Wet interior

[tman66]

OK, I know this is a popular subject, with the passenger side being wet.

The 1st time I noticed this was a dreaded feeling, knowing it was going to be the heater core. I'm fretting and worrying about the whole thing. Then I remembered, there was a rubber plug in the glove box.

Lifted the carpet and lo and behold, there was a hole there, so it was just water splashing up through the hole. I inserted the rubber plug and thought I was good.

Rained hard last week. Wet floor.

OK. It's the cowl drain. I didn't want to remove the cowl until I got my paint in, so I could touch it up.

Well, it rained another gully washer yesterday and decided when I got home to pull off the cowl and fix it.

The cowl drain was fine.

Now what?

Where is the water coming from? When the drain is clogged, does the water go into that black plenum AC thing?

The base of the plenum thing looks to have caulking all around it, it looks ok, so I don't think it's that.

I wonder why the plug was removed in the 1st place?

This isn't a little dampness. It's water that make waves. :lol:

Next move?

 

[Kyle_W]

OK, I know this is a popular subject, with the passenger side being wet.

The 1st time I noticed this was a dreaded feeling, knowing it was going to be the heater core. I'm fretting and worrying about the whole thing. Then I remembered, there was a rubber plug in the glove box.

Lifted the carpet and lo and behold, there was a hole there, so it was just water splashing up through the hole. I inserted the rubber plug and thought I was good.

Rained hard last week. Wet floor.

OK. It's the cowl drain. I didn't want to remove the cowl until I got my paint in, so I could touch it up.

Well, it rained another gully washer yesterday and decided when I got home to pull off the cowl and fix it.

The cowl drain was fine.

Now what?

Where is the water coming from? When the drain is clogged, does the water go into that black plenum AC thing?

The base of the plenum thing looks to have caulking all around it, it looks ok, so I don't think it's that.

I wonder why the plug was removed in the 1st place?

This isn't a little dampness. It's water that make waves. :lol:

Next move?

I've had the same problem ever since I got my Jeep. At first it was water clinging to the bottom of the AC condensate drain and blowing back into the cab of my Jeep. Put a 1/2" PVC elbow on it to make it quit clinging.

Then, puddles of water still formed on my passenger floor board. I took off my cowl, tried to clean the cowl drain as much as I could, and caulked the air intake plastic thingy so that no water could seep through the seal and into the AC air intake. Puddles of water still formed.

Now, on the driver side my windshield is leaking and puddling up on my driver floorboard. I also think that my hard top could use a brand new seal around the rear of the tub because my rear carpet is always wet too after it rains.

But, to answer your original question, I honestly am not sure. I'm just as frustrated as you are.

 

[LCL-Dead]

Mine was faulty windshield installation caused by the guy not wanting to remove the hinge mounted light bar to give himself enough room for the install. This led to water pooling on the passenger side floor. A new windshield, while also removing the light bar itself to give the tech room to work, fixed it.

 

[JP98]

OK, I know this is a popular subject, with the passenger side being wet.

The 1st time I noticed this was a dreaded feeling, knowing it was going to be the heater core. I'm fretting and worrying about the whole thing. Then I remembered, there was a rubber plug in the glove box.

Lifted the carpet and lo and behold, there was a hole there, so it was just water splashing up through the hole. I inserted the rubber plug and thought I was good.

Rained hard last week. Wet floor.

OK. It's the cowl drain. I didn't want to remove the cowl until I got my paint in, so I could touch it up.

Well, it rained another gully washer yesterday and decided when I got home to pull off the cowl and fix it.

The cowl drain was fine.

Now what?

Where is the water coming from? When the drain is clogged, does the water go into that black plenum AC thing?

The base of the plenum thing looks to have caulking all around it, it looks ok, so I don't think it's that.

I wonder why the plug was removed in the 1st place?

This isn't a little dampness. It's water that make waves. :lol:

Next move?

