My Brother wanted me to post this...

[Paolino]

Okay, so this is not a new thing, but I have mentioned to my brother that I have a leak in my trunk. It's not just a leak... everything is SOAKED! For example, if I put a plastic shopping bag in the trunk, take it out an hour later, the entire bag would be soaked and the contents inside would be damp/wet as well. And this is when it hasn't rained in days too. He said he's never seen anything that bad. Even in the summer it's like this.

Again, it's not a little water, it's every inch of the trunk. Now, I'm not really concerned with it since I'll probably get rid of the car in a year.

Here ya go:

I'm not exactly sure why he took pictures of my engine compartment, but here's the 3300:

[ocnblu]

Your water leak could be coming from so many places. The back glass seal, a body seam that has come open around the water gutter (the trough around the trunk opening), the trunk weatherstrip, the taillamp mounting area (the bolts are usually sealed with caulking, but that can fall away after so many years). Do you have standing water in your spare tire well, or it is just heavy condensation? Water could also be coming into the trunk from under the car while you drive in rain, if there is an open body seam or rust hole.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a steel or rubber plug in the bottom of your spare tire well, the lowest part of your trunk floor. If you do nothing else, at least take out that plug. It will allow any standing water to drain, and allow an amount of air to circulate through the trunk and help dry it out. I would also take out the soft trim, which of course holds water like a sponge and quickens rust problems.

Next warm, sunny day at home, leave the trunk open for a few hours. The sun and air will help dry it out.

[Paolino]

Your water leak could be coming from so many places. The back glass seal, a body seam that has come open around the water gutter (the trough around the trunk opening), the trunk weatherstrip, the taillamp mounting area (the bolts are usually sealed with caulking, but that can fall away after so many years). Do you have standing water in your spare tire well, or it is just heavy condensation? Water could also be coming into the trunk from under the car while you drive in rain, if there is an open body seam or rust hole.

If I'm not mistaken, there is a steel or rubber plug in the bottom of your spare tire well, the lowest part of your trunk floor. If you do nothing else, at least take out that plug. It will allow any standing water to drain, and allow an amount of air to circulate through the trunk and help dry it out. I would also take out the soft trim, which of course holds water like a sponge and quickens rust problems.

Next warm, sunny day at home, leave the trunk open for a few hours. The sun and air will help dry it out.

Thanks ocn... I'm going to do that. I don't know where the water is coming from because the ENTIRE trunk, every inch, is soaking wet... so it's not like any particular area is showing a leak. The condensation is high from the excessive water. I don't believe the tire is standing in water, but it is wet under the carpeting. I don't know of any holes under the car.

I'm assuming it's seals... since inside the car I'm starting to get a drop here and there when it rains and I'm driving.

[Guest YellowJacket894]

My parents had an old '93 Cavalier RS that used to do the same thing, or something very similar, only with the interior, saturating the floorboards. If you feel the need to get this fixed, do so ASAP. We got rid of that car shortly after that started happening, so we didn't have to deal with the aftermath of what that could have caused, but after a month or two the interior started to stink of mildew badly. I can only imagine what the car looks like now if it's still on the roads somewhere. I bet the floorboards are almost eaten away by rust.

Ocn, of course, has the right advice to take. Let the truck air out and dry out, and also use a Shop Vac or use a vacuum at the car wash on the carpeting to help get that dried out, too.

[Oracle of Delphi]

I am assuming this is a Buick Century?

[Paolino]

I am assuming this is a Buick Century?

Yes.

As for the trunk... I plan on doing it during a dry, sunny weekend day. It's unfortunate that I live in an apartment complex, because I don't feel comfortable just leaving my trunk open with the carpet drying outside. I will take it to a friend's house and do that.

[NDL]

Your water leak could be coming from so many places. The back glass seal, a body seam that has come open around the water gutter (the trough around the trunk opening), the trunk weatherstrip, the taillamp mounting area (the bolts are usually sealed with caulking, but that can fall away after so many years).

Ocn, the truly weird thing is that the *entire* trunk has a uniform layer of water droplets around it. If it were a matter of something trickling in, it wouldn't be the *entire* trunk.

Even inside of the support folds, in the trunk lid, were saturated with droplets...

I have seen many leaks, but nothing even remotely like this.

PS: Paolino, the engine is mine, not yours

[Paolino]

Ocn, the truly weird thing is that the *entire* trunk has a uniform layer of water droplets around it. If it were a matter of something trickling in, it wouldn't be the *entire* trunk.

Even inside of the support folds, in the trunk lid, were saturated with droplets...

I have seen many leaks, but nothing even remotely like this.

PS: Paolino, the engine is mine, not yours

See, I didn't think it was mine... it didn't say "3300" on it :AH-HA_wink:

[Oracle of Delphi]

Does this car have one of those fake ragtops?

[ocnblu]

Yes NDL, I see from the pictures the trunk has a condensation problem, which means there is water in the (relatively) sealed area and condensing with temperature changes.

Paulie, you mention seeing drips come into the passenger compartment. Water in a vehicle body can do magic tricks. It can travel from a surprising distance within the body and deposit itself elsewhere. Gravity and the motions of driving can dictate where it ends up. Water could be coming in around the windshield and end up in the trunk, for example, I've seen some surprising stuff when it comes to water leaks.

The first things I would do are remove that trunk floor plug, and remove the soft trim from your trunk. It will be easier to spot the trickle into the trunk if the soft trim is removed because you'll have a non-absorbent surface to check.

Edited April 10, 2007 by ocnblu

[NDL]

Does this car have one of those fake ragtops?

Nope

[aaaantoine]

GASP! Paolino and NDL are brothers!?

