WATER LEAK: passenger side, rear

[IXXI]

I am pissed. I've had a slow water leak (only appears when it rains heavily) for as long as I've owned my rig and *no one* has been able to say for sure what it leaking (despite having it water tested twice for a few hundred dollars)--and we're getting rain in Portland now. I bet someone here can help. Here's the deal:

Carpet gets wet--not sopping or soaking, but more than moist--most noticeably on the interior hump of the rear wheel (passenger side)...sometimes down to the floor...and if its really bad, I can feel moisture on the carpet in the passenger side cargo area. VERY TELLING is that the rear passenger seat belt will be REALLY wet (when pulled and you get at the area that's been coiled up.)

Sunroof drains are fine. Seals around the rear passenger door (and moisture barrier) and rear cargo silder are (said to be) fine. The only interesting diagnosis I got once was that the body seal in the rain gutter on that side might be cracked and rain gets in there-- had a guy shoot a little sealant on one suspicious area (from an old gutter mounted rack) but my seatbelt is still really wet.

I feel like if I could access the seat belt winder I might be able to trace a leak--has anyone done this? I don't have my FSM yet, so any tips on getting that panel off OR BETTER YET any good ideas about what might be leaking and where (and WHY IT SETTLES AROUND THE REAR PASSENGER SEATBELT AREA) would be a great gift for my 40th b-day.

Thanks all. I hate being pissed.

[cruiserdan]

Check the quarter belt moulding. It clips into holes in the quarter just under the window. The clips are sealed with little foam disc thingys, they might be shot.

If you look on the left side (jack access area) and look up inside the quarter towards the bottom of the window you will see the clips comming through the body. It's the same setup on the right side. While you are in the left side check the well for water and pull the jack out to see if it is rusting.


D-

[Dirk Diggler]

The plastic panels in the cargo area are easy to remove. In fact, few tools are required, except a phillips screw driver and 12mm driver.

1. Take out the rear seats. Remove the seat mounts (12mm head)

2. Take off the metal strip holding your cargo carpet in the rear, by the tailgate.

3. Get your fingers under the plastic panel, starting at the bottom/rear portion. Pull with a firm, short motion. The clips should come out.

4. Do this around the entire perimeter of the cargo panel. You may break some clips. They are not expensive.

Now you can access your rear seat belt. I actually replaced one of mine and put in new fasteners. The fasteners on the seat belts are not metric. I believe the are 7/16 with a 20 groove.

It is very easy once you do it. I did not have a water leak. I do it to check for rust every 6 months or so. Hope this helps?

[IXXI]

A-HA!

A sane diagnosis from Dan! And Dirk, thanks for the note on getting the panel off. I checked the molding and sure enough a couple clips were broken and there was certainly no foam seals around to see... One of the holes lines up perfectly with where the seatbelt retractor likely lives. Anyway, the new part is on its way (thx Dan!) and am going to pull the panel to clean up any water that's prolly still in there.

Thanks very much for your help.

[IXXI]

A quick follow up: I ordered this piece from Dan (quarter belt moulding), installed it, and problem solved. So simple and sooooooo overlooked.

I hope this threads helps someone else down the road.

Thanks Dan. Thanks ih8mud.

[cruzizzle]

Man,you guys are good. Hey Dan, I get this burning sensation when I...oops, wrong forum.

Anyway, nice to see problems get solved and follow-up posted at the end. Good job all.

[Safado]

I'll go check mine...

I was about to post a very similar question about water on the drivers side rear seat belt...but I searched and found yours.

Thanks

[knorrena]

Does anyone know the part number for this quarter belt molding?

Karl

[breathed]

My jack is well rusted. I'll have to check out that quarter belt molding. Of course, I also have wet carpet in the rear most corners and second row. Luckily, I'm used to the smell by now.

[knorrena]

bumpity

[96r50]

Left side: 75670-60020
Right side: 75660-60020

$53.40CAD each

[Mike S]

Glad the problem has been diagnosed. I have found that one of the main reasons for these leaks in an 80 or a 60 is gutter caulking that is damaged by gutter-mounted roof racks. It can be a PITA to track down and fix. It must be repaired or you will have rust inside the B pillar and eleewhere.

Have had this problem on one truck, and I strongly recommend that anyone who puts gutter mount rack systems on their truck to cover the bottom of the foot with a piece of split 1/4" silcone fuel tubing, and pull the foot towards the outer edge of the gutter before tightening it up. And the more gutter feet, the better.

M

[douglashuft]

big time problem in a 62 I had. So they did not fix this in the 80. Guess I should have bought more durabak.

[knorrena]

Perhaps what I am about to post constitutes a hijack. If so I apologize. The part numbers I get from my EPC are different than that previously posted. Not that I doubt the info that 96r50 posted, cause I doubt the number that I got. I just want to understand why they are different. The numbers I get are 75671 (rh) and 75672 (lh), see pic below:

[Falco80]

Originally Posted by cruiserdan

Check the quarter belt moulding. It clips into holes in the quarter just under the window. The clips are sealed with little foam disc thingys, they might be shot.

If you look on the left side (jack access area) and look up inside the quarter towards the bottom of the window you will see the clips comming through the body. It's the same setup on the right side. While you are in the left side check the well for water and pull the jack out to see if it is rusting.


D-

Champion Dan! I have this problemo too. After heaps of rain the water gets through the rear sliding window rails and slowly leaks out the bottom of the quarter panel dripping down my mudguard. That was my guess anyway, but hopefully your diagnosis is correct.

Cheers