Topic: 81 water Leak
in Forum: C3 Body
Hi
This is my first corvette and it rained yesterday and I vacuumed out about 20 oz. of water off the driver and pass. side floor. It has t-tops but I didn't see anything coming in around them. Is there any one place that would cause this more than another? This is my daily driver and I don't really want to suck out this much water every time it rains. Thanks, Tom
P.S. As soon as I submit this I am going to go and join as a paying member!!
Hi
This is my first corvette and it rained yesterday and I vacuumed out about 20 oz. of water off the driver and pass. side floor. It has t-tops but I didn't see anything coming in around them. Is there any one place that would cause this more than another? This is my daily driver and I don't really want to suck out this much water every time it rains. Thanks, Tom
P.S. As soon as I submit this I am going to go and join as a paying member!! [/QUOTE]
Great to have you here.
For your question. I would grab the hose and do a water test on the T-Tops first then side window and if theres no water from them leaking try water testing the top black molding that holds the windshield/bird cage. Sprey the water when like your driving. When doing this test see if another person will help you. If you don't any problems with this then there is one last place to look for. It is where the T-Top weather seals are placed on. The chrome on the windsheild where it's a three peice chrome and screws are. Has a gap in by the screw. Check that area.
Hope you find your leak.
Lifetime MemberThe cowl drains get stopped up, then the cowl fills with water in the rain (or after being washed), then the water works it's way through the firewall into the passenger side floor area.
Check your cowls for leaves, debris, a mouse wasp nest, etc. these areas are notorius for gettin stuff in them and being overlooked. (Especially if the car has set somewhere for a significant period of time.
Lifetime MemberModerator
The problem is, the drains for the cowl are on the side of the car. If enough crap gets down in there, they will stop up, and water will flow over into the floors.
Take the side/kick-panels off, and see if it is wet behind them, either now, or after the water torture mentioned above.
If there is a ton-o-crap behind the trim panels, that is most likely where the H2O is gettin in. You might find a rat's nest, tree leaves, paper, or even rust down there. Any of it can stop up the drain holes.
Sometimes, the factory bond between the cowl and the body will deteriorate, and leak.
Take a indoor/outdoor vaccuum, and suck out all of it, and see if you can clean out the very bottom of the area, so water will drain properly.
If the car was just sitting when the water got in, it most likely will not be leaking around the top of the windersheild/trim. If the seal is leaking at the top, it will normally only leak as you are driving, because that forces the water up under the trim, and past the sealant, sortta like a pressure washer.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56 
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I figured if'n I could spark them thar memory banks o yourn y'all could explain it more eloquently than this here country boy.
Thanks for all the info. After looking over the car a little more closely I think I see one big contributor to the water problem. On both doors at the top front corner where it meets the windshield all I see is a metal banding where I think should be rubber. It looks like the door weatherstripping might be one of the culprits. I also noticed the bottom of the pass. door panel was wet and the passenger side pocket was wet on the inside. Thanks for all the input. As this is my first Corvette I can use all the help I can get. Tom