How do I fix this leak?

[72f100]

I just recieved my carpet from JC Whitney , but before I put that in, I have a problem I've got to fix . When water gets into the "grating" beneath the window (where the windshield wipers are), water leaks into the cab. I can look in there and see that it is full of leaves and other junk, but I don't know how to get inside of there to clean it out and see if I can find where the leak is. What do I do? If I find the leak, how do I seal it?

Here is a picture of what I'm talking about.

[qman]

I don't know if this will help but I'll offer it up anyway. There are some seals around the windshield wipers that are supposed to keep water out of the cab. Originally they were made of leather and will eventually dry rot. This happened to my neighbor. He just took and old one and cut out some new leather but before installing them he gooed them up real good with silicone. They're on the inside under the dash.

[dotcentral]

Another way is to remove your floor vents and vacuum them out with a shop vac. The driver's side vent requires you unbolt the parking brake assembly and pull it to the side to reach all the screws. 2 bolts are on the bottom lip of the dash and 2 are on the firewall below the master cylinder.

[fordman]

is it dripping from under the dash or is it leaking out around the bottom of the kick panel. that would be the two places i would look first. also ford had a problem with the winshield leaking on the drivers side top. maybe its running around the windshield and down.

[FORDification]

To find out for sure just head to the local car wash with a friend, and have them spray the nozzle down into the vent area while you're under the dash with a flashlight watching for drips.

[steveheer]

Mine leaks on the passenger side but it's coming in through the front glass seal. I'd make sure that the water is coming from where you think it is first.

[72f100]

I had my dad run the hose into the vent and that is when it started leaking. The window seal appears to be ok. I'll try it again and watch carefully under the dash with a flashlight to see if I can find exactly where it is coming from. Thanks!

[rjewkes]

mine needs new seals around the wipers and new windshiels gasket and windshield.

[72f100]

After running more "tests", I've discovereed that the vents are clogged with so much leaf decomposition and other junk, that water backs up and starts leaking/pouring in through the air vents! Anyway, I can't seem to find a good way to clean the leaves out so I figure sometime this weekend I'll grab a plumbing snake and see what that will do for me. If anyone has any other ideas, I'd appreciate it!

Thanks,
Matt

[fordman]

on the kick panels are panels that can be removed. with phillip head screws i think. and you can clean them out from there. i've done it.

[72f100]

fordman, are the screws on the inside or outside?

[DuckRyder]

You can also pull the 3 rubber plugs from the firewall to clean...

Trouble is I don't remeber if you can get to the side ones with the fenders on...

[fordman]

the screws are on the inside of my truck i just took the vent panels off.

[72f100]

Thanks guys for all of the help. I dug a couple of POUNDS of leaf material from my vents and sealed a leaky windshield wiper. No leaks! Now, on to carpet installation! (See thread in Interior forum)

Thanks again,
Matt