Celica Vert Top Leak - Help Wanted Options

[SoBeforLife]

Hey there folks. I'm another new guy in town. Just got my 95 Celica convertible about 2 weeks ago. Brilliant condition.

After giving the car a wash, I saw there was a small leak in the trunk, just a small drip. Since I figured it was exclusive to the trunk, I didn't worry about it too much.

However, after driving 5 hours in the rain over the weekend, the trunk was soaked, so I began taking the trunk apart. There was a cap underneath the spare tire that wasn't where it should be, leaving a 2 inch hole to the outside. As I started taking the trunk apart to see if I could find the source, I eventually moved to the back seats, took those out, all the back trim, the vinyl hold for the top when it's down, and eventually everything up to lifting the carpet behind the front seats. It is apparent now that I have a major leak, maybe a couple. So here's the list.

1. Trunk floor carpet is SOAKED, which COULD be due to that cap being gone, but seems like a lot of water to make it past the spare tire AND the cardboard cover.
2. Foam underneath the back seats is substantially wet on the lower parts (underneath your butt, as it were).
3. Underneath the carpet just behind the driver's side is slightly wet, but 99.9% dry.
4. Underneath the carpet on the passenger side is SOAKED up to about half the length of the seat, maybe less.

There are no OBVIOUS leaks from the top itself, which is brand new except for the section around the back window. The girl who owned it before me had an ex-boyfriend who slashed the top and all four tires, so the top is less than a year old. Everything SEEMS to check out as far as seals (windows, etc.)

The source is probably in the back passenger side, with maybe a small similar leak in the same place on the driver's side. Has anyone had similar experiences and be able to help me narrow down my search, for find something I might not be able to see? I ran out of light tonight before I could finish gutting the inside.

Also: Is it normal that the seam between the section that holds the back window and the rest of the top is not sealed?

I'll probably end up taking the passenger seat out and pulling the carpet up as much as I can, but I'd prefer not to gut the WHOLE thing if I don't have to.

Thanks in advance (and also, I did do a search but didn't find anything, so sorry if this sounds like a repeat).

-SoBe

[MaskedMan]

All the water that collects from the convertible top should run off and then into a drain. Sounds like possibly either your drain is clogged and/or the water is being redirected into your car rather than out of it. I doubt that the hole beneath your spare tire played any part of this Celica flood. The only place where water could get into all the places you mentioned is from the back part of the convertible top or the rear windows seals.

[nightryder]

ok im not 100% sure about the rest of the leaks, but i do know that the water on the passangers side is because of a blocked drain hole. I bet if you sit in your car when its raining, you can hear water dripping into a puddle in your rear pass side panel. Its very very common and i know a lot of people here have had the issue.



what happens is the water is supposed to drip off of your top and into your sidepanel where it drains into the ground. but debris forms in the bottom of the panel and blocks the holes forcing the water to rise and flow out under your back seat onto the floor.



all you need to do to fix it is pull off the plastics(sideskirts) on the exterior of the car and find the drainage holes. there are a couple small ones and one major one closer to the rear tire (it looks more like a slit than a hole).



now just take an air compressor and shoot air up into the holes. if you get them good, you should start to get water flowing out of them. if not, you can put the top down, and the interior plastic peice that covers the speakers and whatnot and take a flash light to try and see down into the panel. I would suggest taking a wet-dry vac and try to get as much water as possible out. then you can see if there is any debris inside.



...about your trunk...


look into your back window down into the space in which your top it is stored when its down.... is there water in there?


if there is then you have a bad rear window (or top) and the water is gathering in there and draining into your trunk....most likely

[SoBeforLife]

You guys are awesome. I'll definitely check this out today, I doubt I would have found that without you before I tore the car apart. THANKS!

EDIT: Check on the puddle drip, I heard that while driving home Sunday, then figured it had to just be in my head. So that's gotta be the case. As far as the window, I took EVERYTHING out of the back except the seat back that's bolted to the horizontal supports (panels, seat bottom, vinyl liner where top goes down) and it doesn't look like water is getting in through the back windows. I inspected the window WHILE it was raining and didn't see any water coming in through that seal. MIGHT be the seal in the very back of the top, I'll check that with a hose now that I have everything out of it.

This post has been edited by SoBeforLife: Apr 17, 2007 - 5:53 AM

[SoBeforLife]

where are these drains exactly? What am I looking for? The only thing I see underneath is the holes where the sideskirts attach.

[SoBeforLife]

Well, I think I found where it's supposed to drain, at least the main drain. Not sure about the little ones, they may be pretty clogged up, but the major one seems to be completely clear. All the water isn't draining out, but I would think it's draining fast enough. It's definitely leaking into the cabin from the top, I just can't seem to pin point it. Somewhere over the back speaker. Any thoughts? Top itself has no holes, window seals all seem fine.

The source of the trunk leak is definitely the seam where the top meets the car, in the rear. Looks to be one spot that is major, probably because the morons who put the new top in jacked something up. Going to try putting some silicon sealant on the inside and see if that stops it. Even if I can redirect it to a spot that ISN'T my trunk, like to those drains on the side, it would be better than what's going on now.

So right now all the seats are out and the carpet is pulled up. Got dark before I could get down to pinpointing leak sources, so guess I'll be working on this again tomorrow.

Don't suppose there's anyone with a convertible in the Hampton Roads, VA area that could let me see theirs so I can do some comparing?

[SoBeforLife]

The leak in the back I've managed to seal with a little silicone, the main leaks are coming from the windows, as a matter of fact. They aren't creating a tight seal on the weatherstripping over top. Price from Toyota is $450 for four pieces. Anyone have a creative solution, or know where I can get replacements that won't bankrupt me?