Slowly working on the 77 Mav., going to redo the engine compartment to start, clean her up, repaint and some upgrades. Question: When I washed the Mav and one time when I got caught in a rain storm I noticed the front carpetting, both sides became wet. I believe water was coming in from some where and after reading some for sale adds I noticed that the seller often mentions no leaks in the cowl location. I am assuming this is a common problem. So.......where exactly I they talking about and are simple rubber molding replacments the fix...thanks
The cowl is the area infront of your windshield that has the louvered slots in it, it leads to a cavity underneath that has two large holes in it that lead to your fresh air vents. It is common for this area to rust out and allowing water to go onto floorboards. After prolonged periods of these leaks the front floorboards eventually rot out. Sometimes the windshield rubber ages and cracks and allows water to go to floorboards as well. To test if water is coming in from cowls pour some water in cowl are infront of windshield and check to see if any water is going to floorboards. Reparing cowl is no easy fix, some people have chose to just cover cowl area with a cover that can be purchased on ebay or I believe Mustang parts suppliers have them also
Many thanks....just another area to look at during the winter months. I kinow the window isn't leaking, just had a new windshield and gasket installed....I will check the cowl area. Take care.
YOu're probably right but don't assume a new windshield install won't leak. Lots of amature AND professional installs do leak. Do the cowl test as suggested.
I understand...matter of fact right after the installation I washed her and noticed the wet carpetting so immediately assumed it was the windshield. Went back down to the shop (they are a good installer) and we checked it out and determined it wasn't the window...so probably the cowl area. Two things, never get the cowl intake wet, don't drive in the rain...well actually three....or fix it....we will see. Thanks.
This is what the inside of a cowl looks like. To properly seal the cowl vents requires removal of the top cover, as in drilling spot welds. These are before and after pics of my cowl vents. I dont have any leaks. The water collects around the base and runs out a drain port. If there is rust and pin holes in the base the water comes inside the car. I hope this helps
Odds are in a '77, it's the windshield. Ford started galvanizing the cowls sometime around 1975. When I sent my '77 Maverick to the junkyard years ago, the cowl area was one of the only rust free areas of the car. In contrast, my '72 Maverick which spent it's life in the northern Alabama area had almost no body rust...but several good sized rust holes inside the cowl... You will most likely find it is the windshield. Since my first '74 Comet I got in highschool in 1987, I've had 3 or 4 windshields replaced in Mavericks and Comets over the years. Every single one came back leaking, usually severely. Even my most recent experience with the '72 I have now was bad. I went to one shop and it leaked disasterously. I ended up at different shop and still had the car back in there no less than 10 times over the course of two years after the install to have them reseal the glass...mainly because they wouldn't listen to me that sealing with urethane caulk, like new windshields is not the way to go...you really need to use the original methods with butyl and all that... After the last time I took it there I thought all was good because the Mav survived several heavy rains and hose tests...but even now after a REALLY heavy, monsoon type rain while sitting on the trailer on the way back from the Gathering a couple years ago there were a few drips under the dash. Now that shop has gone out of business since then so I can't take it back there...and the drips appear only under the most extreme conditions, so I think I will leave it alone for now... Anyway, yeah, don't assume a new windshield install won't leak. In my experience, most of them do because the newer glass guys don't know how to seal these old style windshields. Since you've probably got a galvanized cowl, that's the first place I'd look. P.S. I see now that you took it back and had them test and it doesn't "appear" to be the windshield. I dunno, I think I'd still be suspicious, especially since you didn't notice the leak until after the install. I guess some good testing with the hose to narrow down the problem is in order.
Well, not sure if it leaked prior to the New Windshield installation. When I picked her up the original windshield was "cloudy" so I immediately replaced it. Didn't have it long enough to see if it leaked prior to installation. I took it back, we did a hose check and seen no leaks.......plus it seems to get wet on both sides, driver and passenger carpetting......going to have to do some investigating.....or like I said, keep her away from water...Thanks especially for the pics on the "cowls"., I walked back in the garage and put a light over the top vents and it looks totally enclosed. I am sure I will have to get up under the dash to see it better but as noted it appears the only way to get at them is to drill out some welds.
I agree.....but let me ask. Seems like a silly question, but where does or should you see the water come out when entering the cowl area?
On the outside edges of the cowl area underneath the front fenders there are drains for the water to comeout, you cant see them when the fender is on. If they are not plugged up with leaves or some other type of debris water should come out them. If just the drains are clogged water could back up and go inside the car. But it would take lots of water to do that When I wash my car I can hear the water coming out the drain holes and dripping, sounds sorta weird If the cowl vents are rotted out then the water would come out where the round vent stack meets the cowl.
Yeah, and on both of mine it seemed to want to flow from the vent around to the back of the carpeting and back behind the kick panel. Very hard to spot unless your carpet/panels are pulled back and you can get a good look. BTW, pour water around the windshield wipers to test also. My cowls were rotted towards the back and only seemed to leak when I sprayed the hose at my wiper base where it would drip to the back of the vents.
I see. Well, over the winter I just may remove the carpet and possibly replace it so I can check it out at that time. Carpet is in good, original condition but faded a little and actually I would like to POR the floor anyway. Thanks.
Others have reported leaks near the wiper shafts, too. But look at the cowls first. Does the car have A/C?
