1999 SS #4526

I've owned my car a little over a month and I was detailing the car shortly after I bought it and found water in the rear passenger floorboard. I went through checking out the things I found in searches, like the evaporator drain being plugged, the floorboard plugs leaking, and the harness leaking at the ECU. I still had a leak which seemed to be coming from the passenger side of the hatchback. After a rain or a washing, I can open the hatchback and there is water on the interior plastic, next to where the stabilizer connects to the hatchback. It will also pour/drip water down directly over the speaker to the car's interior. Today I was able to spend some time with the car and I took all the plastic from the interior of the hatchback, got in the car and had a helper spray the car down with a garden hose while I tried to pinpoint the leak. We sprayed a lot of water and didn't get a leak. I got out of the car through the drivers door, walked to the back and opened the hatchback, and as I opened it water poured out of two of the holes that the plastic keepers pop into to hold the interior plastic on the hatchback. It looks like the whole time we were spraying, the bottom side of the hatchback that sits on the weather stripping was filling up, we just didn't do it long enough for water to start coming out of the holes with the hatch down. I looked at the interior piece that snaps into that area of the hatchback, specifically the ends of the plastic locks that push into the hatchback and on one there is crud that is usually associated with standing water on it. So I am getting water in between the top and bottom of my hatchback(it actually looks like the hatchback is 3 layers in that area), it definately is not coming past the weather strippiing. I also find it hard to believe that it is coming past the glass seal, there is a substantial lip that the glass seal sits in and water would have to make it over that, even if the seal was comprimised. With the plastic snapped out you can see where the seal meets the glass all the way around and it should drip from there if it were the seal. I know this is long and drawn out but I am trying to give enough information to pinpoint my problem. Anybody else ever had theirs leak like this, and more importantly what was done to fix it?

As a side note, I'm fairly certain my problem is not due to accident damage.

jammon46

Subframe connectors fix a lot of leaks and rattles for that matter. Even if you don't think it is logical that they will fix it, just weld 'em on and you will be suprised. Especially on a M6 car. (I assume you launch it pretty well)

1999 SS #4526

I've seen subframe connectors mentioned but I don't know what they are. Anything that could remotely help my problem I'm all ears for. As for driving style, I'm still getting used to the car, and being scared of having to buy parts I haven't been dumping the clutch or hard shifting the transmission. Yet. I do know for a fact that the car still pulls at 150mph in 5th gear though

1999 SS #4526

Its raining here today....anybody?

ACW

http://www.afterthoughtsauto.com/subconcamand.html
Bunch of threads about leaks listed here: https://ls1tech.com/forums/showthrea...59#post2324148

jammon46

look on ebay for some BMR or Granatelli weld in sfc's. you can probably get them for under $200. BTW get the biggest ones you can find, no such thing as over kill on these.

1999 SS #4526

Thanks for the links, that's more than my searches found. None of them seem to point to my specific leak though, getting water in between the top and bottom layers of the hatch.

Took the car to the local glass shop today. The guy said the glass seal wasn't leaking. He said he'd seen cars with spoilers leak where the studs go through the rear deck. He gave me some of their sealing tape, I'm about to take the spoiler off and reseal it. Wish me luck.

1999 SS #4526

Well, if that wasn't a waste of time....If I'd been actually awake BEFORE I took the spoiler off I would have realized that the two layers of the hatch sandwich together where the studs go through, which should be clearly evident to normal people with their eyes open who are about to put 10mm sockets on the actual stud nuts themselves.....

I did get to do some cleaning though, it's amazing how much funkiness resides under a Camaro spoiler.

My next step in leak correction will be to procure a tube of GE 100% Silicone Black and seal up the area where the hatch forms the horizontal plane with the glass, I believe there are 4 things that meet there, hatch bottom and top fiberglass layers, rear glass, and a metal strip about 1" wide in there for support. If that doesn't work I may just keep a towel in the car and be proud that my T-Tops don't leak. Wait...did I say that my T-Tops don't leak...no ..what I meant was that the sunroof in my wife's Solara doesn't leak...yea, that's what I meant (don't wake them up).

Jeremiah

iTrader: (5)

The rear spoiler was my first guess,

I very seriously doubt the glass is leaking. The spoiler is the most common source for leaks. I have only seen this on cars that have had spoilers replaced or changed and the person did not use any type of sealer around the studs. The factory has been known to be sloppy with the seam sealer in the jambs also, and the sealer itself can crack or sepperate. Its amazing how mutch water will seep through a crack so slight its barely visible.

Heres one that is very hard to find unless you know what to look for.

If anyone has been inside the doors and did not properly reseal the moister barrier or plastic sheeting you can get water leaks in the floor board.
GM designed the plastic to catch water/moister and drain it back into the door where it can drain through holes in the lower door shell. If it is not sealed to the door it can leak between the interior panel and the door shell and puddle over the rubber door seal into the car. This is usually a very slow leak and takes a lot of rain over a long period of time to notice any wetness in the floor.

Intercooler2

iTrader: (24)

Old but I have the same problem. Digging through them all to see if anyone found it.

BlkBird2000

iTrader: (10)

I see you don't have Sub-frame connectors yet... good time to get some!

Intercooler2

iTrader: (24)

I have UMI's but SFC's won't help with leaks in the hatch. Maybe doors

x2jesse1x

iTrader: (4)

You may check to see if the water isnt coming from behind the tail lights. There is like 4 or 5 little plastic screw things to hold them on. Ive seen water coming through one of mine before.

jhatler2002

iTrader: (1)

My car does the same thing that your car is doing. I pulled the rear passenger speaker panel off and you could see a stream of water coming down. I tried to trace the stream up through the t-tops but no luck. Good luck finding your leak.

Intercooler2

iTrader: (24)

That sucks! Could it be we need some sealer under one of the seals in the t-top area? What channels down that way from up top?