carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
#1
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Car: 85 camaro z28
Engine: 305
Transmission: auto to manaul
carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
my passenger carpet is alway wet, but the floor mat is dry. i dont understand. the firewall and floor seems sealed up pretty good. not low on coolant ether. could the windshield be leaking? not sure on this one
#2
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Car: 1984 Z28 HT,2006 2500HD
Engine: 5.7L, 6.6Llbz dmax
Transmission: 700R4, 6 speed allison
Axle/Gears: worn out 3.73 posi
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
theres either a hole rusted in the floor or the seam under the blower motor box thing where the wheel well meets the firewall mine was gone in both spots
#3
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Car: 1987 Z28 with iroc-z Package no.3
Engine: 350TPI
Transmission: 700r4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 posi
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
my first thought was heater core.. you might have to rip that corner up.. may be a leaking window.. bad door gaskets or rotted floor pan : (
#4
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
Is it alway wet, or is it wet after it rains. Wet after a passager rides in it. Wet after it has been sitting or ALWAYS WET.
#5
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Car: 92 Z-28
Engine: 305 TPI
Transmission: THM700R4
Axle/Gears: 2.73
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I currently have a problem with my door gaskets and I am getting the same thing. I drilled a small hole in the floor to drain the water out while I am waiting to get the gaskets reattached properly. It rains every day in the summer in FLorida.
#6
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Car: 1991 Trans Am
Engine: L98
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I had a problem with my passenger floorboard getting a pool of water after raining. I knew it wasn't splashing in from a hole as I don't drive my Trans Am in the rain and it did it when the car wasn't being drivin so I ruled out the heater core. Turned out to be the harness thats behind the passenger fender that goes to the ECM, the seals were shot and allowing water to seep in through the harness.
I fixed the leak by running a bead of silicone around the harness connector on the fender side, it might be a pain in the butt to remove if I ever have to mess with that harness (used a lot of silicone, didn't want to have to do it again later) but now my floorboard is always dry.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. My carpet got soaked but my floormat was dry, they were cheapo rubber floormats so water couldn't seep through them. Only once were the floormats wet but thats when I had a pretty good sized puddle after raining for a few days.
P.S.
After fixing your leak, whatever the cause, make sure the firewall insulation is dry before putting everything back. I didn't find my leak until I got my car out of winter storage and the last time the floor was wet was in the fall, the firewall insulation was still wet but the carpet was dry.
I fixed the leak by running a bead of silicone around the harness connector on the fender side, it might be a pain in the butt to remove if I ever have to mess with that harness (used a lot of silicone, didn't want to have to do it again later) but now my floorboard is always dry.
Oh yeah, almost forgot. My carpet got soaked but my floormat was dry, they were cheapo rubber floormats so water couldn't seep through them. Only once were the floormats wet but thats when I had a pretty good sized puddle after raining for a few days.
P.S.
After fixing your leak, whatever the cause, make sure the firewall insulation is dry before putting everything back. I didn't find my leak until I got my car out of winter storage and the last time the floor was wet was in the fall, the firewall insulation was still wet but the carpet was dry.
Last edited by John81; 06-17-2009 at 03:56 AM.
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#8
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
Had the same issue here. The leak was coming from the firewall seam. I had to remove the plastic screen near the wipers to find the leak. The seam where the firewall and body meet was an issue. You have to put your hand down the "vent' near the wipers to find it. It is a VERY VERY common problem in thirgen cars. Most people temporarily solve it by sealing other areas, but the main issue is usually what i just mentioned.
Sometimes you can get to that seam if you remove the lining of the passenger side inner fender well and then remove another plastic piece to reveal the seam.
Debris can get trapped there over time and thus the constant moisture causes the seam sealer to degrade and then rust settles in.
You can see very faintly the red circle and arrow i drew on the attached picture. The leak tends to be under this section and more easily reached through the screen.
Hope this helps
Sometimes you can get to that seam if you remove the lining of the passenger side inner fender well and then remove another plastic piece to reveal the seam.
Debris can get trapped there over time and thus the constant moisture causes the seam sealer to degrade and then rust settles in.
You can see very faintly the red circle and arrow i drew on the attached picture. The leak tends to be under this section and more easily reached through the screen.
Hope this helps
#9
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
Had the same issue here. The leak was coming from the firewall seam. I had to remove the plastic screen near the wipers to find the leak. The seam where the firewall and body meet was an issue. You have to put your hand down the "vent' near the wipers to find it. It is a VERY VERY common problem in thirgen cars. Most people temporarily solve it by sealing other areas, but the main issue is usually what i just mentioned.
Sometimes you can get to that seam if you remove the lining of the passenger side inner fender well and then remove another plastic piece to reveal the seam.
Debris can get trapped there over time and thus the constant moisture causes the seam sealer to degrade and then rust settles in.
