Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2007 09:59:37 -0400
Reply-To: Eric <ericmail@STARPOWER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Eric <ericmail@STARPOWER.NET>
Subject: Re: Rain leaking in under dash: Windshield seal or heater/vent
system?
In-Reply-To: <4681207E.4010802@verizon.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Excellent diagnosing idea, Mike! It is so simple and elegant that I'm kicking myself. A roll of duct tape is now in the van awaiting the rain.
However, what is the solution if rain is coming in through the heater/vent system? I am not inclined to jump out and seal the intake every time it rains. An exploratory disassembly of the heater/vent system is also not exactly what I call a fun time. Though I am willing to do it if I know there is a drain or something that can be unplugged. Hopefully someone out there can shed some light on the problem.
OK. I am optimistic and hope that it turns out to be the windshield seal. It seems a much simpler problem to solve at the moment.
Thanks,
Eric
1988 Westy/1996 Subaru 2.2L
At 10:19 6/26/2007, Mike Collum wrote:
>Block off (seal off) the vent intake then stand in your driveway and wait for rain. ;)
>
>Mike
>
>
>
>Eric wrote:
>>Greetings sage Vanagon owners!
>>An unusual amount of water drips on both my and the passenger's feet when driving at highway speeds in a hard rain. It appears to be dripping from the large metal tube/body cross member that directs fresh air from the heater/vent box through the doors and from behind the glove box on the passenger side. This metal tube is the first part of the air passage that eventually supplies fresh air to the upper vents in the rear compartment. However, it may also be dripping from farther above in the dash area (windshield seal?), onto this metal tube/body cross member, then onto my feet. It is hard to examine when driving at highway speeds. It doesn't appear to leak from these locations during a hard rain when the van is not moving.
>> From my perusal of the archives, the main culprit would be an atrophied windshield seal. I've got one of those on order. However, the burning question: Is it possible that this rainwater is entering the front air intake above the radiator, working its way through the heater/vent system, and leaking out of the pressed metal seam in the metal vent tube? In a hard rain, with air flowing through the vent/heater, rain surely enters the system. Where is it supposed to go? Is there a drain of some sort in the heater/vent box that could be clogged? I hate to pay for a windshield replacement and find out that it is not the seal.
>>Many thanks,
>>Eric
>>1988 Westy/1996 Subaru 2.2L
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