Damp gearstick gaiter

[Dean Goodall 319]

I noticed a few weeks back when going in to my single garage that the gear stick gaiter was very damp to the point where you can see wetness on it.  I positioned a small fan heater next to it for a number of hours and was satisfied it and the surrounding carpet had dried out.  A few days later I returned and the dampness was back, can't understand where this has come from.  I purchased a 1 Kg silica gel bag and left it sat on the gaiter round the gear stick. A few days passed and I checked again and the gaiter was dry 'ish'.  To test, I removed the silica gel bag and after a couple of days guess what, bl@@dy wet again! Had a dry windy day so left the car outside all day to air, did the heater fan thing again overnight, next day was dry a bone.  2 days and wet again!

 

I wouldn't say my garage is damp, in that nothing else in there feels damp and no evidence of the furry mould like stuff on other things.

 

Proved no drips from the garage roof by placing a brolly over the cockpit.

 

any thoughts or explanations please. 

 

 

[Terry Everall - WSCC Competition Secretary 1,462]

Do you have any heater hoses close to the gear knob? garage roof leaks ?

[Adge Cutler- Dorset AO 1,560]

1 hour ago, Dean Goodall said:

 

Proved no drips from the garage roof by placing a brolly over the cockpit.

And it still gets wet when sheltered?

Stupid suggestion time:

Assume you’ve already considered If it could it be a heater leak? Engine water level not dropped (may not be enough to be noticeable I guess)? Is the gaiter pushed down into the lever cutout and moisture (possibly from heater) weeping out of carpet and collecting in the gaiter which would be the low point?

 

[Steve (sdh2903) 3,378]

I'd agree. I think there's a batch of heaters that have leaky cores. There's been a good few (mine included) that have leaked and required a core change. 

 

Mine had a small damp patch that appeared over a few days. 

[Rich201060 489]

3 hours ago, Steve (sdh2903) said:

I'd agree. I think there's a batch of heaters that have leaky cores. There's been a good few (mine included) that have leaked and required a core change. 

 

Mine had a small damp patch that appeared over a few days. 

Yes mine leaked and ran inside some conduit popped out rear of the gear box.

[marcusb 1,415]

5 hours ago, Dean Goodall said:

I noticed a few weeks back when going in to my single garage that the gear stick gaiter was very damp to the point where you can see wetness on it.  

 

any thoughts or explanations please. 

 

 

 

Mine does this, not in a very good quality garage so suffers from moisture when its raining outside.. scratched my head for a few weeks then came to the conclusion that the metal gear stick (inside the gaiter) gets very cold and then attracts moisture and condensation on it that then ends up on the gaiter as well.... I bet when you touch the gaiter its cold ?  (and wet)  

[Dean Goodall 319]

gonna check the heater for leaks tomorrow, thanks guys

[Steve (sdh2903) 3,378]

This was my heater core can see the orange coolant soaked into the foam. Some leak from the hose tails as its a clamped o ring setup but mine was from the core itself. Just a few drops a day but enough. 

 

[Dean Goodall 319]

Just been reviewing the comments and I need to clarify that its the ‘leather’ carpet gaiter that is getting wet,  cant comment on the condition of the rubber gaiter underneath.  Think I need to get the seats & carpets out and dash board detached to investigate properly. 

[Terry Everall - WSCC Competition Secretary 1,462]

deffo have a look under/behind the dash to start with

[ianali 58]

I’d dry the area. Then lay kitchen roll in the surrounding area and see if that tells you anything. 

[ianali 58]

If it’s coolant leaking, wouldn’t it have a certain taste? 

[Steve (sdh2903) 3,378]

28 minutes ago, Dean Goodall said:

Just been reviewing the comments and I need to clarify that its the ‘leather’ carpet gaiter that is getting wet,  cant comment on the condition of the rubber gaiter underneath.  Think I need to get the seats & carpets out and dash board detached to investigate properly. 

 

Yeah if its weeping under the carpet the gear gaiter could soak it up as it weeps down the slope. 

 

Reach under the dash with some kitchen roll and put it under the heater box. You'll soon see if it's the heater before stripping anything out. 

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Secretary 7,316]

On a side note, I've definitely found the vinyl parts of the cars trim can be prone to "sweat", in hot/warm followed by cold conditions. - Condensation seems to form much more readily/earlier on the vinyl, compared even to metal surfaces in the car. (One of the joys of keeping it outside when you've been working on it during the day, without it's covers on, was in winter/Autumn etc, the film of moisture on certain vinyl parts, come early evening.

[Dean Goodall 319]

17 hours ago, Steve (sdh2903) said:

This was my heater core can see the orange coolant soaked into the foam. Some leak from the hose tails as its a clamped o ring setup but mine was from the core itself. Just a few drops a day but enough. 

 

Did you get a replacement heater matrix? Where?