Rainwater is leaking into the passenger compartment in my Bronco II 1988. Every time it's raining, the carpet gets wet in the right side of the passenger compartment. Since I live in a pretty wet climate at the coast of NW pacific Washington its turning in to a really unpleasant moldy odour.Therefore, I removed the carpet today and sprayed the car with water. Asmall stream of water came down along the floor behind the computer from behind the dashboard. I believe the car have a pre-history in very sunny and dry climate, Texas I think. The body filler is dry and cracked several places and this might be a part of the problem. I am planning to remove the dashboard and maybe the crowl and the right fender this weekend to solve this obnoxious problem. However, before I get started, I would like to know
if anyone has experience similar problems. Where should I being to look when I start? If anyone has any kind of suggestions to solve the problem are highly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,

Hans

 

i noticed alot of the bII i looked at to buy had rustalong the firewall, engine side around components bolted to it. easu place to look at, but if the bondo is above the door that is probely it.

 

I am working a similar problem on my 88b2 as well. (right front carpet wetness). I removed the carpet and sprayed water from under the vehicle. I noticed the rubber floor pan plugs leaked from underneath (although they appeared fine on visual inspection). I removed the plugs, cleaned the areas and put a bead of silicone in the lip area of the plugs and reinstalled. As long as I was at it I thought what the heck.... and did all the plugs in the vehicle as long as I had the carpet out. It took a while for complete drying of the carpet/insulation from the water residue. It's raining in the midwast now (Illinois) so if it gets wet this weekend I'll go your way. Please let me know what you found going topside. Thanks !!!

 

Okay here's the deal, I'm willing to bet if you check the drip rails on your b2 you'll find dry cracked sealer in them, scrape all of it out and replace with clear (or if your paint is white use white)silicone caulk. Had the same problem on my drivers side it was leaking down the door post and out under my dash. Finally traced it to the sealer in the drip rail, use a small flathead screwdriver to remove the sealer then clean it up real good with denatured or rubbing alcohol and seal it back up with silicone ...... worked for me now I have nice dry floors and dry feet! Oh and by the way go ahead and do both sides, cause you know the other will start to leak as soon as you get the passenger side done, that's what everything on these beasts do...lol

 

Update!
Thanks a lot everybody for your feedback. In fact I recently had to redo the body filler around the rear hatch door, so checking the driprails was a good idea; however on my BII they are lousy but are still keeping water out. Anyway I removed the right front fender and found a small rust spot on the sheet metal of the passenger compartment. From the inside I could remove the body filler that seam the floor with the firewall just behind the computer unit. Below the body filler things looked pretty rusty. In fact I punch a screwdriver through the rust hole observed on the outsider with the fender off. Insider the engine compartment, just right (facing driving direction) of the rubber doughnut with the wires going to the computer, the firewall and the passenger floor is seamed. I am not sure how the seam is made, but is looks like water have been running down where the sheet metal edges meets and are seamed. Hence, water have entered the car through that sheet metal seam from the engine compartment and into the car by creeping under the body filler inside the car that over time have been a god spot for rust to develop. The cure! Huum. Remove the black blower /AC unit and cleaning the rust of the seam. In fact I think that I have to cover the seam in some fashion too keep water away. I have been thinking about those black plastic strips that people uses to hang posters up with. I might be able to fill the strip with body filler and mount it over the seam. Then paint over with some rust protecting paint and clean the rust hole and bodo it. Remove the rust from the inside and make a new seam with body filler of the inter section between the firewall and the floor. Put the carpet back and back on the road with the car.

Thank you for your interest.

Hans