Annoying water drip under driver's side dash
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,818
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
Annoying water drip under driver's side dash
Ok, I have done what I could and cannot stand this any longer so I am looking for help. Whenever I wash my '72, I get a water drip that lands just about on the power brake pedal. Just enough to make things only slightly damp down there. I have used a weatherstrip caulk on all the corners and any other suspect-looking area in the windshield wiper bay but am still getting the leak. Anyone else experience this and know a fix? I don't know if it would be a good idea or not to use some of that flex spray stuff 'as seen on TV' or not. Except that I don't think it would help. If water that collects in that bay drains down the side, is there anyway that that water could find it's way back to the inside of and under the dash? Thanks. By the way, that weatherstripping caulk is a flexible caulk that comes in a roll that you can unroll is whatever width and length you want, apply, and it stays pliable.
Racer
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 6
From: Springfield Missouri
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you're getting water inside the cabin odds are your windshield frame itself has a rust hole in it somewhere. Only way to know for sure (so I'm told here) is to pull the windshield out.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
IT IS NOT your windshield....at least I am betting on that.
The windshield stops and does not overhang the frame right in front of the steering wheel area...but the windshield does overhang the frame in the center. So when you run your hand down the glass and look ..you can see and feel where the glass stops and the water runs onto the frame where Gm sealed the seam where the frame and the firewall meet....which is more than likely what has failed on you.
Due to you having a wiper door...you will have to raise the wiper door. Then...only for water testing purposes....Tape a piece of plastic on the windshield and let the plastic drop down into you wiper cowl area and make sure that this bottom edge of the plastic stops very close to the bottom surface of the cowl area. Then let water run down tie windshield and see if the water stops. If it does...there is a high chance that the sealer that GM sued between the fiberglass firewall/cowl area and the frame for your windshield has cracked and allows water to flow in. I have run into his quite a bit. Fresh sealant can be applied when dry and water test again.
Also..when applying the plastic sheeting...let the plastic go over your top fender area where your small trim is located so you take the water that goes into your door area of the the 'equation....seeing how you said that dip was at the brake pedal. And the plastic sheet only needs to go basically from the center of the windshield to your drivers pillar post. You can use Saran Wrap if you have some....or even aluminum foil...it does not matter....just something that will not absorb water.
DUB
The windshield stops and does not overhang the frame right in front of the steering wheel area...but the windshield does overhang the frame in the center. So when you run your hand down the glass and look ..you can see and feel where the glass stops and the water runs onto the frame where Gm sealed the seam where the frame and the firewall meet....which is more than likely what has failed on you.
Due to you having a wiper door...you will have to raise the wiper door. Then...only for water testing purposes....Tape a piece of plastic on the windshield and let the plastic drop down into you wiper cowl area and make sure that this bottom edge of the plastic stops very close to the bottom surface of the cowl area. Then let water run down tie windshield and see if the water stops. If it does...there is a high chance that the sealer that GM sued between the fiberglass firewall/cowl area and the frame for your windshield has cracked and allows water to flow in. I have run into his quite a bit. Fresh sealant can be applied when dry and water test again.
Also..when applying the plastic sheeting...let the plastic go over your top fender area where your small trim is located so you take the water that goes into your door area of the the 'equation....seeing how you said that dip was at the brake pedal. And the plastic sheet only needs to go basically from the center of the windshield to your drivers pillar post. You can use Saran Wrap if you have some....or even aluminum foil...it does not matter....just something that will not absorb water.
DUB
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,216
Likes: 66
From: Killeen Texas
One thing you might want to do is to remove your left kick panel and look at where the body bolt is located. If you have sighs of rust then its very likely you have a hole in your window frame. Had 4 in my 73.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,818
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
After reading these welcomed responses I realize I left out some information. The most important one being that I had this problem before and after I had the windshield replaced (which was just done). The frame was quite rusty and so I had it repaired by having it replaced from the vin number up, and resealed from there down. I witnessed the work being performed and saw the frame prior to the new windshield going in so I am confident with that work. And, when testing for this leak, I did it by running water from near the bottom of the windshield and looking for the leak. This leads me to believe the windshield frame is not likely the problem. I will run the tests suggested here, thanks very much for the ideas.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,818
Likes: 470
From: Wichita Kansas
IT IS NOT your windshield....at least I am betting on that.
