Help With Water Leaks From Everywhere

kiwi

TJ Enthusiast
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Mar 26, 2021
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515
Location
Seattle
I'm going to try and make this as comprehensive as possible, but basically, my jeep leaks EVERYWHERE

Here are all the places that it gets wet after it rains:
(Sorry the pictures may have added weird)

The windshield frame could be from condensation, it also gets wet on the inside of the hardtop from condensation
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Both front footwells, carpet underneath is soaked
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Under rear mat and seat, and probably the worst under rear seat foot wells
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So practically every part of the carpet gets wet, except for the rear fender wells,
This is completely dry on both sides
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I have yet to find the best way to detect leaks, but today i blasted the heater inside and walked around the outside running my hand along every seal. I felt strong air coming out in these locations:

Both corners of the hardtop/tail gate, where the seal ends
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All along the driver side hardtop window, but not along the passenger side
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On both sides at the top of the door, where the windshield frame, hardtop, and door meet
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And lastly at the bottom of the window on the drivers side only
I can feel it strongly out of this, and the crack on the drivers side is much larger than the passenger side which doesn't leak air
Drivers side:
tempImageiOPCk6.png
Passenger side:
tempImageWstFNX.png

So far i've replaced the passenger side door seal, and the seal on the hardtop window at the bottom.
I also replaced the window frame pillar trim on the drivers side as it was cracked

Any help is much appreciated, thanks!

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A couple of quick things.
You might not have as many leaks as you think. The carpet can catch water in one place and wick it to another place.
You may have to remove the soft top brackets to get the rear window (liftgate) to close and seal better.
It also looks like there's a piece added to the top of the tailgate. That's usually a bandaid for a bad liftgate seal.
The condensation is most likely from all the wet carpet.

A good way to find leaks, is to sit inside while someone runs a garden hose over the Jeep.
 
A couple of quick things.
You might not have as many leaks as you think. The carpet can catch water in one place and wick it to another place.
You may have to remove the soft top brackets to get the rear window (liftgate) to close and seal better.
It also looks like there's a piece added to the top of the tailgate. That's usually a bandaid for a bad liftgate seal.
The condensation is most likely from all the wet carpet.

A good way to find leaks, is to sit inside while someone runs a garden hose over the Jeep.
Did you mean this seal on the tailgate? It was on it when i bought the jeep.
C99433BC-982A-42B3-9AAC-B2E1699D0092.jpeg

I left it on but replaced this seal on the back window…
FD84FED2-B916-480D-A202-87B94BB721F0.jpeg

Since i replaced the window seal can i remove the one from the tailgate?
 
That type of tailgate seal is put on when people use a cheaper Rampage type soft top/trek top, the tailgate bar doesn't fit correct on the Rampage tops like it does on the OEM so people take the seal off the tailgate bar and put it on top of the tailgate.

Also when you close the door the pressure inside can cause the liftgate to pop out a bit and not seal, you need to push each corner shut after you lock up if rain is expected.

Front outside vent can leak dripping water onto the front carpets, there's a YouTube fix for this.
 
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That type of tailgate seal is put on when people use a cheaper Rampage type soft top/trek top, the tailgate bar doesn't fit correct on the Rampage tops like it does on the OEM so people take the seal off the tailgate bar and put it on top of the tailgate.

Also when you close the door the pressure inside can cause the liftgate to pop out a bit and not seal, you need to push each corner shut after you lock up if rain is expected.

Front outside vent can leak dripping water onto the front carpets, there's a YouTube fix for this.
I don’t use a soft top. Just a hard top or no top. Does that mean i can take the seal off the tailgate?

Also i assume you are referring to the cowl vent, which i did clean out.
 
A couple of quick things.
You might not have as many leaks as you think. The carpet can catch water in one place and wick it to another place.
You may have to remove the soft top brackets to get the rear window (liftgate) to close and seal better.
It also looks like there's a piece added to the top of the tailgate. That's usually a bandaid for a bad liftgate seal.
The condensation is most likely from all the wet carpet.

A good way to find leaks, is to sit inside while someone runs a garden hose over the Jeep.
In our auto body shop we set up a hose to constantly spray a fine mist on whole cars leaky section after some hours leak appears. Must be fine mist not water spraying. Water can Creep when not under any forced pressure.
 
Since i replaced the window seal can i remove the one from the tailgate?
Yes, you shouldn't need it when everything else is working properly.

As far as the soft top brackets, some say they also help hold the rear window down.
Depends on whether your new rear seal snaps into them.
Newer brackets aren't designed the same and have to be removed when a hardtop is installed.
 
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In our auto body shop we set up a hose to constantly spray a fine mist on whole cars leaky section after some hours leak appears. Must be fine mist not water spraying. Water can Creep when not under any forced pressure.
How much does it usually cost to have some leaks fixed? For example what you know so far about mine how much do you think it’d cost?
 
I don't know where the water is coming from but I bet almost all of the condensation on the windshield and top are from the soggy carpet. You should probably pull the carpet and hang it up somewhere to dry and check the metal floors look OK.
I pulled them today, the metal floors are fine. When i first got the jeep i pulled everything and wire wheeled/painted the rusty spots so they were fine.
 
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I pulled them today, the metal floors are fine. When i first got the jeep i pulled everything and wire wheeled/painted the rusty spots so they were fine.
How much does it usually cost to have some leaks fixed? For example what you know so far about mine how much do you think it’d cost?
Lets find them first. Get a shop-vac / Electric leaf blower and make cardboard template and seal hose and cardboard to side window. Turn on and pressurize interior and spray soapy water on entire car ( you will see bubbles around leaks.) but not the under carriage. If no leaks detected you could have holes in under carriage.
 
Condensation on the hard top is pretty normal - try sleeping in your jeep, it'll be dripping when you wake up
 
Condensation on the hard top is pretty normal - try sleeping in your jeep, it'll be dripping when you wake up

I haven't slept in my TJ and it only has a soft top but I have been randomly surprised several times by the number of "rain" drops falling on me on the first drive of the day. It always reminds me of sleeping in a tent but at least most of that condensation rolls down to the sides.
 
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