ahh, bloody boot leaks - where is it coming from?

sneaky · 27-07-2008, 10:24 PM

my au3 sr falcon is leaking water into the boot.

i have searched and read the common complaints thread, and as a result of that i tried some 'drip check' to seal some bits.

i drip checked the rear wing mounts (4 bolts on the underside plus the top side between the boot and the wing) as well as the 4 nuts/bolts that hold the read garnish panel thing on (the thing with the number plate lights). i also put 2 small holes in the bottom of the spare wheel well to let some water out / air in.

all that was done a few weeks ago. but now that it has rained again the boot still leaks, grr. as a result the 4 towels in the boot are soaked, the baby's pram keeps getting wet (wife already spent hours getting mould off it a few weeks ago) and i'm getting sick of it.

the question at the end of this long winded post / rant is.....

where else could it be coming in? and what else should i try to seal?

cheers
-tim

ps, the car was parked on a slight incline nose down, but it's not much of a slope and it didn't rain *that* hard..

5L · 27-07-2008, 10:40 PM

how is the actuall boot rubber?

if sitting on a incline with the rear end sitting higher, the water could be sitting in that area below the rear window. and that could be filling up to go over the boot seal.

XR6-VCT-2000 · 28-07-2008, 03:55 AM

If your boot rubber is ok , check the actual angle the boot is sitting on when its closed, you might need to adjust the boot (loosed the bolts on the hinges and reposition the boot).
Even though your boot might close ok and all , it might be on a slight angle when closed causing it to sit hard on the rear bottom of the seal/ and lightly (causing a leak) up near the top of the seal (below the rear window).

**Mont5.0** · 28-07-2008, 08:40 AM

What condition are the mounts for the gas struts like? They have a tendencey to rust out.

fordman_01 · 28-07-2008, 11:21 AM

have you debdged the falcon badge on the left of the boot? dunno it might not have the falcon badge. but yeh when i debadged mine there were 2 holes there. even tho i put a new badge on top of it there were still little holes there. i have now silconed them up and they should be sweet.

hope that helps.

autickfordfairmont · 28-07-2008, 12:45 PM

Mine is leaking (dont know where from) but it fills with water underneath my boot carpet liner (on the boot lid) and actually fills the boot behind the numberplate when its closed. Water would run out of the boot lid when i lifted it up. I drilled a few small holes along the bottom of it to let it drain out when closed and it drains onto the back bumper (outside of the rubber wheather strip) and never had a problem since. Obviously hasnt fixed the leak, but it gets rid of the water without it ending up in the boot. Maybe try that. Every little bit helps.

Cheers

Col.

ronwest · 28-07-2008, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AUXR8220

how is the actuall boot rubber?

if sitting on a incline with the rear end sitting higher, the water could be sitting in that area below the rear window. and that could be filling up to go over the boot seal.

Yes, I think that is a reasonable proposition. Mine doesn't leak unless I park on slight downward slope.

Maybe as you say the boot rubber and/or boot seated position as mentioned by XR6-VCT-2000.

In mine it's definitely not spoiler holes or number plate holes etc.

I guess it's time to lock one of the kids in there and wait for rain ;)

347 mont · 28-07-2008, 08:02 PM

When I wash mine and then chaoimmy (spelling I know) the inside of the boot gutters I find that when the boot lid is 3/4 of the way up that water drips from the actual lock, when it rain mine does not get much water in at all more like a bit of condensation and has a bit of a damp smell. See if yours lets water through the lock when you raise your boot lid up on a certain angle.

5L · 28-07-2008, 08:25 PM

also the spare wheel well, usually has a drain hole. moisture could be seeping up through there.

GK · 28-07-2008, 09:57 PM

Check the plastic number plate screw lugs/plugs. A screw that is too long will punch a hole in them, allowing water to get through.

I had quite a bit of water in my boot last year, checked the spoiler bolt holes etc, all okay, put silicone on the number plate lugs, but it still leaked.

The culprit, a boot rubber that was worn. Replaced it, instant fix.

Rubber cost me about $60 IIRC.

All the best with it.

GK

ronwest · 28-07-2008, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GK

The culprit, a boot rubber that was worn. Replaced it, instant fix.

Rubber cost me about $60 IIRC.