Get the wife to ride shotgun upside down with her head under the dash while you take it through the car wash. She can see where the water is coming from. If she says no, then tell her you will have to buy a GoPro and install it so you can find the leak.

 

[Kyle_W]

Get the wife to ride shotgun upside down with her head under the dash while you take it through the car wash. She can see where the water is coming from. If she says no, then tell her you will have to buy a GoPro and install it so you can find the leak.

GoPro HD Hero 5, to be exact.

 

[CodaMan]

Get the wife to ride shotgun upside down with her head under the dash while you take it through the car wash. She can see where the water is coming from. If she says no, then tell her you will have to buy a GoPro and install it so you can find the leak.

:jump:

 

[The Real Lxxtsy]

Mine leaks from the heater assembly box located on the passenger side, the seal is garbage.

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1...eb820925d17fff75a93f0_grande.jpg?v=1488830287

 

[bobthetj03]

Mine leaked passenger side as well. After doing everything you did with the cowl drain and such, I ended up dropping the windshield frame down and ran a thick bead of silicone all along the weatherstrip that seals the windshield frame to the tub. Fixed it. Dry as a bone.

 

[fourpointzero]

I too had a slight leak pooling on my passenger side. I replaced my door seal because it I didn't see anything coming from the firewall area in terms of moisture. But I did feel around and noticed water coming from under my door. Which is why I figured the seal. I still need to give it another go w a hose or carwash to be sure it's resolved.

Def a pain in the D!


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[tman66]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll put on my swimming trunks and start spraying water to see if I can find the culprit.

 

[Fouledplugs]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll put on my swimming trunks and start spraying water to see if I can find the culprit.

Yea a hose with a pressurized nozzle and maybe a ladder is the best way to replicate rain. Good luck. Hope it is quick and cheap fix for you.

 

[fourpointzero]

Be sure to let us in on where and how you fixed your issue, if indeed you do.


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[JamesAndTheSahara]

I don't take credit for it, this was shared on another forum but I figured it may be helpful (WF to be exact by forum member: Erikpl)

"
Hope it doesn't smell like Lake Erie!

If you want to find the path water is taking, sprinkle baby powder along the floorboards, on the side under the doors, up along the front of the floorboards, etc.

Then, sit inside while somebody hoses the Jeep. Watch for where the path comes from and then look at the answers below.

The problem is usually one of the following:
Source: Roof leaks around door
Fix: Try to adjust seals so seals properly close when door is closed.

Source: Drain in cowl (center of cowl just behind hood)
Fix: Clean it out with a bent coat hanger until all debris is gone. If you don't live or park under trees, this likely isn't it.

Source: A/C condensation
Fix: 90 degree elbow hose off firewall. Remove battery to find this.

Source: Water running down firewall to heater core.
Fix: Use sealant (like you use on your differentials) to seal up the seam around the heater core. You can tell if this is the source by reaching up underneath the dash till you feel a ridge. You'll also feel a spongy material - that is the heater core gasket. If it is wet, that is likely your source.

Source: Water from fresh air intake on passenger side.
Fix: Use sealant (like you use on your differentials) to seal up the vent's outer side. Previous owner attempted this, and did a lousy job. I redid it. My Jeep is a 97. Some newer models have a cover over that intake, but you may still want to run a bead of sealant around that cover, just as a precaution.

Source: Seal under windshield is bad.
Fix: Replace it. I've seen writeups here or on JF where somebody got generic gasket material, then made a new gasket for under the windshield. Haven't tried that personally, but apparently, he had good results.
"

 

[John Rooks]

I've had the same problem ever since I got my Jeep. At first it was water clinging to the bottom of the AC condensate drain and blowing back into the cab of my Jeep. Put a 1/2" PVC elbow on it to make it quit clinging.

Then, puddles of water still formed on my passenger floor board. I took off my cowl, tried to clean the cowl drain as much as I could, and caulked the air intake plastic thingy so that no water could seep through the seal and into the AC air intake. Puddles of water still formed.

