Fender drain locations?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
Fender drain locations?
I have a 72 convertible. I'm having a problem with a water leak.
I just had my wife help me with a test. It's not leaking from the wiper bay. I had the hose in there running hard for 5 minutes, and no water inside. I then has the wife put the hose up on the windshield. The first place I saw water come in was from the hole that the kickpanel screw goes into. Shortly after that is started to pour in from higher up - I couldn't tell from where. Seems like something is filling up.
I've read a bunch of theads about clogged drains behind the kickpanel, but I can't find them. Are they different if you have A/C - I have A/C. Are they accessable from under the car? I've jacked it up, and can't find anything. Anyone have a picture?
I just had my wife help me with a test. It's not leaking from the wiper bay. I had the hose in there running hard for 5 minutes, and no water inside. I then has the wife put the hose up on the windshield. The first place I saw water come in was from the hole that the kickpanel screw goes into. Shortly after that is started to pour in from higher up - I couldn't tell from where. Seems like something is filling up.
I've read a bunch of theads about clogged drains behind the kickpanel, but I can't find them. Are they different if you have A/C - I have A/C. Are they accessable from under the car? I've jacked it up, and can't find anything. Anyone have a picture?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
The weep hole your looking for is on the right side of this pic, this is the passenger side with the fender removed. See the dark rectangular hole? Thats the weep hole.
If you have water coming in on top of the #2 body mount (behind the kick panel) most likely the path in is either holed rusted through the W/S frame, or holes rusted through the lower W/S frame corner
This is what the drivers side looked like when I pulled the front clip
This is what it should like. The green line shows where the water gets under the rear fender mount, there is a cheesy seal supposed to be there but there is virtually no metal protection. The red line indicates the path the water should take to get dumped down the fender plinth and then out. What happens is water is trapped under the fender mount and rusts through the frame corner
The fix is a Lot of work. You have to either remove the clip, or cut the rear corners off the fender to get to the corner. I had to fab a new one for the drivers side, now there are a couple vendors making them but last I checked it was >$400.
If it turns out you have holes in the W/S frame, its an easier fix, remove the W/S and weld in patches and treat for rust with POR15 or something.
If the problem is just a plugged weep hole, the water should still never get inside.
If you have water coming in on top of the #2 body mount (behind the kick panel) most likely the path in is either holed rusted through the W/S frame, or holes rusted through the lower W/S frame corner
This is what the drivers side looked like when I pulled the front clip
This is what it should like. The green line shows where the water gets under the rear fender mount, there is a cheesy seal supposed to be there but there is virtually no metal protection. The red line indicates the path the water should take to get dumped down the fender plinth and then out. What happens is water is trapped under the fender mount and rusts through the frame corner
The fix is a Lot of work. You have to either remove the clip, or cut the rear corners off the fender to get to the corner. I had to fab a new one for the drivers side, now there are a couple vendors making them but last I checked it was >$400.
If it turns out you have holes in the W/S frame, its an easier fix, remove the W/S and weld in patches and treat for rust with POR15 or something.
If the problem is just a plugged weep hole, the water should still never get inside.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
The below picture shows what's behind my drivers side kickpanel. I'm guessing that cars with A/C don't have access to the weep holes from inside the car?
The red circle is is where there is a screw hole. With me on my back, I had my wife run the hose onto the windshield. At first there was nothing, then some water started coming in from that screw hole. The a little while longer water started pouring in from somewhere higher up.
It appears to me that the area behind that screw hole is filling with water. It comes in once it reaches the screw hole, and eventually reaches an open area and pours in.
If the weep holes are in that area, then it sounds like them being clogged would be my problem. I guess I need to access them from under the car? I jacked up the car, and don't see anything. I do see something particular. There is some type of foam between the fender, and the frame. I wonder if a PO out it there to try and keep the weep holes clean, but they are blocking them off? The foam doesn't appear stock, anyone else encounter this?
It would be awesome if someone had a picture of the holes from under the car.
Thanks,
Matt
The red circle is is where there is a screw hole. With me on my back, I had my wife run the hose onto the windshield. At first there was nothing, then some water started coming in from that screw hole. The a little while longer water started pouring in from somewhere higher up.
It appears to me that the area behind that screw hole is filling with water. It comes in once it reaches the screw hole, and eventually reaches an open area and pours in.
If the weep holes are in that area, then it sounds like them being clogged would be my problem. I guess I need to access them from under the car? I jacked up the car, and don't see anything. I do see something particular. There is some type of foam between the fender, and the frame. I wonder if a PO out it there to try and keep the weep holes clean, but they are blocking them off? The foam doesn't appear stock, anyone else encounter this?
It would be awesome if someone had a picture of the holes from under the car.
Thanks,
Matt
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,023
Likes: 6
From: Austin Tx
I hadn't realized it, but the weep holes are for water coming down from the wiper bay. I don't have a problem then. When I put a hose in the wiper bay, all the water finds it's way out fine, so I guess the weep hole I can't see on the drivers side is OK.
I think the the problem is with the seal in the picture below. I took of the little piece of trimto get a better look. If I can get the water to route into the wiper bay, I'm OK, or if I can get it to route into the door jamb, I'm OK.
I'm not exactly sure shat to use to seal this up. There's not a whole lot of room. Anyone have any ideas.
I think the the problem is with the seal in the picture below. I took of the little piece of trimto get a better look. If I can get the water to route into the wiper bay, I'm OK, or if I can get it to route into the door jamb, I'm OK.
I'm not exactly sure shat to use to seal this up. There's not a whole lot of room. Anyone have any ideas.
