Pine Martens

[melinx]

With all the various wiring problems reported over the years, no one has ever yet reported that they were due to Martens chewing through the loom as suggested in TIS

http://totalcarlton.com/forums/index.php/topic,1958.msg21533.html#msg21533

[PeterC]

How about pine cones filling up the scuttle drain (under the windscreen. Thus encouraging the build up of rain water to find another route downwards and wash past the heater matrix into the car. This leads to suspected heater matrix leak but more relevently wet floor, sound proofing and carpets. But more subtly wet wiring joints on the floor leading to loss of power to windows (etc ?).

When windows are stuck open the pine thingys escape (well evaporate) leading to - no evidence whatsoever.

Well that was my problem. Water ingress now long gone since the scuttle drains were cleared. Floor now bone dry but took ages to get rid of the residual dampness by propping the carpet etc up with bits of wood (no-one will nick it that way !!!). Carlton_Mad re-wired the joints which meant the "pine martens" cannot get back in.

I wonder if the German for water ingress or something got lost in translation to Martens ?. Anyway my description above seems the most likely - those wiring joints are positioned perfectly to collect any liquid ending up at the bottom of the footwell. Whether it comes courtesy of blocked scuttle drains, leaking heater, a rotting bulkhead or little johnys carelessness with a loaded bottle of coke etc.