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sammyman Samba Member
Joined: May 18, 2004 Posts: 195
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Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 2:43 pm Post subject: Car Wash Leaks |
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I just went through the car wash. The usual catching water through the skylight happened.
But this time, it also was leaking under the passenger seat. Has this happened to anyone else?
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MidwestDrifter Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2012 Posts: 769 Location: Kicking Around Australia
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Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 3:25 pm Post subject: |
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Yes, mine ended up being the antenna base leaking. Other possibilities include, window seal, wiper posts, and bad seam sealer.
Might need time to do some testing with the garden hose.
Edit: I see that's your passenger side. Is that coolant? If its coolant you have a leak near your heater core, maybe at your heater valve. _________________ 2004 Dodge/Mercedes Sprinter (Custom Camper)
2000 Jetta TDI
1982 Diesel Westy W/ ABA I4 hybrid (Sold)
Epic Road Tripping since 08/05/12 | http://VagariesAbound.blogspot.com/
My Current Build | http://sprinter-source.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41215 |
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Alex Proulx Samba Member
Joined: August 26, 2010 Posts: 294 Location: Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada
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Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:26 pm Post subject: |
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lol never had that one before. I had the rear hatch seal (profusely), the skylight, passenger and driver front windows and the sliding windows (usually not closed ). Once I had the bra ripped off the front. So guess what? Now I avoid automatic car wash and use a hand held pressure gun followed by a hand wipe dry. _________________ Vanagon GL 1988 Full Camper, 4 speed manual, 2.1 stock engine
Audi A3 2.0T S-Line Quattro 2015 |
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Kiptere Samba Member
Joined: February 13, 2013 Posts: 419 Location: Houston
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Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 5:45 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't dare take my VW through a car wash. _________________ 62 Bug
70 Bug
68 Bug
70 Bug Vert |
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Vinzanto Samba Member
Joined: March 22, 2012 Posts: 247 Location: Kansas City
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Posted: Fri Sep 13, 2013 8:04 pm Post subject: |
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I have gotten pretty good at just using the coin operated pressure wash by hand to wash the van; an auto wash really brings to light many areas of prone leaking. |
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SCM Samba Member
Joined: January 26, 2011 Posts: 3102 Location: Bozeman MT
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Posted: Sat Sep 14, 2013 8:09 am Post subject: |
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if it is water my bet is that the water is getting through the wiper arm pivot - where else could it be from at that location?
Are you sure it's not coolant? _________________ '91 Westfalia GL Automatic (GTA "Turbo" Rebuild w/Peloquin) and 2.3L GoWesty Engine |
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tam_shops Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2012 Posts: 1530 Location: Vancouver BC
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Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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I have a leak, or ten!
I went through the car wash, the gas attendant filled it up and I warned him it burped, but he did not listen, so when he spilled gas all over the ground I complained and he gave me a free car wash. Did you guys know they cost $13!?? Wow, forget that on a regular basis! At any rate, I had to get the salt off and what's that stuff on the road that leaves white lines (2-6 parallel in a row) called, either way it needed off too? One person said it was brine (salt water) and someone else said it was Magnesium something.
At any rate, there was water drops all over both roll up windows (driver and passenger side), all over all four corners of the skylight. Nothing I saw on the floor or anywhere else. If there are other problem spots, LMK, will go check them too. Someone said the back window, will check in a minute.
Is that just b/c of the pressure of the car wash, or is it indicative or a problem to be? I saw one drop of water come from my skylight last summer, but nothing else otherwise, so I didn't put it at the top of my "to do" list, perhaps I should have!
I'm not sure I'd do it again, the blower thing bent my windshield washer arm downwards (onto the vehicle), I'm sure you can only get away with that so many times before it breaks and then costs $$$$.
tam _________________ 1987 Vanagon Westfalia GL Automatic
Making it special:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=545885 |
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hartwesty Samba Member
Joined: February 07, 2014 Posts: 23 Location: Wisconsin
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Posted: Sat Feb 08, 2014 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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I was an autoglass technician for 25 years. I spent a lot of time diagnosing and repairing leaks in Vanagons in my early years at the local VW dealership. I have found some of the most common points of intrusion in a structurally sound van were the wiper pivot post seal, the top corners of the windshield seal (body side), the rear hatch wire housing, and the rear hatch hinges (usually after door replacement). In sustained rainfall the side and rear windows would also leech water up and over the pinchwelds. oddly the urethane VW used in later vanagons was not to seal the gaskets but, rather to conform to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS) for windshield retention and to meet roof crush standards. a few vanagon windshields I have replaced actually had water trapped between the body and the gasket I am no longer an autoglass tech. Now as a westy owner I can relive those days whenever there is a heavy downpour.
Brad |
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