The windshield stops and does not overhang the frame right in front of the steering wheel area...but the windshield does overhang the frame in the center. So when you run your hand down the glass and look ..you can see and feel where the glass stops and the water runs onto the frame where Gm sealed the seam where the frame and the firewall meet....which is more than likely what has failed on you.
Due to you having a wiper door...you will have to raise the wiper door. Then...only for water testing purposes....Tape a piece of plastic on the windshield and let the plastic drop down into you wiper cowl area and make sure that this bottom edge of the plastic stops very close to the bottom surface of the cowl area. Then let water run down tie windshield and see if the water stops. If it does...there is a high chance that the sealer that GM sued between the fiberglass firewall/cowl area and the frame for your windshield has cracked and allows water to flow in. I have run into his quite a bit. Fresh sealant can be applied when dry and water test again.
Also..when applying the plastic sheeting...let the plastic go over your top fender area where your small trim is located so you take the water that goes into your door area of the the 'equation....seeing how you said that dip was at the brake pedal. And the plastic sheet only needs to go basically from the center of the windshield to your drivers pillar post. You can use Saran Wrap if you have some....or even aluminum foil...it does not matter....just something that will not absorb water.
DUB
The windshield stops and does not overhang the frame right in front of the steering wheel area...but the windshield does overhang the frame in the center. So when you run your hand down the glass and look ..you can see and feel where the glass stops and the water runs onto the frame where Gm sealed the seam where the frame and the firewall meet....which is more than likely what has failed on you.
Due to you having a wiper door...you will have to raise the wiper door. Then...only for water testing purposes....Tape a piece of plastic on the windshield and let the plastic drop down into you wiper cowl area and make sure that this bottom edge of the plastic stops very close to the bottom surface of the cowl area. Then let water run down tie windshield and see if the water stops. If it does...there is a high chance that the sealer that GM sued between the fiberglass firewall/cowl area and the frame for your windshield has cracked and allows water to flow in. I have run into his quite a bit. Fresh sealant can be applied when dry and water test again.
Also..when applying the plastic sheeting...let the plastic go over your top fender area where your small trim is located so you take the water that goes into your door area of the the 'equation....seeing how you said that dip was at the brake pedal. And the plastic sheet only needs to go basically from the center of the windshield to your drivers pillar post. You can use Saran Wrap if you have some....or even aluminum foil...it does not matter....just something that will not absorb water.
DUB
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 38,923
Likes: 1,482
From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
...IT IS NOT your windshield....at least I am betting on that...Gm sealed the seam where the frame and the firewall meet....which is more than likely what has failed on you...there is a high chance that the sealer that GM sued between the fiberglass firewall/cowl area and the frame for your windshield has cracked and allows water to flow in....Fresh sealant can be applied...
I had the same leak on my 68. I resealed the wiper trough with 3M automotive undercoating and stopped the leak.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 19,294
Likes: 2,754
From: Charlotte NC
When I encounter this area of the windshield frame that is bad...and I dig out the old factory sealant...and if I see rust. I mix and apply some epoxy primer...let dry, then use my sealers on it. Doing something here is better than doing nothing at all...due to to CORRECTLY repair and stop/remove the rust...it is a MAJOR PROJECT.
CR LAURENCE has products that can seal this up...That is what I use. It is a flow-grade product...and works well if warmed up and not cold.
CRL7711 or CRL1716
DUB
CR LAURENCE has products that can seal this up...That is what I use. It is a flow-grade product...and works well if warmed up and not cold.
CRL7711 or CRL1716
DUB
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