[Little Boss]

I know there are probably 1000 posts about wet vehicles. We've read about clogged sunroof drains and windshields. I fixed the leak in back windows with silicone. I am ever more frustrated though. Took the cruiser to Toyota to have them clean out the drains and see if they thought that was the problem. Both DS and PS floorboards are wet wet wet. Basically they charged us 180.00 to tell us that they ran water down the drains and the PS drained pretty well and the DS was slow. They then said that for $450.00 they would remove the headliner and further inspect the drains and sunroof to see if that is where the leak is coming from. They said they didn't want to ream out the drains because if they were brittle they could make the leak worse. I've done more investigation myself. I ran water down each drain. The ps did drain but also filled up the rocker panel. The ds never escaped through the drain, all it did was fill up the panel and enter my truck soaking all the electrical wiring.
My question is that obviously we could pull the plugs on the panel to let it drain out but they are there for a reason right? To keep water from coming in when you go through deep water crossings? Are the sunroof drains supposed to drain into the rockerpanel? I thought they were supposed to drain just behind the front tires.
Please help. I'll post pics under norcal sams name because I dont have the space under mine.
Thanks,

Teresa

[NorCalSam]

Ok,
here are some pics. As I put water directly down the sunroof drain it fills up through the plug into the channel shown.
Teresa

[NorCalSam]

Then it starts leaking at the upper A piller and from the door molding. The last pic is the water draining out from the panel. Shouldn't it drain from 1 location if all is working properly?

Thanks everyone,
Teresa (little boss)

[concretejungle]

Teresa, my truck does the exact same thing. But, it seems that it only does it after i have been in the mud. So, what i do and what i think is: lower rocker panel drains are clogged, and the water as it comes down the drain tube, backs up and pours into the pillar then fills up the little wiring area you pictured. So, when i get a wet floorboard, i know that the lower drain is clogged, so i get under the truck with the air nozzle and spray compressed air up into the little slits in the rocker panel. I also run weed-eater wire down the drain hole from the sunroof. This combination usually fixes the wet floor until i get really muddy again.

Hope that helps.

[cruiserdan]

It sounds like you may have two problems. One being plugged slit drains in the rocker and the other being an issue with the drain tube it's self. It could be that the rocker is filling up and causing the tube to back up. At this point I would recommend pulling the black plastic plug that is in the bottom of the rocker, about 4 inches aft of the fender-to-rocker seam. Excercise caution when popping that plug out as you are apt to get a face full of water when it comes out...
After you get that plug out, monitor the upper area to see if you still have water issues up there. If not, it was backing up the drain. If so, the headliner will probably have to come down to investigate further.

D-

[Hayes]

...and if it turns out to be a clogged rocker slit...

...bring on the zip-tie.

Hayes

[concretejungle]

Dan, if it's a cracked or damaged drain tube, what's the fix?

[NorCalDoug]

water, water, water...everywhere...

I'm having the same problems. It's been wetter than usual this winter in NorCal...I've never had the floors as wet as they are now.

I haven't resorted to taking the rig into the stealership yet, but so far haven't had much luck tracking the source of the leak. I'm getting water behind the dash...I can feel it pooling up just behind the hood and gas latch.

Both DS and PS front floors are soaked.

No leaking from the A-pillars...yet...

[Photo_Cruiser]

Doug,
You sure that isn't the windshield....? I have isolated my leaks to that....I shove paper towles into the bottom L and R corners, and after any rain, they are soaked.


Jeff

[lx450landcruiser]

Originally Posted by NorCalDoug

water, water, water...everywhere...

I'm having the same problems. It's been wetter than usual this winter in NorCal...I've never had the floors as wet as they are now.

I haven't resorted to taking the rig into the stealership yet, but so far haven't had much luck tracking the source of the leak. I'm getting water behind the dash...I can feel it pooling up just behind the hood and gas latch.

Both DS and PS front floors are soaked.

No leaking from the A-pillars...yet...

doug let me know what you find out when you find it as your problem sounds the same as mine. Im at a loss as ive tryed everything.

mike

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by Photo_Cruiser

Doug,
You sure that isn't the windshield....? I have isolated my leaks to that....I shove paper towles into the bottom L and R corners, and after any rain, they are soaked.


Jeff

Not sure if it is or isn't. The windshield has been fine for years...as far as I can tell. It seems to be the original glass.

But...I've recently started seeing some wetness in the DS corner.
I'll try to get a good look at it this weekend...if it's dry enough to sit outside for a while.

