down the left hand side of the glove box and into the passengers footwell, causing lots of BIG puddles. It was a LOT of water. Naturally i figured it must be getting in somewhere under the base of the windscreen and running down inside.

However after hours of taking the front end of the car apart UNNECESSARILY this morning, I figured out that the water was actually getting in through the windscreen's rubber seal towards at the top, where the glass meets the A Post. The water must then run down inside the A post and the rest is history...

So any ideas as to how to seal this easily?

Do I have to replace the entire seal? Ie get the windscreen refitted? Or is it a job for a bit of black silicone sealant???

Thanks!!!
Nick D

Nick, If indeed the water is getting past the screen the bond has failed, this could be because the screen has been replaced at some time and not done properly.I would remove the interior trim panels and check carefully to see if this is the case, it could be just a small pin hole which could be re-sealed or try gently pushing the screen from the inside where you suspect the leak to be , if the screen appears to be insecure then take it to a reputable screen replacement company and have it removed and rebonded. The screen frame may have corrosion around the leak area so make sure you can inspect it when the screen is removed as it will need correct treatment prior to the screen refitting. The rubber trim around the screen is just that and does not actually contribute to the actual sealing of the glass to the body more of a protection to the glass edge and allows the glass to be positioned in the aperture. Silicone sealant is to be avoided.
It is rare for this type of leak so i would look at any gaps in the A post behind the wing area and also where the chassis leg joins the bulkhead.
mike

Nick,

Are you sure its not the classic heater box leak ?

If you remove the glove box, and lie with back on the seat, legs up ove back of seat and looking back up where the glove box is you can see the heater box and some foam surrounding the box and the metal of the bodywork. This foam is the seal around the heater box, and it leaks like crazy in the rain and is the main cause of the puddles in the passenger foorwell.

Its actually hard to spot as the water doesn't drip but finds its easiest path round and ends up having puddles on the floor.

I had this problem and ended up putting the sound insulation ove the gas boiler in my garage to dry it out.

2 tubes of black seleant from halfords between the plastic heater box and the metal surround effectively hiding the foam solved the problem.

Problem is the foam is fine in drizzle but when completly saturated it leaks like a full sponge.

Apologies if you have checked this and I'm wasting your time

Brian
Brian

Thanks for the suggestion Brian, the heater box was what i initially thought it was, but after many many damp mornings, I finally traced it back to the windscreen...

Any ideas of the cost of resealing a windscreen?

Just wondered also why its preferable to avoid silicone sealant as a bit of a DIY job, which is what i was planning on doing?

Thanks for the help guys!
Nick D

Hi again

I am trying to take of the A Post trim, so need to remove the 'Torx screws securing the hood strikers'. However the workshop manual says these should be refitted and tightened to 6 Nm...

Can anyone tell me how i tighten to 6 Nm, or can I just do it up as tight as i can? What difference does it make?

Also, wondered if anyone can tell me the problem with sealing this leak with a bit of silicone sealant, and if there is anything more suitable i could use to do the job?

Thanks
Nick
Nick D

Nick, use a torque wrench, 6Nm is not a lot of load so be careful not to 'tighten as much as you can' other wise you will have a spinning captive nut.
Some silicone sealers have an acid content and there are correct window sealers on the market.
mike

Oh Ok Thanks Mike,

So it IS something i can do myself then! Great.

Can you suggest a window sealer? Or will Halfords be able to sort me out with a suitable one?

Now my only problem is finding a Torque Wrench!

Thanks again!!!
Nick D

"Now my only problem is finding a Torque Wrench!"

If you're going to Halfrauds, grab one while you are there. They're not that expensive and will come in handy whenever you do any future work on your car.

HTH
Kris

Ah Only problem i just looked at the Halfords website, and the ones they do dont go down to 6 Nm - 8 is the lowest...

Oh well!

Have to keep looking!
Nick D

i also have a bad leak but on the drivers side it has just been in the garage to have this checked they did not think it was the windscreen they were adviced not to remove the windscreen as they always brake they seem to think it the roof contracting so its coming in around the door seals i to would be gratful for any information or advice
cathy w

Cathy,

The only way i figured out where mine was coming in was to wrap a towel around the A post and carefully pour water on various parts that i suspected until i noticed water trickling down inside the car... Therefore its a certainty where it comes in from as the towel stops it travelling anywhere else!!!

Not very scientific i know but it works!!!

Im going to try removing the A post trim and resealing this weekend, but if that doesnt work ive spoken to an unnamed windscreen repair company who recommended that if my windscreen ' mysteriously cracked' this weekend, they could fit a new one - if i went through my insurance and i would only pay the excess!
Nick D

This thread was discussed between 04/12/2005 and 08/12/2005

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