Moist Xantia

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 09 Sep 2010, 20:25

I had occasion to lift the rear seats today and found the underside to be damp, not what I'd call wet, more like heavy condensation. Anyone else had this or know the cause.

Dried out now as it's been warm.

Post by **CitroJim** » 09 Sep 2010, 21:17

Stempy,

Look right under the seat wells, under the carpet (or the extension of the boot carpet).

I'll bet my bottom dollar it's damp there too.

Expect the boot floor sound deadening to be damp.

If you have a sunroof, check the drains. Feel the headlining by the C pillars and feel for damp.

Check the roof rack bracket tapped holed under the rubber gutters above the door seals; check they're fully blanked off and the original taping has not perished. Water can get in here and I've had it happen. See my blog!

Since filling said bracket holes with silicone, I find my Activa is dry again despite heavv rain.

Check too the rear light gaskets.

Stempy · Post by **Stempy** » 09 Sep 2010, 21:35

Ahh genius

I reckon it could well be the roof rack bolt holes as I recently gleaned an original Citroen rack and I seem to remember the instructions telling you to refit the bolts when the rack is removed, which I ignored. Will fit bolts tomorrow

bigblackfalco · Post by **bigblackfalco** » 12 Sep 2010, 22:04

I have this problem with my Estate, but I thought it was where the rear boot surround rubber had deformed and water that drained out the boot door was getting inside the surround seal.

I will check the roof rack track for holes!

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 12 Sep 2010, 22:55

bigblackfalco wrote:I have this problem with my Estate, but I thought it was where the rear boot surround rubber had deformed and water that drained out the boot door was getting inside the surround seal.

I will check the roof rack track for holes!

Estates aren't likely to leak from the rails.
On the hatchbacks, they have threaded holes covered by latex in the side of the roof, covered by the closed doors.
Once the latex is broken, you need to keep the holes blocked with the bolts used to secure the roof bars.

VertVega · Post by **VertVega** » 12 Sep 2010, 23:03

Xac wrote:Estates aren't likely to leak from the rails...

I agree.

In an Estate case I would bet on the tailgate plastic membrane (behind the trim)

Next it would be rear lights at the corners.

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 13 Sep 2010, 17:39

VertVega wrote:
Xac wrote:Estates aren't likely to leak from the rails...
I agree.

In an Estate case I would bet on the tailgate plastic membrane (behind the trim)
Next it would be rear lights at the corners.

Or the high-level brake light, which is retained by two screws - if you (or someone-else) has in the past attempted to just pull it out, it's likely that the light will be broken and you'll have to use silicone to seal it.

It's essential that the tailgate membrane makes a perfectly water-tight seal all the way round. The best stuff is whatever Citroen originally used (anyone know?), though I've had to resort to copious amount of ordinary silly-cone. Getting the membrane correctly positioned and then sealed perfectly and securely all the way round is a right whatsit.

If you have to use anything that takes time to set, then DO NOT SLAM the tailgate (or fit the interior trim) until you are sure it's 'gone-off' completely. Trust me, I know from bitter experience that you'll have to start again from scratch.

Because Xantia estates are so prone to tailgate leaks, I've become a trifle obsessive - parking on a slope, I go to the trouble to park the car facing up the slope.

VertVega · Post by **VertVega** » 14 Sep 2010, 16:36

Old-Guy wrote:... It's essential that the tailgate membrane makes a perfectly water-tight seal all the way round. The best stuff is whatever Citroën originally used (anyone know?), ...

That's true! Membrane must be water-tight, how do I know

This is the sealer which I used. It proved to be excellent!
I had to open the membrane several times (lock and wiper motor) and the same sealant is still fine.

Here's a picture of the 3M roll, prod.no 08611 Cordon Butyle Collage Pare-Brise

cachaciero · Post by **cachaciero** » 14 Sep 2010, 19:30

VertVega wrote:
Old-Guy wrote:... It's essential that the tailgate membrane makes a perfectly water-tight seal all the way round. The best stuff is whatever Citroën originally used (anyone know?), ...
That's true! Membrane must be water-tight, how do I know

This is the sealer which I used. It proved to be excellent!
I had to open the membrane several times (lock and wiper motor) and the same sealant is still fine.

Here's a picture of the 3M roll, prod.no 08611 Cordon Butyle Collage Pare-Brise

Oh! Oh! where did you buy that from and how much was it?
please tell

cachaciero

Post by **CitroJim** » 14 Sep 2010, 19:36

back when I had an estate and also had the same problem, I resealed it with W4 caravan bedding mastic, the stuff used to bed joints and awning rails on touring 'vans.

It comes in rolls in the same way as the 3M stuff shown by VertVega and is very readily available from your local caravan dealer.

VertVega · Post by **VertVega** » 14 Sep 2010, 20:04

cachaciero wrote: Oh! Oh! where did you buy that from and how much was it?

Here's one link from UK with the Price: £19.70 for a 10 m roll --> 3M butyl-strip-sealant

As CitroJim said there are similar products available on the market and they can be even cheaper than this one.
I think the best part of this product is that it is a roll and can easily be formed (like a Bostik Blu-Tac).

After several opening/closing of membrane, it stayed as a good sealant