Hi all. I have looked through other boot leak topics and have acted on any advice I found there. However, I’m posting because I’m still baffled. This leak in the boot is a real mystery. I put some talc down this morning before the rain. Two hours later you can see the pattern there in the first picture. No issues with the light seal. Those white studs there are bone dry. The drainage tube from the fuel filler is securely attached and dry. The roof drains are dry. Most of the wetness is in the little inaccessible and practically invisible area there by the wheel arch, second picture. You can see the pooling around that misplaced black stud there (one of the trim studs that got away). I have checked the wheel arch and all looks secure. Any ideas, folks? I have no idea where to go next. I have checked the third brake light, bone dry. The only possibility I have found, zooming in on one of the pics, is the white stud circled, which looks a bit yellow.
No, actually I have not. Where exactly is that? I should say though that the boot lid is dry. Do you mean this area? If so, then the area is dry. Photo from another thread.
Without knowing for certain that yellowing plastic stud could be for the fixing of the lower wheel arch liners covering. Try spraying some water in that area in the wheel arch.
In another post regarding boot leaks on the NC a member had a similar stud in the back panel that leaked water in, sorted with silicone👍
When I did my mums there were loads of areas it leaked. Around the third brake light, hade to pop it off and seal. Around the aerial. The chrome bracket bolt holes. The rear lights and wiring grommets and the petrol flap area and the key hole. I think that’s it.
The three white pegs are parts of the bumper sliders, the centre one does not have a screw.
They use the same type of crumbling foam seal as the notorious scuttle grommets and are a pain to get at without distorting the metal of the wing.
Normally this part of the car does not get cooked so much by the sun/engine so the seal lasts a bit longer.
I resealed one side on my Niseko soon after I bought it, alas no photos.
Take off the bumper!
Then remove the screws securing the slider and squeeze the expanded tags on each white bit with a locked-on Vise-Grip (ie three grips) and then you might be able to push out the slider without bending any metal.
Have fun!
Edit.
I didn’t look close enough. Sorry.
MickAP has identified the correct stud showing the leak.
As I suggested in my post above, that stud is one of two fixings for the wheel arch liners lower panel. You can clearly see it within the wheel arch, get some water sprayed around there see what happens.
Decided to check during really heavy rain and it would appear to be the light seal after all. Unbelievable, as previously this felt dry every time I checked
That’s for the NC2, guess they are a different shape/holes etc for the NC1 which is your model. They don’t show stock/ a listing for yours. If it’s not completely perished away, clean and refix with silicone each side.
Just spoke with mx5 parts. Apparently in mine the gasket was integral to the light fitting, and not separate, but if the old one is totally cleaned off, this one will fit.
