Cowl
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Cross-Country
Joined: Mar 2020
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Where is the leak coming out of on the front? After experimentation I found my Ranger only made the pass side carpet wet when that side was parked down hill compared to the driver's side. I pulled the carpet back, and while it was raining I found it was coming from the seam from the floor/toe panel and the vertical kickpanel area. After investigating, I found this area is pretty much impossible to get to without pulling the fender and cutting the cab open. It's the air chamber formed on each side of the cab.
I didn't know if it would hold, but I let it dry out and slathered roofing cement from the interior on the corner of the floor/kickpanel all the way up the angled portion where you put your feet. It actually held and didn't leak for years after that, I was surprised. Trying to stop a leak on the "other side" of the problem usually doesn't work very well.
I didn't know if it would hold, but I let it dry out and slathered roofing cement from the interior on the corner of the floor/kickpanel all the way up the angled portion where you put your feet. It actually held and didn't leak for years after that, I was surprised. Trying to stop a leak on the "other side" of the problem usually doesn't work very well.
now the panels when I tested the cowl would splash in and run out the screw holes… But on the passenger side it was up in the corner so I tried to take some of the 3M sealer and wipe outside and on the inner corner.. So hopefully it fixed it. Forgot to test it again after I put the panels up.. but will do that tomorrow after work! 😂 how stupid 😂🤣
but the back glass… It leaks. Haven’t tackled that yet. And unfortunately had to put the truck back together. Luckily not seeing any rain till the weekend.
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Cross-Country
Joined: Mar 2020
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Yeah, mine didn’t look like that…But I dug out a screw driver today from the drivers side… it’s not even mine! Idk how I missed it the other day. Dumb question.. The drivers side fender is in great shape, passenger fender not so much.. But the drivers inner panel is so rusty where the passengers inner panel still has old sealer in it and is still nice and blue! (from what I can see) But the fender is rusted and has holes.. it’s that from where the water drains out or something else caused the passenger side fender by the door to rust out?
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,120
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From: Evansville, Indiana
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
Front and rear! 🫣 But I believe the front by the steering column.. barely leaked from what I seen, it had one drop on the floor but you could see it was wet up top like in the picture posted.. I think was due to the cowl being off along with the hood weather stripping.. Because the previous cowl leak was a FLOOD! After a storm I’d have puddles on the rubber mat.
now the panels when I tested the cowl would splash in and run out the screw holes… But on the passenger side it was up in the corner so I tried to take some of the 3M sealer and wipe outside and on the inner corner.. So hopefully it fixed it. Forgot to test it again after I put the panels up.. but will do that tomorrow after work! 😂 how stupid 😂🤣
but the back glass… It leaks. Haven’t tackled that yet. And unfortunately had to put the truck back together. Luckily not seeing any rain till the weekend.
now the panels when I tested the cowl would splash in and run out the screw holes… But on the passenger side it was up in the corner so I tried to take some of the 3M sealer and wipe outside and on the inner corner.. So hopefully it fixed it. Forgot to test it again after I put the panels up.. but will do that tomorrow after work! 😂 how stupid 😂🤣
but the back glass… It leaks. Haven’t tackled that yet. And unfortunately had to put the truck back together. Luckily not seeing any rain till the weekend.
Yeah, mine didn’t look like that…But I dug out a screw driver today from the drivers side… it’s not even mine! Idk how I missed it the other day. Dumb question.. The drivers side fender is in great shape, passenger fender not so much.. But the drivers inner panel is so rusty where the passengers inner panel still has old sealer in it and is still nice and blue! (from what I can see) But the fender is rusted and has holes.. it’s that from where the water drains out or something else caused the passenger side fender by the door to rust out?
As for the body panels the right side is at the curb where all the rain run off with dirt and salt goes. You now drive in this rain and it splashes the water & dirt up and it dose its thing to rust out body panels.
Dave ----
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Cross-Country
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Well…. More rain and it started leaking again! One rain it leaked on drives side… the next day it leaked on passenger…. Time to start over again!! 😂🤣 Guess it shrank like mentioned haven’t removed the cowl to check again and hard to tell through the screen that’s under the cowl. Back to the drawing board!!!!
has anyone ever bondo the cowl? Or am I looking to just make something that will fail and be a lot worse to clean out than just 3M seam sealer?
has anyone ever bondo the cowl? Or am I looking to just make something that will fail and be a lot worse to clean out than just 3M seam sealer?
Lead Driver
Joined: Apr 2002
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Well…. More rain and it started leaking again! One rain it leaked on drives side… the next day it leaked on passenger…. Time to start over again!! 😂🤣 Guess it shrank like mentioned haven’t removed the cowl to check again and hard to tell through the screen that’s under the cowl. Back to the drawing board!!!!
has anyone ever bondo the cowl? Or am I looking to just make something that will fail and be a lot worse to clean out than just 3M seam sealer?
has anyone ever bondo the cowl? Or am I looking to just make something that will fail and be a lot worse to clean out than just 3M seam sealer?
FTE Legend
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 30,935
Likes: 4,123
From: Angier, NC
I would get up under the dash to see where the water is coming in at so you know where the fix has to be.
If you use bondo, not easy to work with in the cowl area before it sets up, has to be top coated as it will absorb water.
Water will work its way thru the bondo to the metal and rust it.
Also bondo needs to go on bare metal that is ruff for it to stick.
I am sure the factory used 3M strip caulk to fill gaps but over time it dries out, shrink and you now have a leak in the cowl area.
If I could reach the area I would use 3M caulk and then cover it with brush on seam sealer as a top coat.
My .02
Dave ----
If you use bondo, not easy to work with in the cowl area before it sets up, has to be top coated as it will absorb water.
Water will work its way thru the bondo to the metal and rust it.
Also bondo needs to go on bare metal that is ruff for it to stick.
I am sure the factory used 3M strip caulk to fill gaps but over time it dries out, shrink and you now have a leak in the cowl area.
If I could reach the area I would use 3M caulk and then cover it with brush on seam sealer as a top coat.
My .02
Dave ----
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