Well the rainy season is upon us and my Sube ('87 GL) is showing a new problem, sucking water through heater blower. I thought I might have a leaking heater core but I tore into it last night and it sure looks like its coming from outside through the blower. It only seems to happen when driving in very heavy rain and freeway traffic with a lot of spray. I pulled the cowl grill and checked the blower intake thinking maybe the drain was plugged or there was a dam of leaves and crap causing water to overflow into the intake, but all looked clear. Anybody have the same problem? Has anyone found a working solution? I was thinking of building an extra shield for the intake or blocking off the right side cowl grill to force all the air to come from the far side in hopes that more water would drop out.

 

Gary

Is water coming out of the heater? then to the floor? It doesn't smell like antifreeze does it?

 

My problem was large rusted holes in the floor at the front of the outboard foot wells. This seems to be a problem area with Subies.

 

I'd peak underneath and see if that is the water source?:cornfuzz:

 

Glenn,

82 Hatch, well it use to be......

01 Forester!

The water is coming out of the low point in the ducting between the blower and heater box (where the blower resistors mount). The air path is wet from the Intake (under the cowl) to the heater core, not after, and no water running out of the heater box or floor heat outlets. The way the heater core mounts I don’t think water could get back into the ducting, especially with the blower on high. Like I said, sure seems to be coming down the intake, but only in very severely wet conditions.

 

Gary

Are you sure it's not a bad window seal? I have a bad seal but I looked and looked and couldn't find anything until one day I finally found it. It soaks the floor

Silicone!:wave:

If it were the window seal it should leak when the car sits in the rain and when I wash it (admittedly not often) but I’ve never noticed water there before, should be easy enough to test with the hose though. And that wouldn’t explain how my blower duct got full of water… hmm… the search goes on. :-\

 

Gary

I found that My '84 wagon which was origninally from BC, was rusting from the top down due to all rain out there on the Wet Coast. The rain would come down the inside door frame rain gutters and the ends were rusted through so the water would prematurally fall down the door frame and into the car. It took me awhile before I figured it out but when I did I just broke out the silicone to shore up the gutters and my floor was finally dry.

Probably not your particular problem but one maybe others can watch for on their EA81's

 

Kernzie

Have simular problem in the '82. Heavy rain, nose parked facing up-hill, I get a wet driverside floor. Haven't pulled the cowling grill yet, but thinking that either the factory sealing putty came loose, or I have a rust hole in the duct under the cowl.

Kinda funny, the Wife's '95 Grand Am does the same thing, only with the nose down-hill.

Just one of those things that makes you go Hmmmmmm!!!!

Had similar problem on my 90 Loyale. Soaked the floor. There are two little drain holes, one on passenger and one on driver side. They can get plugged with leaves and crud. I think I used a coat hanger (it might have been a thinner wire) and bored them clean. They are inside the engine compartment, right on top in the corners just next to the hood hinges. Simple fix. Then I had to "Fabreze" the hell out of the mats to get rid of the wet diaper smell.