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 Water leak

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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeWed Jul 23, 2014 8:39 pm

I've been fighting a water leak for a while now. I thought it was my passenger side door seal as I would notice the carpet on the hump near the door wet. Replaced it and was dry for a while until we got some good rains. So looking up under the dash, I see some water streaks around the evaporator box. It had some condensation on the outside that would drip just a bit. I pulled the bottom cover and the drain into the engine bay is clean. The issue does not seem to occur due to ac use, but due to rain.
I left the carpet up and panels out and soaked the car with the garden hose and never saw any leaks. anyone have leaks in this area?
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeTue Jul 29, 2014 11:21 pm

Well still no real findings. I left the carpet up for a few days and noticed a good trail of water flows down the floor when the ac is cranking. Water drips out of the drain into the engine bay, but still have some draining back into the cab. The box is tight and had no cracks or holes when I pulled it out, so I'm confused on what is happening here.
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jayoldschool

jayoldschool


Posts : 2728
Join date : 2009-06-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeWed Jul 30, 2014 12:48 am

Do you have the 90 degree rubber elbow on the drain on the firewall?
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeWed Jul 30, 2014 9:01 am

Yes and push on as far as it can go
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSun Aug 17, 2014 7:56 pm

Well we will see what happens. Per another wagon forum, I removed the old seal and filled it will black silicone then I added an extension to the elbow
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeMon Aug 18, 2014 7:46 pm

So far so good. 90 and muggy but no water dripping on the floor. Notice a much bigger puddle of water under the car. Getting ready to pour down rain so I should be able to report tomorrow if
I have anything else in the car
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSat Aug 30, 2014 11:15 am

Well that did not fix it. Started removing panels and one water leaking coming in around the door. After a few adjustments and seam sealers, I found where the door sheet metal crimps, there was an open seam. The water came in and ran down the plastic trim, then flowed out behind the door panel. One issue fixed. The ac box is still leaving a trail. I noticed before that the front of the box has no channel to seal. So, I removed it again, and redid the sealer, but added a big gob on the front flat surface. Hopefully it seals to the other flat surface of the box.
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSat Aug 30, 2014 6:17 pm

That did not seal it. Studying it some more,
It would seam to me that foam stuff is what is trying to seal that part of the box and is in direct contact with they evaporator tubes.
I know my orifice tube has some trash on it as my pressures do not balance with the ac off. Guessing all the trash did not get flushed out of the condenser. Now, this would move the point of heat transfer, so could it be possible it is too far back and causing all the extra condensation on the lines near or in the ac box?
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Fred Kiehl

Fred Kiehl


Posts : 7146
Join date : 2009-11-13
Age : 75
Location : Largo, FL 33774

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSat Aug 30, 2014 10:23 pm

I do not think you are looking in the right place. Check you front window glass along the bottom. I used modeling clay to make a segmented "dam" to contain the water along the window glass. I made sure it was sealed to the glass and body, and poured water into the dam. One of the segments drained, and the others held the water...obviously, the one that drained allowed the water to run under the glass, because it had no other place to go. I also noted water running down the firewall on the inside at the same time. You may have some rust on the bodywork under the urethane, and that will be where the urethane separated from the metal. You can try some roofing cement to seal a window, but if the surface is not clean, it may not stick. I used window urethane to attempt to seal mine, and after a few months it started to leak again. Since I have a chip in my windshield, I am having it replaced, and hope that the guy does a good job. I am also weary of the wet floor.
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSun Aug 31, 2014 9:38 am

I have had the front window replaced twice and I still have the leak. It's not coming from up high and that foam is the only thing wet and I now only have a water leak when the ac is on
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windssurfer




Posts : 51
Join date : 2012-08-26
Location : Jacksonville FL

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeWed Sep 17, 2014 1:25 pm

I found a good way to check for leaks. Use an electric leaf blower. Wet the exterior. Have someone aim it at different areas from inside the car. Spray diluted dish soap on the areas leaf blower is aimed at. Bubble = leak. Found leaks that defied detection other ways.

I found the leak causing water on driver floor came from the area just behind the mirror on the door. Water leaked down inside the door and dripped from below the interior door panel. Took me 2 years to figure that one out after I sealed the windsheild, cowl, entire roof and firewall.
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Wagoninabox

Wagoninabox


Posts : 509
Join date : 2011-07-11
Location : Seattle Area

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeThu Nov 13, 2014 12:01 am

This was the most bizarre journey I have been on in car ownership.  These wagons may be referred to as whales but I prefer sieves.
 
I got Goldy from Oregon and it spent its life there so no salt.  Unfortunately it leaked severely when I got it.  It would appear that the first owner garaged it as the woodgrain was in awesome shape and minimal blemishes and the paint was great but the second owner lived under a pine tree.  Every possible nook and cranny was filled with pine needles; packed in the cowling, wetherstrips, drain channels, roof rack parts, etc.  These are death for these wagons as the needles seep into any gap and lay and pile up and then trap and hold water.  From there…rust and water leaks!  Just not good to have such build up behind trim as it locks in moisture against body points.
 
