Water leaking into cab - need ideas

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ManyRifles

ManyRifles

10 Year 15 Year
Joined
Sep 11, 2009
Threads
2
Messages
12
Location
Bulverde, TX
Hey all -

I am at the end of my game here. I have water leaking into the drivers-side cab of my 60 from the firewall area (?) and cannot figure out where it's coming from and what I need to fix.

I've taken up my front carpet (will need to replace, it's a goner, but that Big Gulp I spilled into it last year didn't help either!) and have removed the insulation from the firewall behind the pedals to see where exactly the water is coming in.

I went outside during a rain storm and noticed that the water is slowly dripping down the top-left hand corner, behind the pedals and below the dash. It's the top corner of the front of the cab, where the firewall meets the side panel. I have been all over the top of the engine area - it looked like there was a small crack - since filled, but to no avail.

Could this be the windshield gasket - maybe the water leaking from up there making it's way into the cab and dripping down the panel?

Another clue (maybe unrelated - but started around the same time) is that my air conditioner is no longer blowing cold and has a mildewy smell whenever I try to start it up.

Thanks in advance for your ideas!
 
Very common on these wagons, I had the same problem with my '62. It would also present itself by dripping off the A-pillar grab handle onto my knee. It appears to be coming in around the windshield gasket.

I ended up finding a special Permatex silicone product meant for fixing these things, it's a really runny/thin version of silicone sealant, it comes with a skinny nozzle, I carefully peeled the gasket back a little from the outside and let the stuff "wick" itself between the gasket and glass, also the gasket and the body. Leak went away.
 
KLF said:
Very common on these wagons, I had the same problem with my '62. It would also present itself by dripping off the A-pillar grab handle onto my knee. It appears to be coming in around the windshield gasket.

I ended up finding a special Permatex silicone product meant for fixing these things, it's a really runny/thin version of silicone sealant, it comes with a skinny nozzle, I carefully peeled the gasket back a little from the outside and let the stuff "wick" itself between the gasket and glass, also the gasket and the body. Leak went away.
Click to expand...

Did that as well, helped a ton. I still have a small leak; I think it's the seam behind the fender. It's no longer sealed on any of my 60s (but soon will be).
 
Very cool - thanks! I will definitely try the windshield gasket. Is this something I can do myself, or is it better to have a pro set the window?

Should I try to reseal the old/current gasket first, or just go with a new one?

How do you get to the seam behind the fender? I am guessing I need to remove the fender?

Thanks, all!
 
Our rigs are old and in my case, dry rotted from an eternity in the desert.

I wire wheeled my gutters out, replaced my windshield and gasket (Toyota) and refilled the gutters with 3m sealant. Not only does it look great but it is of course dry now.

I also put Durabak on the roof, which I have fallen in love with.
 
Update on the water leak - stilll leaking.

Hey all -

Quick update here. Long story short - still leaking on both sides of the front cab. I've been under the dash with a flashlight and I *swear* it looks like the water is leaking out from the corners of the windshield gasket. There is a a metal seam that connects with the bottom corners of the gasket - and it looks like it's leaking from that spot - at the furthest corners of the gasket. In a good rain (which we've been having a lot lately) it's a steady drip - enough to add about an inch of water to my floor boards.

But here's the damnedest thing of all - when my rig is facing downhill, the dripping is worse on the driver's side, but when I am facing uphill, the dripping/water is worse on the passenger side.

Here is what I've done:

  • New windshield gasket (Toyota OEM)
  • Re-sealed hood/firewall cowl seal
  • Sealed gaskets/cracks in firewall (engine side)
  • Fixed small rust hole in running board on passenger's side
  • Re-sealed rain gutters
I've taken it back 3 times to the folks who did the windshield gasket, as it absolutely looks like it's dripping from the windshield gasket, but they've twice told me the gasket was thoroughly tested and is holding.

They are telling me that the water is coming in from the cabin air intake - the grate in front of the windshield/between the windshield wipers. However, I've pulled the covers and ran a hose and that doesn't seem to be the issue. Their response was that the water has to sit - and build up - and then it starts to leak.

I've seen this suggestion as well:
I had the same small trickle behind the kick panel. Turns out there is a seam between the left fender and the body that was the culprit. It's a difficult area to reach with caullk, but I was able to do it. The best fix would be to take the fender off first.

My only question/concern is that it seems that the water leak is above the fender or at least seems that way, but if the water has to build-up prior to dripping - then this may make sense.

