Water Leak Source?

  • Thread starter Thread starter zencraps
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zencraps

Just bought an '85 245 DL for $470, a project car for the eventual use
of my son.

Engine, transmission, suspension, body are sound, lots of niggling
problems from benign neglect.

Car was not driven for a few years until recently.

Has third row seat: when lifted seat up, found water pooled underneath.

I can see no source / cause of leakeage to allow water to enter; could
it somehow have seeped in through a weak rear door / tailgate seal?

Headliner looks like new, no stain or moisture.

Baffled...
 
Just bought an '85 245 DL for $470, a project car for the eventual use
of my son.

Engine, transmission, suspension, body are sound, lots of niggling
problems from benign neglect.

Car was not driven for a few years until recently.

Has third row seat: when lifted seat up, found water pooled underneath.

I can see no source / cause of leakeage to allow water to enter; could
it somehow have seeped in through a weak rear door / tailgate seal?

Headliner looks like new, no stain or moisture.

Baffled...
Click to expand...
Wheelwells L + R. Look behind the spare etc
 
Just bought an '85 245 DL for $470, a project car for the eventual use
of my son.

Engine, transmission, suspension, body are sound, lots of niggling
problems from benign neglect.

Car was not driven for a few years until recently.

Has third row seat: when lifted seat up, found water pooled underneath.

I can see no source / cause of leakeage to allow water to enter; could
it somehow have seeped in through a weak rear door / tailgate seal?

Headliner looks like new, no stain or moisture.

Baffled...
Click to expand...


There's a couple places I've seen water enter 245s. The most common are
the rear side windows in the cargo area. Water tends to collect on the
ridge of the body underneath the rubber seal around the glass and rusts
out the metal there which results in poor rubber to metal seal and water
entering the car. Another thing to check is the seal around the
tailgate, and also the rubber gaskets on the hinges. Oh and does the car
have a roof rack?
 
Yes, it has a roof rack.
Click to expand...
Under each of the brackets for the rack there are or should be 1/2"
Wellnuts. A top hat shaped molded rubber plug formed around a ca[tive
nut. When placed in a sheet metal hole as an anchor that abuts a piiece
to be secured, when the screw pulls the piece together by drawing up on
the nut the rubber both compresses and expands in the hole to form a
water tight seal. Over time the rubber shrinks and the seal is no longer
water tight.

Unless your wagon was built in New Brunswick (VIN plant code 3, i.e
YV1AX8854F(3)xxxxxx) then it leaks atthe rear quarter glass. Only the
Canadian built cars didn't leak.

Bob
 
Man, as I tear into this beast, I note the carpet is also damp under
the driver's feet.

Not good.

Got to replace the passenger side window mechanism, and the rear
tailgate lock: both were bent and rendered useless.

What is the best way to cure the leaking, hopefully without removing
the glass?

This car won't be cherried out, it will be for commuting to work, so a
silicone bead visible on the outside is OK.
 
Man, as I tear into this beast, I note the carpet is also damp under
the driver's feet.

Not good.

Got to replace the passenger side window mechanism, and the rear
tailgate lock: both were bent and rendered useless.

What is the best way to cure the leaking, hopefully without removing
the glass?

This car won't be cherried out, it will be for commuting to work, so a
silicone bead visible on the outside is OK.
Click to expand...
It's ugly as sin but you can use a tube of clear silicon sealer. Lift up
the trim, gently, and run a bead along the edge of the glass to the body
and work your way all around the perimeter of the windshield. Mostly
windshield leaks are around the bottom when the glass shifts forward
away from the butyl tape as it ages. Sometimes yiu'll get a small void
on the side or at the top, so without tracking it down or replacing the
butyl tape, you might as well go all the way 'round.

Bob
 
User said:
It's ugly as sin but you can use a tube of clear silicon sealer. Lift up
the trim, gently, and run a bead along the edge of the glass to the body
and work your way all around the perimeter of the windshield. Mostly
windshield leaks are around the bottom when the glass shifts forward
away from the butyl tape as it ages. Sometimes yiu'll get a small void
on the side or at the top, so without tracking it down or replacing the
butyl tape, you might as well go all the way 'round.

Bob
Click to expand...

Recently I've been seeing "windshield sealer" at auto parts stores. It's
like regular clear silicone sealant but actually flows into cracks. It's at
least as messy as silicone sealant but it does a better job for gaps.

Mike
 
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