So water was on the rear floor pans but not the fronts.  Here is what I ended up doing-
 
Completely removed the interior parts (not the dash assembly.  I did not want to but as I started pulling, I figured this would help locate the source of the leak and the next thging you know, I had the entire interior out!
 
~Removed and completely resealed luggage rack (not the ribs).  Several Riv Nuts were rusted out and had to be replaced.  First went with rubber well nuts but then ended up buying the correct metal ones so I would have the strength I need on the side rails portion.  While the headliner was out I took the opportunity to have it recovered.
 
~Pulled evap pan and resealed (no sign of water entry there).
 
~Found that both quarter windows leaked.  Sealed from the outside with a syringe and flowable silicone and from the inside with a thick even bead of Urethane.
 
~Behind each taillight, found portions of seam that never got factory-sealed and water was weeping in.
 
~found water coming in near drain hole on bumper deck passenger side (see photo of where to look).
 photo Noseamsealleakareas.jpg
You will see a small gap at the bottom and above to the left above the gap.  I placed a garden hose on trickle here and water poured in.

Here it is sealed up.
 photo Sealedseams.png
 
~Water was coming in beneath many of the door weatherseals and water would run down and into an open seam.  This was some of the water coming into the back pans.
 
~Found that there was water coming in under the vista roof on drivers side.
 photo RoadyVistatoprust82014.jpg
Water from here was running down to drivers rear floorpan, up front along top seam and down by drivers seat belt and also backward towards the rear quarter.  Using a borescope, found rust and water during a water test.  Sure enough, water was coming in due to the rust under the urethane seal and running in multiple directions.  This was hell of a chore.  I highly recommend this be one of the first leaks to check for when chasing a leak.  Ended up ruining the vista rubber seal while trying to remove and had to get a whole new vista roof for replacement (Fred to the rescue here!).
 
~Final leak was a challenge and took weeks of sleuthing.  Turned out water was getting in under rear gate weatherstriping at the upper right corner, going into an open in the seam, traveling down and ending up in that pocket area in the quarter behind the taillight area.  The water would pool up and then weep down into the rear spare tire area.
 
 
 
Regular water testing was frustrating (spraying water and looking inside).  The best way I found was to place a regular wave style water sprinkler atop the wagon and aim it to a particular area (just front, mid, etc.).  Fred recommended using modeling clay and I highly encourage this as I resorted to this in many areas.  Dam up an area and pool in water to see where the water goes.  If it stays, then there was not a leak.
 
If I get another wagon, the water test/seal will be the first chore I do.  There is nothing worse then a leaky car and a damp interior!
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Fred Kiehl

Fred Kiehl


Posts : 7146
Join date : 2009-11-13
Age : 75
Location : Largo, FL 33774

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeThu Nov 13, 2014 8:44 am

The leak at the driver's side of the vista window might be a common thing. My car had the same issue. I wish I had taken pictures, because I had to repair the roof before reinstalling the vista window. The hole was about 2 inches long, and hidden under the vista reveal molding. I also had holes on both sides in the "hump" behind the vista glass, that you could stick your thumb into.

I finally got the front window replaced last summer, and the wet floor disappeared. I can only hope that the urethane continues to stick to the car body.

My driver's side seat belt (on both cars) gets damp whenever it rains. I think it is the seam under the topmost door seal that is allowing accumulated water to seep past.

Both of my quarter windows leaked, and I had to remove them, refinish the metal, and reinstall them with urethane. Both are leak free now, but it was a major job. I do not recommend using the flowable silicone, because you are masking the real issue, and it will eventually be incredibly expensive to fix correctly when the lip for the urethane disappears as rust.

I also resealed the channel under the edge of the roof rack sides with asphalt roofing sealer. The original sealant dried out, and came out in chunks with a small screwdriver. Do not fill the channel to the top. Just put a thin coat on the bottom, and if you want to match your car color you can paint it the next day.

I also found the grommet around my antenna cable was out of its hole. It can only be seen by taking the wheelhouse off. I put it back in place, and put roofing sealer on it to make sure it was glued in place, and not ripped.

There are probably a multitude of other places that leaks can occur, but this is my list so far.
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71novaguy




Posts : 233
Join date : 2014-01-14

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PostSubject: Re: Water leak   Water leak Icon_minitimeSat Nov 29, 2014 9:00 pm

Well with the headliner removed and many interior panels removed, I think I have it all fixed. The leak upfront appeared to be from the ac. Sealed some air leaks on it. Found the rear passenger door was leaking due to some factory calking that cracked in the door frame
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