I am not opposed to giving this a try, but are there any instructions I can get on how to take off the fenders?

Thanks, all.

Many Rifles
 
Thanks - will check that for sure.

Also got a quote from a body shop for $300 - just to remove the panels, plus whatever work needs to be done . . . seems a little high to me.

How hard is it to take these off? ;)
 
I had a leak in the same area. There is a seam behind the very top corner of the fenders, directly below the corners of the windshield. The only way to get to it is to remove the fenders, dig out he rotting seam sealer and reseal. It's not that bad taking off the fenders once you get the factory seam sealer dug out. Don't pay somebody to do it, you can do it on a Saturday. Once you get in there, put seam sealer in every seam you see, including the vertical ones. I also left off the drain tubes. Those suckers don't do much but trap leaves and dirt. Also, check around the cabin air inlet on the passenger side.
 
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Cool - thanks. Will definitely give it a shot.

Any recommendations on what kind of seal to use? I know to not use silicon, but what would be the best/last the longest here?

Thanks again!
 
KLF said:
I ended up finding a special Permatex silicone product meant for fixing these things, it's a really runny/thin version of silicone sealant, it comes with a skinny nozzle, I carefully peeled the gasket back a little from the outside and let the stuff "wick" itself between the gasket and glass, also the gasket and the body. Leak went away.
Click to expand...

This the one you used ... ?

80764h.jpg


:D
 
Crazy. I just found this old post and figured I should close the loop for anyone who may find it in the future.

It took me about 10 years to finally discover - quite by accident - that there are TWO different windshield gaskets for the FJ-60. One plain, and one with an interior metal trim. I guess I never asked the right questions!

When I went to the windshield replacement shop, they used the one that required the interior metal trim - and didn't add in the trim to produce the right seal - thus creating a super-small space around the gasket with which water could enter the cab. If they had used the right trim - or know about this - this would never have happened.

Meanwhile, I spent years tracking down this phantom issue.

After all this time, the windshield frame is completely rotted out with rust - the wrong windshield allowed water to get in and get trapped, so body work was required to repair.

And of course, I needed the right trim -

www.cityracerllc.com

Windshield Weatherstrip for Land Cruiser FJ60 FJ62

Windshield weatherstrip for 8/'80-1/'90 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 and FJ62, without groove for the chrome molding strip. High quality aftermarket product used by top restoration shops. Note: We recommend using this type of replacement windshield weatherstrip over OEM or one with the trim groove...
www.cityracerllc.com
 
ManyRifles said:
But here's the damnedest thing of all - when my rig is facing downhill, the dripping is worse on the driver's side, but when I am facing uphill, the dripping/water is worse on the passenger side.
Click to expand...

Years later sounds like you have way more issues now. Only thing I could think of for how it parked is the direction of the rain. If coming from the same direction all the time it would come in the vent facing that direction. But sounds like you have bigger problems now.
 
ManyRifles said:
Crazy. I just found this old post and figured I should close the loop for anyone who may find it in the future.

It took me about 10 years to finally discover - quite by accident - that there are TWO different windshield gaskets for the FJ-60. One plain, and one with an interior metal trim. I guess I never asked the right questions!

When I went to the windshield replacement shop, they used the one that required the interior metal trim - and didn't add in the trim to produce the right seal - thus creating a super-small space around the gasket with which water could enter the cab. If they had used the right trim - or know about this - this would never have happened.

Meanwhile, I spent years tracking down this phantom issue.

After all this time, the windshield frame is completely rotted out with rust - the wrong windshield allowed water to get in and get trapped, so body work was required to repair.

And of course, I needed the right trim -

www.cityracerllc.com

Windshield Weatherstrip for Land Cruiser FJ60 FJ62

Windshield weatherstrip for 8/'80-1/'90 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ60 and FJ62, without groove for the chrome molding strip. High quality aftermarket product used by top restoration shops. Note: We recommend using this type of replacement windshield weatherstrip over OEM or one with the trim groove...
www.cityracerllc.com
Click to expand...
There is also a special sealant that is supposed to be used, that apparently not all glass shops use for these types of gaskets. It needs to be applied around the perimeter underneath the gasket where it meets the body AND where the glass meets the gasket. You need a very thin nozzle, and it makes a huge mess because it's so runny. I can't recall the name of the specific product I bought (and I just bought it a few weeks ago), but my local "real" autobody/auto parts store had it. It's specifically made for sealing window moldings to bodies. It's not the same sealant they use to adhere modern windshields to the body.
 
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