mystery leak

[AZNinaSUPRA]

my passenger side front floorboard has a puddle in it. It hasn't happened in a while so i thought i had solved the problem already but today was a disappointing day. I have never seen any drips coming from anywhere. i have no idea where its origin is. any ideas?

[Talksoup]

What kind of fluid,ie;coolant.If its not coolant,roll your windows up!Spilled soda?
Help us help you.

[AZNinaSUPRA]

sorry, wrote too quickly out of frustration. it's rainwater. -windows up, thanks:rolleyes:lol

[83CelWA]

Have a sunroof? If you do it could be that the lower drain on that side is clogged. If not it could be that the windshield is leaking.

[AZNinaSUPRA]

i realized a while ago that my sunroof was ruined so i sealed it with silicon (just till i have the time/money/resources to fix it). if it is the windshield, where and how should i check it and how can it be fixed.

[82_in_FL]

It may be hard to see but look under the lower windshield trim just inboard of the A pillar. Could be a rust hole in the body cowl. Not much fun to fix. Also a remote chance that it is coming in through the blower motor air intake, but there is a pretty high lip around that to prevent water intrusion. You do still have the plastic block off plate installed over top of it and have the plate sealed well to the surrounding cowl don't you?

Keith

[AZNinaSUPRA]

cowl? block plate? I'm ashamed to say im quite inexperienced with the car(take it easy on me). everything should be as stock, only thing changed was a replacement 5m. would a tsrm page make this simpler?

[denvermk2]

Go to an auto carwash and see it your self.

[AJ]

A/C condenser (in passenger compartment) drain clogged??

[SilverMk2]

heater core?

[AZNinaSUPRA]

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f326/deeelahn/Photo0013.jpg

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f326/deeelahn/Photo0014.jpg


i know its poor quality, i just snapped a quick few with my phone.

[82_in_FL]

Wow! And that is just your trim panel. I don't think you want to see what remains of the actual body under that panel. Probably a rusted mess of metal and holes where metal used to be. Good luck.

Keith

[david]

The front cowl is a metal piece under the windshield wiper arms. If yours is like mine, 1985 Toyota Celica Supra, the leak is from one of two places like previously mentioned. The front just under the windshield. Remove the vinyl covered pillar covers they snap on. Then you can see where a possible leak is.

With a sunroof the front windshield pillars. You can figure this out when you remove the side kick panels.

Mine was leaking through the pillars. There is a hose running from the sunroof drains located on the front left and right of the sunroof tray (two holes). Water was running down the outside of the hoses instead of the inside. This water eventually got into the area where the electrical connectors were and corroded, causing intermittant short circuits. It took me a long time to find this. Cleaned connectors and no more intermittant electrical short circuits. Went through three sets of alternators and batteries. So is this a serious problem? Yep.

Used Rust Bullet (Automotive) on the rust (caused by the leaks) on the area underneath the windshield, pillars, and kick panel areas (you have to remove all the electronics, and connectors). MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT PAINT OVER THE BOLT HOLE FOR THE GROUND, white wires with black stripes.

[david]

And people thought that I was nuts for wanting to make a cowl from aluminum.

Now I think that the rust from the cowl went into the space between the firewall and the interior. Seems like the rust ate up the area around the raised intake for the heater and air conditioner. Looks like dashboard and window removal time.

[AZNinaSUPRA]

The front cowl is a metal piece under the windshield wiper arms. If yours is like mine, 1985 Toyota Celica Supra, the leak is from one of two places like previously mentioned. The front just under the windshield. Remove the vinyl covered pillar covers they snap on. Then you can see where a possible leak is.

With a sunroof the front windshield pillars. You can figure this out when you remove the side kick panels.

Mine was leaking through the pillars. There is a hose running from the sunroof drains located on the front left and right of the sunroof tray (two holes). Water was running down the outside of the hoses instead of the inside. This water eventually got into the area where the electrical connectors were and corroded, causing intermittant short circuits. It took me a long time to find this. Cleaned connectors and no more intermittant electrical short circuits. Went through three sets of alternators and batteries. So is this a serious problem? Yep.

Used Rust Bullet (Automotive) on the rust (caused by the leaks) on the area underneath the windshield, pillars, and kick panel areas (you have to remove all the electronics, and connectors). MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT PAINT OVER THE BOLT HOLE FOR THE GROUND, white wires with black stripes.

damn. not enough money, not enough time. no shorts as of yet. everything on the car is running strong, or so it seems for now. em.. i hate to disappoint anyone but, how could i just stop the leaking until i am more able to handle it all properly?

[Breadsticks14]

For a very temporary fix, some Ultra Black Silicone or 'The Right Stuff' could do the trick. It's fast curing and can seal any surrounding leaks. You can buy many kinds of Silicone at any auto-parts store.

When time comes to real repair, getting the silicone completely off is time consuming, but is possible.

[david]

Something else, after carefully looking at your photos. The windshield wipers are not the OEM and when they go into the retract mode they are hitting the cowl instead of stopping on the "speed bump" windshield wiper stop (raised ramp area with a piece of rubber) and eating off the paint, hence now you have problems. And yes, you can try to adjust the arms all day long but that will not prevent this from happening because the non OEM wiper blades and rubber refills are too tall. Guess how I know. You tend to find these things out the *&^%^$$# hard way, if you are the Original Owner, since 1985.

That shiney area under the passengers side wiper in your photo in the middle of the rust is where it started and is still doing it. This is going to be true for the driver's side wiper blade, arm and rubber refill (insert)..

Take a look at my new post in restoration pertaining to cowl, wiper arms. Also noticed that you do not have an ATC Sensor Cover, the thing that is on the dashboard next to the passenger side defroster vent. Take a look at my post on dashboard repair.