interior water leaks all over, help!

[cardude]

I have a 66' mustang coupe and I have a big problem with water leaks. I have replaced the hats on both sides with internal plastic hat repair kit. I have also put a cover over the cowl just to see if that was the problem.

the result after a big rain is that I am getting water running down either side of the kick pannels, some odd drips smack in the middle of the dash (i have the dash pad off and no water above). I am not getting water in the heater unit so that indicates that the hat fix is somewhat working. the perplexing one is I see water on both sides of the back floor but there is not clear indication of where is is coming from.

could the leaks be coming from old door seals and possibly the cowl to kick pannel seal under the fenders? and as for the back seat leaks, could this come from the doors and pour in through the dip under the step (currently I have the aluminum scuff guards off. the door seals are old but not really bad (a little hard, but still somewhat flexible).

I am going crazy trying to figure this out.... is there a dye / ultra violet die I could use to try and see where it is coming from but not ruin my paint??



any help would be appreciated.

thanks
Chadd

 

[TurboDoctor]

door seals, wing vents, front windshield rubber. the sources for a leak are har to track down. I gave up years ago I would lean towards a seal problem with a rubber somewhere.

 

[gingerbreadman]

dig out the garden hose and start tracking down


-gbm-

 

[Mr44666]

I'm going to guess and say front and rear windows. and probably rust holes surrounding them as well.

Sorry
-Dave

 

[GaPonyFarm]

There are a million places to get leaks on a 65-66. Try looking first to the outside edge of the cowling, under the hood. My second stop would be the windshiels frame, which is actually part of the cowl... there's an excellant chance it has rotted through...same is true in the back. Pull as much stuff out as possible and get a friend to hose the areas down while you sit inside and look for running water.

The best thing you can do is just store it inside or under a good cover, as much as possible.

 

[NorCal66]

I'm way too familiar with this subject. I started out with 5 leaks and am down to one.

First, was the cowl leak on the drivers side. Took the metal vent thing off, put on the repair kit you can get from NPD, and sealed er up real good with the adhesive. Stopped that.

Second, the one you described with the kickpanels. Look on the interior of the windshield in the two lower corners. If it's damp then that's your problem. I taped up the edges around the windshield on the outside and resealed it myself with a sealant. I used "Pro Sealants High Viscosity Fast Curing Urathane Adhesive" from Napa. Take your time on it and tape it up real good using masking tape and it will look professional. Run a consistant bead with a caulking gun using a small tip to make sure it gets good in the cracks. Dip your finger in paint thinner and smooth out the beads with your finger (Paint thinner prevents it from sticking to your finger and making a sloppy job). Remove tape and go over again very lightly so there is no edge due to the tape when it is dried. OR just have it professionally done if your not too confident.

Thirdly, my drivers side window wouldn't roll up enough to have a good seal with the weatherstripping. This caused a little water to be on the seat and on the front floor (where drivers legs are). I replaced the weatherstripping and took the metal trim off the top of the glass, put a thin piece of rubber underneath, and put it back on, creating a good seal.

...The last one I have is the two back floor leaks you were talking about. I'm not sure on those. I'm thinking it is either a bad door seal, the seal between the side window and the quarter window, or holes underneath the car. I haven't seen any trails of water leaking down, so my best guess is from underneath the car. There is a hole on each side, like an oval shape, that water might be able to get into when the road is wet and you're driving? I'll PM you if I ever figure it out.

...whew turned out kind of long...hope it helps.

 

[68GEETEE]

My '67 did the same thing. In my case it was the windshield seal leaking near the passenger side 'A' pillar post.

 

[cardude]

Thanks all for the help.... I ordered door seals and needed a headliner replacement so I got the kit with front and rear window seals etc... so i am going to try that out and see.