after driving in a heavy rainstorm my 72 dart right side floor was soaked from rain.i took it to my buddies auto body shop to figure it out.he started low and poured water in the cowl.the water just leaked through onto the floor on both sides.we can't see in the cowl and he said the cowl doesn't come apart.how can we figure out where the water might be getting through at causing the leak.i'm installing new interior in this car including carpet,i don't want to ruin it.any way to take the cowl or suggestions on where to look close at.any help would be appreciated.the drivers side leaks also but not as much.
thanks
butch

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love a body darts

Windshield wiper gaskets - that'd be my first guess.

A possible second source of water entering the cabin:

1966 or 67 on up, the cowl drains from two 5/8th inch, or so, holes located [I have descoverd that no other cars have this hole, but a raised or pucker that serves as a drain] at a low spot on both sides of the car that can be accessed from the hood hinge opening in the fender. I know this is a lousy description of the drain’s location, but stick the back of your hand down along the hinge and probe the crow for an opening.

These drains get plugged with small sticks, leaves, and dirt which will allow water to fill that low area until it cascades over the lip protecting the fresh air plenum, located by the kick panel, and can be accessed via the trap door.

On the passenger’s side, water can also come in through the hole provided for the radio antenna cable to pass through to the fender area behind the kick panel.

What you are going to have to do, is remove the driver’s side plenum that is held in place by three nuts on studs pointing down from the crow. Once removed, access is much easer. Reaching up into the cowl you will be able to scoop out all that debris, possibly a vacuum cleaner will help. Also working through the drain hole, one can remove some stuff as well with a wire.

The passenger’s side is a bit harder to access, as that plenum is part of the heater box, and is not an easy or pleasant job to remove, so do what you can through the drain hole, using a wire, compressed air, and a vacuum cleaner. When you think that it is all cleaned out run some water down the exterior cowl vents to flush out any fine material.

Hopefully, there are not any rusted holes through the bottom of your cowl. If that is the case you will have to remove the glove box, heater box and related components, and patch it.

Once you get the cowl drains, and cowl cleaned out, it is easy to maintain them with occasional flushing with water.

The wiper seals, as previously stated, will dump a lot of water onto the floor as well. I would replace them, and lube the wiper pivots with white grease while on this mission.

It is surprising how quite a lubricated wiper mechanism will run!

Good luck

I have to amend my previous statements with the following:
I have included a photo illustrating the 5/8th inch hole in the passenger’s side hood hinge attachment location. After closer inspection, I now believe that the 5/8th hole had been drilled by previous owner to facilitate cowl cleaning when he had the front fenders removed. Just to the right of the drilled hole, you can see a raised, or puckered section of the joint between floor of cowl and vertical end cap of cowl. That pucker is the drain for the cowl..

I cleaned my cowl out while I had my heater box removed for re-fitment of internal gaskets, and heater core. With the heater box removed, and driver’s side plenum removed, access to internal cowl area is easer, as one can get his hand up into the spot to dig, scrape, and vacuum out the built up crud.

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

Someone PM'ed my asking how one would fix a perfarated cowl floor.

Here are my thoughts on the subject:

Mr. X,

I forgot to address repairing any perforations that may exist on the floor of the cowl. Because of this most difficult location for patching, basically the ceiling of the under dash area, I think a Drumel Tool to grind & clean surfaces, and a coat of JB Weld would fix the problem for a while.

If you are going to remove the heater box, in addition to the JB Weld, one could try to coat the rusted inner surfaces with POR-15 to seal up the rusted pits. This will be a real PIA, but you would have a dry clean smelling car until that full rotisserie restoration takes place, and new metal can be welded in.

Bill

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

i tried what you guys said and that was it.it was just plugged up with junk,leaves,twigs etc.thanks very much for all your help.
butch

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love a body darts

Good, and glad to help as long as you were doing the contorting... LAL.

Nothing like a cheep fix!

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67' Dart GT Convertible; the old Chrysler Corp.
82' LeBaron Convertible; the new Chrysler Corp
07' 300 C AWD; Now by Fiat, the old new Chrysler LLC

For what it is worth, I cut an access panel in each side of my 7 Dart on the outside. I could open it and clean it. It was a bit of work the first time, but not after that. On my '69 I drilled some large holes with a hole saw, and then put body plugs in them. They can be removed and a blast of air applied.

BTW, thanks again to those who are signing off with their names. If it is not for you, fine. It is just nice to have the real name reinforced with every post.

Sam

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