Big leak in passenger side, kills blower

Been running into issues with the blower dying when it rains out.
took it to the car wash the other day and there was a TON of water in the floor dripping from the blower motor
I took the cowl off and snapped some photos...







where exactly should I be looking for a blockage or leak?
I can see the blower motor when I take off that plastic bit.

Yes, I have this question on two other forums, but I'm trying to get all the possible answers. Fred has been rather helpful on the Impala SS forum

Moving this to Electrical.

Since you're posting on multiple forums I hope you'll share here if you get answers there first. :0

will do. someone told me to check my drip tray on the inside of the car...

Two things, check the condensate drain on the fire wall, it will be easier to see and get to from under the car. It's roughly right under the wiper motor about 12-18". Make sure the drain is clear of any obstructions using Q-tips or pipe cleaners. Next, put your hand in that hole in your cowl (Your last picture), and feel along the bottom towards the fender, water should drain through your cowl, and then down the side of the fire wall I believe. You could have dirt/mud, seeds, mouse nest remnants damning up the water flow. The water would then find it's way into the hvac system through the 4"x5" hole leading into the blower fan housing. Good luck.

Mike

Is any of this in the fsm?

Some of it is, I believe there's a flow chart with the type of issue you are having.

Mike

Ok. Thanks. If I can't get my hands on it this weekend I need to bring it to a shop. I hope my local guy knows these.

The drain in the cowl seems clear







that last photo is the under side of my passenger carpets... there's about a million ants under the carpet. Also, that black rubber carpet behind the actual carpet is soaking wet.

Fred Kiehl has suggested that I fix the drip tray inside the car:
http://www.impalassforum.com/vBulletin/showthread.php?t=266196

So, my mechanic took a look at it to see where it's coming from.
He says it's definitely coming in from low and behind the fender
he thinks it's possibly a popped seam somewhere on the firewall and fender area that probably just needs to be sealed up

He told me he doesn't do that kind of body work (removing the fender to fill in cracks) so I'd have to bring it to a body shop.
Could this still be the drip tray as Fred suggested?

First things first.

As Mike suggested check that your drain pipe on the outside of the firewall is there. If not replace it.

Per Fred - Check your drip tray.

I would bet it is the first, but it may be the second. Both my wagon and my Impala have lost their drain tube over the years. When the A/C or Defogger runs it produces water which is supposed to drain via the tube. If the tube is gone it runs out the nipple on the outside of the firewall and back in on the outside of the nipple and back into the firewall. Runs onto the floor.

If you have not done these two checks a body shop cannot help you.

thanks. that helps.
If that hose is gone, what can I use to replace it?

also, if it's gone, is it going to let rainwater in from the outside? The amount of water pouring in is staggering... blasting it with a hose for a few minutes and I think the entire amount of water sprayed in it ended up on the floor

I used heater hose going to a copper 90* bend and back to the heater hose. I drain it down by the frame. I used Cable ties to tighten the hose on the 90* and on the nipple.

If you ran the hose on the outside of the firewall under the hood you might see this. But if the hose is on the cowl or over the windshield and it leaks this is not it.

Yeah it's being sprayed on the windshield and cowl and I'm getting water

there is a thread about this on here somewhere......something about under the cowl by the wiper motor. I think Tom from New England had this issue.

I think I heard from him on Badass

It's at the shop. I couldn't spare any time during the holiday season to wrench on it.
I tried my best to find the leak with the time I had, but I just need to give it to someone so I can have my car back before the snow hits.

well, my shop just called and said it's now leak-free
After a few hours with an ultrasonic leak locator and apparently 9 or 10 tubes of silicone, the car no longer leaks

new blower motor installed too. Cost about $300 to get it done (and they put my snow tires on)

not too bad. About what I was expecting to pay.

So, where was the leak?

the entire firewall according to the service advisor. they ran that ultrasonic detector and said it was basically pissing signals all over... luckily with that thing they just run the sensor and fill the seams until the noise stops. makes for a much cleaner diagnosis than spraying water on it.
But, they are going to be spray testing it overnight just to be sure.