Leak (rain/water) in driver's side, somewhere...

[animes2k]

So the driver's side floorpan has seen better days and when I was recoating it with POR15 yesterday, I discovered a likely reason why.

Somewhere, rain is getting in.

I was able to determine that it's pouring into the driver's footwell from THIS hole:

Of this I am certain.

Looking under the hood, it appears as if it may be feeding down to there from the bottom corner of the windshield (where there is a spot of rust). There are two tiny holes on the underside from that corner that are rusty and there is evidence of water dripping down that set of wires that run through there (yay). There's also evidence of mold (I think - looks sort of fiberglassy or like insulation).

Suggestions to stop this, or let it drain somewhere else?
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2000 Mexican BtlMex Swing Axle 4MT - SOLD

[Q-Dog]

Sounds like you need to replace the windshield seal ... and fix any rust under that seal.

Also, there should be a drain hole so that water goes to the ground instead of onto your floor.
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Brian

'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle

[animes2k]

[animes2k]

Well, I dug around in that hole. Apparently that's where the accordion tube for the heater vent is supposed to connect (between footwell vent opening and the windshield). And it wasn't connected, so water was running down and onto the floor. I managed to pop it back into place.

I also went ahead and used some silicone to seal up around the windshield rust spots, the antenna, and the hood seals. I know it's a hack, but I can't afford to tend to the rust. Sealing it from moisture will have to do for now.
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2000 Mexican BtlMex Swing Axle 4MT - SOLD

[Vinnems]

Hey anime. I have a hole like that on my passenger side. Down in that spot gets filled with dirt and leaves and gunk after so many years, clogging the drain hole up. If you can, stick a shop vac down there to get some of the junk out of there. Also, find the drainage holy and start prodding at it with a screw driver to clear it up. When you do manage to get that section fixed, by a can of rusty metal primer and spray down in that area for some protection.
What's with your shifter plate? I've never seen one so thick before.

[Joey]

Check the seals that the chrome molding clips go into. These are often split, cracked or all together missing.
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Joey

‘60 Kombi - '74 Bus - '79 Panel - '65 Beetle

[animes2k]

[animes2k]

[Cadaver]

THAT IS CLASSIC.

1; radio antenna gasket bad is top fail
2: the whole hood gasket is bad.
3: the 2 holes on left corner below windows gasket leaks.
bad window gasket, ever replaced that? , and block those 2 holes forever?
4: the front hood vent leaks. (lots of ways)

and yes, the bottom of the A Pillar , does have a drain
and yours is packed, as they all are.
i added one to mine. larger at the bottom...

look in the frunk left rear side, see that Natural funnel.

bingo
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for sale now.
in Samba classifieds....1968 T1.

[animes2k]

[animes2k]

Here are a couple of relevant photos.


Circled is a small hole in the weld.

Circled is the drain plug with a slit in it. Nothing appears to be draining there.

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2000 Mexican BtlMex Swing Axle 4MT - SOLD

[animes2k]

FWIW, I found this via Google:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/vw_1500_water_leaks/VW_1500_Water_Leaks.pdf
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2000 Mexican BtlMex Swing Axle 4MT - SOLD

[flyboat]

Check your radio antenna seal and the hood seal. But most likely, it is the two holes under the rubber windshield seal on the drivers side that is the cuklprit. You will need to replace the windshield seal as earlier mentioned.

I had water getting into my floor boards. It was a bad body to pan seal.
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79 super Vert
62 Ragtop Bug
66 tintop Westy
Porsche 914
09 Z06 Vette track car

[goober]

Definitely check that the six titties that hold the trunk seal curves in place on each top-to-side are in their respective holes and are sealing. I have a difficult time keeping aftermarket trunk seals in place at that spot.

[animes2k]

FWIW, the car survived the horrendous derecho thunderstorms that blew through DC last night. There was nary a leak, just a little moisture around that rust hole in the weld.

I'll see about applying some more silicone sealant around the windshield, antenna, and the "titties"
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2000 Mexican BtlMex Swing Axle 4MT - SOLD

[MountainBeetle]

The pdf booklet of places to look for leaks which you posted is very helpful!

[stagewex]

Just reading this. I have the same condition but on the passenger side. Matting gets wet from "somewhere" but I can't put my finger on it. Rain or regular rain no problem. But these ever-more-often Biblical climate-change deluges... wet!

My windshield and gasketing is perfect. I could shoot a hard stream with a hose at it all day. So I'll try and find what I assume is a clogged drain but on the left side.

My 2002 Boxster kinda has the same design. Frunck and especially the area where the convertible top collapses. That in fact dumps a bunch of leaves, twigs and other crap into the car and eventually blocks the 2 built in water drains. Required tool for clearing and cleaning is a trombone cleaner. A rooter-rooter for trombones. Works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000K3E9KO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_image_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[MountainBeetle]

Mine floods on one side or the other, never both at the same time, which I suppose says it isn’t caused from driving in the rain. Seems to be the side of the car the rain is angled at. Whenever the car is hit with a pressure washer at the drive-thru cleaning, water tumbles in at the bottom of the small air vent windows, although it appears the majority of that would end up draining onto the bottom sill of the doors, some must soak into the carpeting that rides up the around the heater channel vent.
Also I’ve never cleaned out the drains, so I’ve ordered the brush you recommend.

[MountainBeetle]

I found an additional place where water seems to enter the car. There is a burst part in the body-to-floor seam above the car’s body seal. It causes the seal to protrude slightly, and you can see rust and the evidence of water’s direction. I take it I can just deal with the rust, then hammer the metal upwards to run flush with the other seam.
I think it was probably caused by the car being taken apart 15 years ago for a restoration and respray.

[MountainBeetle]

It turned out I had a second leak after fixing the first. The fresh air vent in the hood had a blocked drain, so when it overflowed from a rather loose connection, the water would run into the area where the drain pipe goes, but before exiting out the car, some would run into cabin through a small hole that a cable comes through. Granted this should have had a rubber seal around the cable to prevent it, it’s nonetheless handy to see where the water can creep in. Most of the time the water would run into the driver’s side, despite the cable hole under the dashboard area being dead centre of the cabin.

The blocked (and loose) drain connector at the base of the fresh air box under the hood:

The black pipe which directs water down through the car, and the wet flow route of the overflowing water headed the same way. Note the cable running with the pipe.

The cable hole on the cabin side from which water overflowing the blocked drain would enter the cabin from and soak the floor.