Water Leak from Battery Area (Under Hood)

[Zambuzan]

So I've been fighting this water leak for the better part of six months now and just when I thought I had used enough silicone, I still get a soggy passenger-side carpet after heavy rain or even a simply car wash! I've had two different water leaks w/ the car and this is by far the most annoying (the other being from the heater core area).

So this leak is located in the passenger-side engine compartment where the verts have their batteries. The water is leaking from the corner of the engine bay and making its way down near the A/C lines (this is the main leak which caused the soggy passenger-side carpet). I figured I would just squeeze a crap ton of silicone by the two A/C lines to close the gap since the grommet (64531372609) is all dried out. WELL the silicone seals well enough BUT I still haven't fixed the main issue which is the water entering in the first place. I also want to add that my cowls (51131904571) are clean and my elephant trunk (1731911369) is also clean and functional (and sunroof drains are good too). Water is also entering the opposite side (new the fuse box) but no water has gotten into the driver-side carpet (fingers crossed).

So have you guys experienced this leak before? What have you done to fix it? I don't think I need a new hood seal (51711919961) since it's 100% in tact.

Thanks in advance!

[Zambuzan]

Literally just last night...

edit: photos are upside down... dafuq

[jeffnhiscars]

How is water even getting in to your engine bay

[Zambuzan]

How is water even getting in to your engine bay

You tell me LOL. Like I said: cowls are clean, sunroof drains are clean, elephant trunk is clean, hood seal is in good condition. It's just the corners of the engine bay (both sides) where water seems to get into.

[jeffnhiscars]

Let's assume for a moment that the laws of physics make your initial diagnosis impossible. It's either coming through the cowl, the windshield seal or from inside the car from either a leaky heater core or backed up AC drain.

Can you rule all of those out with 100% certainty

[Zambuzan]

Let's assume for a moment that the laws of physics make your initial diagnosis impossible. It's either coming through the cowl, the windshield seal or from inside the car from either a leaky heater core or backed up AC drain.

Can you rule all of those out with 100% certainty

Florida e30s: when it's not rust, it's wet carpets! LOL

Well the laws of physics are just "theories" afterall ;) maybe they don't apply to e30s....

Anyway, I can rule all that you have mentioned out EXCEPT for the cowls because there were two small holes inside the cowls which connected the rubber backing of the firewall, and overtime the rubber has dried which has caused water to get through into the engine bay itself. I tried to indicate that in this new picture (ps NOT MY PICTURE). The red dots show where water used to enter from the cowl but I put a bunch of silicone so now it doesn't leak (as much). However, the green dots show where water currently gets in through. I hope I made this clearer now. BTW it leaks in when the hood is fully closed.

Would you be kind enough to test this? Grab a jug of water or two and dump it/them over the cowls or by the edges of the hood, then pop the hood and see if you have any water by the corners. Although you might be reluctant to do so since your battery is under the hood...
Thanks...

[jeffnhiscars]

If they were theories they wouldn't be "laws" of physics. By definition they are not random or vague :)

[tomstin]

Open the hood and remove the gasket. I think you will find a gap between two pieces of the ridge that the gasket sits on right by the battery tray. Seal that! I had a similar problem where I would find water on the battery tray. And it would drip onto the AC hoses and into the car and drip onto the passenger floor.