Either this was previously unannounced or I completely missed it. After all, I have a knack for missing key threads.

Naturally, do what Ocn says. But instead of waiting for a dry day on Long Island (snow in April? what in tarnation...), grab a hair dryer and go nuts.

[NDL]

Water in a vehicle body can do magic tricks. It can travel from a surprising distance within the body and deposit itself elswehere. Gravity and the motions of driving can dictate where it ends up. Water could be coming in around the windshield and ending up in the trunk, for example, I've seen some surprising stuff when it comes to water leaks.

Ocn, thanks for the education

I am truly interested in solving this one, for I want to see leak stopped of course, but also for the experience/future knowledge.

As I've written before: I have seen some leaks before, but nothing this weird...you've provided for me some helpful suggestions however.

[NDL]

GASP! Paolino and NDL are brothers!?

Gasp?

[aaaantoine]

Gasp?

I didn't make the connection before. Hence the shock.

[Paolino]

Does this car have one of those fake ragtops?

Dear God no. The paint is uniformly faded, scratched, and in some areas rusting all over the body. Gotta love those 92 Buick paint jobs.

GASP! Paolino and NDL are brothers!?

Yes, but it hasn't been mentioned. He's the one who actually knows about cars, whereas I only know engine specs and say if I find something purdy :AH-HA_wink:

[Oracle of Delphi]

So Paolino, do you and NDL look alike?

[NDL]

So Paolino, do you and NDL look alike?

Nothing alike. For although his lineage is clear, my brother looks a little Germanic; I look southern Italian. On a side note, it's kinda funny actually, because, owed to what many people perceive as my having an 'accent,' along with an appearance that's associated with people of Italian extraction, few people imagine me to be the Evangelical Christian that's seen on the board .

Likewise, my Brother and I have different abilities and strengths, which I think is cool, because it rounds off the Family very well. I am handy, so while I am good to have around when something breaks, my Brother is very creative; is excellent at thinking 'outside the box,' and can come up with very unique, and perfect, solutions, when situations arise.

I'm very fortunate in this sense...

[ocnblu]

Aww... I feel like I'm in Philadelphia right now... :AH-HA_wink:

[Paolino]

There are two types of Sicilians: The stereotypically dark hair, dark skinned kind, dark-eyed, and then there are Sicilians who are descendants of vikings, and nordish descent, so they have blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin. I look like that. As for the facial characteristics, we share things like the nose, mouth.

My best friend growing up had the same thing in his family--parents and 2 children were all dark, and one daughter, the oldest, was fair, blond and blue.

[Oracle of Delphi]

There are two types of Sicilians: The stereotypically dark hair, dark skinned kind, dark-eyed, and then there are Sicilians who are descendants of vikings, and nordish descent, so they have blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin. I look like that. As for the facial characteristics, we share things like the nose, mouth.

My best friend growing up had the same thing in his family--parents and 2 children were all dark, and one daughter, the oldest, was fair, blond and blue.

I have the same thing in my family, my youngest brother has one brown eye and one blue eye.

[Paolino]

I have the same thing in my family, my youngest brother has one brown eye and one blue eye.

FREAK!

Actually, that's quite rare.

As for my eyes, they've been more red lately than blue Damn allergies...

[aaaantoine]

Aww... I feel like I'm in Philadelphia right now... :AH-HA_wink:

But... But no one here has AIDS... Do they?

There are two types of Sicilians: The stereotypically dark hair, dark skinned kind, dark-eyed...

That's me!

[ocnblu]

Oh God, aaantoine, no. I said it because Philly is the City of Brotherly Love.

[Paolino]

Oh God, aaantoine, no. I said it because Philly is the City of Brotherly Love.

Haha, I was trying to follow the reference too... I kept saying, "But I didn't think Tom Hanks' character had a brother?" :AH-HA_wink:

[aaaantoine]

Sorry bout that. I just saw Philadelphia this Sunday so my perception was a bit skewed.

[trinacriabob]

There are two types of Sicilians: The stereotypically dark hair, dark skinned kind, dark-eyed, and then there are Sicilians who are descendants of vikings, and nordish descent, so they have blond hair, blue eyes, fair skin.

Your leak - how about all around the rear window moldings? "Cutlass Supreme 1" had a landau roof which, to install at the dealer, they had to undo the moldings and put them back. Evidently, in the process, they might not have been sealed correctly. As the car got older, every time it rained, the trunk would fill up and I would have to go out there with a small bucket and a sponge. Not fun.

As for Sicilians, there are even more varieties. Just about everyone in our family has the darkest shade of brown hair, or black hair, a medium complexion that tans and either blue or green eyes. The stereotypical Sicilian (Type I) is not found on either my Mom or Dad's side, though our family members have married "Type I's." Their kids have all turned out looking dark (dominant traits, I guess)....like aaaantoine!

Edited April 11, 2007 by trinacriabob

[Paolino]

Your leak - how about all around the rear window moldings? "Cutlass Supreme 1" had a landau roof which, to install at the dealer, they had to undo the moldings and put them back. Evidently, in the process, they might not have been sealed correctly. As the car got older, every time it rained, the trunk would fill up and I would have to go out there with a small bucket and a sponge. Not fun.

As for Sicilians, there are even more varieties. Just about everyone in our family has the darkest shade of brown hair, or black hair, a medium complexion that tans and either blue or green eyes. The stereotypical Sicilian (Type I) is not found on either my Mom or Dad's side, though our family members have married "Type I's." Their kids have all turned out looking dark (dominant traits, I guess)....like aaaantoine!

There's the redheads... I had strawberry blonde hair for a couple of years when I was born.. and in the summer, if I have a goatee, it gets red highlights in the sun.