|
Author
|
Topic: Cowl leak?
|
wadeb3
Gearhead Posts: 168
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Registered: Jul 2004
|
posted 12-15-2004 03:37 PM
 
In the rain, or after a wash, the carpet in my '67 is a little wet up front, right beside the kick panels. Up under the dash it's still dry. To be more specific, if you were sitting in the driver's seat, the carpet to the outside of your left foot is where it gets wet. I'm having a little trouble tracking it down. Could this be the cowl leaking? From what I've read, this is a fairly common issue with the 65-68's. Anybody had the same problem? Also, has anyone ever used one of those clear plastic cowl vent covers? Do they work? Can you take them off when it's not raining? Thanks!
------------------
Wade
'67 A-code Fastback
|
adragon8u
Gearhead Posts: 5867
From: Oceano, Ca. member# 2895
Registered: Mar 2003
|
posted 12-15-2004 03:46 PM
Yep, sounds like a cowl leak. Just repaired mine about a year ago. There's the preferred method, and there's the way I did it. The preferred is to remove fenders, winshield, cowl. Repair and reinstall.
I removed fenders, cleared drains, removed the vent box from under the drivers side(that's where the water is entering) Once removed you can access the "hat". Take a dremel and remove the hat as flush as you can. I went up to the hardware store and got a piece of heater duct the same diamater and coated it thoroughly with undercaoting and shoved it up inside the hole. Waited a few hours and sprayed more under coating in from the drain opening. Car has sat out in a couple hard rains since then and not a drop has entered. Keep in mind though that my method will most likely require being done again in a few years whereas the preferred method should last MUCH longer.  ------------------
"I started with nothing, and I still have most of it left"
I'm an optimist, but I don't think it helps much
http://webpages.charter.net/adragon8u/mystang
|
64coupe
Gearhead Posts: 173
From: Bristol, PA
Registered: Sep 2002
|
posted 12-15-2004 05:54 PM
they sell inserts for your issue. in national parts depot (NPD), they are plastic inserts and they slide up into the hole and you put sealant around them and they hold in there with a few screws.
|
wadeb3
Gearhead Posts: 168
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Registered: Jul 2004
|
posted 12-16-2004 08:24 AM
I've seen those inserts in the NPD catalog. They're right under the cover I mentioned, hehe...
At any rate, if I get some new inserts, I'll still have to take off the fenders to get to them, right?
Thanks!------------------
Wade
'67 A-code Fastback
|
Twirly Bird
Gearhead Posts: 226
From: Central PA
Registered: Aug 2004
|
posted 12-16-2004 08:44 AM
Not necessarily. If you take the fenders off you won't have any better access to the cowl vents unless you cut holes in the cowl side covers. You'll want to access these openings from under the dash when you are doing this type of repair. I have the entire blower/heater assembly and the pedals out and access is pretty good on my 66. You're in good company for this type of repair... lots of posts on this... try searching the archives for more ideas on this...
|
mellowyellow
Gearhead Posts: 8198
From: So. Fl.
Registered: Aug 2000
|
posted 12-16-2004 09:22 AM
quote:
Originally posted by 64coupe:
they sell inserts for your issue. in national parts depot (NPD), they are plastic inserts and they slide up into the hole and you put sealant around them and they hold in there with a few screws.
They are known as top hats. Usually, the rust is too extensive to rely on these soley. Screwing them in invites MORE leaks. The proper way is to throw away the enclosed RTV or whatever and use a 2 part epoxy. They are not totally useless, though. The way to determine whether the fenders have to come off (they usually do) is to die grind the remaining steel top hat off. Many times they are rusted so bad they can be pulled out. One the ring is out one can look inside and possibly repair it from inside the car. Then the top hat can be glued in with epoxy. In most cases, though, the full program is the key ie drilling the spotwelds, removing lid, and fixing it right.
|
adragon8u
Gearhead Posts: 5867
From: Oceano, Ca. member# 2895
Registered: Mar 2003
|
posted 12-16-2004 09:32 AM
Hey wadeb3, I have a couple of pics from when I did mine. If you'd like, I'll send them to your email. It might help you get an idea what we're talking about.------------------
"I started with nothing, and I still have most of it left"
I'm an optimist, but I don't think it helps much
http://webpages.charter.net/adragon8u/mystang
|
BornInAFord
Gearhead Posts: 610
From: Bend, OR, USA
Registered: Dec 2002
|
posted 12-16-2004 10:15 AM
You probably have a cowl leak as mentioned. There is another possibility (which happened to me), though. It is possible it's your windshield gasket that leaks as well. In a 1967 I restored, I cut out the tophats and welded new metal. It still leaked in the rain, but didn't when I'd pour water down the outer cowl vent. It turns out the reproduction window gasket is less than perfect sometimes. Note: do NOT use silicone sealant to seal the windshield gasket--the glass doesn't stick, the rubber decays and the leaks still happen with it!
To test if your cowl leaks, do what I did and pour a bit of water down the balloon assembly. You should be able to reproduce your leak. Also, you can look up under your dash for the tattle-tale rust ring around the "hat" (it probably is still wet).
Daniel
|
wadeb3
Gearhead Posts: 168
From: Winston-Salem, NC
Registered: Jul 2004
|
posted 12-17-2004 09:31 AM
Thanks for all the advice guys. Much appreciated. Now to dig into it!
adragon8u, send those pics on. I'd really like to take a look at them. Thanks!
------------------
Wade
'67 A-code Fastback
|
adragon8u
Gearhead Posts: 5867
From: Oceano, Ca. member# 2895
Registered: Mar 2003
|
posted 12-17-2004 11:04 AM
Send me an email at my addy link to remind me and I'll send them tonight when I get home.
[email protected] ------------------
"I started with nothing, and I still have most of it left"
I'm an optimist, but I don't think it helps much
http://webpages.charter.net/adragon8u/mystang
|
