Fluid leak inside car

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Saetun

Saetun

Sinister Swinger
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I'm baffled & need some help. I have a fluid leak inside my '73 swinger. i originally believed it my heater core so I've bypassed that until I can replace it. But there is still fluid being wicked up through the carpet on the driver's side, it is not water. It's viscous & my head keeps telling me its either power steering (of which I have a significant leak) or brake fluid but i see nothing dripping from under the dash/firewall area, I've pulled back the carpeting & insulation and let it all dry after I disabled the heater core but the fluid still seeps through the carpet after driving. I need help, what am I missing?
 
Do you have the foot pump version of the windshield washer reservoir?
If so you may have a crack in the billows and may have some fluid leaking....long shot.

Brake fluid dripping down the firewall on the inside?...you would know by now though as your brakes would be mush.

Can't think of anything that would be inside with fluid though....

Did you blow out the core with air to remove and remaining antifreeze?
If not it could be slow leaking out until it's empty....I'd think it would only be on the passenger side though.

I would take the carpet out and put some paper bags on the floor and try to find it that way.

Mop
 
I'll try blowing out the heater core and carpet needs to come out anyhow to kill surface rust. I swear I must've been laying on that floor upside down for hours trying to see any leaks and I see nothing, but the soaked carpet is all the evidence I need. Something is surely leaking & I cant for the life of me figure it out
 
Maybe while your laying on your back looking up under dash,have someone run a garden hose on the windsheild.you might have a windsheild gasket leak.Worth checking..
 
And don't forget to run the water on the windshield wiper arm studs...around the hole they poke through...Area is prone to leaking there as well.
 
Put white paper down so you can see what color the fluid is...helps to narrow your problem down.

Check your master cylinder as well.....make sure your not losing brake fluid.

Mop
 
You should check that it's not coming from the wiper arm seals leaking. Yes the garden hose will work on this also. I take it that your floor boards are not rotted?
 
169dart4y said:
You should check that it's not coming from the wiper arm seals leaking. Yes the garden hose will work on this also. I take it that your floor boards are not rotted?
Click to expand...


Floor boards not rotted, surface rust up front. I'll pull the carpets tomorrow and lay the paper down, the fluid is too dirty from the carpet & insulation to get a good description of color. dont see any leaks from the firewall, see a little moisture on the black caulking forward of the kick panel on the driver's side which is now an area of interest. I'm wondering if this is residual from the insulation released by the pressure of my feet as I drive. All speculative at this point, the carpet & insulation & sound deadener must come out & then I can try to isolate.
 
i had a really bad power steering leak with my 6 and it all ended up going around the fire wall gaskets and doing what your describing...

but if it is raining my bet is either windshield or wiper pivots...
 
Just taste it... Well thats what I would do and would get you to the bottom of the leak.
 
Chebordnik....whats that?

Hmmmmm...looks like dog ****.

Taste...

What?

Taste...

Mmmmnnnn...taste like dog ****...

Good thing we no step in it.



Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong
 
Well paper on the floor overnight came back with a light brown fluid looking conspicuously like power steering fluid. I know I have a bad leak, but into the cabin is kinda unbelievable. But if others have experienced the same who am I to argue. Besides, the car is not a daily driver, it stays garaged & no exposure to the elements. The steering box I'm sure needs a rebuild. Looks like the leak is more than I anticipated. Should I have it rebuilt or is there anyone out there with an exchange program? I'm still reluctant to believe this is the issue but the box needs fixing anyhow, I'll see if it solves this issue as well.
 
So now you only have to taste one fluid.:D

Do the taste test.... floor drippings vs licking the dipstick on the power steering unit and you will have your answer....yes I agree you can taste the difference in fluids...just kinda nasty.

Also may want to fill the PS up again and run the motor with the hood up.
Have someone turn the steering wheel while you look....have a flashlight handy.

You may be able to see the leak and narrow it down. Could be a bad hose or fitting.

G'luck.

Mop
 
Okay, interior is out and I have a bare floor pan. Left the car outside last night (usually garaged) and there was a light rain. Moisture on both the driver's & passenger side front floor pan as if it was running down off of the trans tunnel. Unfortunately wherever it was running down from,I couldn't see as it had dried. I took a sec and blew out the heater core and there was still quite a bit of coolant in there, so it looks like I still have two possible culprits; bad seal somewhere under dash (windshield?) or heater core. I'm hoping it's the latter since i still had the leak when garaged & it hasnt seen rain in ages.
 
run the water hose around the openings for the wiper pivots....they are notorious for leaking....there is a kit to fix it for $14.00. Also behind the stainless trip along the bottom of the windshield...could have some rust issues hidden behind....run water along the bottom of the trim...

When your done blow the water out of the crack with the air hose....no need to let it sit.

Mop
 
Mop,

Looks like passenger side wiper pivot for sure & probably the windshield as well. How are the wiper pivot seals changed, is the dash pulled or is there another way? Thx for the help.
 
I looked behind the glovebox at the passengers wiper pivot and saw no moisture. I went and poured water directly into the cowl vent to make sure i wasn't misdiagnosing. I see the same leak which i thought was the pivot seals. Both cowl drains were obstructed to just a trickle. I cleared both sides and water now drains unobstructed from both sides of the cowl. As for the leak which comes down the corner where the firewall meets the fender on the passenger's side. is it likely I have a rust through in the cowl or was the high water levels in the cowl previously over flowing into something? Leak seems to be localized to the far right passenger's side possibly behind the heater box.
 

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Probably debris caught in the cowl allowed to sit over time = rust holes.

Your gonna have to pull the heater box or keep it out of the rain/be careful when you clean it....try to clean up the debris in the cowl as much as possible. You would have to remove the air box to get at it.

Drives side is easy...3 nuts and out it comes.
Passenger side is the whole box....you have to take it out anyway to change the heater core.

Get a box rebuild kit from Detroit Muscle Tech while your at it..

Once out you may be able to seam seal it till you get around to body work.

Good luck.

Mop
 
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