Car turned into a fishbowl overnight! Help!
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,018
Car turned into a fishbowl overnight! Help!
I just picked up this 1998 Z28 w/ t-tops on Friday the 8th. I've been driving around and noticed that the windows fog up even after the defroster has run for a while.
So, obviously a sign of water in the car somewhere. I searched around and found water under both rear seats. There was so much water under the left rear seat that I had to pull the drain plug to let it out. I stuck my hand under the carpet towards the front seats and those were soaked too.
An hour later, I had the entire interior pulled. The water is fresh--no signs of mold or moldy smells so it must have happened within the last few days. Nothing looks damaged, and the metal staples and clips in the rear seat covers are not rusted.
What I'm trying to figure out is how the hell did so much water get in? The t-top drains (through the weatherstrip) are working correctly and are not blocked.
The only thing I can think of is that i had my car parked downhill (*** end was high) while it was raining yesterday. I'd assume water collects in the quarter panel troughs where the hatch rests and leaks in? The seal on the hatch is intact and is firm.
Any guesses, help, advice? The carpet is in the house drying at the moment, and I conditioned the holy hell out of the leather, and the car is in the garage w/ the tops off drying out.
Anything else I need to do to ensure no mold grows in the carpet and/or pad?
So, obviously a sign of water in the car somewhere. I searched around and found water under both rear seats. There was so much water under the left rear seat that I had to pull the drain plug to let it out. I stuck my hand under the carpet towards the front seats and those were soaked too.
An hour later, I had the entire interior pulled. The water is fresh--no signs of mold or moldy smells so it must have happened within the last few days. Nothing looks damaged, and the metal staples and clips in the rear seat covers are not rusted.
What I'm trying to figure out is how the hell did so much water get in? The t-top drains (through the weatherstrip) are working correctly and are not blocked.
The only thing I can think of is that i had my car parked downhill (*** end was high) while it was raining yesterday. I'd assume water collects in the quarter panel troughs where the hatch rests and leaks in? The seal on the hatch is intact and is firm.
Any guesses, help, advice? The carpet is in the house drying at the moment, and I conditioned the holy hell out of the leather, and the car is in the garage w/ the tops off drying out.
Anything else I need to do to ensure no mold grows in the carpet and/or pad?
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 187
From: Augusta, Georgia
That sounds like exactly what happened. That happened to my car once when I was washing it on an incline, just not bad enough to soak everything.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 33
From: Alabama
Interesting in that I have the same problem. 97 SS with NO T-tops. A month ago I found 3 inches of clear water under the passenger rear seat, no where else. thought that I might have left the hatch open or not closed. 3 days ago the same thing again, totally clear rain water cant be anything else. I had parked the car for 3 weeks on an incline with the rear wheels up about 18" higher than the front. I think water was setting in the rear hatch and drained into the rear seat area through stress cracks that I can see.
Thread Starter
Registered User
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 1,018
Ok guys...all the interior trim except door panels and dash have been removed and are drying inside my house.
Yesterday I tried an experiment. First, I poured water from a garden hose down the t-top drains in the weatherstrip. They drained normally out the bottom of the weatherstrip on the door with the door closed. No leaks inside the vehicle.
I then washed the car on flat ground using a normal garden hose, and then a high pressure hose for a rinse. No leaks inside the vehicle.
THEN, I jacked up the rear end about 18" to simulate parking on a downhill slope w/ the front pointed down. I used a normal garden hose and sprayed up in the air to simulate heavy rain
After about 20 seconds, the troughs between the quarter panels and hatch had filled up and I could see two streams of water entering the vehicle where the hatch, roof panel, and quarter come together. It was draining next to the seatbelts, down the inner wheel wells, and directly to the rear seats!
Lesson learned: never park this way on a hill in a rainstorm.
The carpet is STILL drying inside the house. I will be adjusting the stops on the hatch and replacing the weatherstrip.
Yesterday I tried an experiment. First, I poured water from a garden hose down the t-top drains in the weatherstrip. They drained normally out the bottom of the weatherstrip on the door with the door closed. No leaks inside the vehicle.
I then washed the car on flat ground using a normal garden hose, and then a high pressure hose for a rinse. No leaks inside the vehicle.
THEN, I jacked up the rear end about 18" to simulate parking on a downhill slope w/ the front pointed down. I used a normal garden hose and sprayed up in the air to simulate heavy rain
After about 20 seconds, the troughs between the quarter panels and hatch had filled up and I could see two streams of water entering the vehicle where the hatch, roof panel, and quarter come together. It was draining next to the seatbelts, down the inner wheel wells, and directly to the rear seats!
Lesson learned: never park this way on a hill in a rainstorm.
The carpet is STILL drying inside the house. I will be adjusting the stops on the hatch and replacing the weatherstrip.
Registered User
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 1,045
From: Lake Hopatcong N.J
That is the ONE place mine Never leaked!
If I was parked on any kid of a hill, especially nose down, I got water in through the T tops for the 5 years I owned the car dispite everything I did to fix it!
If I was parked on any kid of a hill, especially nose down, I got water in through the T tops for the 5 years I owned the car dispite everything I did to fix it!
Registered User
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 187
From: Augusta, Georgia
That isn't going to stop the water. Its just a universal flaw with all f-bodies, kind of like not being able to turn your wipers on with the window down. The only thing you can do is not park with the back end high.