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by lx450landcruiser

doug let me know what you find out when you find it as your problem sounds the same as mine. Im at a loss as ive tryed everything.

mike

Will do...wet floors totally suck as

[FirstToy]

Is it possible to thread 1 long, soft wire down the sunroof drain all the way thru the rocker drain out the bottom?

(Maybe some of that really pliable wire they use in flower shops and wrap the end so you dont tear anything)

[Little Boss]

Seeing that this likely is a huge can of worms and more than we can tackle especially without a garage, the likely outcome will be the "stealership" as doug called it. So I called my insurance agent and told him how concerned I was with my electrical wires in standing water I also told him that I was concerned re mold. He filed a claim and said it shouldn't be a problem. Hopefully it works out. I remember reading an earlier post from somebody that the insurance co. had the carpet removed, any rust spots fixed, sounded like a complete job. We'll see what happens and I'll let you all know what the outcome was.

Teresa

[NorCalDoug]

Originally Posted by FirstToy

Is it possible to thread 1 long, soft wire down the sunroof drain all the way thru the rocker drain out the bottom?

(Maybe some of that really pliable wire they use in flower shops and wrap the end so you dont tear anything)

I have a bunch of stiff plastic weed-eater type line. I'll try that first.

[FirstToy]

that's good too! double-true!

tell us how it works, might be a good pre-emptive thing if it works out

[Little Boss]

Originally Posted by concretejungle

Teresa, my truck does the exact same thing. But, it seems that it only does it after i have been in the mud. So, what i do and what i think is: lower rocker panel drains are clogged, and the water as it comes down the drain tube, backs up and pours into the pillar then fills up the little wiring area you pictured. So, when i get a wet floorboard, i know that the lower drain is clogged, so i get under the truck with the air nozzle and spray compressed air up into the little slits in the rocker panel. I also run weed-eater wire down the drain hole from the sunroof. This combination usually fixes the wet floor until i get really muddy again.

Hope that helps.

This is probably stupid, but where are the rocker panel "slits". I've pilled all of the drain plugs in the rocker panels. I've ran weedeater line down them. Is it right that the SR drains are supposed to drain into the panel and then the water drains out of the slits? Where is the sunroof drain supposed to drain. Are all plugs supposed to be in the rocker panel, that is what I thought.
Last night we got alot of rain. I left the rockerpanel drains out overnight. Floor was dry this am. Are the slits the drain plugs? Can you show pics if they are different?
Thanks,
Teresa

[Truckasaurus]

Good morning everyone.

Teresa,

Get under the truck, between the tires. Laying on your back, you'll see the flanges that are spot welded together for the rocker to floorpan. On these flanges, there are three upsets (Instead of being flat, continuously in contact flanges, there are these upsets, about 1 to 1-1/2 inches long). If you are laying looking under the DS flanges, tilt your head, look across to the PS flange. You should see the upsets. They are about two feet apart from each other.

The flexible hose for the sunroof runs down the A-pillar, and ends at the rocker. Water that drains out, is supposed to then drain out of these little upsets. As previously stated, use zip ties, weed whacker plastic string...something stiff, and poke around into each of the three upset/drains.

I did this, as a preventative.

Good luck. (I'd have posted pix, but no digicam, and can't download here at home, anyway. Sorry!)

Let us know how you make out.

[cruiserdan]

Teresa, when you pulled the black plastic plugs did water come out?

If I understand your last post correctly you removed the plugs and then had a rain fall that would have been enough to make things wet again but you were dry. Is that correct?

If so, then it was probably the slit drains backed up and the rocker(s) were filling up and flooding the floor and possibly backing water up the sun roof drains and overflowing the sunroof pan.

I would leave the front rocker plugs out for the time being.

[NorCalDoug]

I'm having the same problem...
Yesterday, I had a couple minutes to dink with mine, but learned nothing new.

I fished a bunch of weed-eater line through the sunroof drain tubes until it stopped. Came back out dry.
I removed the black circular plugs on the rocker panels...bone dry.
I tried fishing the weed-eater line into the slits, but the line was too thick. I need a small paper clip...I'll try that later.

Floors are wet...nasty...yucky...blah!
My husky liners are keeping my feet dry...for whatever that's worth...

[cruiserdan]

Zip ties work the best for cleaning the slit drains. Flat to fit and plastic so they do not scratch the paint to expose bare metal in an area where you least want it.

