# Water ingress



## Mrfrench02 (Feb 13, 2020)

Good afternoon chaps,

Vehicle: 2000 autotrail chieftain.

After the last week of rainfall, I found a water leak coming from under the dash in the cab. 
I checked under the hood and found a lovely body of water sitting in the section just under the windscreen through a plastic grate, after stripping out all the plastics I managed to clear the blockage and it all disappeared beautifully. However, 24hrs later I still had the leak in the cab.

I dismantled half the dashboard and found the rear of the heater motor, which I removed and found another pool of water lurging in the dark depths. I have dried this out and replaced everything and will monitor this over the coming weeks. The water was clear and had no smell, it had bits floating in it like tree stuff and assumed the water came from the outside, however my extremely limited knowledge leads me to question how does this water get into such areas? As the intake from the air intake was actually dry and I have read online about the heater matrix spilling fluids into this area but I believe that water has additives in it so would either smell or coloured? Is this fluid the same as whats in the radiator?

As always, I look forward to ur thoughts


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Were there any signs of rust or holes on the skuttle panel below the screen outside, puzzling one.


Sorry daft question, you would have already said if it had.


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## dghr272 (Jun 14, 2012)

Fiat Ducato scuttle areas are certainly notorious for causing water ingress problems, not sure if they go back beyond 2006 but there have been numerous diy fixes to alleviate the problem on them. 

Should be a thread here detailing a fix or two.

Terry

Edit, the water in the heater is the same as cools the engine


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## Mrfrench02 (Feb 13, 2020)

The scuttle board is all plastic, no metal so no rust. 
As for the water being the same as in the radiator, I should be able to monitor the levels from inside the engine bay which is easier. 
Thanks guys, I'll update you in a few weeks as to any further dramas.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

Not getting water inside our van but I did take this picture 12th june, not sure if you will see it but there is water on top of the air filter housing? do I think I need to make a hole in the scuttle panel and put a hose there to drop any water down below the engine, I did it on the self-build, just not got to it yet on this one.


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## Mrfrench02 (Feb 13, 2020)

I had a small amount of water on top of my air filter housing too, I just assumed that was normal??


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

It isn't unless you do some very deep wading.

The issue is that it is built in France which is left-hand drive so the van will lean to the right so they put a drain that side, but they thought screw you, you bloody English roast biffs, we won't put a drain on tother side, so it collects there until is overflows.

Insults to the French for retaliation.

https://www.google.com/search?q=fre...rome..69i57.8656j1j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8


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