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Post by maverick9999 on Jan 3, 2021 18:57:20 GMT
Hi there
My MX5 NB 2.5 FL has had an odd niggle now which I didn't spot when bought in height of summer:
Water appears to alarmingly be collecting in the battery well.
It's been been sat for a month outside and went to check if it started today and there was about 3cm deep water which can't be good for the body work or the battery (already worried about explosion stories)
I've looked at threads and checked:
My roof rails are clear.
The boot floor isn't wet
No water on left side in fuel filler cavity or cubby inside the boot
Some suggest it could be the vent for the battery being closed up but I don't know what a normal one looks like.
Would anyone have pictures?
If it's not this then I'm wondering if the boot seal on that side is perished.
I have a hardtop which was fitted this last month during heavy rain and now wondering whether mine is sealing correctly. There is a gap between the metal surfaces with the seals in between but no idea how much seperation is normal.
Again if anyone had photos of what a tight fit between the hardtop and the body looks like, that would help discount this as an issue as well.
Think the next thing may be to run water from a hose to see if I can see where it's coming in from...
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Post by dickie on Jan 4, 2021 18:59:34 GMT
Do you have a radio antenna above it ??
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Post by maverick9999 on Jan 8, 2021 23:33:06 GMT
Hi, nope.
My antenna is on the other side , with the fuel flap.
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Post by dadbif on Jan 9, 2021 9:58:30 GMT
If it was the battery, then surely there would be corrosion associated with the electrolyte?
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Post by scottydugg on Jan 11, 2021 12:18:47 GMT
Check your rear light seals and/or boot seal, both cheap and easy to replace.
If the battery vent is anything like the mk1, it's rubber tubes that feed off the battery to a vent in the floor of the boot.
Hardtop won't leak into the boot, unless the metal hardtop plates (that the Frankenstein bolts fix into) are leaking. There is a gap when you look at the hardtop when it's in place, nothing to worry about.
Good way to check for leaks, dry everything then aim at specific spots with the hose.
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Post by wannabe on Jan 11, 2021 13:01:13 GMT
Check your rear light seals and/or boot seal, both cheap and easy to replace. If the battery vent is anything like the mk1, it's rubber tubes that feed off the battery to a vent in the floor of the boot. Hardtop won't leak into the boot, unless the metal hardtop plates (that the Frankenstein bolts fix into) are leaking. There is a gap when you look at the hardtop when it's in place, nothing to worry about. Good way to check for leaks, dry everything then aim at specific spots with the hose. Are there rubber things underneath the hardtop fixing points that are designed to stop water ingress? Boot lid seal is not cheap! lol www.mx5parts.co.uk/boot-seal-mk1-p-884.html |
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Post by scottydugg on Jan 11, 2021 17:29:34 GMT
Check your rear light seals and/or boot seal, both cheap and easy to replace. If the battery vent is anything like the mk1, it's rubber tubes that feed off the battery to a vent in the floor of the boot. Hardtop won't leak into the boot, unless the metal hardtop plates (that the Frankenstein bolts fix into) are leaking. There is a gap when you look at the hardtop when it's in place, nothing to worry about. Good way to check for leaks, dry everything then aim at specific spots with the hose. Are there rubber things underneath the hardtop fixing points that are designed to stop water ingress? Boot lid seal is not cheap! lol www.mx5parts.co.uk/boot-seal-mk1-p-884.html Meant the light seals are cheap  I know there is rubber underneath those plates, but I'm not sure where they drain to. I'd check the light seals first. |
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Post by maverick9999 on Jan 16, 2021 20:28:11 GMT
Thanks chaps let me look at how to check the light seals. Are we talking about basically the rubber around the lights which mates between the back of the light housing and the metal of the chassis frame?
One thing I should say is that there are rubber linings on the silver fork thing which hooks to the Frankenstein bolts... I did note that the right one (side where I'm collecting water) was flapping about. Could a poor fit be causing issues?
I also tightened up the adjustment screws for the hardtop and it appeared to at least reduce the amount of water in the battery bay when I checked this morning... Though not scientific as don't know how much rain came.
May bite the bullet and use a hose to check...
Is it worth me taking out the battery and drilling a tiny hole near where it sits to help drain any water? Having knightmares of electrocution and also hear the horror stories of exploding batteries in mx5s...
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Post by binner on Jan 22, 2021 10:38:42 GMT
I changed the boot seal on mine and it made no difference, light seals and hardtop brackets are next .
It is worth checking the rail rail as well as cracks can cause leaks
maybe some marine grease around the hard top silver fork things and the rubber seal ?
so many potential places for leaks !
When the weather gets better empty the boot, remove the carpets and put a line of talc aroudn teh battery well top and the bottom of teh boot. close the boot soak with a hose, let the water drain and disappear then use the talc line to trace the leak
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Post by atlex on Jan 22, 2021 14:50:44 GMT
as mentioned elsewhere.. find the bottom of where the water pools and drill a small hole or two
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Post by martiny on Jan 22, 2021 20:57:41 GMT
The plates with the Frankenstein bolts absolutely could be the source of the leak.
Rear light seals, though: Mk.1 version has foam rubber seals behind but I seem to remember reading Mk.2 don't have those. I don't know how they seal.
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Post by maverick9999 on Jan 23, 2021 13:07:12 GMT
as mentioned elsewhere.. find the bottom of where the water pools and drill a small hole or two Thanks atlex... I can't quite see but I assume drill down under where the battery sits will drain water to the road and hopefully not into a skin cavity where it will collect and cause rust? |
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Post by wannabe on Jan 23, 2021 15:40:04 GMT
I have holes in my boot floor  There should be some standard ones, because the original battery set up had tubes that led from the battery and into the holes, in order to drain any flammable off-gassing (IIRC). If you do drill, some zinc paint and then some topcoat (hammerite? lol) should preserve condition. My boot floor is already a sheet of rust so that's something else that needs attending to when it gets warm and dry... I imagine we'll have plenty of time this year, seeing as apparently we're in lockdown / Tiers / total economic destruction phase until September...  |
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Post by binner on Feb 18, 2024 18:14:43 GMT
finally got to the source of my leak , it was the high level brake light seal in the boot lid that was filling the battery tray
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le sigh