Driver's Side Footwell Soaked (1 Viewer)

[Demonic92]

Looks like the interior leak plague has finally made its way to my Cruiser.
For awhile now, probably a week or week and a half, I've noticed that my driver's side footwell is kind of moist, but just blamed it on wet shoes (rainy where I live) and ignored it. A couple of days ago, I noticed that there's a ton of moisture build up on the windows inside and everything else, and the carpet felt soaked. I pulled the driver's side trim and carpet up. The sound deadening underneath the driver's footwell carpet is completely soaked, and there was water pooling in the threshold that the wire harness runs along all the way to where it the rear wheel well starts after the second row. I sucked the water out and dried the carpet as best as I could, but that insulation is a PITA. Had to leave it wet.

I did get a new windshield last April, but it has seen its fair share of rain prior to this without any leaks. My headliner/pillars/seatbelts are bone dry. I was going to try clearing out the sunroof drains, since it's easy enough, and then remembered my sunroof is broken. When I fiddle with the switches, I get a single click, but no movement. I don't have the Z wrench tool in my tool kit for the manual operation screw, and I'm pretty sure that screw can only be used to close it. I also do not want to drop my headliner, as it's not molded like in the newer 80's. its just fabric and glue. I'm not sure where to go from here. I'd really appreciate any feedback and tips anyone has to offer. Thanks in advance.

 

[EvanD]

Just because the windshield is new doesn't at all mean that it was installed correctly.

And if you aren't able the check/clear the drains you may be out of luck.

Personally, I'd make it so I can check the drains (whatever that requires). If that didn't work, I'd go back to the windshield shop that you used and explain the problem. I assume it didn't exist before the replacement? You say it's rainy where you live so did it start after replacement or more recently?

 

[Demonic92]

Just because the windshield is new doesn't at all mean that it was installed correctly.

And if you aren't able the check the drains you may be out of luck.

Personally, I'd make it so I can check the drains. If that didn't work, I'd go back to the windshield shop that you used.

True. But it has worked for 8 months no problem. And I'd imagine there'd be pillar/dashboard wetness if the windshield was at fault.

 

[Peluo]

Happen to me. I was the windshield. Tell the glass Installers to use urethane caulk inside the rubber windshield mold. Use a new rubber mold.

 

[Demonic92]

Happen to me. I was the windshield. Tell the glass Installers to use urethane caulk inside the rubber windshield mold. Use a new rubber mold.

Only driver's side? Same spots wet/dry as mine?

 

[Kernal]

If the vapor barrier behind the door panel is torn water can get into the cabin via
that route.

Has there been any recent work on the inner door or window components behind the panel, tinting, etc? In my experience most people forget to reseal the vapor barrier after getting into that area.

One way to check where your leak is; first take a garden hose without a spray nozzle and let it run over the left lower corner only of the windshield first, a few minutes, then look up under the dash for water droplets. Then move to the upper left windshield, look for water droplets, etc. Then do the same for your driver's door glass (window and door closed of course), then check for water inside or dripping off the bottom of the door panel.

 

[davidp14]

Pop.out the rubber grommet that's in the floor board near where the sunroof drain comes out and leave it out for a day or two. This will help dry out that soggy carpet.

Don't drive it around with the grommets out if you have an exhaust leak though, you'll get a nasty headache.

Also a good time to check the slit drains underneath as well. If they get clogged it can cause some backup and wetness in that area.

 

[EvanD]

Pop.out the rubber grommet that's in the floor board near where the sunroof drain comes out and leave it out for a day or two. This will help dry out that soggy carpet.

Don't drive it around with the grommets out if you have an exhaust leak though, you'll get a nasty headache.

Also a good time to check the slit drains underneath as well. If they get clogged it can cause some backup and wetness in that area.

Heh, I've been rocking no drain plug for a couple years now. I could never track down my leak (never actually tried a new windshield) and it isn't bad enough that I ever got around to it. Maybe some day.

Simply leaving the plug out helps for sure.

 

[Demonic92]

Pop.out the rubber grommet that's in the floor board near where the sunroof drain comes out and leave it out for a day or two. This will help dry out that soggy carpet.

Don't drive it around with the grommets out if you have an exhaust leak though, you'll get a nasty headache.

Also a good time to check the slit drains underneath as well. If they get clogged it can cause some backup and wetness in that area.

I dug around under the cruiser but couldn't find where the sunroof drains out. I do see the tubes in both A pillars from the inside, but can't see where they come out.

 

[Tedward]

The front tubes drain into the rockers. The water comes out the bottom through the slits mentioned in a previous post. Can use a zip tie or similar thing to clear dirt and what nots out of the slits. You have to really look for em, but they are there.

