I recall it mentioned once by someone somewhere on the net about a water leak, don't know where, and I need an answer since my floor is wet on my 99.
It's not coolant, and it's winter, so the AC has not been on, hasn't been often, this is the first I've noticed, yet I rarely check that side, but the floor is nice under the carpet and pad, no rust.

 

Several things come to mind Maples..........this water is collecting just on top of the floor covering right?

 

Nope, I pulled the carpet back to see it coming along side the kick panel toward the door step, heading to the seat, can't tell if it came down the side wall or firewall where the heat/ac is.

 

Okay that helps-------had a '97 doing the exact same thing Maples!

Look first at the outside top of the right side A pillar where it joins the roof---is there a crack or split there? If so how big, can it be filled with something like a 3M clear seam sealer?

If possible also remove the right side A pillar trim piece, look for a stream of rust that might start in the upper corner of the windshield. If there's signs of rust here its either the roof seam leaking OR the windshield is leaking. (This might be due a poorly installed replacement windshield or the roof seam leaking and causing rust under the urethane adhesive which leads to your leak.

My '97 leaked at the very top due a roof leak but ran down the windshield pinchweld and eventually dripping onto the right outside kick panel, along the inertia fuel shut off switch. Had I kept the van (being in the windshield biz myself) I'd have pulled the glass, repaired the body seam and reinstalled a new windshield, making sure to properly prime and protect my repair from the weather. Sadly since it was a '97 the paint was flaking off, the entire roof was a rusty mess and having already been in a collision that deployed the air bags it simply wasn't worth much effort keeping it running.

Anyway hope this gives you a few places to start looking.

 

Have seen a couple of '97 & up Econolines that had blistered paint underneath & even disrupted windshield (black plastic trim) surround. The windshield is glued in place leaving a void all the way around it.

The black plastic trim covers the gap. Water can get in this channel around the windshield & loose the Tin Worms. Examine the entire length of the winshield trim for any sign of paint blistering. Rust is always worse inside where it's hidden. Pin holes here may cause such a leak.

 

When I had my windshield replaced the guy told me that most of the E-series vans leak at the top A pillar seams, just above the top corners of the windshield.

If you do not fill this crack it will rust out the A pillar as well.

 

I have a Lund visor, the installer put it up there to not come off, adhesive, I had worried about it, dad was checking the windshield and could see nothing, but with the visor, it's difficult to see the top of the windshield. There was a lot of show on the visor, I was worried it had gotten in as it melted, but recall the floor was wet a few days before, was hoping the leak was lower, like the intake vent for heat/ac.

 

Your installer is 100% correct PST!

Maples since your leak is not from the very top of the w/s I'd agree its not likely to be the Lund visor. Those can be the #1 source of leaks when not installed properly, no attention to sealing the self-drilling screws used for mounting. Were I installing one a blind rivet nut that is waterproof would be my only choice. Even then I'd use a sealant anywhere water could possibly find its way inside the cab.

Hope you get this discovered and cured!

 

This is a common area for the heater core to possibly be an issue...especially since its located right above the area youre having problems.

 

Not the heater core as this is water, not antifreeze, I've done these before, they will fog the windshield when on defrost, I'm still drying the mess so I can check and find the source, hoping the snow did it. The installer who did the visor had done many, he said don't look for issues, because he glued and sealed it. The pad is wet far back, I'm worried the seats will need removed to get it out to dry it.

 

The windshield guy in my area says the windshield has to be replaced, they can't be removed without damage due to it being glued in, this is a lot of cash for me to spend on my van.

 

If "the windshield has to be replaced" isn't it already "damaged"?

IMHO a "windshield guy" that is worth his salt should be able to remove a factory installed Econoline windshield "without damage".

FORD shop manuals describe the procedure to safely cut the urethane sealant, that the windshield is bedded on.

 

I'm with your windshield guy Maples---tough to promise a break-free removal, better to just budget for it when you get to it. If we were closer to one another I could hook you up cheap with this replacement!

Both seats do need to be removed before the pad/mat can come up. The seat belt pre-tensioning devices also need to be disconnected from the chassis wiring too.

Your description of the leak immediately suggested the leak was from above the dash. I hope this is nothing more than a windshield leak and nothing else. Sadly that top A pillar seam can be a source of problems too.

Thanks for the update!

 

Quite a bit of room between can't "promise a break-free removal" & windshield "can't be removed without damage" - NO?

Good used windshields are removed every day, of course it takes finesse & the big piece of glass is fragile.

Sounds like your "windshield guy" may be with me on:

If it's "nothing more than a windshield leak and nothing else" b/c of urethane adhesive failure, there is room under the black plastic trim, around the glass, to seal the bejezus out of it w/o removal. Some rust pin holes can also be patched w/o removing glass.

 

JWA, the guy has done it for a long time, he did my 73 Econoline, replaced my gasket where the company I bought the seal from refused to touch it, as they said it would be impossible to remove a 40 year old glass without it breaking, glad he was the one who did it, because he knew about the padding Ford put in the corners that would cause the frame to rot, he took care of it. They are hard to catch in the office due to being out on service calls a lot, they do on site repairs too, evidently have a lot of business. I see it costing extra due to the removal and re installation of the visor too, which I will want. The towel in the floor was soaked when I took it out yesterday, so it came in real good during the rain the other day, no slow leak now.