RLaFarge

It is leaking into the floorboards really badly. If fact I think it is worse than it was before I put the new stripping. What did I do wrong??
Any advise/suggestion would be apperciated!

Thanks,
Robby :confused:

7t2vette

I hate to say it, but it is probably your windshield frame that is letting in the water because it has one or several rusted through holes. I hope I am wrong for your sake. Trust me on this one, I have been there!!!

Gary Dale

need more information, is it leaking down from the t-tops, or just behind the dash to the floor board?? take a water hose and start around the doors and work your way up to the t-tops, try putting water in the wiper compartment to see if the firewall has a crack in it. gary dale :chevy

NHvette

Yeah - pinpointing it would be key. You say it got worse since new seals installed ?
Like Bruce the **** star said - a rusted W/S frame is a big can of worms.
I hope and pray that is just your weatherstripping. Perhaps the door glass needs adjusting.

OK Robby - take off the kickpanel covers on the side of the floor area.
Is there tons of rust and rot ? Pull back the rug a bit and hose down the windshield
area. Any streams of water that you can follow ? Get contortional and try
looking up under the dash at the steel that runs along the top of the firewall.
Any rust or holes ?

:seeya


[Modified by NHvette, 5:38 PM 6/4/2003]

mnow

you dont have an antifreeze smell in the cab anywhere? if it was just getting wet on the passenger side and there was a smell, would be the heater core leaking most likely. hope its not a rust prob, and just an adjustment somewhere. good luck, man.

page62

I had a gap between my windshield trim and the chrome trim behind it. It leaked very nicely (and I think there's some rust back there -- not fatal). If you have this condition, fill the gap with butyl caulk.

bbeck

I'll have to check that out on mine also, as my floors get wet. Thought it would be just the weatherstrip, but maybe not.... have to check it out

Skeets

i spent the whole of last weekend trying to stop water getting into my car... and failed!!! it's driving me insane .... it's definatly getting in through the seams under the dash board.. but i'm not sure where to seal them on the outside? .... i think the gutter 'thing' just above the door hinges may hide some seams, but it's difficult to get behind. .... does anyone know how/where to re-seal all the seams in that area below the screen/ behind the dash etc? ... i've bought new carpets but i don't want to put them in until i've stopped all the leaks! help! :banghead:

Twin_Turbo

It's next to impossible to have leaks in the fiberglass (unless it's cracked), the seam betweent he fiberglass firewall and the bidcage is under the windsheild. If it leaks there it almost certainly is a rotted cage.

The "gutter" where the wipers are in does not have a seam, except for the fact that the edge of the gutter (and the top of the pedal box) is bonded to it, hard to develop a leak there.

Firewall w/ gutter removed:



gutter still removed, pedal reinforcements back in, as you can see that's the only place where you might develop a leak if the bond cracks, still very unlikely.



back together, no leaks there



if I were you I'd get a small mirror and a flashlight and do some probing under the dash to see if there's any rust there.

Skeets

thanks for the photo's.. that's exactly what i needed to see how everything was put together :)
... one question though, in the second picture (where the fibreglass firewall is attached to the birdcage).. in the top right hand corner of the photo, there is a 'gutter', which you can normally only see when you open the door... are there any seams/ joins behind there which might need sealing? ... or is it just a piece of metal welded on the side of the birdcage??

LAvetteman

Check to see if your door hinge bolts are leaking.

Twin_Turbo

You must mean this:


You're right, there's 2 plates w/ bonding strips on them that bond the front clip to them. My firewall is modified there, I chopped a way lots of stuff on the sides. The side however only seals to the floorboard and a-pillar, the rest is bonded to the main fiberglass piece, again not a place that would easily develop a leak unless cracked.

thejaf

IMHO, if you changed the weatherstripping and it's now WORSE, then I'd bet it's probably the weatherstripping. It's a real PIA to get a perfect fit, especially where the door closes in the back, if the weatherstripping on the door and the rear post aren't PERFECT then you will get water running down the rear jam, along the sill, and it will end up as a wet carpet/puddle on the floor.


[Modified by thejaf, 9:08 AM 6/5/2003]

Skeets

thanks Twin... another handy photo. I shall have another crack at the problem this weekend.... either that, or move somewhere where it doesn't rain!

.... and yes Jaf, my door seals are leaking too... but i don't quite think i have the strength to handle that as well this week :banghead: