I have a 66 malibu w/o AC. I had rain water pouring into the passenger footwell. Just changed out the inner and outer heater boxes, put in new seals, patched a rusty spot by the heater pipe outlets and sealed everything up tight. Washed the car and have a slow drip coming off of the bottom of the inner heater box from the hinge pin for the air flow door right over the center of the passenger foot well. What am I missing? I don't know what is down the scuttle or if that is even where I need to look. The air vents are not involved and when I last had the dash out, there did not appear to be water coming through the windshield seals. I have gone through every archived post and can't find anything helpful.:confused:

Could be that the "saddle bags" on the side of the cowl are full of leaves etc. If the water can't get out the bottom, it will come right in the vent. Chevelles that were parked outside under trees over the years collect a lot of junk. Other than that, you might have some hidden rust problems. Hope it's just leaves or something minor. Other "A" body cars had the three vent screens and they kept a lot of this stuff out.

My 64, even being a so-cal car had some rust in the cowl area. It drove me nuts for years trying to figure out where it was comin in. I finally found it while I had the front wrap off and the firewall filled from the factory heater assy. You're going to have to do some disassembly, but it will likely be just out of sight below the cowl panel and above the heater.

Devin

Just got the car back from the body shop last year with two new front fenders put on after complete doghouse removal. Any "junk" was removed at that point. Very frustrating.

Are you talking about the actual firewall or down the scuttle. I just had the entire heater assembly and both boxes out. Repaired every rust spot I could find. Is there a seam that I need to be looking for? Thanks for your reply!

Had the same problem on my chevelle for a while. Mine was simple though. THe heater hose wasn't on all the way and snugged enough. I little stream, almost invisible would should into the firewall and leak down. I didn't figure out til I get the car nice and hot and giggled everything... and felt for water. The water wasn't running down the firewall so I thought things were fine. The tiny spray was aimed perfect to go into the firewall.


Edit: Nevermind just re-read that it is rain water.. my bad.. sorry.

Big D

No worries. I appreciate the reply. This one is wearing me out.

hey my el camino had a problem like that but on the driver side the filler they use on the fender up to the windshield was cracking and allowing water in to the cab i filled the cracks and smoothed it out and no more leaks

I little stream, almost invisible would should into the firewall and leak down. I didn't figure out til I get the car nice and hot and giggled everything... and felt for water. The water wasn't running down the firewall so I thought things were fine. The tiny spray was aimed perfect to go into the firewall.


Edit: Nevermind just re-read that it is rain water.. my bad.. sorry.

Big D

I dont like to pick apart grammar, but I'm haveing a real hard time deciphering this one. Can you clarify?

The way it reads is that you let out a little stream...etc (took a pee in your car?), you got the car all sexually arroused and that you coulda-shoulda-woulda done something about it and then you started laughing. :wacko:

Thanks for the tip. That is much more useful that spending time criticizing the grammar of posters who are attempting to help!

No one is criticizing dude. It was meant purely as a joke. You need to lighten up a little and stop being so sensitive..

There is a seal for the outer heater box, which it sounds like you replaced. There is also some type of sealant that goes around the two heater hose nipples. If you don't get this good and pressed in around the nipples and stuck to the inner firewall, it can leak. These are the two areas that can introduce water from the outer firewall into the heater box.

I suggest taking a garden hose and working it from the bottom of the heater box up the firewall to the cowl, getting all these areas wet. Go slowly to allow the water time to trickle through.

I would also be sure that it's not the heater core itself.

Yes, I did replace the seals. I used the black sticky stuff to seal in around the water nipples and then resealed with black silicone. I will go back through it again. The heater core is new and the drip is definitely fresh water (no antifreeze.) It is very odd the way it is dripping from the flap door pivot. Thanks for the tips.

Okay. Still not saying I am right but, when I did mine, I had to go back from the under hood side and push the sticky stuff up tight against the nipples and the firewall.

Try the garden hose trick, that'll show right were the point of entry is.

Two places I had water entry on prior vehicles were: 1) the antenna hole thru the fender and the hole where the wire came into the cab (I had removed the antenna in favor of a winshield antenna); and 2) bolt hole where the door bolted to the body. I had some clay like pookie that had hardened. Not sure either applies in your case but perhaps worth checking out.

I appreciate the advice. Have rear fender driver side antennae mount (weird) but will look closely at the door bolts. Thanks!