Now, on the driver side my windshield is leaking and puddling up on my driver floorboard. I also think that my hard top could use a brand new seal around the rear of the tub because my rear carpet is always wet too after it rains.

But, to answer your original question, I honestly am not sure. I'm just as frustrated as you are.

The wet carpet in the rear h d me baffled too. Then I found the culprit was the rear hatch window seal. The seal (gasket) is glued to the top, the top is textured and the seal is smooth. If there's not enough adhesive to fill the textured crevices it will leak. I got a small paint brush and some plastidip and painted around the outside of the seal and let dry....no more leak. New door seals and door adjustment cleared my leaks in front.

 

[Kyle_W]

The wet carpet in the rear h d me baffled too. Then I found the culprit was the rear hatch window seal. The seal (gasket) is glued to the top, the top is textured and the seal is smooth. If there's not enough adhesive to fill the textured crevices it will leak. I got a small paint brush and some plastidip and painted around the outside of the seal and let dry....no more leak. New door seals and door adjustment cleared my leaks in front.

I used silicone to seal this gap and than used a scraper to take off any excess for a clean line. I think it's just a hole in the corner of the tailgate / rubber seal. I can see light through it when I'm in my Jeep.

But haha nice - at least one of us has no leaky problems!


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[05 Blue Unlimited]

Get the wife to ride shotgun upside down with her head under the dash while you take it through the car wash. She can see where the water is coming from. If she says no, then tell her you will have to buy a GoPro and install it so you can find the leak.

 

[TJK]

I don't take credit for it, this was shared on another forum but I figured it may be helpful (WF to be exact by forum member: Erikpl)

"
Hope it doesn't smell like Lake Erie! View attachment 18804

If you want to find the path water is taking, sprinkle baby powder along the floorboards, on the side under the doors, up along the front of the floorboards, etc.

Then, sit inside while somebody hoses the Jeep. Watch for where the path comes from and then look at the answers below.

The problem is usually one of the following:
Source: Roof leaks around door
Fix: Try to adjust seals so seals properly close when door is closed.

Source: Drain in cowl (center of cowl just behind hood)
Fix: Clean it out with a bent coat hanger until all debris is gone. If you don't live or park under trees, this likely isn't it.

Source: A/C condensation
Fix: 90 degree elbow hose off firewall. Remove battery to find this.

Source: Water running down firewall to heater core.
Fix: Use sealant (like you use on your differentials) to seal up the seam around the heater core. You can tell if this is the source by reaching up underneath the dash till you feel a ridge. You'll also feel a spongy material - that is the heater core gasket. If it is wet, that is likely your source.

Source: Water from fresh air intake on passenger side.
Fix: Use sealant (like you use on your differentials) to seal up the vent's outer side. Previous owner attempted this, and did a lousy job. I redid it. My Jeep is a 97. Some newer models have a cover over that intake, but you may still want to run a bead of sealant around that cover, just as a precaution.

Source: Seal under windshield is bad.
Fix: Replace it. I've seen writeups here or on JF where somebody got generic gasket material, then made a new gasket for under the windshield. Haven't tried that personally, but apparently, he had good results.
"

Pulling up this old thread to ask, for the problem of water running down the firewall to the heater core, do you have photos of the area to seal on firewall side? Is it below the battery? Mine is leaking from where the HVAC assembly joins the rear passenger footwell to the firewall. Is that what you meant by reaching up under dash for the ridge/foamy material?

Here is a pic that shows my leak location from passenger side footwell.

 

[TJK]

Pulling up this old thread to ask, for the problem of water running down the firewall to the heater core, do you have photos of the area to seal on firewall side? Is it below the battery? Mine is leaking from where the HVAC assembly joins the rear passenger footwell to the firewall. Is that what you meant by reaching up under dash for the ridge/foamy material?

Here is a pic that shows my leak location from passenger side footwell.

View attachment 293462

Just realized that your post was from another member, I'll track that one down and reply there