Quoted $68 from local Ford as of today. That will be my next step.

bodes-sh · 28-07-2008, 10:10 PM

same with mine...i think it's coming in thru the hole that the wire for the spoiler light goes out of...very annoying...the thing that annoys me most though it that it is rusting through the outside of the boot lid, so now i need a new one.... :evil3:

:

mr302xd · 29-07-2008, 09:51 PM

sorry bit off topic but are the s1 and s2/3 boot lids the exact same? Like for the cable hole that runs from spoiler etc?

sneaky · 30-07-2008, 06:05 PM

ok, i'm back. now to try to answer the questions.

1. the boot rubber looks ok, but i haven't jumped in there with the lid shut to have a good examination of it.

2. i haven't checked the angle of the boot yet. got to find some flat ground and spare time.

3. the bottom mounts for the gas struts are rusty - how does that cause the leaking?

4. the car still has all the badges in it, i wish it was that easy..

5. i just drilled some small holes in the bottom edge beneath the number plate to let the water drain out, hopes this helps me.

6. the boot lock theory, had a quick look, the lock looks internal so it shouldn't get water near it, should it?

7. i put some small holes in the wheel well the other week hoping to let water out. i just opened up 2 of those 'adidas stripe' things that had matting over them.

8. checked number plate plastic mount things, no signs of them being punched through.

9. i'll give it another week or two and then i'll go shopping for a rubber.

10. pretty sure i drip checked the hole the wiring goes through. hopefully..

thanks for the hints and tips. if the boot rubber is shagged will i be able to see daylight if i shut myself in the boot?

the boot did get rained in a week ago, wife trying to load pram into the boot in the flogging rain. i just pulled the carpet out today as it was still wet. also the 'channel' on the driver side of the boot that has wires in it was full of water, me thinks that that wasn't caused by the wife's effort.

cheers
-tim

sneaky · 06-09-2008, 01:40 PM

bah, time to revive the old thread.

after a few days of decent rain (nsw central coast) the boot is up to its old tricks again. i noticed today when i opened the boot that there was a fair bit of water sitting on the carpet near the edge of the spare wheel. if you look into the boot at the spare the water is at '3 o'clock', sitting in the little low part of the carpet.

any ideas? the best would be to park undercover, but there is no where to park undercover at home.. and i'm getting sick of having to get the pram out to dry it whenever it rains..

i have noticed there is a hole in the boot frame in about the spot i'm talking about, but it didn't feel wet there, and i don't see how the water would get there..

cheers
-tim

ozfast · 06-09-2008, 01:47 PM

get in there with a torch,have a mate get the garden hose and lightly sprinkle the bootlid with water to simulate the rain,start from the roof area and allow it to flow down,you will find it in seconds!!

sneaky · 06-09-2008, 03:28 PM

it's still raining so i might duck out there later to escape the kids for a while

nrmadude · 03-06-2011, 09:29 PM

gday guys
I have the same problem, but i think i have found part of the leak.
on the right side, just under the rear window, with the boot up, the gutter has rusted. so i cut and sanded as much rust out as i could, put acid on any bare bits i couldnt reach, gave it a few coats of cold gal paint, bogged it, re cold galved it, and then touched it up, and it still leaks.
underneath i can feel a wet spot, i just need to find where it comes from.
ill be doing it this weekend, ill get back to you.
does anyone know if there is a product to waterproof old rear window rubber? i'm thinking it might be getting in there.
perhaps using car wax to waterproof the join between car body and window??

brad` · 04-06-2011, 03:07 AM

mibne leaks from the fairmont garnish the rubbers/seal tend to crack and the water aint got n e weer to go besides in the boot and builds upo behind the boot lid carpet.... my fix open the boot slow when raining and pull the crapet back and boom water comes out and boot is all dry again lol (hate to see what the metal behind the n umber plate looks like tho haha

Rambunctious · 04-06-2011, 03:01 PM

I have a ute so don't know much about rear of sedans but years ago I had a car that had a boot leak. Eventually I tracked down the leak problem.
The rear window was leaking onto the parcel shelf then down where the rear inertia seat belts went into the boot.
Just a thought.

baz · 04-06-2011, 03:59 PM

Its the screws holding the spoiler, happened to me, I put silicone on the screws and that fixed it.

GK · 04-06-2011, 05:38 PM

Or it could be the rubber grommet on the right side. You know the one that has the electrical wiring passing through. I found on my boot that the top part of it was open by a ml, due to the internal plastic clip being broken.

Some silicone to seal it up and that sorted it fine.

GK