98 SL2 Wet Drivers side floor

[dotsoid]

The drivers side floor of my 98 SL2 gets wet any time it rains. Is this a known problem and is there a fix? I have removed the cowl from below the windshield thinking that maybe a drain was plugged but did not see anything wrong. The oval screen with the foam on the passengers side is there and in tact. I have found where the water is coming in but don't know how it is getting to that point. There is a rubber grommet that passes through the left kick plate area on the drivers side. It has a bundle of wires running thorugh it. the water is coming into this grommet and wicking down the wires and dripping to the inerior. When I put the hood cowl (if that what it is even called) back on I siliconed it to the windshield thinking it was running down the windshield under the cowl. but that did not work either. any ideas? thanks...

[fetchitfido]

If you have a sunroof, pull the wires and the rubber plug out (which you've already found) so you can get to the sunroof drain plug on that side and pull it out and unclog it.

[td1238]

The cowl vent has a gasket that runs along its top edge between it and the windshield. When this fails, water running down the windshield enters the cowl faster than the drains can drain it. Replace gasket. Otherwise mostly just drops enter the cowl vent, which don't amount to much.

Also note the two rubber drains on the firewall behind the intake manifold. Not only should they not be clogged, but you will find that if you remove them there is a sub-drain to drain the seam where the two pieces of metal are welded together. You'll notice this as a part of the metal that is stamped slightly out into the engine compartment. Clean with an elongated paper clip or thin butter knife. Removal and replacement of the rubber drain flaps is rather difficult on the passenger's side when an aluminum intake manifold is used.

[hholbein]

Originally Posted by td1238

The cowl vent has a gasket that runs along its top edge between it and the windshield. When this fails, water running down the windshield enters the cowl faster than the drains can drain it. Replace gasket. Otherwise mostly just drops enter the cowl vent, which don't amount to much.

Also note the two rubber drains on the firewall behind the intake manifold. Not only should they not be clogged, but you will find that if you remove them there is a sub-drain to drain the seam where the two pieces of metal are welded together. You'll notice this as a part of the metal that is stamped slightly out into the engine compartment. Clean with an elongated paper clip or thin butter knife. Removal and replacement of the rubber drain flaps is rather difficult on the passenger's side when an aluminum intake manifold is used.

The cowl vent gasket can easily be re-glued and is always worth checking 1st with a *passenger-side* leak. In your case, the drivers side plugs at the other end of the cowl are also worth checking for damage/leaks.