Please let me know if this is miscatagorized.

Anyway, I was alerted to this when a couple of my speakers died randomly. Opened the hatch, lifted up the cover, and was meeted by about 3 inches of water in the back.

The previous owner had installed some audio gear in that rear dip storage area, and, well, it appears that the bottom amp (which indeed was the amp for the speakers that died) got waterlogged.

Obviously, I can't blame the car for where someone else placed the amps, but I would like to fix the leak.

Are these cars known for leaking somewhere in the rear? It doesn't seem to be leaking from the hatch seal, as the top of sub plate and rest of the rear carpeting appears to be dry. Do these cars have a tendency to leak behind their tailights?

thanks for the time.

 

Under the carpet, in the bottom of the rear storage area, there is a plate that is removable. It's sealed with black seam sealer when installed. This could be a possible source of water entry or, someone might have drilled through the bottom of the storage area when installing stereo equipment.

You'll just have to pull up the carpet and look for the holes.

The studs that the rear tail lights are mounted with have seals that help to prevent water entry. You could also remove the rear panel and the tail lights and check the tail light stud seals.

Good luck

 

I'm new to this board, but I've been around 3rd gen f-body's since about 1986. Every one I have been in or seen has leaked in the back, including my own. If the hatch seal is flattened out, or feels stiff, I would replace it. I got one from JC whitney for like $35 and my 87 is dry as a bone back there now. And it used to leak bad!

Just my 2 cents.

Mike

 

Ok, after some brief pseudo-testing, i've "determined" that the water isn't coming in from the bottom, as it doesn't collect water while in motion. The carpet is next to come out.

re: holes from stereo install - possibly, but it's made it through a previous rainy season without issues. Will know more once carpet is up.

re: hatch seal - yeah, definately on the list. The rest of the weather stripping is going to get done, too. Not because I think it's the source of the leak, it's so the car will be nice and toasy warm and dry!

Thank you both .

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...ighlight=hatch