link3591 link3592 link3593 link3594 link3595 link3596 link3597 link3598 link3599 link3600 link3601 link3602 link3603 link3604 link3605 link3606 link3607 link3608 link3609 link3610 link3611 link3612 link3613 link3614 link3615 link3616 link3617 link3618 link3619 link3620 link3621 link3622 link3623 link3624 link3625 link3626 link3627 link3628 link3629 link3630 link3631 link3632 link3633 link3634 link3635 link3636 link3637 link3638 link3639 link3640 link3641 link3642 link3643 link3644 link3645 link3646 link3647 link3648 link3649 link3650 link3651 link3652 link3653 link3654 link3655 link3656 link3657 link3658 link3659 link3660 link3661 link3662 link3663 link3664 link3665 link3666 link3667 link3668 link3669 link3670 link3671 link3672 link3673 link3674 link3675 link3676 link3677 link3678 link3679 link3680 link3681 link3682 link3683 link3684 link3685 link3686 link3687 link3688 link3689 link3690 link3691 link3692 link3693 link3694 link3695 link3696 link3697 link3698 link3699 link3700 link3701 link3702 link3703 link3704 link3705 link3706 link3707 link3708 link3709 link3710 link3711 link3712 link3713 link3714 link3715 link3716 link3717 link3718 link3719 link3720 link3721 link3722 link3723

No idea what's going on with my carpet/what to do

  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    No idea what's going on with my carpet/what to do

    Okay, so a few weeks ago I was doing a total cleaning inside my Z's interior, and as I lifted up the floor mats, there was mold and it was really moist. To begin with I was really unsure as to what that exactly came from… I have no idea if that was like that ever since I got the car months ago, or if it was from T Tops leaking and the water collected somehow through the floormats onto the carpet. But here's why I'm confused. There is no moldy smell in my car, and the TTops don't even leak in that area. They only leak in the very back behind the seats. So all in all I'm not sure how water is getting there, and on top of it I saw a few weeks ago that water apparently drains from the car from between the side fenders (you know the ones underneath the door) and below the seat area?? I'm really confused and concerned as to what is going on here and I'm not sure if I should take out my floormats officially to try and help the problem of the moist carpet. I cleaned the floor mats and and carpet multiple times with resolve and mold remover but it's not really doing anything. Do I need to replace carpet entirely? I've checked the floor panels and they don't look rotted, except for the rust on the fender right below the front bottom edge of the doors, the same place where water drains out. I don't have pictures right now but i'll post some when I can. Someone please help me!
  • Augustus Maximus
    Augustus Maximus
    Senior Member
    • 1739

    #2
    Let's hope it's not the heater core. Are you losing coolant?
    Cha iro

    enjoy building it yourself.
    if it fails, fuck it.
    at least you gave it a whirl.
  • les_joey_paul
    les_joey_paul
    Senior Member
    • 743

    #3
    Yeah heater core or ac drain is a good guess. Could also have been build up from the leaking t tops.
    http://z31performance.com/showthread…2-2-(-now-NA2T
    My build thread (:
  • NissanEgg
    NissanEgg
    Senior Member
    • 5220

    #4
    TTops or the top drains are clogged/leaking tubes. That's the only way the corners behind the seats can get wet.

    1986 300ZX Turbo…sold
    1990 Skyline GT-R…new money pit
    2014 Juke Nismo RS 6-speed…daily
  • reddzx
    reddzx
    Senior Citizen
    • 6440

    #5
    Originally posted by NissanEgg View Post
    TTops or the top drains are clogged/leaking tubes. That's the only way the corners behind the seats can get wet.
    Look for cracks in the seal around the rear drain hole.



    1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
    1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
    1991 Hard-body 2WD

    http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #6
    <iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://s1374.photobucket.com/user/Marissa_Simos/embed/slideshow/Z31"></iframe> okay so I'm hoping that link works… but if you can see the picture it's the bottom corner of the side fender right below the passenger's door. this is where water is leaking from and where it's rotting. could this be connected to my moist carpet?
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #7
    I'm thinking that's the only way I'll figure out whats going on. Only problem is I dont have money to replace the carpet (which I will need to replace if I take it out) and I'm not sure when my dad will let me take out the carpet, if he ever will. We did the shocks recently which were being really difficult, so we aren't gonna do a big job like this for a while, which bothers me. I heard removing the seats is pretty easy and quick though, so maybe I'll convince him soon.
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #8
    Its really stained, there's green moldy stuff beneath the floor mats, and personally I'd rather get a new one if I ever take the carpet out to see what's going on.
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #9
    So I recently had to remove my heater fan because it's intermittent and since that was out I decided to check the carpets again, especially since I haven't seen water come into my car for a while. As I removed the floor mat, I felt right underneath the heater fan and that area of the carpet was sticky, even though the floor mat above it was not. So, what could possibly making the carpet sticky? Could that somehow be from the heater core or is this just completely abnormal? I'm taking out my carpet soon.
  • Pace
    Pace
    Moderator
    • 1108

    #10
    Sounds like your heater core is leaking. Could also explain the intermittent issues with your blower motor and heat. All pretty much in the same area.

    Definitely something to look into before the leak gets worse and makes a bigger mess.
    '86 300ZXT GLL
    '78 Datsun 280Z BP
    '11 Saab 9-3 Aero XWD
  • FlyingT
    FlyingT
    Senior Member
    • 1095

    #11
    New carpets are not too bad, only $200 at the Z store. You probably don't have to take out the console or completely take out the carpets. Just move them back from the sides of the car and you should be able to see where the water is coming in from.
    Restore it, Don't crush it. They don't make them like this anymore.

    Scott
    85 Turbo, original owner, restored
    93 NA Babied


  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #12
    Update: So I took apart my carpet and here's the conclusion I've came to. I know my T Top seals were terrible when I first bought the car, and when I took apart the carpet the padding beneath it was absolutely soaked. I think rain must've sat in the carpet while the other owner had the car, and so the water slowly went through the carpet and into the padding. From that point on the water really didn't have anywhere to go so the padding just absorbed it all. So after I lifted up the carpet I took a fan and I'm airing out the floor right now.
    There's also a few questions I have. So in the very middle of the foot well there's this loop shape cut in the floor and there was a small puddle of water in it. Doe's anyone know what that's supposed to be? Second, theres a rubber plug in the left upper corner of the foot well, and I was tempted to open it today but I didn't want to risk it knowing my luck. Can anyone inform me on what these are for? (also, while I was at it I saw some surface rust in the corner underneath the wires. I decided to sand it down and paint it, just to prevent it from getting worse. Saw someones post with that area completely rusted through and it terrified me.
  • Z_Karma
    Z_Karma
    Administrator
    • 3318

    #13
    The rubber plug is a drain, the loop shape in the sound deadening is a
    punchout that wasn't used (the deadening surrounding the rubber plug is the same loop shape, missing the center)

    I too just gutted an interior to track down and eliminate any leaks. It's the rainy season, i carry a couple of sham-wows
    to soak up leaks.


    84 AE/Shiro #683/Shiro #820/84 Turbo
  • les_joey_paul
    les_joey_paul
    Senior Member
    • 743

    #14
    Looks like a drain plug. There's one that looks just like that under the inflatable tire.
    http://z31performance.com/showthread…2-2-(-now-NA2T
    My build thread (:
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #15
    ah ok, I assumed so but I wanted to be safe. So If I take off that plug, would I be able to see the ground beneath it? I'm thinking to take off that plug for a day or two and then put it back on, don't want to leave it off and manage to get rust or dirt or debris from the road.