been meaning to post this for a few days now. i lost my phone in the z and couldnt find so after a stuggle and search i took the matts out and on the driver side i felt that carpet was damp. it wasnt soaking with water and there wasn't any order. but when i rubbed my hand into it did have a funky smell but ive never noticed it. i dont understand who what where when why and how its gotten damp. i havent spilt anything. it hasn't rained hard. but the sun was out when i noticed it. i did have the under carriage washed on the 20th of last month. im thinking maybe that is the reason. but from then till now still damp? i dont drive it when it rains and really only had it on the road mainly last week when the sun was strong enough for me to get my tan on! and the amount of heat that comes into the cabin surely if it did get through shouldnt it have dried up?

 

wonder if anyone else had or has this problem? i didnt notice any holes or cracks when the car was on the ramp. any ideas fells?

Targa seals probably. I had this on mine.

You my friend have a leaking heater core/tap. Best bypass your heater core ASAP.

all of the above... you need to check further...

 

so...

it could be the targa drain hose... if so it needs attention immediately as water will be leaking on to the electrics & fuse box... big problems further down the line.

it could be the heater matrix or one of the hoses ... if so it needs attention immediately.. lost of coolant is a killer for the Zed engine.

it could be because of the under carriage wash and it should still be wet because of the padding acting like a sponge... takes ages to dry down there.

 

find out what it is... look for loss of coolant and water on the hump under the carpet (but usually you will have it both sides for the matrix but it could be one of the pipes.

 

check up under the dash on the drivers side above the fuse box for a loose pipe, try putting some water in the targa drain hole and see if it comes out under the car.

 

take the carpet up (seat out) and see if there are any holes underneath that might have let water in.

 

best of luck...

normally passenger footwell if matrix lets go.

both for me... so it's still a possibility ... he also may not have noticed the other side... would be silly not to check.. :)

I dunno what the weather is like where you are but its been chucking it down here...targas leak for fun, try sprasying water over your roof and waiting to see droplets foprm on the inside of the roof. Check your engine fluid levels, and pour some water down the targa drain holes check the water comes out the sill, if it doesn't the tube insides probably popped off.

There`s also a rubber bung in the floorpan, if this rots or goes missing surface water can ingress, had it happen to me.

:scared: thanks for the info fellas, i know its defo not from the tagra, it drips water either onto me when in the car or on the side seat (both sides) and they do leak for fun!!! :( its wet more beneath the peddles. ive seen the tubing that is behind the panel but never realized it was for the water to drain from there!! lol ive learnt something!! the other side is good and dry thank the heavens! it was the first thing i checked after i found the drivers side wet.

 

perhaps silly question, so the heater core bypass does that mean no more heating? matrix? im not going to find morpheous offering me a blue and red pill under the carpet am i? loll i haven't the slightest clue what and where to begin. a link to a how to check would be appreciated. ill be doing my reaserch also.

and most importantly is it something that could possibly wait maybe? i dont know the extent of the repair nor time it will take to fix etc but i am planing on coming down to japfest with my z and i dont want to have to leave her behind, heres a pic

 

gracias amigos!!

if it smells funny, its likely to be antifreeze, which points to heater matrix.

if it's the matrix you will be losing coolant from your rad.

 

and correct.. no matrix.. no heat in cabin... Ok in summer but in winter you will know about it!!!

 

the bypass is done by either capping or joining the two pipes at the back (top) of the engine together..

 

the bypass cant' wait... but the matrix replacement can....

 

HOWEVER firstly make sure that is what it is!!!!!

Check your targa drain. take your roof off and pour water down the little hole and see if it comes out under the drivers wing. if it dosnt then the pipe was poped off behind your fuse box and the water will be comming in from there and into your sills etc. very common and very zed will do this . the rubber pipe gets old and shrinks and pulls out of the little sleave.

 

Mine did this a while back and i got the smell of stagnent water.

http://z32.wikispaces.com/Heater+Core

 

http://www.pexcom.com.au/z32cms/e107_plugins/content/content.php?content.341

 

and I think there are some posts on here about the bypass..

