the mysterious interior rain leak

[95Escahoe]

Well, sealing that screw didn't work for me. Seems to have slowed things down slightly but I'm still getting water on the passenger floor mat when it rains. So is the general opinion here that it's either the rain gutters or the inlet for the blower box if that screw doesn't take care of it? If it is the blower box inlet, do you just seal around the edge where the plastic meets the metal inside the cowl? @95Escahoe @someotherguy

I'd take the wiper cowl off blow it all off with an air hose your drains might be blocked fill up a gallon or two of water and run it on either side and see if you can get it to leak, if your gonna seal around the air inlet box there is a metal panel you need to remove it's held in with seam seal makes getting to that inlet box easier it's still a pain then reattach that metal panel and you should be good


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[df2x4]

I'd take the wiper cowl off blow it all off with an air hose your drains might be blocked fill up a gallon or two of water and run it on either side and see if you can get it to leak, if your gonna seal around the air inlet box there is a metal panel you need to remove it's held in with seam seal makes getting to that inlet box easier it's still a pain then reattach that metal panel and you should be good


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Thanks man! Just to clarify, you silicone around the outside edges of the inlet box, right?

 

[95Escahoe]

Thanks man! Just to clarify, you silicone around the outside edges of the inlet box, right?

Yes that's it, it's a pain to get at it might have to use a putty knife or make some to spread it cause if you use one of those tubes you can probably apply it then work it around there


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[someotherguy]

What are you referring to as the rain gutters?

I'd say keep it simple; there are only so many potential places for rainwater intrusion. Don't overlook failing sealant around the windshield.

Richard

 

[someotherguy]

The only reason that the air inlet inside the cowl would leak is if it rusted around the edges where it meets the floor of the cowl. I assume it's possible, but I have never seen one do this yet. it would have to sit for a while with a lot of crud inside there.

Richard

 

[df2x4]

What are you referring to as the rain gutters?

Hell I don't know, I haven't even had the wiper cowl all the way off yet. What should I be looking for?

The only reason that the air inlet inside the cowl would leak is if it rusted around the edges where it meets the floor of the cowl. I assume it's possible, but I have never seen one do this yet. it would have to sit for a while with a lot of crud inside there.

Richard

So there's no way that water could leak down the exterior side of the box otherwise? I was thinking maybe that could be the case since it's not a huge leak...

Don't overlook failing sealant around the windshield.

Well damn. Guess I should probably start worrying about this then, huh?

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[98chevy2500SS]

Yeah my truck has this problem too with rain leaking in the truck, on the passenger side, I always see that the floor mats have tiny puddles of water in them. I don't worry about it too much, I will probably fix it sometime.

I will have to make sure at my windshield sealant, as brought up by @someotherguy and @df2x4. I could've sworn mine was fine, idk, my truck just probably needs to be sealed up around the bezels. Did the factory ever do put silicon around the bezels or does it just deteriorate after all these years?

 

[someotherguy]

df2x4 - all you're seeing there is a minor failure at the glue layer between the sheets of glass, the windshield is laminated safety glass. I wouldn't look at that as a symptom of anything else and certainly not evidence of a water leak. The windshield is glued on the back side of the edges against the body with a black urethane adhesive, it can fail, and also if the windshield was ever replaced the installer may not have done as good a job as the factory. I'd kinda, maybe, sorta suggest removing the A-pillar trim and have someone try aiming a water hose along the edges of the glass, varying pressure and position, to see if you spot any leakage inside using a bright light. Only reason I'm hesitant to suggest it is that it's easy to break the trim, and it may not net you a positive result anyway. :/

The way the air inlet inside the cowl is designed is that it is simply a raised 4-sided wall in the floor of the cowl area. That's why -most- of the crud that gets in past the cowl plastic doesn't end up inside your airbox, and pretty much all the water stays out (normally); but stuff like dust, small leaves, and pine needles get through and clog up your evaporator core fins. They blow around inside the cowl and make it over the wall. For it to actually leak water into the HVAC air intake the bottom edge of it along the cowl floor would need a rust-through spot.

Richard

 

[east302]

Not sure if will help, but I've heard that cracked seam sealer in the cowl area behind the coolant reservoir can let water in. I haven't had the issue with mine, though.

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[98chevy2500SS]

The way the air inlet inside the cowl is designed is that it is simply a raised 4-sided wall in the floor of the cowl area. That's why -most- of the crud that gets in past the cowl plastic doesn't end up inside your airbox, and pretty much all the water stays out (normally); but stuff like dust, small leaves, and pine needles get through and clog up your evaporator core fins. They blow around inside the cowl and make it over the wall. For it to actually leak water into the HVAC air intake the bottom edge of it along the cowl floor would need a rust-through spot.

Ah, interesting. Thanks for the info.