Annoying leak!!

[CornishSilver]

Help please When it rains and I drive I get water tracking to the left hand inside corner of the dash on a lhd if that matters. Firstly I thought it was because I had the cold air vent open when driving in the rain but it hammered down yesterday and it was shut so think that's now eliminated. The window seal is new so it can (I think) only be the left hand side wiper seal, got so say it's seen better days and when jiggling the wiper there's definitely movement. Went to have a look this morning took the outer nut off



To be left with the stud. I was expecting it to then slide off but it's solid. Thought I'd best ask before I try being a bit more forceful!! Here's another pic of it help with an explanation should something else need removal.

 

[ozziedog]

That looks like it's been there for a long time. Before you prise it off, take note that it is already cracked and maybe won't survive being taken off , so I'd get a spare first.
Looking from here, I don't think it's that anyway. It looks from here as if you got something that I'm gonna have to sort on mine very soon. There seems to be a bit of crud under the windscreen seal, and that is a favourite spot for it. Very very carefully, lift the rubber up and have a close inspection. The steelwork and paintwork there has to be perfect. If there is the tiniest of rust bubbles there it will bugger up any chance that the rubber has of sealing, and once its started it lets more water in and sort of holds it in too just to be a real bitch. Try and hold the rubber up with something that won't damage it, possibly the ends of some clothes pegs and be a bit careful if there is rust as you might press it into the rubbers.
To prove it, can you see it when it drips ? To prove it, firstly take your pegs out then seal all around the wiper where it touches the body with cling film and or blue tack, seal around your fresh air vent too. Now make a tiny watering can with an old milk bottle with a biro body as a spout, pop a little hole into the bottle neck about an inch from the top, get a biro body that has a thread on it, usually has a plastic bit on the end that people chew, the bit unscrews / comes off to get the innerds in and out. Screw this into the bottle then fill with water and put the top back on. The idea behind this is to be able to direct the water precisely but keep it to a small amount. Squirt it at the rubber for roughly thirty seconds right where it joins the body but just do about two inches for thirty seconds, then go and check in the van, keep going around the rubber to body join and if you get nothing, then go around the rubber to glass join. It might be right in the corner or a top corner and running down inside the rubber. If there is nothing initially then try it with a large watering can to try and make it leak, then if it don't then clear your spindle protection and try that, or your air box but do them one at a time.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,, try and track it down.

 

[slow-lane-Matt]

...would it help to heat the seal up a bit before prizing it up, or for a test stick over some gaffer tape and go for a drive in the rain to check
if that is where the leak is...

 

[CornishSilver]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. Ozzie, think now you mention it could well be the rust buggering up the seal as it's a lot worse around where the actual leak is. I will get some blue tack and cover up the wiper next Time it's raining. Going to put it in to Evil ben's for some work on the dog leg so maybe get that done too

 

[ozziedog]

Like Matt says, if you think its coming in through there somewhere, clean it up as best you can, do some pegs or anything really to lift the rubber to let it dry, then gaffer tape a strip the whole of the bottom of screen about 10mm onto the glass, and that should sort it until you get it down to Bens place. Try and prove it first though so you know what you is talking about when you get there.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,,,,And watch that wiper arm too :mrgreen: