Topic: Water leak driver's side.
in Forum: C3 Body
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I've got a water leak in the driver's side footwell when I wash my '75 coupe. I can actually see it dripping down between the brake pedal and fuse panel. I see no rust at base of windshield. Any ideas?
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Build Date: May 7, 1975. 383 w/267 RWHP/310 RWTQ
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Look with the hood opened to the compartment where the the windshield wipers are parked. On the drivers side is a plate with 4 bolts in it just above the petals. The plate is completely sealed. The plate is aprox 3.5 x 5 inches. It is tapered down a bit toward the bottom. The plate is upright. Check that area.
corvette440hp
Welcome Greg
ebo
|UPDATED|6/24/2012 6:02:51 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
When our C3VR group went to Mid America for our gathering they had some great seminars. One was on weatherstriping. Kenny Yager had a great idea for checking to find water leaks.
You start at the bottom and work your way up the car. You will never find a leak the other way. Take the hose and start at the bottom of the doors and work up till you see it leaking, this will give you a good idea of where it's getting in.
He also said all C3 leak if you have not found water in yours yet you have not looked hard enough 
Good luck!
ebo|UPDATED|6/24/2012 6:02:51 PM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
eboThanks, I'll start there!
Build Date: May 7, 1975. 383 w/267 RWHP/310 RWTQ
Lifetime MemberEquinunk, PA - USA
Joined: 10/31/2007
Posts: 2465
Vette(s): 1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.
WELCOME! to the world of fair weather cars. YUP, they leak "somewhere". Just keep a spare towel handy when driving, be VERY VERY careful when using high pressure water.
Lifetime MemberModerator
Duncanville, TX - USA
Joined: 11/8/2003
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Vette(s): #1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/
Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight"
#2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto
Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas
A leak in that area would indicate a hole of some sort in the windshield wiper area, as Larry mentioned. It's possible the lower edge of the windshield is leaking, but, it's more likely something in the cowl area that is not sealed anymore.
Joel Adams
C3VR Lifetime Member #56 
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I had the same problem a few years ago. The issue on mine was the seam sealer in the wiper/cowl area. It was dried out and cracked.
If this happens to be your issue, read the following...
This is what I did to fix my issue and make it look decent. I took out all the wiper components to give me plenty of access, then took an old dull wood chisel and started popping the old brittle sealant out. It actually came out pretty easy for me. I removed the sealant as far as it could reach down the drivers and passenger side of the cowl.
After wiping down the area with some prep-solv. I ran some painters tape about 1" away from the seam, both sides so as to leave a nice clean edge once I applied the new sealant. After letting it set up for awhile, I pulled the tape off leaving a clean edge. On each side of the cowl where you don't really see anything, reach in as far as you can spreading the sealant to ensure you have the seam down the sides coated.
Once cured, I then took some paintable undercoating and did just the flat bottom part of the cowl up to under the windshield. Not the forward part where the wiper motor shaft pokes thru. I taped that area off temporarily. Once the undercoating was cured, I removed the tape from the wiper motor area mentioned. Then I took some Dupli color Trim Black and dusted in a few coats in the entire area.
Then reinstalled all the wiper components which I refinished in trim black and lubricated the moving parts in between doing the steps listed above. It was a lot of tedious work, but in the end it took care of the water leak and made that wiper area look good. Good luck!
|UPDATED|6/25/2012 10:49:00 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
This is what I did to fix my issue and make it look decent. I took out all the wiper components to give me plenty of access, then took an old dull wood chisel and started popping the old brittle sealant out. It actually came out pretty easy for me. I removed the sealant as far as it could reach down the drivers and passenger side of the cowl.
After wiping down the area with some prep-solv. I ran some painters tape about 1" away from the seam, both sides so as to leave a nice clean edge once I applied the new sealant. After letting it set up for awhile, I pulled the tape off leaving a clean edge. On each side of the cowl where you don't really see anything, reach in as far as you can spreading the sealant to ensure you have the seam down the sides coated.
Once cured, I then took some paintable undercoating and did just the flat bottom part of the cowl up to under the windshield. Not the forward part where the wiper motor shaft pokes thru. I taped that area off temporarily. Once the undercoating was cured, I removed the tape from the wiper motor area mentioned. Then I took some Dupli color Trim Black and dusted in a few coats in the entire area.
Then reinstalled all the wiper components which I refinished in trim black and lubricated the moving parts in between doing the steps listed above. It was a lot of tedious work, but in the end it took care of the water leak and made that wiper area look good. Good luck!
|UPDATED|6/25/2012 10:49:00 AM (AZT)|/UPDATED|
TKO500 5 spd.
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Born 8/1981
Sequence #3975
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Sarge81 said: I had the same problem a few years ago. The issue on mine was the seam sealer in the wiper/cowl area. It was dried out and cracked. If this happens to be your issue, read the following...
This is what I did to fix my issue and make it look decent. I took out all the wiper components to give me plenty of access, then took an old dull wood chisel and started popping the old brittle sealant out. It actually came out pretty easy for me. I removed the sealant as far as it could reach down the drivers and passenger side of the cowl.
After wiping down the area with some prep-solv. I ran some painters tape about 1" away from the seam, both sides so as to leave a nice clean edge once I applied the new sealant. After letting it set up for awhile, I pulled the tape off leaving a clean edge. On each side of the cowl where you don't really see anything, reach in as far as you can spreading the sealant to ensure you have the seam down the sides coated.
Once cured, I then took some paintable undercoating and did just the flat bottom part of the cowl up to under the windshield. Not the forward part where the wiper motor shaft pokes thru. I taped that area off temporarily. Once the undercoating was cured, I removed the tape from the wiper motor area mentioned. Then I took some Dupli color Trim Black and dusted in a few coats in the entire area.
Then reinstalled all the wiper components which I refinished in trim black and lubricated the moving parts in between doing the steps listed above. It was a lot of tedious work, but in the end it took care of the water leak and made that wiper area look good. Good luck!
This is what I did to fix my issue and make it look decent. I took out all the wiper components to give me plenty of access, then took an old dull wood chisel and started popping the old brittle sealant out. It actually came out pretty easy for me. I removed the sealant as far as it could reach down the drivers and passenger side of the cowl.
After wiping down the area with some prep-solv. I ran some painters tape about 1" away from the seam, both sides so as to leave a nice clean edge once I applied the new sealant. After letting it set up for awhile, I pulled the tape off leaving a clean edge. On each side of the cowl where you don't really see anything, reach in as far as you can spreading the sealant to ensure you have the seam down the sides coated.
Once cured, I then took some paintable undercoating and did just the flat bottom part of the cowl up to under the windshield. Not the forward part where the wiper motor shaft pokes thru. I taped that area off temporarily. Once the undercoating was cured, I removed the tape from the wiper motor area mentioned. Then I took some Dupli color Trim Black and dusted in a few coats in the entire area.
Then reinstalled all the wiper components which I refinished in trim black and lubricated the moving parts in between doing the steps listed above. It was a lot of tedious work, but in the end it took care of the water leak and made that wiper area look good. Good luck!
Thanks for the detailed post Sarge81. I'm the 5th owner of this car. I suspect it is coming in around the wiper shaft area. One of the previous owners has applied a lot of black goop around the driver's side wiper shaft, probably chasing the same problem. And thanks everyone for the warm welcome messages!
Build Date: May 7, 1975. 383 w/267 RWHP/310 RWTQ
in Forum: C3 Body
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