Hi guys, hope this is the correct place to put this. I have been having this annoying leak for a while now, replaced some firewall grommets, but its sill happening. Had a bit of a better look yesterday and found there is water in the fresh air box on the drivers side. i would assume this isnt exactly normal. Any ideas on where this leak would be coming in through? Would like to try and get this leak sorted asap,
cheers
chris
Fresh Air Box leak
Moderator: Moderators
There are drain openings between the inner and outer wings and the fresh-air intake grill.(accessible just in front of the doors when open, I think). these get blocked and then water just sits in the void, eventually filling up and finding its way to the lowest point... the air box under the dash.
apologies if I've got the location of the holes wrong but someone with a better memory than mine put you right.
apologies if I've got the location of the holes wrong but someone with a better memory than mine put you right.
Pimps in the Front
Hoes in the Back
Chumps in the Trunk
68 Dart Post
Hoes in the Back
Chumps in the Trunk
68 Dart Post
yes this is common
end of plenum near the bonnet hinges
some cars have big hole
some like mine have a small slit designed to get clogged with leaves
plastic boxes are often loose, not sealed or in a poor state as well.
plastic box should..........
have a lip on the top flange that sticks 1/2 inch up into the plenum
have a foam rubber gasket around that lip that compresses between the wide top of the box and the underside of the hole in the plenum
and the plenum should not have any rust holes. if it does fixing it with epoxy or fiberglass is fine until you can get access with a welder
plastic box comes out thus
undo the cross head screws in its base and pull it down, screws go through the base of the box into threaded sections in a hanger
this leaves the hanger thing hanging in the hole
lift it about an inch into the plenum and flex sides in to unclip it and take out
cut a circle of foam style carpet underlay, packing foam, or rubber mat to act as a compressible seal for the top flange of the box
fix any cracks in the box with epoxy
fix the flange with chemical metal
re attach the pull wire bracket if necessary with new rivets in a slightly different position (they always pull through the plastic)
re hang your hanger
and bolt box back in
if you have cleaned out any blockage in the area that Lough has suggested, water should now not breach the high sides of the airbox flange
and in theory can't leak past your new seal made of rubber
job done
any water in the foot-well is now going to be a problem with the window rubber.
take out lock strip
lift edge of rubber and clean under it with degreaser followed by wet cloth
leave to dry for a day or so
fill with non setting black windscreen mastic (not silicone sealer that is acidic)
clean off mess with petrol
put back lock strip......
if its a bonded screen......dunno.....
or you still have an unseen rust hole in the plenum.
I can provide pictures to illustrate total removal of sheet metal to access inside plenum. but its not a job you want to do on a painted and glazed car
other holes are usually fixable from below (make it round and put a grommet in.) in the tunnel opening near the floor bulkhead seam if you take out the trans.
Dave
end of plenum near the bonnet hinges
some cars have big hole
some like mine have a small slit designed to get clogged with leaves
plastic boxes are often loose, not sealed or in a poor state as well.
plastic box should..........
have a lip on the top flange that sticks 1/2 inch up into the plenum
have a foam rubber gasket around that lip that compresses between the wide top of the box and the underside of the hole in the plenum
and the plenum should not have any rust holes. if it does fixing it with epoxy or fiberglass is fine until you can get access with a welder
plastic box comes out thus
undo the cross head screws in its base and pull it down, screws go through the base of the box into threaded sections in a hanger
this leaves the hanger thing hanging in the hole
lift it about an inch into the plenum and flex sides in to unclip it and take out
cut a circle of foam style carpet underlay, packing foam, or rubber mat to act as a compressible seal for the top flange of the box
fix any cracks in the box with epoxy
fix the flange with chemical metal
re attach the pull wire bracket if necessary with new rivets in a slightly different position (they always pull through the plastic)
re hang your hanger
and bolt box back in
if you have cleaned out any blockage in the area that Lough has suggested, water should now not breach the high sides of the airbox flange
and in theory can't leak past your new seal made of rubber
job done
any water in the foot-well is now going to be a problem with the window rubber.
take out lock strip
lift edge of rubber and clean under it with degreaser followed by wet cloth
leave to dry for a day or so
fill with non setting black windscreen mastic (not silicone sealer that is acidic)
clean off mess with petrol
put back lock strip......
if its a bonded screen......dunno.....
or you still have an unseen rust hole in the plenum.
I can provide pictures to illustrate total removal of sheet metal to access inside plenum. but its not a job you want to do on a painted and glazed car
other holes are usually fixable from below (make it round and put a grommet in.) in the tunnel opening near the floor bulkhead seam if you take out the trans.
Dave
The Greater Knapweed near the Mugwort by the Buckthorn tree is dying
The plenum drains are under the wings, you might be able to access them with the door open but I think you will need to remove the panel at the rear of the wheel arch. You need a high pressure airline to blow out as much of the debris as you can from the drains, the vent in front of the screen and the fresh air boxes inside the car. There will be 30 odd years of leaves, insects and dust in there clogging things up. I do the same with the drains under the sills and the boot, often clogged up which is why the rust starts there.
“This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no foolin’ around”
