Eddiec1564,

On one of your pics, you mention that water was traveling from the passenger side over the dog box and down into the driver foot area. Was water entering from the cowl area over the passenger foot area then traveling to the driver's side?

I did not get the chance to pour more bedliner paint down the cowl yesterday but two things do come to mind.

First, I did try and leak test the cowl area with a hose and I saw no signs of leaking. But...my leak test did not cover water leaking through the passenger side cowl area.

Second, I notice that there seems to be split in the paint at the very top of the A-pillar where the rain gutter meets on the drivers side. I have taken the plastic A-pillar interior piece off and did not notice any signs of leaking. But, IIRC a leak may not have signs of visable leaking because of the A-pillar construction. Maybe the leak is internal to the A-pillar and then comes out towards the bottom or hits and obstruction and drips out in the drivers side foot well somewhere. TexasGuy's Replacement Door Seals & Rust Problem thread also mentions noticing something similar where the A-pillar and rain gutter meet. I guess it would not hurt to seal that up.

Does someone have a recommendation for what to use to seal something like that up? I was hoping for something that does not make the repair look bad...but at this point, if the repair is noticable but the leak is fixed I will be happy.

I wish I would have looked into this yesterday...the weather was nice and dry. Today, another storm moved in and it is blowing and raining sideways.

http://sunsetbeach-oregon.com/weather.htm

I just hope I do not need to fire up the generator

 

I have that same wet floor problem in my '95 F150; Mine's a 5 speed and I notice that water sprays on my hand when I release the parking brake. As for the brake booster gasket, I noticed a similar situation on an '86 ranger I'm rebuilding: brakes went south, then as I dissassembled the cab, found the booster full of rust and water and that gasket shriveled up. That's a compelling possibility.

 

My leak in the 89 was from the cowl area passanger side where the 3 seams are joined(like drivers side seams), the water ran down and followed the seam accross the dog house top to drivers side, then was wicked up by the firewall deadner mat(most was missing from pass area for some reason... the 89 was a basket case when I got it, when I got ahold of the 87 F150, I switched interiers over) which made it travel around before dripping over the gas pedal/brake area.

One thing you may want to do is sit inside and have someone hose the windshield really good. My 84 leaks from top of winshield and drips right on my left leg! Thats how I found the 84's leak(before the cab rotted enough to see the area and caused the visor to fall off!)

That rain gutter is a good possablity, I know my 89 leaks on passager side and the lower pass area get soaked twards the back of cab where the cab corners rot out. Bed liner paint time to that seam and the interior too!

 

Well...had a little time to investigate today while it was storming out.

There was a dry time between the rains and I mixed up some epoxy (meant as a temp seal) and applied that to the topp of the A-pillar where the rain gutter meets the seam. Made sure it was allowed time to dry. An hour later, I tried a water test and it is still leaking.

I removed the windshield trim and inspected the seal there. When it drys up out here, I am going to mix up some very soapy water and brush it on the windshield seam and then blow air from inside and see if anything bubbles.

I removed a lot of that sound deadening foam, keeping in mind the rubber plugs that keep it in place, and was able to finally see a trail of water. Evidence of my leak is coming from the left hand inner wall where the parking brake release is attached. I saw a small but steady stream of fresh water running down that wall when I had the hose on top of the cab running with the doors closed. Maybe my seal is cracked where the foam runs down from the windshield into the cowl area. I think it is time to get a quart of that bedliner, remove the cowl, window trim and slowly pour some in there trying to get all surfaces covered where the watter runs.

At least now I do know which area to concentraight my efforts.


Eddiec1564, you don't have a picture by chance, that is similar to the last picture you have posted, where it shows from where the windshield is to down onto the firewall? The last picture you have posted but on the driver side is what I am referring to. Thanks much.

 

Red Rocket, Do you mean the area over where the parking brake release? or the firewall it self inside the coweling area? Or the windsheld to firewall mounting seam?

I'll try to get some more photos, Just got a free motorhome to drag back tommaro before it gets dark. too bad its a dodge chassis...... BUT its full of aluminum to scrap!

 

Red Rocket, just rembered a quick way and easy to temp fix leaks of windshields. Get a roll of that alumnium tape for ductwork. I use that on my 84 and fixed the wet knees syndrone from rusted windshield seams.. the tape held for almost a year till tonight it rained while checking out that freebee motorhome. I also used that to fix up my Bronco 2 rust holes in the roof seams(thats going on 2 years but no wind blowing hard on it). If you apply it right, it will look like window trim from factory, but wider depending how much you put on. I used the 2" wide tape which fits over the windshield seam area with ample sealing of the tape.

 

Driver side where the top of the pic shows 2-3 inches of the windshield and the lower part of the pic shows where the parking brake release is. Slightly angled so all the seems are visable. It would be very similar to the last picture you have posted in your gallery but instead of the passenger side, I am looking for the driver side.

No worries about tonight. I am off to take the kids to swimming lessons here soon anyway. Thanks.

I do already have a whole roll of that tape but I am not certain the leak is coming from the windshield seal. I see no signs of water leaking there but I may test it with the soapy water/air to be sure. I think it is coming from just below the windshield on the seam that goes down into the cowl drain area. Looks like the foam seal may have a crack there. I just need some dry weather and a quart of bedliner paint.

 

My 95 leaked right at the roof seams where the roof meets the sides of the cab and under the drip rail. I applied some seam sealer and smoothed it over with my finger and that seemed to do the trick. I figured this out after the second windshield installation didnt do squat. The local glass guy told me not to worry about it since it only leaks when it rains...? Anyway, after I stopped the leak I was able to replace my carpet. Also check at the firewall where the plenum attaches.

 

When you say that it was leaking at the seam where the roof meets the side of the cab, were you talking about front or back? I have no water in the back that I know of its mostly the side and up towards the emergency brake pedal. I still think most of it is coming in through the doors seal since the sill is rusted. The jute backing absorbs the water like jeans to when your out in the rain. That is what I think it going on, but maybe there is another leak at the A pillar or in the cowl.

Why would the glass guy say not to worry about it if it only leaks when it rains? That's when it would leak. Sounds like maybe he needs to find a new line of work.

 

I feel stupid for asking, because I probably already know. What is the dog box?

Machman, What did you use a seam sealer? Is that what strip caulk is used for, or are you refering to something else?

RedRocket, Did any of your attempts to fix your leak work? If not have any of them made any difference?

I still haven't resolved mine yet. The new door seals aren't installed yet, as I am waiting for my door sill replacements from LMC. I'm still not sure where the leak is coming from. It looks like it is either the door seal or maybe the cowel like EddieC mentioned. I am thinking about going ahead and removing the cowel and trying to do something in there. I'm not sure about the bedliner stuff, but if it works. I bet that is where most of the water is coming from. On second thought, I can't really see how that much water gets in through the bottom of the door seal. Its obvious that some water can get in the bottom of the door seal when I go to the car wash, but I don't see how it would when it rains. I know it leaks when it rains, so maybe the cowel is the place to look at.

I did notice that where EddieC's picture of the rust hole below the high beam switch is is the same area on mine that seems the most wet. How would the water get all the way back to the insulation under the rubber floor by the rear side of the driver seat though? That is wet too.

 

Hey! I just found my leak! It is coming from the cowel. I just poured about a half gallon of water in the cowel. With the rubber floor / carpet pulled up I can see a trail of water running down under the driver side kick panel. So, I guess EddieC nailed it. I bet this is your problem too RedRocket.

 

Looks like I nailed it too, back in the third post of the thread

 

Yeah, Sorry I left you out Eric. For some reason I thought that post was in a different thread. I found some 3M urethane windshield adhesive at advance autoparts. It comes in caulking gun tubes for $15 each. Is that what you used? I wonder if this is better than the bedliner idea. The bedliner spray can get in hard to reach areas though. If I use it the 3M stuff which I probably will, I'll just reseal the whole thing all the way accross. How many tubes did you need when you did it? Also, did you scrape out all the old stuff that came from the factory?

 

Isn't it always nice to finally know where the water is coming from?

 

The advantage, that I can see, from using a quart of bedliner paint, is that the paint can take the same path as water since both are a liquid. The paint is also somewhat thick and should seal a crack easily. I just think I need to remove my window trim and cowl and make sure I get good coverage, starting just below the windshield, and I should resolve my leak.

Strange thing though...I just went and checked my truck this morning after a hard nights rain. I do not see the same amount of water I saw yesterday. It seems like maybe I might have had two leaks because right now the area, with the carpet pulled up and out of the way, is damp but there is no ponding water. Yesterday, before sealing the top of the A-pillar, I had a fair amount of ponding water.