Could be the tube on ds is not properly connected. However, that leak, for me, was the windshield in the corner. Surface rust on some stuff starting at ds windshield corner and down to the floor

 

[davidp14]

Passenger side but they're in the same general position on both sides.
The hole is where the grommet goes

Zip tie placed in slit drain

Black tube is sunroof drain

 

[Demonic92]

I cleared out the slit drains, they did feel a little crusty. I found the sunroof tube on the DS and pulled it out so I can test water flow. I'll run hose water on the sunroof and see if water comes out of the tube. If not, I still have no way of opening the sunroof to clear the drains. I found a flathead screwdriver wide enough to engage the manual crank, but it only moves a little bit in each direction before stopping, and I here a single small click in the sunroof when I try to turn it but nothing moves.

 

[Demonic92]

I pulled both drain tubes out of the A pillars and placed them in little containers. Then I used a garden hose to soak all around my sunroof, then checked how much water collected in the little containers. Each time, the passenger side drain container was more full of water. This picture below illustrates it (driver's side on left, ps right) In this test, I even sprayed more water around the driver's side of the sunroof, but the passenger side still yielded more.

I found a grommet in the rocker panel right above my aftermarket side steps (not the one under the carpet by the wiring harness) and pulled it. Lots of water came out. I poured some water into the hole at the bottom of the A pillar inside the car, and it all came out of this hole. This tells me that my slit drains are clogged, but I cleared them out with zipties prior to pulling the grommet. This slit drain is right at the bottom of the A pillar.

Here's the water coming from the rocker panel grommet hole.

My results have left me confused. Where should I go from here?

 

[rolliges]

Nice work; perhaps the drain tube is somewhat disconnected from the sunroof tray.

You could drop the headliner; not sure never opened this up yet.

Keeping those drains clear is step one!

 

[ppc]

Differences in the amount of water collected from side to side does not necessarily indicate a problem. That could easily be caused by a sunroof seal that seals differently around it's perimeter. The real indication of your problem is that you had water trapped in the rocker panel that could have migrated to the floor board.

 

[EvanD]

When I was going through a similar scenario I sealed up my sunroof with with silicone. It didn't change anything (I'd previously cleaned the drains). That's what led me to saying make sure the window install was done right.

 

[TJ Vines]

I had the same wet spot and it was the windshield. You can see for yourself if they used sealant underneath the gasket lip. If they didn't, thatd be my first guess as the source. I could see where rain was getting in the lower driver side corner inside the cabin as well.

 

[Rifleman]

Tell the glass Installers to use urethane caulk inside the rubber windshield mold.

Just an FYI, urethane is the incorrect sealant to use on rubber windshield gaskets like the ones used on our trucks. Urethane is used to glue windshields to a cars metal frame, not for use with rubber gaskets. The correct sealant to use with a rubber gasket, is a product called Butyl, in it's liquid form.

A word of warning, liquid Butyl can be VERY MESSY to apply, the best thing i found to clean up any drips or runs is straight paint thinner. Just make sure you wear rubber gloves, and have some paint thinner on hand BEFORE you start applying the Butyl.

One last word of warning, try NOT to get any Butyl on your cloths, it can be next to impossible to clean off, don't ask me how i know this.
Below are 2 links to where you can buy the correct Butyl sealant, along with the tool to apply it.

Amazon product ASIN B000K40PGAAmazon product ASIN B018HFJPJ6

 

[Peluo]

Thanks for the correction Rifleman. From factory my windshield had no sealant between glass and rubber mold, that’s how the water was getting inside my truck. One questing, I need to change my rubber mold, is it possible to remove the the windshield from the mold once sealant has been used without breaking it? I guess thinner is the way to go.

 

[Jgrauman]

I pulled both drain tubes out of the A pillars and placed them in little containers. Then I used a garden hose to soak all around my sunroof, then checked how much water collected in the little containers. Each time, the passenger side drain container was more full of water. This picture below illustrates it (driver's side on left, ps right) In this test, I even sprayed more water around the driver's side of the sunroof, but the passenger side still yielded more.
View attachment 2166421
I found a grommet in the rocker panel right above my aftermarket side steps (not the one under the carpet by the wiring harness) and pulled it. Lots of water came out. I poured some water into the hole at the bottom of the A pillar inside the car, and it all came out of this hole. This tells me that my slit drains are clogged, but I cleared them out with zipties prior to pulling the grommet. This slit drain is right at the bottom of the A pillar.
View attachment 2166432
Here's the water coming from the rocker panel grommet hole.
View attachment 2166434
My results have left me confused. Where should I go from here?

The slit drains are for the hose. Didn't you have the hose in the bowl? If less water is coming out of the hose on the ds and pouring through your floor then the hose has become discod at the drain pan and water is running down your pillar to the floor. Only way you are fixing this is to drop the headliner or seal that sunroof