Water

It has been raining here since Thursday, and it finally stopped yesterday. When I got in the car this morning, the passenger side front and rear floorboards were soaking wet. There was even standing water in them. There was not any water in the car that I noticed during the week. I have tried to find the source of the leak, but have not had any success. The cowls are in good shape and so are the floors, so it must be a new thing. I have had somebody look for leaks as I sprayed the car with the water hose, but came up with nothing. Any suggestions?

 

The boomerangs have a stud on them that holds them down.The sealant on them dries out causing leaks.water gets under them runs down the inside of the quarter and pools up on the floor.Pull the inner rear door panel off and then spray the car down.Does your car have trim on the sides??? it will get past the fasteners there too.I deal with leaks on cars at work all the time and have seen this condition many times.It will get in through sub structure somewhere and you wont see it untill you pull things apart to expose the sub structure.Happy hunting and good luck,hope this helps you.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I do have a leak there. But I don't think it is what caused today's problem because I am parked on a slight incline, and I believe the water came from the front and made its way towards the back.

 

I forgot to ask how you would seal off those bolts to the boomerangs and the trim?

 

Buy some butyerate tape.Or urethane sealer used for windshield installs.You may have a cowl problem or a plugged cowl drain causing the water to back up over the cowl dam(hats)Hows the seam sealer under the hood look where the cowl panel is welded to the fire wall??It will get past old dried out seam sealer easily.If it has cracks in it or chunks missing,water intrusion is guaranteed.If you pull the front fenders you will find another potential leak area at the joint between the cowl/firewall/fender apron/side panel of firewall.Looks like 4 or 5 peices of steel join up there.LOTS of seam sealer at that joint.The antenna bulkhead plug that the wire passes through is another location where water can get in.(open the pass' door and follow the antenna wire to the bulkhead)make sure you have a good seal there as well.I wont go into windshield weather strip or rust holes under the trim around it but look closely.Good luck.

 

Thanks for the tip, I just had the inner fender out, looks like I'll need to take it out again to check for those things. When I had it off I checked the cowl drain hole and there was nothing obstructing it at all.

 

I checked everywhere you suggested except for behind the fenders and found nothing. I am really getting curious as to how that water got in there.

 

Check your windsheild and rear glass seals ( mounting gaskets ) for cracks


jay

 

Did you take the water hose and poor directly into the cowl for a few minutes while looking under the dash? If you don't see anything, check the windshield very closely. You would need to flood the windshield area and watch the inside at the bottom, especially in the corners.

 

Ditto what ray said.You may want to flood the cowl area under those front fenders too.Are your door seals in good shape??? how about the drip rail seam???I have seen water flow up hill(surface tension) and cause a leak.I have seen it follow a wire harness into a car (under the dash)that one drove me nuts for a whole day.Some times you have to throw out logic when looking for a leak.Water can do weird things sometimes.

 

Windshield and rear glass seals are toast after this many years, could be a source also. Talked to my sister on the phone today, and she is in NC,, said she has had 5" of rain in a couple days. My Stallion got rain on the passenger floorboard at Carlisle a couple years ago during a hard rain, the windshield seal in mine is original and dried and split. Car is low mile, garaged car since new, so cowl is not a concern.
Dan

 

Thanks for all of the input, I do believe it is the windshield gasket because it is rotted and cracked. I will test it more thoroughly tomorrow.

Thanks,
Ford Guy

 

Well, I think I have determined that the water was coming from the windshield then worked its way down into the passenger floorboard. I pulled up the carpet and repainted the floors in hopes of keeping my solid floors intact. Next step is to get my windshield resealed. Thanks for all of your input,

Ford Guy