Bonnet hinge grommet

[chrisP]

Does anyone know the purpose of the grommet that sits behind the bonnet hinge? (top centre of the picture)

Cheers Chris

[Jeemy]

Mine are empty holes. I presumed they were to prevent the bonnet corner from fouling on the shell in case of misalignment or just when pulled past the reach of the prop strut…...

[chrisP]

And I thought they might be for access to something. They don't really match up with the the trailing edge of the bonnet, so I was going to flush them over come respray time.
Chris

[Jeemy]

Can't really see what they would be for access to….not that I am the fount of all knowledge, but the duct below and the vacuum chamber are both accessed through the wheel arch, I spent time trying to trace hoses back with a finger in that area, only to find it was all under the arch…..my bonnet corners sit over them but certainly not in them; and I've removed the bonnet and they weren't necessary to do that, so I can't see how they'd be necessary for factory fitment. I'd cover them in a flash!

[Peter_W]

Mine doesn't have them - solid on both sides.

[chrisP]

Thanks guys, well it looks like its one of those 'Lotus things'!!! When the clam comes off, I will have a look underneath and double check and then fill them over.

Cheers
Chris

[DeeAitch]

Both of mine have holes in them. Happened to have the LH liner off today and there is nothing behind the gromet on this side that needs access.
It is directly over the heater intake tho' so if you have a soggy footwell it is worth checking out - glad I did as the inner tube repair I fitted a few years back had already perished

[Jeemy]

Thats a bloody good point.....not that I would have swerved doing my weatherstrips as the old ones were perished and cracked beyond repair, so even if they still functioned cosmetically they'd have gone. But in fact, this is exactly where my major influx of water comes. I am 100% sure a lot of it comes down the weatherstrip and through the drain holes on the bottom of the door....but not 100% that this location does not contribute to the pooling.

I've noticed a lot of debris building up around the engine bay just under the bonnet edge, and tons around the bonnet hinges. So water definitely gets in here.