Water leak interior passenger side.

[BeepBeepRR]

Well this has been an issue for a while with the Road Runner. Its not the heater core. I have resealed the windshield, replaced the roof rail seal, door seal and the foam strip above the roof rail. Still keep getting water in the passenger floor. Here is my next line of thinking.

Cowl clogged up? Cowl to heater box gasket worn out. Seam seal around the cowl hole into the box. Just wondering if there is a way to seam seal the cowl area without taking the upper cowl apart. I found some pictures of an A body in this process. If you look on the left cowl hole you can see the seam sealer around the base of the "stack".

I have just rebuilt the heater box and will be putting it back in the car. But wanted to see if there was a simple way to clean out the cowl area.

 

[66383]

Maybe wiper pivot gaskets? Mine does it too. Have the new gaskets, but haven't gotten into it yet.

 

[91r/t]

This is where the Dodge trucks were cool. You can remove the cowl with screws and clean inside it. Once the car is welded together, no way to really get inside there from the outside.

 

[Jerry Hall]

You show this car as an example. I take it the car you are working on is not apart more than the heater box removed.
This is where you get the water hose out and run a steady, but not hard stream of water into the cowl and see if the water is draining out on each side or if the water is backing up and rising above the vent hole. If not that, then run water over the wiper pivots and check for water inside again. You are indicating passenger's side so concentrate your efforts to the right side pivot and vent hole.

 

[Billccm]

remove fender splash panels to clear cowl drains

 

[Jerry Hall]

remove fender splash panels to clear cowl drains

Also pray that you have no rust holes anywhere in the cowl.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

remove fender splash panels to clear cowl drains

This was what I was thinking I could do. I will check when I get the car here.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Also pray that you have no rust holes anywhere in the cowl.

Yea. I noticed leafs in the heater box and the fresh air on the driver side. I can only assume thats where the problem is, in the cowl area.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

You show this car as an example. I take it the car you are working on is not apart more than the heater box removed.
This is where you get the water hose out and run a steady, but not hard stream of water into the cowl and see if the water is draining out on each side or if the water is backing up and rising above the vent hole. If not that, then run water over the wiper pivots and check for water inside again. You are indicating passenger's side so concentrate your efforts to the right side pivot and vent hole.

Yes its complete This is the car in question.

 

[steve340]

While the heater is out get one of those lighted bore camera devices and have a look up in there.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

I actually have one of those.. Ill send it up and see, but they tend to focus up close..

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Ok well today I put the heater box back in the RR seems that the leak in not the heater box but 2 other places... Ran water over the area and watched the water come into the car. First place is the windshield gasket. Lower corner to about a foot over had water inside the glass. Second place is right next to the dash/pillar. the water comes down the drip rail falls off the drip rail goes down the front door jam and right into the gap between the dash and the door jam. Then trickles over the bottom of the dash and onto the floor. I installed all new door seals roof rail seals and the foam that goes above the roof rail. But I think I just need to put a bead of silly cone right between the dash and the pillar to divert the water. The windshield is my fault when I put it in I did not put glazing compound in the gasket before putting the glass in. Live and learn. It was the first windshield I ever installed. I also installed the back glass and 0 leaks there.. Soo I won half the battle.

 

[Jerry Hall]

Being you didn't put any sealer on the gasket you can probably get the windshield out and be able to reuse the gasket. I don't know that I would use a silicone based sealer on the other area, as silicone and water promotes rust in my opinion. You might have to purchase a new seal in that area to get it right.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Its weird All of the seals are new. Pretty sure Mike will just get the windshield replaced. I just cant figure out why the water is making its own path to the dash. It should be diverted by the door seal and directed out and away.

 

[threewood]

Do not use silicone. Get a tube of body seam sealer to fill any cracks.

 

[BeepBeepRR]

Do not use silicone. Get a tube of body seam sealer to fill any cracks.

Well its not really a crack but more where the dash meets the pillar. But roger on the silicone. 2 out of 2 guys cant be wrong.

 

[steve340]

I heard years ago silicone sealant had acetic acid in it which made it rust/react with steel.
I can remember using it as an apprentice (long ago)and it had a real acidic odour.