She Leaks!! - Corvette Forum : DigitalCorvettes.com Corvette Forums

GS81vett · 01-17-2013, 11:24 AM

Hey guys as you know I am putting in new carpet and when I took the old carpet out I found the passenger side was damp. I poured water over the windshield and did not see a leak so I just figured it came up through the drain hole that did not have a gromit in it and left it at that. Well it rained yesterday and I had watter in both sides up front. I only have the Dyanamat down so it was easy to see. I am going to do some more tests to see where it is coming from but I thought I would ask if anyone knows of where they are weak for leaks and were I should look? AND how to seal her up??

72SBVet · 01-17-2013, 11:29 AM

Front or rear. Mine dumped water like crazy in the ps back compartment, and it was the astro ventilation hose that rotted. My brothers old 74 leaked in the ps floorboard, though we never found it I suspected the cowl area was the culprit. Check the cowl area at the windshield base under the fender as if it rotted out like mine it'll dump water down into the footwell speaker compartment.

GS81vett · 01-17-2013, 11:47 AM

Thanks,

Sorry forgot to say the leak is up front in the driver and passenger side where the feet are at the front. Also on the PS I noticed the body mount behind the kick panel had some suffice rust telling me water or moister has been in there for long periods of time

72SBVet · 01-17-2013, 12:33 PM

Right where the fender and door meet look at the cowl. Mine rotted there and it leaked water onto the #2 mount on both ps and ds. Check the whole cowl for any rot, big or small.

7TRoadster · 01-17-2013, 01:00 PM

I use paper towels to identify leak locations. Stuff them up into suspect areas and test with hose. It's pretty easy to tell which one(s) get wet.

Then once you have an area identified you can narrow it down using smaller sheets to pinpoint the location(s) that are leaking.

Corrective action depending on what you find.

Another idea is to remove the air vent from the kick panel to open up the inner fender area. Reach down in there and remove any crud that might not be allowing water to drain properly.

What else, oh yea bird cage rot........ place paper towels at various locations under the dash. Heater core leaking? This would just be on the passenger side.

Have you removed the wiper transmission lately?

GS81vett · 01-17-2013, 05:01 PM

Thanks guys will do! The main issue is I am working outside I do not have a garage and this is my daily driver so I need to do the work between going places.....

I will do some more looking and see what I find

Sly Vette · 01-17-2013, 05:43 PM

I agree with 7T that the area just to the outside of the fresh air door behind the kick panel can collect water if the drain hole is plugged.I couldn't believe how much debris I pulled out of there when I cleaned mine.
Also where the seam is in the wiper trough just under the windshield tends to leak due to the sealer becoming brittle. That was my second source of water and I hope they;re isn't a third. I guess I'll find out next Spring...

GS81vett · 01-18-2013, 02:21 PM

How do I clean the fresh air intake cowl? I looked at it today and did find the body mount bolt behind the passenger kick panel was LOOSE to the point almost out!! Crazy. The air duct itself is clean but I am not sure how to get to the area around it as suggested.

Sly Vette · 01-18-2013, 04:18 PM

In my case I had the body off and upside down and powerwashed it. This may not be an option for you.

I would think that if you remove the air door behind the kick panel you should be able to reach in there and pull the debris out with your hand. Also take a probe of some type and poke through the drain hole on the outside from the bottom.

7TRoadster · 01-19-2013, 11:17 AM

It's pretty easy to get them out and back in. Vented air is controlled by a big flat door that fits inside the vent. The door pivots inside the vent on two pins, top and bottom. The pins are spring loaded to hold them in place.

Remove the vent control wire, there should be a bracket on the vent holding it in place with a screw. Pull the bottom pin up out of the hole and pull the vent door out on the bottom about 1/4". This should be enough to keep the spring from pushing the pin back into the hole.

Now pull the top pin down and pull the top of the door outward until the whole door can be removed.

Reach down inside the vent to clean out what ever is in there. A flashlight and mirror will be needed to inspect the area. A small vacuum hose might work well for the smaller debris.

At least that is how they work on my '70, AIM might have more info. Hope this helps.