water leaks

[mjtjnj]

Hey guys,

I have a bad water leak on the driver's side firewall in my 87 Laredo. Sad part is, I had the really thick jute padding for noise reduction, and it's wrecked. Worse yet is the build sheet was under the carpet on that side! Trashed. Finally, floor rot is starting. It's coming down the firewall, so where should I be looking? I've heard I should take off the cowl panel, but what am I looking for? Are there common spots of leakage? Passenger side is bone dry.

 

Thanks!

 

Tom

:mad:

[pingpong]

The winshield is the most likely culprit. But water could aslo be coming in from around the fuse block, clutch slave cylinder, the steering column, or just about anyother small hole that is in your firewall.

[mjtjnj]

it could be anywhere. Anyone have any experience on where they've ACTUALLY FOUND a leak?

[Pete M]

-Top of the windshield seal that dripped down inside the A-pillar. Might never have found that one if my 86 wasn't torn apart,

-Aftermarket rear window seal on my 88,

-Rear hood seal on my 88, leaked down a wire and through the firewall

-Drivers side door on my 88, rain would literally come right through the gap at the top if the wind was blowing just right

-Drivers side door on the 88, added this twice since I later on had a problem with rain dripping down the front edge of the wondow frame and coming inside the cab

-A/C drain plugged on my 88, left puddles on the passenger side floor

 

And I'm sure there's one or two I'm missing. They are a leak-prone truck and the dang rubberized carpet guarantees that anything that gets under the carpet will stay under the carpet. :headpop:

 

-Oh and I've heard of water finding its way up from underneath the cab through small gaps in the floor.

[sinnaevd]

bad luck....lol

 

would it be easier just to weld everything solid and call it the "general lee wannabe"????

[mjtjnj]

Thanks, Pete. I pulled off the a pillar and didn't see any tracking. I pulled off the windshield cowl and stuck the hose in there, and sure enough, water becan to slowly come in. Hard to see from where -- I need to pull the interior and carpet apart a little more. I think that rules out the windshield, unless there are TWO sources for leaks. That wouldn't surprise me, somehow.

 

:wall:

[ROADLESS]

mjtjnj

When you added water to the cowl duct, how much did you add? If you filled it too much water would overflow into the vent duct (its in the cowl on the passenger side and hard to see). Try adding water again, only let a small stream in, just enough so that it won't overflow the vent duct lip which IIRC is about 1.5 inches tall.

Also watch to see if water is coming out of the cowl drain located on the engine side firewall below where the heater hoses go into the heater core. There should be a drain hose attached to it. This hose has a tendancy to plug up so you should check that too. :eek:

[Landoloops]

Pete,

 

When your AC drain pluged did it leak on left hand turns? I have a leak that after it the truck has been sitting for a while (couple of hours or more) it will just pour our water under the dash on the passenger side when i make a left hand turn. I was thinking that rain was coming in getting caught somewhere then leaking out on the turn but the AC drain would make sense too.

 

What did you have to do to fix it?

[Pete M]

I was having trouble remembering details about it and I figured that was because it was so long ago. But then it hit me, the leak I was remembering wasn't from the A/C, it was from the heater core dripping antifreeze in the cab! All sorts of memories came back with thoughts of that nasty smell. :ack:

The plugged A/C drain line is pretty common though, I'm surprised no one else has chimed in on it.

[pingpong]

Your A/C works :eek:

[Landoloops]

Sure does it blow ice cold.

 

Is your suprise an indication that they don't normally work well?

[Pete M]

After 20 years, few A/C systems will still work without maintenance and it appears few owners of high mileage trucks want to sink that kind of money into them.