You can see very faintly the red circle and arrow i drew on the attached picture. The leak tends to be under this section and more easily reached through the screen.
Hope this helps
Sometimes you can get to that seam if you remove the lining of the passenger side inner fender well and then remove another plastic piece to reveal the seam.
Debris can get trapped there over time and thus the constant moisture causes the seam sealer to degrade and then rust settles in.
You can see very faintly the red circle and arrow i drew on the attached picture. The leak tends to be under this section and more easily reached through the screen.
Hope this helps
#10
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I literally tore my whole freaken car apart until I found the leak. I had my wife use a garden hose on the outside and i could see the water run in, but could not find the origin until i removed that screen and put my hand down there and i could feel all the seam adhesive was either gone or cracked bad
#11
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Car: 87 Camaro Sport Coupe/ 89 GTA
Engine: 2.8L V6/ 5.7L 350 TPI
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I just bought an 87 Camaro and was told when I bought it that water was leaking in thee same area that everyone mentions. I removed the screen and could see an area where the sealant had deteriorated. Im assuming thats the problem spot because the rest of the seam looks good. Im just wondering what type of sealant I should use to permanently solve the leak. Any suggestions are totally appreciated.
#13
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Car: 1991 Camaro Z28
Engine: 305 TBI
Transmission: 700r4 w/B&M Shift Kit
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I had the same problem. Behind the passenger side fender, there is an area that acts like a "valley", the seam sealer in this area was bad and it was allowing the water to run down into the passenger side seating area.
#14
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Car: 86 Trans Am, 92 Firebird
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
had a similar problem in my 92, water was getting in around the flex tubing for the door wiring, running down and out under the kick panel and to the floor. When the carpet it wet, feel the carpet around the sides of the car and by the firewall, it will be wet where the water is coming in.
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Car: 91 & 88 GTA, 89 Formy, 89 bird
Engine: 3 - 350 TPI, 305 TBI
Transmission: All 700R4's
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Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
All very good possibilities
ECM harness gasket behind the passenger kick panel
Door Gasket
Heater Core
HVAC Wiring Harness
Cowl Sealant
All simple fixes, except for the last one!!
The sealant does not seal water from the inside, it just fills a crevice to prevent rust!
The firewall curves towards the windshield, then GM put a panel which the
wiper motor attaches to and the evaporator/fan box half covers.
The body caulk is getting old on the 3rd gens and cracking, allowing water to sit behind the caulk with dirt and such.
I assume this is just starting to become an issue due to age!
If you have water coming in from there, it is due to a rust hole under the sealant!
putting more sealant over it is a temporary fix. The rust needs to be treated!!!!
Unfortunately getting to the area under the driver side wiper mount and behind the blower....... well a contortionist should have no problem!
I have attached some photos about this.
Early Mustang owners have been battling this for years!
If you have ever seen a 65 or 66 stang with a plexiglass cover with a gasket and wingnuts over the vents between the hood and windshield.
They got leaks too!
ECM harness gasket behind the passenger kick panel
Door Gasket
Heater Core
HVAC Wiring Harness
Cowl Sealant
All simple fixes, except for the last one!!
The sealant does not seal water from the inside, it just fills a crevice to prevent rust!
The firewall curves towards the windshield, then GM put a panel which the
wiper motor attaches to and the evaporator/fan box half covers.
The body caulk is getting old on the 3rd gens and cracking, allowing water to sit behind the caulk with dirt and such.
I assume this is just starting to become an issue due to age!
If you have water coming in from there, it is due to a rust hole under the sealant!
putting more sealant over it is a temporary fix. The rust needs to be treated!!!!
Unfortunately getting to the area under the driver side wiper mount and behind the blower....... well a contortionist should have no problem!
I have attached some photos about this.
Early Mustang owners have been battling this for years!
If you have ever seen a 65 or 66 stang with a plexiglass cover with a gasket and wingnuts over the vents between the hood and windshield.
They got leaks too!
#16
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Car: 1984 Z28
Engine: 406
Transmission: 350th
Axle/Gears: 373:1
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
I had a problem with my passenger floorboard getting a pool of water after raining. I knew it wasn't splashing in from a hole as I don't drive my Trans Am in the rain and it did it when the car wasn't being drivin so I ruled out the heater core. Turned out to be the harness thats behind the passenger fender that goes to the ECM, the seals were shot and allowing water to seep in through the harness.
#17
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Car: '88 camaro iroc-z
Engine: 350 TPI
Transmission: TH 700 R4
Axle/Gears: 2.77 Borg Warner Axel
Re: carpet is always wet, cant figure it out
i had the same problem and i found a leak (when it rains or when i wash the car) from the up side of the window, halfway between the t-top connection and the sidemirror.
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