Leaking Windshield Seal

Not for the first time, but especially during recent deluges here in the
northeast (12 inches on one day), has water has finished up in the
passenger footwell of my wife's 90 Miata. The surprising thing is that,
at first, all she hears is water sloshing around behind the instrument
panel cowling (I kid you not). Only a day or two later does it
"spontaneously"empty into the footwell.
There have been other postings concerned with leaks around the door
seals but this looks to me like it's the lower windshield seal.

Has anyone else experienced this, or know of it occurring in older
Miatas? Both the windshield and seal are original (i.e., 16 years old).

have a look at the drain holes under the hood at either end of the
windshield. they can become filled with debris but are supposed to drain
into the fender... and that brings up another thing to check... open the
doors and look into the front fender to see if you have lots of debris
accumulated in there... if so here's how to clean them...
http://www.miata.net/garage/fenders.html

if it is any consolation my car also took on some water from the same rains
but i attributed that to it being parked with the passenger side slightly
raised and the driven rain penetrating the passenger window seals...
streaks on the inside of the window were evidence from where it came.


"John Bevan" > wrote in message
...
> Not for the first time, but especially during recent deluges here in the
> northeast (12 inches on one day), has water has finished up in the
> passenger footwell of my wife's 90 Miata. The surprising thing is that,
> at first, all she hears is water sloshing around behind the instrument
> panel cowling (I kid you not). Only a day or two later does it
> "spontaneously"empty into the footwell.
> There have been other postings concerned with leaks around the door
> seals but this looks to me like it's the lower windshield seal.
>
> Has anyone else experienced this, or know of it occurring in older
> Miatas? Both the windshield and seal are original (i.e., 16 years old).

"John Bevan" > wrote in message
...
> Not for the first time, but especially during recent deluges here in the
> northeast (12 inches on one day), has water has finished up in the
> passenger footwell of my wife's 90 Miata. The surprising thing is that,
> at first, all she hears is water sloshing around behind the instrument
> panel cowling (I kid you not).

Was she using the air conditioning? If so, the A/C drain tube was
plugged, and now either it's overflowed, or popped off its nipple. An
easy fix (see miata.net), but better get that carpet dry ASAP or it will
smell for years.

---
Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

fwiw, here is a discussion of what lanny is talking about along with a
picture of the ac tube in question...
http://roadster-chat.net/cgi-bin/ult...c;f=1;t=005686

also, the more i thought about this original question, and having been
subject to the same ridiculous volume of rain as the op, i would also
suggest looking at the drain tube and funnel at the end of the rain rail
behind the passenger seat... if that is partially clogged then rain water
could have spilled down the carpet behind the passenger seat and into the
passenger floor. particularly with the amount of rain we had and the rate
of the downpour at times.

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> "John Bevan" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Not for the first time, but especially during recent deluges here in the
>> northeast (12 inches on one day), has water has finished up in the
>> passenger footwell of my wife's 90 Miata. The surprising thing is that,
>> at first, all she hears is water sloshing around behind the instrument
>> panel cowling (I kid you not).
>
> Was she using the air conditioning? If so, the A/C drain tube was
> plugged, and now either it's overflowed, or popped off its nipple. An
> easy fix (see miata.net), but better get that carpet dry ASAP or it will
> smell for years.
>
> ---
> Lanny Chambers
> '94C, St. Louis
> http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

In article <oX98f.10841$SH6.37@trndny08>,
"Christopher Muto" > wrote:

> fwiw, here is a discussion of what lanny is talking about along with a
> picture of the ac tube in question...
> http://roadster-chat.net/cgi-bin/ult...c;f=1;t=005686

The sloshing behind the dash was the giveaway. It occurred to me after
posting that the A/C box might also collect water if the wiper plenum
drains were clogged; they empty at the bottom of the fenders, behind the
front wheels.

If your rain rail drains were clogged, the sloshing would be around your
ankles, or in the trunk. Those drains, plus the ones in the front
fenders and sills, are easily checked every time the car is washed.

---
Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

In article >,
Lanny Chambers > wrote:
>
> The sloshing behind the dash was the giveaway. It occurred to me after
> posting that the A/C box might also collect water if the wiper plenum
> drains were clogged; they empty at the bottom of the fenders, behind the
> front wheels.

Thanks to all for helpful input. I've finally got the carpet and
underlay dry. Also, I agree that the water would seem to be
accumulating in the A/C box. However, the wiper plenum drains are
definitely not blocked ( I tested them). Also, the A/C drain hose
appears to be intact. There is a hole in the center console close to
where the the A/C drain hose connects. I'm wondering if this is where
water discharges into the passenger floor.

Where does intake air get into the heater and A/C? If the windshield is
not sealed properly at its base would this allow heavy rain to get in?

In article >,
John Bevan > wrote:

> Where does intake air get into the heater and A/C?

The heater intake is under the wiper motor, covered by a plastic grate.

>If the windshield is
> not sealed properly at its base would this allow heavy rain to get in?

We're not ignoring this possibility, it's just that yours would be the
first anyone heard of. It's typically a blockage in the A/C drain,
either in the tube or above it inside the box.

--
Lanny Chambers
'94C, St. Louis
http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html

Lanny,

First of all, thank for your insight. It is always appreciated.

I wonder about the way things are connected... perhaps if I can articulate
this clearly you might be able to shed some more light on it... In John's
case the sloshing sound from the dash certainly indicates that the a/c box
had water in it as you identified. This makes me wonder how that might have
become filled... and if it can possibly be overfilled. I mean if a large
amount water flooded the wiper plenum could that result in filling the a/c
box? Is the a/c box caped or open on top. If open then perhaps that just
spilled over into the passenger floor (and also what happened to me though I
thought it came from the window). Also I hear that the heater hoses have
rubber seals around them where they penetrate the firewall and that these
fail over time (but can be fairly easily be replaced from the engine
compartment). Could these be the source of John's leak?

Also, a separate issue is the path of water at the rear. I have a wet
drivers seatbelt after significant rain. I assumed that it was because of a
cracked funnel behind the drivers seat (which I discovered when replacing
the top and temporarily siliconed to death). If the rain rail is working,
and no water is found in the trunk or the floor, then why is the seatbelt
getting wet? That is to ask, where is the water possibly coming from? I see
a hole in the sheet metal below and in front of the plastic funnel behind
the seat and thought that the funnel must not be draining correctly and that
perhaps that hole leads to the seatbelt and perhaps on to the floor (and why
I had suggested it as a possible source of the problem to John)... but I
really don't know.

Thanks again for your help.

"Lanny Chambers" > wrote in message
...
> In article >,
> John Bevan > wrote:
>
>> Where does intake air get into the heater and A/C?
>
> The heater intake is under the wiper motor, covered by a plastic grate.
>
>>If the windshield is
>> not sealed properly at its base would this allow heavy rain to get in?
>
> We're not ignoring this possibility, it's just that yours would be the
> first anyone heard of. It's typically a blockage in the A/C drain,
> either in the tube or above it inside the box.
>
> --
> Lanny Chambers
> '94C, St. Louis
> http://www.hummingbirds.net/alignment.html