Water coming in under dash on driver's side

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Water coming in under dash on driver's side

November 05, 2024, 05:48:23 am

I have a small water leak under my dash on the driver's side.
I don't think it's coming from the roof. I resealed the roof and Eternabonded the seams.
I can't detect dampness in the overhead storage area. Any thought where water is going access.

Thanks

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #1 – November 05, 2024, 07:26:07 am

Hey NADAZE, I suggest you use the search function and look for posts about a firewall leak. There was a Ford TSB (technical service bulletin) issued for the Ford chassis in 2001 and 2002 that may address the problem you are experiencing. Good luck!

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #2 – November 05, 2024, 08:03:27 am

Thank you.
I tried searching for leak under dash. I'll try your suggestion.

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #3 – November 05, 2024, 11:55:55 am

So I'll save people the trouble of looking this up. E-450 firewall leaks?
And of course new owners of older Lazy Dazes may be in wetter locations now than the motorhome has been in before, so it is still applicable.

The main comment about the firewall leak turned out to be an improperly replaced engine cover. LD made it hard with older coaches by placing flaps of carpet up close and covering the rubber seal between the floor and cover. Newer coaches from about 2010 have a different arrangement.
I did restore an engine cover for a member at a Caravan Club meeting in Vista (Ca.) one time. They had a smog check done, and since then, the passenger's feet had a temperature issue (hot) while driving. The seal had some carpeting in the way, and the cover wasn't clamped in quite the right place as a result. Repositioning the carpet and cover, with a small tap from a 3# hammer did the trick. The passenger was apprehensive about me and the hammer, but the results were good.
I travel now with a lot fewer installed screws than what LD used. In case I need to remove the 'dog house' on the road. (and I travel with the hammer also).    RonB

edit: Similar to this, useful for lots of things: ESTWING Sure Strike Drilling/Crack Hammer - 3-Pound Sledge with Fiberglass...

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Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #4 – November 05, 2024, 12:31:03 pm

It's been a very long time since anyone reported this issue. There is a seam under the grille located in front of the windshield, that wasn't sealed correctly on some units.
To check, use a hose to run water into the grille while watching for water coming inside. If found leaking, the grill needs to be removed and the seam sealed using a polyurethane sealant. The seam needs to be cleaned with solvent before applying the sealant.
It's unusual to see this type of leak occur after so many years, there may be another source of the leak such as a windshield leak.

Larry

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #5 – November 05, 2024, 02:36:23 pm

That's a good hammer, Ron. Like you, I carry one everywhere. I also carry a 27-ounce Estwing dead-blow mallet, which has its own uses (when you don't want to damage the object you're hitting).

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #6 – November 05, 2024, 04:32:06 pm

"...a small tap from a 3# hammer did the trick. "

I once knew a guy who served some time on a chain-gang... they used that type of hammer. Works good on rocks!

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #7 – November 09, 2024, 05:48:45 pm

Hi Ron.
We are experiencing a heavy rain. I inspected the carpet under my dash to see if I could detect the source of. my water leak.
I think you're correct. The carpet is wet starting from the engine cover. When things dry out around here I'm going to pull the cover. I take a couple of photos and share them with you. Is this an easy fix??

Thanks

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #8 – November 09, 2024, 06:40:39 pm

Hi Mark, Usually it's just a bit of carpet in the way of the mating sealing surfaces. So The fix is a strong light, and care in placement, positioning, and clamping the doghouse back into place properly. Some cleaning or trimming of bedraggled carpeting may be in order. It is difficult on our year models to get it all back together right. The factory had the cover all clamped down, before they applied the carpeting. They used small hex head screws that were hard to locate, and even harder to put back in. Possibly some screws since the original build weren't put back in, and the unoccupied holes could be the source of leaks. You might want to clean and seal empty non used holes.
I left the flaps of carpet attached, but didn't screw them down. So I can actually pull them up out of the way. I can see that everything is in place, before I clamp the cover down.
After ours was made, somewhere along the way, Ford changed the design of the cover, and Lazy Daze streamlined the way the carpet came up to meet the doghouse cover. I've seen pictures in the for sale ad's (not actually about the doghouse assembly) that showed a much cleaner approach to this area. California requires that an every two year smog check remove the cover, which my smog check person never did. Unfortunately some techs actually do that, but often, even after charging an extra $100, can't get the covers back on correctly. RonB

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #9 – November 09, 2024, 09:04:17 pm

Thanks Ron!
I've not been driving my LD so how is the water accessing the cab through the cover?

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #10 – November 10, 2024, 02:49:46 am

Hi Mark. The grill in the hood, actually just between the hood and the front windshield will collect rainwater. That is your fresh air intake for the cabin heat and air conditioning. Water can find it's way into the dash area and down to the carpet by the driver or passenger footwell. There should be a drain somewhere onto the ground.
I've never had a water leak there, so I don't know much about that. The air conditioner removes water from the air, hence lake Newton from the roof. All cars drip water on the road from the vehicle dash air. Sometimes that hose gets plugged up or dislodged and water drips inside. RonB

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #11 – November 10, 2024, 11:35:05 am

So, unless I locate and clear this hose the leak will continue?

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #12 – November 10, 2024, 03:55:54 pm

Hi Mark; You need to do some detective work to find out where the water is coming from. I and others have mentioned several possibilities. To quote Larry: " seam under the grille located in front of the windshield, that wasn't sealed correctly on some units" And the real source of water is what you need to fix. A non staining red (green?) some distinguishable color dye may help in detecting where this water is coming from.
If the windshield has ever been replaced, I might check that first.
The internet may help also, lots of clues: https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/524468-need-help-on-water-leak-4.html RonB

edited to add this comment: There are a lot of threads on decomposing sealant used by Ford on the rain gutters and joints in assembly of the cab seams. Our motorhomes are more than old enough, (my '99 for instance), to fit the category of really! old for the normal truck user. So more disassembly and inspection, along with many many possibilities of where the leaks are coming from. My upper left windshield framework, where it is joined to the cabover nosecone piece by Lazy Daze is one possibility that I need to inspect better. RB

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #13 – November 10, 2024, 03:58:50 pm

Thanks Ron!

Re: Water coming in under dash on driver's side

Reply #14 – November 10, 2024, 09:28:37 pm

Quote from: NADAZE! - November 10, 2024, 11:35:05 am

So, unless I locate and clear this hose the leak will continue?

Maybe...
The grill under the windshield has drains on the driver and passenger sides that exit under the fenders. The drains can plug and allow water to back up and accumulate, As mentioned earlier, rigs of your vintage had issues with seams under the grill not being sealed properly at the Factory, your LD may be one of them.
First check to see if the drains are clear by running a hose into the grill area and looking for water dripping under both front fenders.
If water does not flow freely from the drain, plugged drains could be causing your issue. The drains are not readily identifiable when looking under the fenders, water drains between gaps in the sheet metal, and everything is hidden. If one side drains, look under the fender and see the spot where the drain is located.
If plugged, the grill can be removed by pulling the wiper blades and removing the handful of screws that secure the grill. Use a hose with a pistol nozzle to blast the far right and left corners where the drains are located, shooting downward as much as possible. I have used this method to clean the drain in my Jeeps, sometimes needing to push the hose into the far corners to dislodge leaves and other debris. If the bottom outlet can be determined, probing the outlet with a stiff wire might be helpful.
The poorly sealed seams are accessed when the grille is removed.

Larry

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