Leak From A Pilar
09-26-2016, 07:03 PM
#1
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Leak From A Pilar
Hi All
Its been raining all day today in Ontario Canada and when I got to my car after work i found a few drips on the passenger seat. I tracked it down to the top of the A pillar on that side. I check the driver side as well and it was damp. There wasn't enough there to drip but it was definitely damp. Has anyone had this problem. I searched through the forum but i guess i'm not choosing the right combination of words, See attached picture. You can see some drops coming from the top of the pillar. The drain for the sun roof is not clogged.
I have 2009 base model with a sun roof. Any help would be appreciated.
Its been raining all day today in Ontario Canada and when I got to my car after work i found a few drips on the passenger seat. I tracked it down to the top of the A pillar on that side. I check the driver side as well and it was damp. There wasn't enough there to drip but it was definitely damp. Has anyone had this problem. I searched through the forum but i guess i'm not choosing the right combination of words, See attached picture. You can see some drops coming from the top of the pillar. The drain for the sun roof is not clogged.
I have 2009 base model with a sun roof. Any help would be appreciated.
09-26-2016, 07:39 PM
#2
Shameful Thread Killer
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
This may not be the answer you are looking for, but it happens on another car I have, and may be happening here.
Water molecules have a certain surface tension. They tend to 'stick' together which will form droplets, and also an affinity for certain plastic, or conformal coatings. Sometimes there's a channel formed on the inside of a fitting like the sunroof seal where it will allow the water to drool upside down on the inside of the metal pillar and if there is then a seam which offers a cliff, enough water will accumulate until it drips off, and then down into the interior.
I have not actually seen this on a 997, but I have seen it on a 928 where the A pillar has a joint which forms at the top of the pillar and offers a cliff for the surface tension of the water molecules to build up until the break-over and fall off the cliff and through the interior.
YMMV, don't try this at home, objects in mirror, and may cause **** leakage.
Water molecules have a certain surface tension. They tend to 'stick' together which will form droplets, and also an affinity for certain plastic, or conformal coatings. Sometimes there's a channel formed on the inside of a fitting like the sunroof seal where it will allow the water to drool upside down on the inside of the metal pillar and if there is then a seam which offers a cliff, enough water will accumulate until it drips off, and then down into the interior.
I have not actually seen this on a 997, but I have seen it on a 928 where the A pillar has a joint which forms at the top of the pillar and offers a cliff for the surface tension of the water molecules to build up until the break-over and fall off the cliff and through the interior.
YMMV, don't try this at home, objects in mirror, and may cause **** leakage.
09-27-2016, 09:49 AM
#3
Intermediate
Thread Starter
That's interesting. Would you like to venture a guess to where this dam might be? Are you suggesting I need to take out the head liner and have a look.
I know its not from the windshield corner since the dripping spot is higher than the corner. The car was also standing still all day so there was no wind pressure to push it up. I get the that water surface tension might let it travel up in small areas but the windshield is unlikely.
I suspect no one else has seen this in a coupe? One of the things I was wondering was did I leave the sunroof cracked open just a tinny bit where I didn't see/hear it from the inside. Everything is dry now so I'm going to take a hose to it tonight real good and see if I can get it to leak again.
If anyone has a clue how this could happen please let me know. I had a boxster with a fabric top before this for 10 years and it never leaked. The second time this car sees rain and I have water in the car. :s
I know its not from the windshield corner since the dripping spot is higher than the corner. The car was also standing still all day so there was no wind pressure to push it up. I get the that water surface tension might let it travel up in small areas but the windshield is unlikely.
I suspect no one else has seen this in a coupe? One of the things I was wondering was did I leave the sunroof cracked open just a tinny bit where I didn't see/hear it from the inside. Everything is dry now so I'm going to take a hose to it tonight real good and see if I can get it to leak again.
If anyone has a clue how this could happen please let me know. I had a boxster with a fabric top before this for 10 years and it never leaked. The second time this car sees rain and I have water in the car. :s
09-27-2016, 10:03 AM
#4
Honestly it's probably from the sunroof area in the front. I know you say the sunroof drain is not clogged. There are four to check though - one in each corner. Pour some water into each corner to be certain it drains properly to the wheel wells. Another trick is to use the line from a weed wacker and fish it down the drains until you see it come out the drain hose end.
Next try removing the a-pillar trim to inspect. The coat hooks at the top of the b-pillar come off first, then pull off the a-pillar trim. I suspect you will need to remove the front of the headliner too. It's not that hard to do put requires some patience. But removing the entire headliner is a real pain. Be certain you want to go this far before starting down that path.
Next try removing the a-pillar trim to inspect. The coat hooks at the top of the b-pillar come off first, then pull off the a-pillar trim. I suspect you will need to remove the front of the headliner too. It's not that hard to do put requires some patience. But removing the entire headliner is a real pain. Be certain you want to go this far before starting down that path.
09-27-2016, 10:34 AM
#5
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
+1
I had an odd drip from my light/switch area center of the windshield..... I could never find the source. Just stopped one day.
Regarding using weed wacker line.... it works. One clarification, for the front drains, the drain pipe ends in the top of the wheel well behind the wheel liner and it end in a 90 degree bend. So when you put the line in, it will most likely hit the 90 and stop. So it is important that you pore a cup or two of water in there to ensure drainage. Otherwise, you need to pull the wheel liner, and go up from there to ensure a clear path. The water test is fine.
Some links:
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...lp-please.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...leaning-2.html
Peace
Bruce in Philly
I had an odd drip from my light/switch area center of the windshield..... I could never find the source. Just stopped one day.
Regarding using weed wacker line.... it works. One clarification, for the front drains, the drain pipe ends in the top of the wheel well behind the wheel liner and it end in a 90 degree bend. So when you put the line in, it will most likely hit the 90 and stop. So it is important that you pore a cup or two of water in there to ensure drainage. Otherwise, you need to pull the wheel liner, and go up from there to ensure a clear path. The water test is fine.
Some links:
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...lp-please.html
https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...leaning-2.html
Peace
Bruce in Philly
09-27-2016, 11:03 AM
#6
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Cool. Well I did pour a water in the front two corners and I saw it come out the front wheel well. I will do the back ones too. I will still snake it as you guys said. Maybe I get lucky and it just goes away like what happened to Bruce lol. Those are my favorite fixes. Where I don't know what I did but it goes away.
