Foot vent rain water leaks

[RickTheEngineer]

Hello folks, yet another question to add to this ever growing forum. I am sure this is not a new question, and I did look up this question online with varying levels of success, but I thought I would get a fresh set of opinions. When it rains I get water that comes in through the foot vents. More so on the driver side, sometimes gets back enough for a little puddle to form. I resealed the windshield gasket with a windshield sealer for an added precaution. Took the dash too, and after a massive rain storm it seemed dry all around. Recently took the cowl off. A little debris in there but not much, no rust (from what was visible) in the cowl area, and the flex seal spray along the seams from the factory look great honestly. What is causing this? Sometimes i feel like it's worse when driving, but it's hard to say. Is there any way to kind of fix this? Or make it better? Thanks!

 

[glaser06]

Mine also leaks, but only during a deluge or when driving.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[ssdvc]

I get water in both of my M1009's. I just thought it was part and parcel of ownership.

 

[truck1]

Inherent in the design. My 1028 does it also. I suspect a rust spot somewhere in the cowl.

 

[cucvrus]

With various degrees of failure and success I have slowed the leak. A few I have stopped the leak. No rhyme or reason. The design has a lot to be desired. The air and water cascade down from the cowl screen / vent and run over the floor vents. This creates a leak. The ones I stopped leaking completely. I do NOT want the job of removing the vent. I caulked them really well and reinstalled them. I had a customer that was adamant about water leaks. He paid me to fix everyone. It was an M1009. The top will need a crane and sawzall to remove and the cowl floor vents are in for the duration. But it did not leak. He was . I put all new seals in the top and caulked everything with urethane sealer. But the quick fix may be to remove the vents and reseal all the vent chute that extends into the cowl vent. Also seal all the screws that was the last leak I had in my problem leaker while I was sealing it. It had a double screw hole at a few places. Good Luck. I used black sealer. Report back on your success or failure.

 

[cucvrus]

I wanted to show you how open to the water the kick vents are. If you lok down the cowl from the top the vent is right where my hand is. This picture shows the vet from the front side. You can see the white brittle seal that is supposed to stop the rain and water. You can see why it is not doing its job so well. Good Luck. Caulk and new seals will help. Make the seals out of rubber D seal. 8mm and 7mm socket and nut driver is all you need to remove them. It gives you a chance to scrub them and soak them in armor all.

 

[Sharecropper]

Guys, GM designed plastic splash guards specifically for this issue. These splash guards fit at the bottom and immediately behind the inner fender well on each side to prevent road water (spinning up off the front tires) from coming up behind the inner wheel wells and reaching the vents. Having experience with this body style of trucks for over 35 years, I have seen several instances where these splash guards were removed and discarded by vehicle owners who didn't understand their purpose. These plastic guards must be removed in order to access the outer spring shackle bolt on the rear of the front springs, and many of my buddies who removed them never reinstalled them and as a result, their vents leaked.

So my question is, does your truck have these splash guards in place? They can be identified as Part #8 in Section 10-6 of TM 9-2320-289-34 Maintenance Manual.

Hope this helps.

 

[cucvrus]

Guys, GM designed plastic splash guards specifically for this issue. These splash guards fit at the bottom and immediately behind the inner fender well on each side to prevent road water (spinning up off the front tires) from coming up behind the inner wheel wells and reaching the vents. Having experience with this body style of trucks for over 35 years, I have seen several instances where these splash guards were removed and discarded by vehicle owners who didn't understand their purpose. These plastic guards must be removed in order to access the outer spring shackle bolt on the rear of the front springs, and many of my buddies who removed them never reinstalled them and as a result, their vents leaked.

I would buy that part if it leaks while driving. These leak while parked. That is when I test them with a garden hose. I doubt that lower inner apron to cab mount fillers would effect the water leaking in from the top while parked. I put a hose on top and watched it leak in at the vents. Like I mentioned some had holes that were made for screws and the screws were not in the holes. Driving in the rain I could see the lower splash guards being effective. Parked not so good. Ad when the vent is open all it takes a little bit of leaf/dirt/debris and the cowl is holding water and cascading it down over that vent and going right in the open vent door. Check out the seals on the vent door. They are rock hard. No sealing water with them. Have a good day. It is pouring rain in PA today. messing with my progress again.

So my question is, does your truck have these splash guards in place? They can be identified as Part #8 in Section 10-6 of TM 9-2320-289-34 Maintenance Manual.

Hope this helps.

Not the case when they are leaking while parked. Take a look at the seals and the holes that are in the kick panels. That cowl area is dirty and has leaf debris and mud in some cases built up and that creates a water fall effect in the side cowling. If the vents were removed and the seals on the vent door and the vent housing were looked at you would see they are brittle and not doing a very good job of sealing anymore. The lower plastic splash guards are good while driving. But most guys open the door after being in the rain and the floor is wet before they even drive. Also a good point to keep the lower fillers in place is that it keeps the mud and stone chips off the cab mounts. That area is prone to rust and don't need any help. With out them it seems to build up mud on the cab mounts and frame perches. A good cleaning will help with the inner cowl and the cab mounts. Done on a regular basis. Have a great day. It is pouring rain in PA today. I don't worry much about leaking water in my CUCV's one has no back window in the summer and the other is Line Xed inside.

 

[RickTheEngineer]

cucvrus, I got a chance to start looking into the problem now that the heat has started to pass in my town. I am looking at the pictures you sent. Isn't that lip in the first picture supposed to stop the rain water from getting to the vents when in a parked position? Also, do you know if they sold seals that were for those kick panels or is it just a caulk job?

 

[cucvrus]

They sell seals. You can make seals pretty easy. I am sure you can seal it up. I do not know the purpose of the lip. I know they are old and leak. Mine leak if the vents are open parked in the rain. I know I cleaned a ton of debris out of everyone I ever worked on. I also had a few that the cowling was rusted thru up under the fender at the windshield A pillar. And up top of the A pillar and in the windshield pinch weld. Hard to say. I just Line X the entire interior floors. I also pull the windshield's all the cowl covering and look carefully with the water hose. It has been a 99% failure at making any CUCV 100% water tight under all conditions. good Luck with the effort. It can get deep and painfully detailed to find every leak. The roof drip molding on the M1009 has a very poor record for being rust free under the factory caulking and at the seams wher the A pillar and roof skin meet. Clean it caulk it and move on. Unless you want to open up a major can of worms.

 

[rustystud]

They sell seals. You can make seals pretty easy. I am sure you can seal it up. I do not know the purpose of the lip. I know they are old and leak. Mine leak if the vents are open parked in the rain. I know I cleaned a ton of debris out of everyone I ever worked on. I also had a few that the cowling was rusted thru up under the fender at the windshield A pillar. And up top of the A pillar and in the windshield pinch weld. Hard to say. I just Line X the entire interior floors. I also pull the windshield's all the cowl covering and look carefully with the water hose. It has been a 99% failure at making any CUCV 100% water tight under all conditions. good Luck with the effort. It can get deep and painfully detailed to find every leak. The roof drip molding on the M1009 has a very poor record for being rust free under the factory caulking and at the seams wher the A pillar and roof skin meet. Clean it caulk it and move on. Unless you want to open up a major can of worms.

I had to deal with this leaking area several years ago too. Just like you did, I caulked the crap out of it and it has stayed dry ever since.