well...started pulling the foam underlayment...soaked...got pretty much of front and back...working under seat....might get sh** for being skinny but it sure come in handy...just hard getting grip under seat...all of it (foam) is drenched...got boot and door open and floor mat propped up...gotta get to work...gonna pick up those silica packs and pack around wiring...weather good next couple days....

 

I would SUCK as much as you can with the hose part of the carpet extractor...the moisture reduction silaca packs are for humidity...not for water you can see/feel....
Heck...If you can borrow a wet/dry shop vac...it will do the same...maybe a bit faster since it will have more power....since the carpet/foam is non-organic, it should be fine once you get the water out....lots of air is your friend... As is a good vac...might mean you will not have to yank everything out...
If you do yank out or unplug the seat....be 100% sure you remove the battery or leave the key in the off pistion....turn it on or to radio pistion, and a airbag light will be set...and need a dealer/special tools to turn it off...
When the seats are back in...and wires plugged in...then you can Turn the key on/reinstall the battery and be good to go!!
Good luck again...you have done great!! I am amazed!! Then again, it takes a special kind of woman to marry a truckdriver...spent a couple years in the seat OTR and local....the need to be independent and fix crap when your hubby is away on a trip was good practice....keep up the good work!!

 

Hey ZippyNH...man been waiting to hear from you...a lot of back and forth and some great info but...i don't know just kinda count on you as my main guy...the book is awesome...so...before work, made the call and decided to pull off that foam....it was a wet mess...have my dad's shop vac, 4.25hp but even with that..that floor got drenched not once but twice...just figured if it looked bad, i could buy foam and cut it to fit, not even sure i will need to..am 5'9",skinny....legs and arms...always thought women could make good mechanics...lol....under seat was hardest to get a grip but used shop vac, and propped up carpet with door and boot open..got some silica packs from work and packed em in around wires..it had dried out pretty good...right next to the mid way of door is styrofoam but that doesn't seem as porous as foam. Going at it again before work tomorrow and hope to get some more silica packs, suppose to be nice weather. Thanks for telling me a bit about yourself...yeah being a truckers wife is like ya said. Many times i thought about Michael when i was learning how to drive a 6 speed, He had a Peterbilt....but i can say i never had to find em or grind em....or however that gos....
Thank you so much for everything you've said and been teaching me....been 7 years on my own and you and all you guys are like my guy...i believe in me but let's face it a girl needs a guys help with some stuff...thank you!!!...will be here...fat lady ain't sang yet!
Sincerely,
Debra

 

Good call on digging into it the right way! Hope your BC1 will get its normal back.

 

well minsanity wouldn't say it was right away, but i do think it was the right call given the saturation of that foam under carpet...have had 2 good days weather...got the rest of foam as far has i could reach had boot and door open all day and propped up the carpet with screwdrivers to get air flow....it seems backwards but if i didn't get the constant water seepage from the foam taking on that wrap around wiring would have been for nothing....it doesn't feel that bad but given the extent of everything else???...have gotten a few silica packs from my work, place em in where the wiring is curled and tight against floor going into unit...but really didn't have that much absorption when i pulled em out this morning....don't want to mess around that area too much cause it is right at the plug in to unit???
Sincerely,
Debra

 

hey ZipppyNH.....guess you saw what i wrote minsanity....pretty much down to the wiring...felt it tonight when i got home..strange but that black sh** they wrap it with was more sticky farther away from unit...the idea of blowing hot air on wires just makes me a little doubtful...just want to start her up so bad....should read that book, huh....any thoughts?

 

Focus on drying/cleaning terminals & the BC1 itself. The unexposed wires, unless nicked, shouldn't be expected to give you trouble.
Not saying drying the carpet isn't a priority but that won't get the car back working properly.

 

Hey Guys...car is dry...maybe i missed it but as far as using contact cleaner on BC1, assume you mean the plug-in contacts.....if so how can i do that without clearing out memory and car not moving?....also...been in a "think,think,think Pooh" mode... before all the water and BC1 components going crazy. my Service Engine Light had come on and stayed on....this happen perhaps once just before the above...checked my little Mini manual said it related to exhaust...looking back at mini cooper work in 11/11 had rh rear muffler replaced...am noticing as i am typing this that even though in the "customer states section" above it says (front) and rear RH muffles needs replace????
Cross that river later i suppose.....My QUESTION....thought of taking to local mechanic and having diagnostic's run: have doubts on batter (next in investigation list)...want Hydrometer, Open Circuit and Load voltage test run....also it appears that both BC1 and MIL are both diagnosed through the OBII (Bentley states that OBII software has potential to save hours....(page 130-2) soooooo. Under OBD-1 states tables to refer to per Cooper or Cooper S....also by month, day and year...PROBLEM!!!!...on driver door shows car (Cooper S) has built date of 01/03....NO DAY, oh heck again will cross bridge...
BUT...do question cleaning terminals and question that battery.....INPUT

PLEASE....ps know it's special day my late man served in Vietnam on river boat in Navy more than one tour and All military have my highest respect....you deserve more than a day...
Sincerely,
Debra

 

If there's corrosion & residual water marks, some used contact cleaner to clear the contamination. Then blow dry the terminals & the BC1 itself. Make sure you leave batt disconnected prior to starting all this. It's unlikely you'd lose memory if luck will have it revived.

 

Hey ZippyNH...can you give me your input regarding last post....cleaning connectors and battery???? am making appointment for thursday for diagnostics...have contacted a couple years ago..get info...parts cost..but me and my baby will limp home if i don't have enough dime saved...to be honest neglected and relied on the underlying fact that Mini's can take ****(sorry if not suppose to say) but i have...but now...I "like" working on a car..am anxious about getting any true reading on that battery.....thank you
Sincerely,
Debra

 

http://www.bmw-planet.com/lib/mini/BODY%20CONTROL.pdf

some more info....

 

hey ZippyNH....thank you...that had some great info ...i figure most people on here don't go on for 3 pages.....sorry i read a little to late for today...had diagnostics...they seem to focus on MIL light having come on...code came up for cruise control...(which i seldom use and has never had problem) and engine knock.....(confession...there was no oil showing on dipstick...had em change oil...f***. & not first time i've ran her low)...k...that was me but not me now...honestly...battery checked fine...said had no BCI trouble codes....don't have ability in shop to program one if i need new...recommended i take to Mini and knew no local shop that could program...mentioned selling...that the hours required to track down bad wire may not be cost effective...this is assuming that i have a nick in one of those wires...... so $158 later....and having saved 15 cents on a oil change versus mini...sorry..feel like i was treated like a little girl and molested to boot.......I'M NOT GIVING UP...not selling my car, sure has heck not going back there.....i wish we could talk at times...i suck at typing and have so much i want to understand...bad day...i'll snap out of it...the info you gave me is not lost...it is great....really
Sincerely,
debra