Body Leak
 

Hey gang. Rain lately has me thinking about the couple of weather leaks I have on the Suburban. Most are straight forward and fairly minor... I need a few new weather seals. You know... doors, windows, etc. But two... are mysteries.

First, I have water seeping in between the windshield and the rubber seal. Not between the seal and the body. Is there a reliable way to seal this up without having the glass pulled and the seal replaced?

The other is a bit more significant. After every rain I have a soggy carpet right near the headlight dimmer, below the e-brake peddle. I've seen drips coming down from the area above the kick panel, occasionally dripping off the e-brake release handle. I can't quite see where it's coming from, but I feel like it's coming in around the A-pillar, cowl, firewall, fender area. Right there where the gap is between all of those sheetmetal components. Anyone have any ideas here? I'd hate to start tearing apart the dash or fender if it's something simple.

As always, appreciate the help!

R

Re: Body Leak
 

I'm by no means an expert on square bodies, but I did just pull the windshield on my 74 to prep it for paint. On the left and right sides of the bottom channels there are actually a couple drainage holes from the factory. This was no doubt done to save the bottom of windshield channels, which in my case worked well (although it's an Arizona truck), as it was totally clean. However, this doesn't mean that water didn't get trapped elsewhere. The upper channel on my was really rusty. Another year or two and I would have been replacing metal. So there's a possibility you have rot through elsewhere causing the leak. If the windshield has never been pulled, I'd recommend doing so and checking out what's going on.

Re: Body Leak
 

Hello: RyanAK
Most likely rusted out window channel or cowl leaking in the vent area, or pillar.
As said you should pop out the windshield and the seal check the metal around the rubber seal and the rubber seal and the cowl vent air channel ( wipers arms) rot. 73-87. Hinge rubber seal 81-87 left and right.
Window seal might be ok unless it cracked it most like pop out of place because of rust pushing on it letting water between the glass rubber or the rubber just needs pulled re-fitted in some cases. ( if not to stiff, ripped bent from rust pushing for a long time shape will not come back.

Re: Body Leak
 

Haven't checked around my windshield yet, but I was getting water through the bulkhead connector in the firewall. No one reproduces the gasket so I ended up making one from a sheet of sponge rubber, epdm I think.

Re: Body Leak
 

I'll order a new windshield seal and have it pulled an installed. I was going to try some of that flow-able silicone as a temp fix, but how do you get it to flow 'up'? :)

I don't think the water coming in by the kick panel is rot. This was a Montana truck and is pretty dry. My first suspicion was around the bulkhead fittings so I sealed around the fuse block. But the water is definitely coming in higher and farther to the side of the truck. I feel like the water is coming down the windshield and entering the gap at the A-pillar_cowl_fender_door_firewall_hood all come together. Like in that space between the fender and "side" of the firewall...

Re: Body Leak
 

Or maybe it's coming in through the door weatherseals somehow...?

Re: Body Leak
 

The floor vent gasket is probably no good on my 81 they were basically gone. My truck leaked through the windshield and floor vent real bad. My kick panels still leak just a little bit if it rains for a long time. These trucks are about as water tight as a cheese grater!

Re: Body Leak
 

I've been working in an auto glass shop for 23 years. Never ever use silicone to seal the windshield. Use butyl rubber sealant.Comes in a caulk tube.