Water Leak: passenger side

floydg · #1 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 06:15 PM

03/1982 Spider

When it rains, it floods the passenger compartment.

Water dribbles in down the outside of the window heater/defroster plastic air tube (Next to the glove box). Appears to be coming from the outside black airvent below the windshield wiper assembly.

Any ideas how to confirm or fix this issue?

Also I get water behind the passenger seat. This may be related to the soft-top insulation around the body. But any ideas are welcome...

Thanks again!

**Tifosi** · #2 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 06:48 PM

Dunno about the back area, but the dashboard bit would be a shot cowl drain tube.

If you look up under the dash, there's a hose about 1" - 1 1/4" diamter that goes from the bottom/interior of the cowl housing then over to the firewall yup above where your passengers toes would be.

That hose drains water from the cowl area out through to the wheelwell. If it's cracked or rotted out, you get the drips on the floor.

There's also one on the drivers side tucked up in the vicinity behind the fusebox.

Joe Papa Sr · #3 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 06:53 PM

Tifosi pretty much said it...you have to get under there, with a light, while a friend runs a hose on low onto the suspected area where you think the water may be running down, and observe for the leak underneath. Kinda like a detective. Then, you can verify.

My black tubes Tifosi mentions are also cracked, but so far, no leaks.

**ghnl** · #4 (**permalink**) 10-30-2007, 07:08 PM

Does the cowl drain hose look like this?
(this is the driver's side but the passenger side has a drain hose, too)

Alfacliff · #5 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 06:14 AM

yes, that is the hose. there are two hoses that drain the back too, behind the "b"piller, there are two hoses that drain the rain gutter around the inside of the top. my 74 had bad leaks in that area till I replaced the things. they were cracked and plugged up. they are behind the rubber trim right behind both b pillers.
cliff

SamW · #6 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 06:21 AM

I don't know if we can get original replacements for them, but I just replaced the passanger's side with 1" heater hose, worked out well, but have a major kink right under the cowl, but not enough to stop the flow of water. I also put a plastic 90 degree bend in the wheel well behind the fender liner just so it would follow the same path. I pulled the glove box out to get to the hose.

**ghnl** · #7 (**permalink**) 10-31-2007, 08:31 AM

Replacements in the correct shape are certainly available from 'the usual suppliers'.

link to drain hose at IAP

link to IAP's tech page re: drain hoses