Check your targa drain. take your roof off and pour water down the little hole and see if it comes out under the drivers wing. if it dosnt then the pipe was poped off behind your fuse box and the water will be comming in from there and into your sills etc. very common and very zed will do this . the rubber pipe gets old and shrinks and pulls out of the little sleave.

 

Mine did this a while back and i got the smell of stagnent water.

 

I already told him to do that....

 

... you need to check further...

 

so...

it could be the targa drain hose... if so it needs attention immediately as water will be leaking on to the electrics & fuse box... big problems further down the line.

 

check up under the dash on the drivers side above the fuse box for a loose pipe, try putting some water in the targa drain hole and see if it comes out under the car.

 

.

if it smells funny, its likely to be antifreeze, which points to heater matrix.

 

I always think a heater matirix smells like a really bad fishy curry. lol

it smells but not like bad fish curry loll.... since i have some time now ill give it a check now ;)

ok so driver side front and back drain pipes flow like niagra falls and the passnger side rear is also clear the front however isnt but it still come out after a while.

checked the raditor fluid and it looks like someone took a shit in there. but levels are right. power steering/brake fluid levels are good. if the matrix is leaking wouldnt there be water on the ground or some kind of indication of a leakage?

man it does seem like the heat core has gone :( but to be sure i will strip the driver seat and carpet and whatever else to check just incase it may be something else...... high hopes double hand finger crossed!!

man it does seem like the heat core has gone :( but to be sure i will strip the driver seat and carpet and whatever else to check just incase it may be something else...... high hopes double hand finger crossed!!

 

there are no pipes under carpet or seat so no point to strip

is it not worth a look? maybe

if water is getting into the car form underneath it will be obvious when you pull the carpet up... aside form that as rolands says there are no pipes or anything else under these that could leak.

 

so if you've checked and it's NOT the matrix... and it's NOT the tagar drain.. then what else could it be other than water getting in from underneath...

 

I understands that there is an air cond drain on the passengers side and that can leak but that isn't the side where you have an issue.

you may have water leaking down the side of the door sill and under the carpet ...

 

so take the seat out and lift the carpet up just to make sure.. also give you a chance to check for corrosion.

 

 

points..

 

the boot/petrol release lever is on a spring and feels loose.. it's fine and that will help you to get the carpet off it.

Drivers seat, undo the back nuts first, move the seat back and undo the electric seat connector and the front bolts. be careful not to damage the steering wheel when removing the seat.

you need to take the door sill and drivers kick panel off.

take the back set out as well, pops up at the front and then just lifts out.

undo the screw that holds the panel behind the drivers seat and pop the front off it off so you can get the carpet from under it.

 

that should be enough to pull it up to get a good look underneath.

thanks ill give it a check as soon as i get a chance with an update

right seat out, carpet up. had a look and apart from finding a small amount of what looked like oil on the screw that hold the seat frame down i didn't see anything too concerning thankfully no rot or rust! yay! but as i looked at the firewall, the cover that sits over it at the bottom was damp which i believe is the where the fluid/water etc is coming from. the round rubber seal more to the right didn't have any corrosion or signs of liquids so it cant be coming from there didnt find any other cracks or holes .

 

 

 

 

 

 

found the fly under the carpet!!

so is your steering column cover and sleeve sitting correctly? water might be coming up off the road and in though there..

 

check that the fluid isn't break or clutch fluid, one of them might be leaking... how are the levels?

havent toppped off any fluids since got the car back but levels are good. power steering fluid is literally just at the max indicator, brake fluid is the same, radiator fluid is full. engine oil is running low from the leak. apart from that i dont know of any other fluids that need checking if there is any? transmission fluid?

only in the box... i.e. no tank...

 

did you check the steering column fixings to the bulkhead/firewall ?

 

you are making this very difficult.. lol... try and narrow down where it's coming from... it will lead you to the culprit.