water leak - i'll tell you where it's not and you tell me where it is!

Eldorado · 12-04-2005, 11:25 PM

alright guys, i'm starting to get peeved about a water leak on the passenger side of the car that collects in the rear footwell.

I cleaned out all of my sunroof drains - not that there was anything blocking them anyway.. i tested each one and each drained to the underside of the car (the front drained to the batt box and opposite side perfectly..

I got a hose and POURED water into the battery box.. plugging up the little drain hole.. let it sit for 10 mins or so and went out and got in the passenger front footwell.... dry as a bone. no drips... (and no visible cracks / holes in the batt box..

I got a huge 50 inch garbage bag and covered the sunroof (despite the seals being half decent and the drains being free flowing...) and put my interior winter mats on it for a few days....

rear hatch? i could pour water on that thing all day with the garden hose or pressure washer.... seals are great (no cracking or signs of wear)...

i even draped one of those 50 inch garbage bags over the side of the car to stop rainwater from running down the window and into the door... and then possibly into the car...

rear pass quarter window is sealed up...

I AM AT A LOSS!

it being between +2 and -10 C constantly around here now I am not treated with a block of ice in the rear passenger footwell...

I'm tapped.. any ideas?

pearljaman31 · 12-05-2005, 05:59 AM

I have your same problem w/ my 83. I sprayed water all over it today w/ a hose and the footwelll was dry as a bone. All my seals seem to be fine. Im clueless to how it gets in. Its really annoying.

VINMAN · 12-05-2005, 06:10 AM

I have the same problem! I cant figure where the hell its coming in from. Ive hit every opening, seam, seal, you name it.
I even took it to the firehouse and blasted it with a fire hose. Done everything short of submerging the whole car under water. (which at this point seems like a great idea!).

I feel your pain....

Slam · 12-05-2005, 11:32 AM

Eldorado, do you know when the last time your rear window seals were replaced? These babies are old, and although they may look good they're probably hardened and don't seal. I drove myself nuts over this until I had those seals replaced. I'll bet you the problem is there. Like you, I swore they weren't the problem and chased sunroof stuff and battery box/dash stuff for months. But guess what...

Eldorado · 12-05-2005, 11:36 AM

the seals are fine - my hatch carpet is always bone dry, and the front-most part of the hatch seal (on the roof of the car) doesn't overhang the back seat area....

and those seals are not hard - they're soft and seal well.

NICKG · 12-05-2005, 11:43 AM

gas filler. the other leak there is the sunroof...did you run the hose at different angles or just across it? hatch seals are a possibility...lay the hose on the roof and let it run for like 15 minutes...you'll find it

NICKG · 12-05-2005, 11:44 AM

the car should have a vapor barrier , without one, it wil leak like this from the door

ae1969 · 12-05-2005, 11:59 AM

Take a look at the bottom of the door........... Water can travel into the door and out the drain holes.........

COLDBASS · 12-05-2005, 02:32 PM

I had a the same problem in my '86...I replaced everything (door seal, etc)...anyhow, just out of stupid luck, I resealed the windshield...guess what? dry as a bone after that...

Tact57 · 12-15-2005, 02:55 PM

I found my leaks by removing to WHOLE interior and sure enough it was 2 rusted out holes under the dash. The water would leak under the double panel floor boards and rest in the right rear pass. floor board.
I was going to rip out the moldy carpet anyway!

SoCal Driver · SoCal Driver's Garage

Quote:

Originally posted by ae1969
Take a look at the bottom of the door........... Water can travel into the door and out the drain holes.........

Drains are on the outside of the door seal. Shouldn't leak into the car -- unless they are plugged with 20 years of crud.

Take a look at the bottom rear of the door panel. This may be water logged. If it is clean the drains in the door.

Also at what possition is the car sitting when this happens? Is the nose up? Is the passenger side down?

Eldorado · 12-15-2005, 07:29 PM

nose up, flat left to right.

where are the drains on the doors?

ilikemy944 · 12-15-2005, 08:41 PM

My turbo leaks at the hatch seal just over the passenger floorboard. Go to a coin wash place and shoot the car with the hose at full blast, if it is a door seal or a hatch seal, you will find it relatively easy...

Eldorado · 12-15-2005, 09:14 PM

lol easy to do it in Georgia December weather.. not so easy in Ontario

ilikemy944 · 12-16-2005, 06:59 PM

LOL
I did not think about that

I guess if you did that then you'd be able to find the ice spots instead hehe...
It is in the 40s - 50s during the day here

Too hot for a good December. I may ride my motorcycle to work tomorrow :O
I do hope you find your leak, even if my idea won't work for another 6 months lol.

Eldorado · 12-16-2005, 07:13 PM

yea well right now my back seat passenger side floor is an icecube.... lol

PhillysMostWntd · 12-16-2005, 07:57 PM

go and buy a deluxe car wash.. and get your car washed

thats how i found my leak

Eldorado · 12-16-2005, 08:23 PM

done that. the only leak i see is the one occasional drip from the sunroof, which drips onto the back seat.. not down into the carpeting..... and even then, it's not enough to create a pool back there...
i guess i'm stuck until weather gets above freezing again..

PhillysMostWntd · 12-17-2005, 12:04 PM

mine wasnt a drip though, it was like a bucket full of water beng dumped on me, but then again when i think about it, the sunroof might have not be shut all the way...