» Site Navigation | | » Recent Threads | 1999 M3 Swap 09-07-2023 10:10 PM 05-02-2024 08:18 PM 6 Replies, 329,040 Views | | | | | | 12-17-2015, 05:42 PM | #1 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 19 | Water in spare tire well Where are the common entry points for water in the hatch area? My spare tire well is always wet after heavy rains. I've replaced the antenna grommet but it's still happening. Thanks Patrick | | | 12-18-2015, 07:13 PM | #2 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Seattle Posts: 513 | This is the $65,000 question. I have two TI's and this happens to both, one is a hardtop! ...and I live in friggin Seattle! Though I must admit I haven't spent much time looking. Minor annoyance. I've heard that there are drain tubes that will become severed or clogged and can cause this. I think that there are other entry points that are hard to chase as well, even think I've read something about it maybe coming from a weld. The proper solution seems to be pulling all the carpet back there and hosing the car down bit by bit. The quick solution is a drill bit. Sorry I can't help anymore, If you find your leak let me know. I'd like to get to mine at some point. | | | 12-21-2015, 06:01 AM | #3 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 19 | I like the drill bit solution. The antenna grommet helped a lot on my car as the old one was rotted out. I may pull the taillights and inspect the seals on those next. Patrick | | | 02-16-2016, 10:59 PM | #4 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: England Posts: 20 | Boot apature seal on compacts is common the water traces round the seal and finds its way in at the bottom normally | | | 02-16-2016, 11:00 PM | #5 | Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: England Posts: 20 | I live in England it always rains hear | | | 02-17-2016, 06:42 PM | #6 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Seattle Posts: 513 | I've started to chase my leak, getting sick of the smell. I've chased water up to the roof and will drop the headliner soon and have a look behind there. Certainly annoying. I wanted to change out my back seat and noticed water under there, so then started taking out carpet, then panels, then insulation, now headliner. It's been a real treat. | | | 02-18-2016, 06:09 AM | #7 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | Lee, you have a Slicktop and it leaks? The Cali I can see. Perhaps leaking if the Sunroof or Cali top drain pipes are clogged. Slicktop, I can only think of the door seals or the rear hatch seals. __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 02-18-2016, 07:02 AM | #8 | Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Seattle Posts: 513 | Yea, I'm sure that you're right. After crawling around the inside of the cali dismantling for a day I realize that there are only a handful of spots H2O should be getting in. I'm going to give the hardtop another look. It's pouring out or I'd have it now. It's not running so it's easy to neglect. Leak isn't near as bad either. I aught to nip it in the bud though. | | | 02-18-2016, 09:10 AM | #9 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | I got a Cali roof seal from Germany to put in if I have to repair or swap tops. I think it was like $70 and three weeks to arrive. For the Slicktop, check the trunk and rear window seals. Then check under the rubber strip that runs on both sides of the roofline. Perhaps a weld rusted through. Raining now here. Will check the Cali in the AM for moisture. Good luck! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 02-18-2016, 03:21 PM | #10 | Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Jax, FL Posts: 541 | Slick top owner here. Water was coming in through the antenna grommet. Once I replaced the rubber grommet, no more leaks. | | | 02-18-2016, 03:55 PM | #11 | Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Sacramento, CA Posts: 2,451 | Ah, thanks! I replaced my Slicktop antenna grommet when I first got the car and have a new trunk seal to install for a 97 I am renewing. I've not observed any leaks on that one as of yet. No leaks at all for the Cali. I serviced the top as best as I could this summer and as far as I know, it still has the original top rubber seal. SPHayes, are you still leaking? __________________ 1998 318ti Sport - "Cali" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, Cali top 1998 318ti Sport - "Max" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior, S52 1997 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Schwartz II/Schwartz sport interior 1995 318ti Active - "Blanca" Alpineweib III/Schwartz leather interior Other Current Bimmers: 2006 530i / 2000 2.3L Z3 / 1997 1.9L Z3 / 1999 540it 1997 318ti Sport - "Huera" - RIP 1995 318ti Active - RIP 1995 318ti Sport - "Tiny" Sold 1994 325i Sedan - "Jade" - Sold 1991 318ic - "Bert" - Sold 1985 635csi sold 1984 533i "Max" Sold 1984 318i sold BMWCCA #160411 SUPPORT 318ti.org! CLICK THE LINK ABOVE! Hosting a forum like this is not free. 318ti.org is one of the best BMW forums on the web because it is member supported, not vendor supported. The cost to become a Supporter is a nominal $10.00... A YEAR! DO IT! NOW! | | | 02-29-2016, 05:40 PM | #12 | Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Concord, NC Posts: 19 | Yes, but at a much reduced rate. I think it's taillight gaskets at this point. | | | | Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | | Posting Rules | You may not post new threads You may not post replies You may not post attachments You may not edit your posts HTML code is Off | | | |