[Sully]

My 94 has the same issues (A pillar drippage, wet floors, soggy wiring). I went to Home Depot last weekend and bought 8 feet of #10 stranded wire (still wrapped in the plastic insulation to avoid scratching metal and tearing tubes). I was able to feed it down to the rockers, but had to force it the last 8-12 inches. I considered the weedeater string, but it seemed too insubstantial to clear out any blockages. I'm now getting great drainage out of all four drains. I should probably ziptie the slits on principle. I haven't done the carwash test yet, but the initial results were encouraging.

[Photo_Cruiser]

Doug...I'm still going w/my window theory. My sunroof drains just fine, but my stock, never been replaced windshield leaks like crap. Leaks at the corner, runs down behind the dash, in the corner sort of...and soaks the floor....

still need to fix it....

Jeff

[lx450landcruiser]

Originally Posted by Photo_Cruiser

Doug...I'm still going w/my window theory. My sunroof drains just fine, but my stock, never been replaced windshield leaks like crap. Leaks at the corner, runs down behind the dash, in the corner sort of...and soaks the floor....

still need to fix it....

Jeff

dougs problem sounds exactly like mine and at first it was the windshield but i had it sealed and its dry now, yet the floors still stay wet, im at a total loss as to where the waters comming from.

mike

[Sully]

Zip tied the drain slits today and then faced the dreaded carwash test. It passed. We'll see if the floorboards dry out soon...

[Beowulf]

For those of you still having drainage issues:

* When working properly, the sunroof drains will flow a lot of water. The tube running down the A-pillar is ~1/2" in diameter.

* First you have to make sure the water can drain down the tube. Those that park under trees might have leaves clogging the drain tube. The above suggestions for unclogging should work.

* Behind the DS kick panel, the sunroof drain tube can become kinked. You need to remove the panel and check. Especially Sully, who said the wire was hard to feed all the way down to the rocker.

* Clean the rocker panel slits as described by C-Dan; using a plastic wire tie and removing the plugs if needed.

* While you have the DS kick panel removed, carefully inspect for prior water intrusion and corrosion. Hugh had a fire caused by a sunroof draining problem. There are a lot of wires, connectors, and ECU's in this area.

-B-

[NorCalSam]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

For those of you still having drainage issues:

* When working properly, the sunroof drains will flow a lot of water. The tube running down the A-pillar is ~1/2" in diameter.

* First you have to make sure the water can drain down the tube. Those that park under trees might have leaves clogging the drain tube. The above suggestions for unclogging should work.

* Behind the DS kick panel, the sunroof drain tube can become kinked. You need to remove the panel and check. Especially Sully, who said the wire was hard to feed all the way down to the rocker.

* Clean the rocker panel slits as described by C-Dan; using a plastic wire tie and removing the plugs if needed.

* While you have the DS kick panel removed, carefully inspect for prior water intrusion and corrosion. Hugh had a fire caused by a sunroof draining problem. There are a lot of wires, connectors, and ECU's in this area.

-B-

Thanks Beowulf

We have tried to blow out and fush out the sunroof drains. The rear drains good and fast the fronts just don't drain very well and they take to long. I think the hackmasters that claimed to be toyota masters did not do something right in there

Cleaned the rocker panel slits as described by C-Dan

Seemed to have fixed the rear leak also thanks to C-Dan

we are taking it in again to toyota's body shop to have the front of the head liner removed for inspection etc.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by NorCalSam

We have tried to blow out and fush out the sunroof drains. The rear drains good and fast the fronts just don't drain very well and they take too long.

Describe what you found when you removed the DS kick panel.
-B-

[Little Boss]

Beo,
I was the one that did the investigation and that is what the above pictures are from. Initially when I pulled the kick panel, the gutter drain where the electrical wires sit was just wet. After that I put a hose at the point of the sunroof drain and as you can see in one of the pics it substantially filled with water. Tried to get a pic of me moving the water with my fingers. We've left the front RP plugs out for now. Drivers side has always been worse than pass side. Its been dry here for 3+ days, today I pulled the DS panel and still wet. Of course not soaked but wet. The dissapointing discovery today was the rear quarter panel. I do think the problem there is fixed with silicon, but after getting into the area where the jack is, there is a large amount of water in that area. Is there any way to let it exit without a wet vac?
Thanks,
Teresa

[Beowulf]

Teresa,

Make certain the drain inside the DS kick panel is not kinked, bent, or compressed. If it is, the water will back up and come down the A-piller as you saw. I hate to sound like a broken record but you also need to be sure you get that area dried out and correct any corrosion if found.

As for the rear quarter, there are some more rubber plugs in the rocker that you can pull to help drain the rear area where the jack is. You might need to silicone seal the sliding windows. I haven't seen that problem on mine but there have been a number of posts describing how to fix the cargo area leaks.

-B-