Water is leaking into - out of heater box

[AUSMHLY]

Seems some water is getting into my heater box. (if correctly named, the long box under the dash that the hot air from the heater runs through).

I'm looking for areas where water is getting in the car after I wash it. Seems to be two areas:

1. Guessing that water leaks down the windshield wiper posts and drips off the cork screw area where the two shafts meet. The metal tube around the long shaft that comes from the motor is dry. Seems to be dripping from the cork screw area inside. The tube is cut open there and I can see the starting point for the drip.

2. Water is dripping at the corner of the heater box pull flap. (the small black spring flap on the bottom of the heater box). I removed the spring flap and felt inside with my finger. Yup, wet in there and where the drip was coming from. ??

Any ideas?
Besides don't let it get wet?
Roger

 

[Cutlass]

Sure it's pure water, and not leaking coolant from the core?

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Cutlass. Yes it is pure water. Only happens when I wash the car. Thank you though for bringing that to my attention.

 

[Keoke]

Hi Roger, Just an Idea, if a solution is not found. Next time you wash the car make certain that the front end is position down a slight grade.---Keoke


I Might suggest that you remove the dash pad and check for water marks on the back side. If it gets wet it will warp in a minute.

 

[tahoe healey]

Don't forget around the wind screen squirter. Mine are loose a little.

 

[GregW]

Hi Roger,
I wonder if the fresh air hose is loose where it attaches to the firewall. It is directly under the beading of the fender/ shroud.

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi TH,
Yup, checked out the squirters. Dry.
Believe me, I spent quite a bit of time with a flashlight looking under the dash at every area. Found only the two areas I mentioned were dripping. Question is how is the water getting in those two areas.
Cheers, roger

 

[AUSMHLY]

Hi Roger,
I wonder if the fresh air hose is loose where it attaches to the firewall. It is directly under the beading of the fender/ shroud.

Hi Greg,
I did check that area out. I installed the fresh air hoses and made sure they are clamped tightly when I installed them. For it's not easy to clamp them once the fenders are installed. Much easy to clamp when the fenders are off.

Seems the only air hose that would let water in is the drivers side fresh air. The heater hose passes through the firewall, under the glove box and attaches to the heater core.

I sure appreciate all the help I am getting here.
Thanks Greg.

 

[tahoe healey]

Get out the old squirt gun and saturate the wiper areas one at a time. Are you using a lot of water when washing the car? I try not to get my car very wet for fear of rust. There is (I believe) a large hole where the center of the windshield chrome attaches to the body. Water may be getting under the rubber seal into that space? Just a wild guess.

 

[shorn]

Roger,
I had two water leak problems with my BJ8. 1. The rubber grommets that seal around the windshield wiper posts that extend through the shroud are IMO a little too small and water would leak through those when washing the car. I made slightly larger rubber grommets and used those. You might try loosening the nuts and repositioning the grommets first. 2. One of the heater hoses started to leak on top of the heater core. The water would drip into the heater box and then onto the floor or my foot. This required dropping the heater box and replacing the hoses (about 3 hours work, since it was the first time I had dropped the heater box).

 

[Keoke]

Don't forget around the wind screen squirter. Mine are loose a little.

-- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/savewave.gif TH:
If they are loose tighten them up its easy. Similarly, if you have a hole in the scuttle under the windscreen center bracket you have the wrong anchor nut installed.--Keoke- /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Ed_K]

Roger,

As shorn said, I also noticed that the aftermarket rubber pieces under the windshield wiper posts had split and would probably allow water to enter. I didn't want it to leak so I went to a local hardware store and bought a piece of rubber " packing " that is used for sealing plumbing fixtures to sinks.
It is a much thicker piece of rubber than the junk we get from the usuall suspects. I just traced the outline of the wiper base onto the rubber piece and cut them out. Now I know that it will not leak under there. Look carefully at the edges of the rubber pieces that you have. If there are any cracks or voids water is certain to enter your car. The material under my windshield squirters was a much better, fibereous looking
material with no crakcs or voids so I left it alone.

Ed

 

[tahoe healey]

Keoke, you ain't kidding I have the wrong anchor. I think it's a molly bolt. The PO did some interesting fixes. I think the hole was too large so he used a molly that springs open when inserted through the hole. I'll fix that stuff when I get around to re-paint strip-down.

 

[GregW]

A Molybolt? I suppose that would be better than a ramset.