leaks

Steven D. Reich · Nov 21, 2001

<table>

Hi-

When you take an Amphi into water where exits are few, whether it be the ocean, San Diego Harbor, a large lake, or a river, you want a car that is leak-free and /or a high output second bilge pump. I have a car that I take into deep, salt water, so I feel most comfortable when it is leak-free. If you've ever seen an Alka-Selzer dissolve, then you know what it's like to take an Amphi into salt water. So, how do you isolate leaks? I have a few examples, but I would like to learn from the experience of others.

Doors are the most likely source of a leak assuming that you've remembered to put in the bilge plug. I actually carry a checklist of things to carry and remember, such as put in the bilge plug and latch the doors. The problem is that I sometimes forget to look at it. I have had one major leak when the bottom door lock didn't catch. Easy fix, but when the upper latch strike plate is loose, it may not be obvious. Those screws do loosen.

Major leak occurred when the seam in the rear wheel well split. It wasn't obvious because the water comes in under the floorboard. Plumbers putty fixed the problem although the rear quarter panels will have to be replaced soon.

I get some leaks into the trunk. The rubber seal is new and the lid seems to fit. I do not think I get too much leakage through the headlights even though I do not have seals. I like to run at full speed so I often bury the hood under water. Some water gets in (because the trunk is wet on top of the trunk boards), but it's really not much.

Just so you know, I do not count water coming over the windshield on fast entries or large swells as leaks.

I have used the light trick to find leaks without success. This is where you put a light in various places inside the Amphi and look for light outside. I have tried flooding the car with water with no success. Most seams are high above the low point of the car, so you don't see a leak out. You have to be careful to keep the water level below the clutch plate or you bear the risk of getting oily water on the plate (that's bad).

I did find a leak while looking into the engine compartment when the car was in the water. It looked like the vertical bar bumper screw hole was leaking, but it turned out to be a hole in the hull nearby.

Axle boots are another logical source, but mine seem to be in good shape.

Anybody else have a favorite leak spot? Yes, Bilgemaster, I have checked the Archives, but my car is leaking now, not years ago.

-Steve
'64 red (CA: AMPHICR)
'64 red (CA: I SWIM 2)
Del Mar, CA

watercar64 · Oct 6, 2004

Ive had my car in the water 8 times since restoring , found leaks in
the bottem witched I stopped, got the doors sealed ect , but still
get about 3 to4 gals in ,after about 1 hour in the water the bilge
pump pumps it out o.k. I fill up the bottem and now water comes out .
also why is the bilge pick up not in the bottem of the bilge??
I think I will lay it in the Bottem. would that be advisable??
would like some ansers. thank you

a_colo_native · Oct 6, 2004

> Ive had my car in the water 8 times since restoring , found leaks
in
> the bottem witched I stopped, got the doors sealed ect , but still
> get about 3 to4 gals in ,after about 1 hour in the water the
bilge
> pump pumps it out o.k. I fill up the bottem and now water comes
out .
> also why is the bilge pick up not in the bottem of the bilge??
> I think I will lay it in the Bottem. would that be advisable??
> would like some ansers. thank you

Ross,

The bilge pickup is placed where it is because if it is in the
middle, it will interfere with the oil pan and possibly rub a hole
in it which will drain your oil into the bilge. The small amount of
water your car ships is not a problem at all and quite common. The
shape of brass pickup also promotes priming the pump.

Once you identify where the small pin-holes are, you can use an
epoxy putty like POR-15 offers to stop the leaks. It works very
well. Check you rear bumpers (both Horizontal and vertical) for
leaks. The 30+ screws holding the horizontal bumper halves on are an
almost certain leak as well as the Dubo nuts on the vertical bumpers.

I don't mind my cars dribbling a bit. The water in the bilge helps
keep the engine cool on warm days too. I do always reccomend adding
a second bilge pump just in case your first one quits. Just be sure
it is powered by a seperate circut so if a fuse goes, both won't
quit operating.

On thing that almost always gets overlooked is the limber hole. (the
small tube that runs from the bottome of the trunk to below the
pedals) Run a coat hangar through this a couple times a year to keep
it clear.

John Bevins
Rocky Mountain Amphicar

John Friese · Oct 6, 2004

Hello,

Some owners are incredibly tolerant of leakage but I am not. I have
two Amphicars and neither of them takes on more than a cup or so of
water after 5 hours of being in the water. It simply takes careful
checking of all the points where water can come in and addressing
each one. When completing a restoration I run the car into the water
with the floorboards out and the deck lids off. I then simply
examine the entire car/boat for seepage using mirrors and bright
flashlights where necessary to see into those dark and hard to see
areas such as along the horizontal bumper screws. Depending on what
kind of leaks you find you have to address each one with whatever
action works to stop the leaks. Those screws along the horizontal
bumper can usually be coaxed to stop leaking by applying a bit of
caulk to the screw and reinserting it. Pin holes can be fixed with a
two parts expoxy mastic or something like Por 15. My favorite for
these leaks is Dupont Corlar 25P mastic although I've found the same
thing under another brand. This material runs and fills well, works
as a primer, mid coat or top coat, adheres well to virtually all
surfaces, is designed for continuous immersion under gas and oil and
can be colored to match whatever your interior color should be. It's
really terrific stuff and perfect for an Amphicar interior coating.

I use automotive strip caulk around bolts and studs that go through
the hull, applying it around the outside area of the bolt to prevent
water from even getting into contact with the metal in the area of
the hole. Applied sparingly, it is completely invisible and works
fine.

Of course you want to be sure your door seals are working well. For
the inner door seal I find Gordon's latest seal material to be the
best of what's out there. It durable, easy to apply and replace,
when necessary, and works fine.

I run my cars for hours at a time on the water and have never run the
bilge pumps at all because the water has never reached a level that
the bilge pumps could suck up.

John Friese
67 White
67 Red

--- In amphicar-lovers@yahoogroups.com, "a_colo_native"
<colo_frontrange@n...> wrote:
>
> > Ive had my car in the water 8 times since restoring , found leaks
> in
> > the bottem witched I stopped, got the doors sealed ect , but
still
> > get about 3 to4 gals in ,after about 1 hour in the water the
> bilge
> > pump pumps it out o.k. I fill up the bottem and now water comes
> out .
> > also why is the bilge pick up not in the bottem of the bilge??
> > I think I will lay it in the Bottem. would that be advisable??
> > would like some ansers. thank you
>
> Ross,
>
> The bilge pickup is placed where it is because if it is in the
> middle, it will interfere with the oil pan and possibly rub a hole
> in it which will drain your oil into the bilge. The small amount of
> water your car ships is not a problem at all and quite common. The
> shape of brass pickup also promotes priming the pump.
>
> Once you identify where the small pin-holes are, you can use an
> epoxy putty like POR-15 offers to stop the leaks. It works very
> well. Check you rear bumpers (both Horizontal and vertical) for
> leaks. The 30+ screws holding the horizontal bumper halves on are
an
> almost certain leak as well as the Dubo nuts on the vertical
bumpers.
>
> I don't mind my cars dribbling a bit. The water in the bilge helps
> keep the engine cool on warm days too. I do always reccomend adding
> a second bilge pump just in case your first one quits. Just be sure
> it is powered by a seperate circut so if a fuse goes, both won't
> quit operating.
>
> On thing that almost always gets overlooked is the limber hole.
(the
> small tube that runs from the bottome of the trunk to below the
> pedals) Run a coat hangar through this a couple times a year to
keep
> it clear.
>
> John Bevins
> Rocky Mountain Amphicar

leaks

Steven D. Reich

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watercar64

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a_colo_native

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John Friese

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