Water in rear qtr. panels

[SLOwag]

You may already know this but I had an eye opener just now. I read threads in the 80's forum about water collecting and sloshing around in the body panels.......but this weekend we had a lot of rain so when I saw a little drip coming out of the rear, I pulled the rubber plug just above the pinch weld and Voila, a geyser.

Before you do this stand back because you'll get drenched, I had about a gallon flow out if not more. Of course I only had to check one side, the plug was lost on the other side. I don't think I'm putting the plug back in.

Of course the side holding all of the water was the side that's starting to rust out....

 

[Chase77]

Better find the source of that leak or your truck will end up like mine....

 

[dmede808]

Could be worse, you could have had a PO who stored all of his motor oil and brake fluid in the quarter panel, with the bottles upside down and the tops not all that tight ; )

For months I had this mysterious oil slick under my truck every where I went but I coudln't find the source.

For water, check the rear wiper water bag, it's easy to puncture and leak into the quater panel.

 

[beaufort-fj60]

which side was the water on? drivers side/rear wiper reservoir or the passenger side/gas filler. Both of my quarters were full of sand, almost flush with the rear floor. I dug it all and washed it out with water. You might want to pull the plugs on the rocker panels also, take a hose and squirt water in one hole and see what comes out of the other side of the rocker. My rockers were also full of sand.

 

[Zack1978]

Any ideas as to what the cause of these leaks are?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[SLOwag]

which side was the water on? drivers side/rear wiper reservoir or the passenger side/gas filler. Both of my quarters were full of sand, almost flush with the rear floor. I dug it all and washed it out with water. You might want to pull the plugs on the rocker panels also, take a hose and squirt water in one hole and see what comes out of the other side of the rocker. My rockers were also full of sand.

....on passenger side. I will heed your advice and blow out 23 years of muck. Thanks

I'll be under the truck this weekend to try and find the source of water getting in. Maybe I'll keep the plugs in place but open them up and flush occasionally.

 

[JohnnyBoy]

open them up from the inside and get some oil (krown) in there just spary the piss out of it. it will drip for a few days by it will slow the rusting

 

[Micah]

well i was in 4 feet of water and i got them both full of water, i sure like the holes that allow you to drain them.

 

[calphi27]

Mine were full of water too at one point, until I took out the drains.

 

[cruiser_guy]

There ARE drains in the pinch weld at the bottom of the panels. You probably need to clean them with a wire or zip tie.

 

[Zack1978]

But what is leaking to allow the water to get in there in the first place? Is it the fuel filler neck? What about on the drivers side?

Thanks,
Zack

 

[bajaman]

I'm pretty sure that was the cause of my rear panels rusting out too. When I replaced that whole area I made sure to drill pencil size holes. The factory one where probably the source of the water getting in and eventually plugged off with sand and mud as they are so small.
A buddy of mine has a body shop and gave me a can of a special type of spray ment for the interior of the panels and doors, really oily and/or waxy stuff. Sprayed the hell out of things till it ran out the new drain holes. Seems to be standing up really well.

 

[brownbear]

I would open your interior panels and spray some corrosion inhibiting oil in there.

Water could be coming through the window seals. Or the taillight assy. Or through the wheel well. Just look at the wheel well with a trouble light in there and looking from the inside through the panel.

 

[haryv]

I now have water comming into the left wheel well which before I purchaced it did not. I discovered some unknown body cancer had made a small hole to the left of the body mount behind the left wheel well. Anyway, the hole is exposed to the outside beind the wheel well or at least I think that is the case. Just one more problem for this truck that needs to be delt with.

Brownbear,
What do you recommend to use as a total solution rust preventor for the bottom of these vehicles? I have a existing tary gooey substance that seems to have prevented past corrosion but some areas such as the inside of the frame rail were never covered. I was told by a autobody shop that linsead oil works great but must be applied once a year. Any better ideas?

 

[cruiser_guy]

Krown works great. Look it up on the 'net. There are places all over Canada.

 

[g-man]

I had water in the drivers side rear quarter. It was about a gallon and noticed it dripping when she got up on the lift for state inspection. Inspector didnt notice but I sure did ...it hadn't rained in a while either. took the jack mount out and the interior panel...my tool kit was in there along with other stuff from PO that was all rusted out. Appears the wheel well started rusting along the inside of the trim and thats where it sloshed in from. The plastic plugs in the bottom onced pulled helped to drain it.

 

[dmede808]

My opinion is, it's better to keep the plugs out so that any water that may occasioanlly get in can drain rigfht away rather than try to keep it water tight and risk water sitting in there for any lenght of time.

Clean out the panels real good, then dry them real good (blow dryer), then seal with a good wax/oil preservative. Peridically inspect the drain holes to be sure they are open.

 

[boerboel313]

YOu all have metioned this Krown oil. Is it waxy as well. The po of my 60 looks like he sprayed something all over the under carage and around the front head lightes. It's very waxy. What do you think it is? It seems to be working very well.

 

[YODA 88 62]

The leak is most likely coming from the gaskets above the tail lights. Mine would collect water everytime it rained. I pulled the plugs and have not had a problem since.

 

[jzmq]

The problem with removing the drain plugs and leaving them out, is that the quarter panels will quickly fill with dust/sand etc... I pulled my drain plugs after washing the car one time and no water came out even though it had about 1-2 gallons inside (I was looking from the inside, with the interior panel removed) I put my hand inside and found about a 6 inches worth of thick black mud had filled the entire bottom of the panel and water couldn't drain out.