Rain issues with my FJ62...

[Joshua993]

So, it is raining again here in Wichita. And once again, the inside of my cruiser has become a damp, rain-forest like enrionment. I have a lot of condensation on the inside of my windows. I dont get very much water on the floorboards - I have all but solved that problem. I am now suspecting the vents on the rear of the body.

Has anyone else experienced this? Thoughts?

 

[RockDoc]

Are all your window gaskets in good shape, with the proper expansion strips (those chrome pieces)? Any rust/leaks along your drip rail that would let water get in above the headliner (and run along to the front or back of the truck as weight shifts)?

 

[Tofudebeest]

Your problem, I will bet, is the window sills are allowing water into your doors and you or a PO removed the VAPOR BARRIER! It actually does have a function, despite popular belief. Pop off your door panels. If there's no visqueen-like plastic on the door, and tucked into the slit along the bottom, there's your culprit. Also, do you still have carpeting? Check the plastic plugs in the floorboards (half-dollar sized) in the driver and passenger foot well areas under the carpet. If you drive through water and the plugs are not there, the carpet will wick up every drop that splashes in there and then evaporate into the cab. Lastly, do not leave your a/c on recirc. It'll trap humidity and the condensation will rot your roof from the inside out, starting at the windshield A pilar junction and down along the windshield frame.

 

[RockDoc]

^^^^^ Hmm, sounds like the voice of experience...

 

[Randy88FJ62]

I knew I should have kept the plastic in place. I ripped it all out when doing a mirror repair. Sigh... Gues you learn the hard way.

 

[Devils Paw 80]

I've high interest in this thread because it's the same story for my 62, and none of the suggestions so far answer the problem.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

I knew I should have kept the plastic in place. I ripped it all out when doing a mirror repair. Sigh... Gues you learn the hard way.

NO worries. Next time you are in there, just find some medium weight bulk plastic, and cut it to fit. Secure it with black adhesive rtv to mimic the OEM look.

 

[Dynosoar]

I bet you need to recaulk your rain gutters. If you have ever used a roof rack of any type you WILL have cracked the oem caulking. Just scrape out the old and re caulk with a good body sealant (3M all around body caulk).

Dynosoar

 

[TemboTusk]

I've high interest in this thread because it's the same story for my 62, and none of the suggestions so far answer the problem.

One area rarely visited is the hood/firewall cowl seal. It is a long piece of rubber that gets squished between the back of the engine hood and the firewall when the hood is closed. This seal keeps water from running down the firewall and entering the cabin through any hole in the firewall.

As an example, the main wiring loom enters on the driver’s side and if the rubber seal around the loom at the firewall is damaged, water will follow or wick into wiring loom and drip into the cabin. The water can also follow wires or cables on the passenger side.

My cowl seal was missing and just washing the car would wet the inside carpet. Once the cowl seal was installed, all water ingress into the cabin stopped. I have yet to seal all the holes in the firewall.

Good luck!

 

[euclid]

Another thread of interest, also in the FAQ:
https://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/20894-possible-windshield-leak.html

 

[Devils Paw 80]

My 62 had fairly dark window tint on the rear windows- which I've removed along with most of the adhesive. Still seems that some adhesive remains, and perhaps water vapor is more likely to remain on these windows. Just a thought... Still seems that the bugger should occasionally dry out because the carpet isn't getting wet anywhere I can find.

 

[Joshua993]

My rain gutters are in pretty good shape - I do plan to reseal them soon. I found before that the seal abouve the firewall was in poor shape, and water was running down the firewall and into the cab via the a/c lines. That is fixed. I am however, fairly certain that there is not any plastic in the door(s). I recently changed out the speakers and don't remember any in there...

Thanks for the responses!

 

[Tofudebeest]

I knew I should have kept the plastic in place. I ripped it all out when doing a mirror repair. Sigh... Gues you learn the hard way.

Just call me "House".

 

[Freewheel]

"tucked into the slit along the bottom"

Let me heavily emphasize this sentence. If the plastic is there, and not tucked in, you will have water come in!

I think there's pictures floating around on the forum with the correct configuration...

 

[Tofudebeest]

And Toyota engineered them this way for a very good reason. I know that there are lots of other potential water-entry points, as has been adequately covered in this thread, but if you have a total sauna in your truck with heavy condensation everywhere, and no obvious and significant leaks from the firewall, roof, etc., than this will 99.99% of the time be the problem.