current status of my project

[8380 Labs]

i've spent the last couple months carpetless as i try to track down and resolve all the water leaks in my car. i thoroughly sealed up the blower motor seal with some RTV silicone and that seems to have resolved the majority of my issue up front.

i also have some issues in the rear footwells. one leak occurs only when the car is moving, aka driving in the rain. i had my brother in the car with me yesterday as we drove through a storm, and discovered the water is coming up from both the round seals in the pics...which look like areas where a wire loom passes from the inside of the car to the outside. it pools up around the seal, then travels the path of least resistance towards the outboard sides of the car, then down into the footwells. anyone have a similar issue? how can it be coming into the car so easily from below?

pass side


driver side


my other issue in the rear footwells occurs when the car is parked. it appears to be coming from the back of the car towards the trunk.



under close inspection it appears to be coming from under the reinforcement bar to the right of the arrow, it may be coming from the trunk? i dont get why it would travel towards the front of the car though if it were coming from the trunk.



it travels down along the side of the seat in the groove where the wiring runs and falls down the steps as seen by the arrows in the above pic.

then down into my footwell.



i'm pretty amazed at how completely and thoroughly this car leaks. i've had it up on a lift numerous times and have the carpet out as well. the floors are totally solid and there are no signs of repairs, etc. i guess its just bad seals, at least thats what im hoping. any help is appreciated.

[Asbradley21]

Check your sunroof drains, they've been known to dump water there if they have a problem.

[8380 Labs]

that was the first thing i tested, they are clear. as well as the drains in the rocker.

i just went and pulled my trunk apart, and i think it ma actually be my taillight and/or trunk seal. i know my taillights leak for sure, i just didnt think it would migrate to the front of the car ha.

[lagoon]

Same thing happened to me. As you've already mentioned, I think the trunk seal and tail light gaskets might be suspect. If you have pop-out windows those might let some water in as well.

How wet was the trunk when you tore it apart? I'm not sure if this is relevant, but the antenna grommet sometimes cracks and you'd be surprised how much water gets through that small hole (though the water usually pools in the jack tool area if this is the case).

[e30this]

There are little trim pieces behind your rear windows. Usually the grommets take a shit and water goes in through there.
If that isnt the case here then Id start with your window seals on the quarter windows.

[deansbimmer]

If it only builds up when you drive, check the rear wheel well. With the wheel off, take the covers off the evap system and check up at the very top of the wheel well. Its a common rust spot and if it rusts through, it will leak into the trunk and into the same area you're having issues with. It won't be sunroof related and not likely to be window related since it only does it when driving.

[8380 Labs]

Same thing happened to me. As you've already mentioned, I think the trunk seal and tail light gaskets might be suspect. If you have pop-out windows those might let some water in as well.

How wet was the trunk when you tore it apart? I'm not sure if this is relevant, but the antenna grommet sometimes cracks and you'd be surprised how much water gets through that small hole (though the water usually pools in the jack tool area if this is the case).

no pop-outs.

the trunk wasnt super wet, but there was quite a bit of condensation in it. i've already removed the antenna and replaced it with a plug & gasket though so that's not it. the battery tray has a decent amount of water in it, and once i got the carpet out i could see the trail from the taillights, down along the plastic trim that houses the battery cables as they pass through the back seat wall and down along the area that i took pics of in the initial post. i need to get some new taillight seals and see what that does.

if that doesnt work i have a feeling it could also be my trunk seals, we'll see. thanks for the responses. :)

[8380 Labs]

If it only builds up when you drive, check the rear wheel well. With the wheel off, take the covers off the evap system and check up at the very top of the wheel well. Its a common rust spot and if it rusts through, it will leak into the trunk and into the same area you're having issues with. It won't be sunroof related and not likely to be window related since it only does it when driving.

the popped the round rubber seals out (pics of seals in the first post) and they open up right above the axles pretty much. the seals seem kinda dry rotted, so it looks like water from the rear wheels/axles is getting sprayed up into them when the car is moving and it's coming up through and causing the leak into the footwell when the car is moving. its definitely not the windows, i've got the rear panels out and tested the window seals and they don't leak at all.

[e30this]

Now drive through your local car wash that sprays the bottom of your car while you drive in and see if it comes through..

[8380 Labs]

i havent repaired anything yet...

[learningcurve86]

I have the same issue... water comes up through the passenger bench and pools and then migrates down to the rear footwells.

it's been raining the past few days... i'm probably carrying about 3lbs of water right now. :(

taking my carpet out next weekend to try and find all of my issues. how obnoxiously loud is it? I'm going to dynamat (sp) my floor before the carpet goes back in.

[8380 Labs]

sounds like you've got the exact same issue. without the carpet the car is definitely noisier, but nothing unbearable.

do yourself a favor and just rip all the carpeting and rear seats/door panels out and take the time to diagnose it all, it will be worth it once you get it buttoned up and watertight.

[SpasticDwarf]

This may be a dumb question, but have you checked your sunroof seals and drainage tubes? The leaking while driving may be coming from air pressure and/or wind on the sunroof, possibly causing a gap for water and/or air.
Could be leaking its way through the car and down. I've had it happen on one of my old cars.

Just a thought.

[deansbimmer]

the popped the round rubber seals out (pics of seals in the first post) and they open up right above the axles pretty much. the seals seem kinda dry rotted, so it looks like water from the rear wheels/axles is getting sprayed up into them when the car is moving and it's coming up through and causing the leak into the footwell when the car is moving. its definitely not the windows, i've got the rear panels out and tested the window seals and they don't leak at all.

Dunno... Thats alot of water to get through dry rotted seals. Especially for seals out of the plane of tire rotation. That much water would have to be leaking in from somewhere in the same plane of rotation as the tires. Those seals are too inboard IMO. Look directly in the whelwell.

[8380 Labs]

i spent a lot of time looking at the wheel wells when the car was up on the lift during the suspension install, and i even scrubbed them clean, and don't see any holes or anything. we could see the water puddling up out of the seals as we drove through the rain, it wasnt dropping down from anywhere else that we could see.

ill take another look though.