silicone will be your nemesis, cuz if you don't get it 110% the first shot, the next application of any type of caulking WILL NOT adhere properly. silicone included.
FJ62 bad water leak in cabin - continued - wit's end
- Thread starter TheElegantFox
- Start date
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I worked for 3M early in my sales days for the automotive aftermarket division and 8603 windshield adhesive was the standard and appears to still be, but interested any feedback.
Good point. I got a little rust on the top seal, put some fluid film along the lip, because rust... Hasn't leaked since. I'm happy about that, and it gives me piece of mind that the rusting is under control. Thanks kirvesmies.
I'll check it out. Thank you.
if i recall correctly, it's been stated in one of these can't find the leak threads that silicone will also attack the body metal. so there is that issue also.
You just cut the nozzle very slightly (so it's pointy) and jam the nozzle tip under the edge of the rubber seal and push the caulk gun forward under the seal as you squirt out the caulk.
I would use a real glass product - not aquarium sealant, which has zero UV resistance. Perhaps this (but I don't know the Sika product line well)
I would use a real glass product - not aquarium sealant, which has zero UV resistance. Perhaps this (but I don't know the Sika product line well)
Not sure if you solved this. But, I just went through this with my truck and have some advice.
The red arrow is pointing to an area where the 3 pieces (cowl, fire wall and side panel) come together. Looking at the underside of that corner, on my truck, there was a significant gap that was not sealed. I could see daylight from inside my truck (with the fender off) when looking from beneath the dash up to that spot. You may have to pull the sound dampening material back from the fire wall to see it. I watched as hose water ran over that corner and wicked backward as it spilled over that edge, and saw water getting in that location, the same drip down the inner fire wall you pictured.
Definitley worth your while to pull the cobra head" drains (3 screws) and ALL the access panels (black covers) to see whats back there and get any debris out. Pull the wiper motor panel, it will give you a good look at the cabin air intake. The truck had a bad leak caused by rust from debris around the cabin air intake on the passenger side. Had drill out the spot welds, sand, paint and seal that cage back to the inner cowl.
I also did the drip rail at the roof and down the windshield gutter. Had to remove the old sealer which was visibly cracked and degraded. Then, sanded, painted, self leveling sealer, primer. Your drip rail may be in better condition than mine were, based on your photo.
Hope you solved it already!
The red arrow is pointing to an area where the 3 pieces (cowl, fire wall and side panel) come together. Looking at the underside of that corner, on my truck, there was a significant gap that was not sealed. I could see daylight from inside my truck (with the fender off) when looking from beneath the dash up to that spot. You may have to pull the sound dampening material back from the fire wall to see it. I watched as hose water ran over that corner and wicked backward as it spilled over that edge, and saw water getting in that location, the same drip down the inner fire wall you pictured.
Definitley worth your while to pull the cobra head" drains (3 screws) and ALL the access panels (black covers) to see whats back there and get any debris out. Pull the wiper motor panel, it will give you a good look at the cabin air intake. The truck had a bad leak caused by rust from debris around the cabin air intake on the passenger side. Had drill out the spot welds, sand, paint and seal that cage back to the inner cowl.
I also did the drip rail at the roof and down the windshield gutter. Had to remove the old sealer which was visibly cracked and degraded. Then, sanded, painted, self leveling sealer, primer. Your drip rail may be in better condition than mine were, based on your photo.
Hope you solved it already!
- Thread starter
- #129
Could that be below that folded end seam? Or is that arrow pointing to the existing OEM sealant area above? Tropical Storm Elsa has dumped my truck full of water like it's not even sealed.
So you removed the metal cowl part to get access to the cage? How does that come off? My cage has some rust around the base, no big deal but it would be nice to address it before it gets bad but I can't access it except through the wiper motor hole.
Yes, its the underside of the rolled piece of the cowl. There's a corner spot that is worth checking if you have the fender off still.
If your truck got flooded, you may want to check the drip rails. I'm not sure that arrow spot below the cowl would be the cuilprit for flooding... I used a metal pick to scrape broken bits of the factory sealer that were degraded into fragments down the A-pillar drip rail (between the windshield and door). There's a seam there that is not easy to see that appears to separate the windshield surround from a pillar and drip rail...
Also, you should inspect that cabin air intake in the cowl for rust, that would lead to a leak which drips down through your blower box beneath the glove compartment. Pretty easy to pop the motor off the bottom of the box (3 screws) and take a look up at the intake screen. I observed hose water getting through there due to a debris clog on the passenger side fender drain "cobra head." This clog could easily dam up in a deluge and allow water could pour over the lip of that box with a wire top.
Drip Spot at Cowl:
Intake in Cowl Rust: From the inside of the cabin, I just drilled out the 4 spot welds at each corner after removing the blower box, and bent the flimsy mesh top until it fit through the wiper motor hole. I then sanded, phosphoric acid, painted with rust bullet, and used SEM 2k to glue/bond it back in place before hitting it with a color matched spray can.
I did not observe anything but the 4 spot welds and paint providing the seal at the base of this, maybe and hopefully other trucks were assembled differently than mine.
- Thread starter
- #132
Well that's two new spots for me to check this weekend, I don't think I've ever located the cabin air filter on my truck. I I think it should be specified in the Haynes manual I have. I'll report back with what I find.
There is no cabin air filter, just that screen behind the wiper motor.
- Thread starter
- #134
Ah ok, that makes sense
- Thread starter
- #135
Did a second hose test and water is getting in, but not from high up. Could it be one of the rubber plugs in the firewall for the wiring harness?
CenTXFJ60
SILVER Star
Unless it’s popped out or torn wide open (quick visual from the engine bay) water won’t get in there A lot of folks have replied to this thread so can’t recall if you’ve already sealed the side of the cowl. But water down low usually means it’s compromised somewhere under the fender
- Thread starter
- #137
The fender was definitely compromised at some point. In earlier pictures in the thread you can see the lower cowl damage.
- Thread starter
- #138
- Thread starter
- #139
I have a feeling this is the entry point even though it’s lower. Would this be something any bodyshop would be able to fix?
Mine ended up being the seam gap under that lip. The lip is supposed to protect it but does not.
