06 Explorer Wet floor driver side front

[kpkozy]

I have a leak somewhere around the parking brake assembly. It leaks when water is poured into the cowl. I unbolted the brake assembly so i could see better, and then poured water into the cowl again. I got a stream of water pouring out of the top right brake assembly bolt hole. So i got some permatex out and put some on bolts and around bolt holes and put brake assembly back in. I still have the same leak, so there must be another point of entry. Is something clogged that there was so much water building up and coming in through the bolt holes???? There is allot of water draining out behind fender like it should. I cant see where the cowl drains to. I'm thinking about taking the fender off next, but the bolts in the door piller are behind the support metal of the fender and look just about impossible to get to from the fender/door gap or from behind door. Do I need to remove inner fender well first, then reach back through to those bolts????
Any help with a possible leak point or removing the fender would be greatly appreciated.

 

[NCcarguy]

Not knowing much about where the normal problems are with this vehicle, I would make a guess and say that if you have a sunroof....there's a drain line blocked.

 

[kpkozy]

I do have a sunroof, but water leaks in when I pour water directly into the cowl. The cowl is in front of the windshied.

 

[waskly]

windshield leaking? or if it was in an accident i would say a body seal is leaking.

the bottom of the windshield is under the cowl.
also could be a clogged cowl, not draining down too, and getting past the windshield into the vehicle.

 

[kpkozy]

No acccidents but windshield was replaced 6 or 7 months ago. I had the company pull all the trim off and check seal, and it was good. I has to have something to do with where the cowl drains to.

I am going to try removing the inner fender well today and see if I can get tho the problem area. I hope I dont have to remove the fender to get to the problem area. The door post bolts look almost impossible to get to.

 

[NCcarguy]

fill it up with smoke and see if you can tell where it's coming from on the outside....of course, then you'll have a vehicle that smells like smoke for a little while.

 

[kpkozy]

I removed both innner wheel wells and stuck my finger in cowl drain holes. Both sides were clogged. I guess the water was just building up in there and found a way in.

I cleaned them out and poured about 10 gallons of water in the cowl.................no more Leak!!!

 

[EX-SV]

^^ Wow, good detective/diagnostic work.