Ideas as to where this problem is coming from?

Tank6x2 · Nov 21, 2020

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Somebody tell me definitively what area of the cab I should look at where this is coming in? The inner and outer rockers/ cab corner I get, it’s the floor and the kick plate that bother me.

eskimomann209 · Nov 21, 2020

Fender drain hole and cowl holes were plugged as well as possibly a leaking windshield gasket.

PrairieDrifter · Nov 21, 2020

eskimomann209 said:
Fender drain hole and cowl holes were plugged as well as possibly a leaking windshield gasket.

X2

PrairieDrifter · Nov 22, 2020

Possible heater core as well.

86 SCOTTSDALE · Nov 22, 2020

I had the same issue caused by rust holes in the fire wall air plenum seam where dirt and water can get trapped.

RecklessWOT · Nov 22, 2020

road salt.

bucket · Nov 22, 2020

RecklessWOT said:
road salt.

I agree. That road spray works its way into all those nooks and crannies, then eats the truck alive.

bucket · Nov 22, 2020

PrairieDrifter said:
Possible heater core as well.

I never understood this. How does a leaking heater core cause rust? They normally don't leak very long, in the grand scheme of things. They either get bypassed or replaced. And coolant prevents rust too. That's one of it's jobs that makes it ideal compared to water.

PrairieDrifter · Nov 22, 2020

bucket said:
I never understood this. How does a leaking heater core cause rust? They normally don't leak very long, in the grand scheme of things. They either get bypassed or replaced. And coolant prevents rust too. That's one of it's jobs that makes it ideal compared to water.

The fact that it leaks in the footwell and into carpet and that jute pad insulation. It's a weep to begin with i believe, in most cases which is why I believe it's not always caught fast enough, you can also kind of tell because the panel that kicks up to the firewall from the floor is usually not rusted out as bad, cuz the liquid doesn't "sit" there. My suburban has no rust forward of the rear rockers and this is what my floor looked like, no kick panel rust or cowl or fender rust, just floor surface rust from the heater core. I haven't had a leak since I did the heater core so I'm attributing it 100% to that.

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eskimomann209 · Nov 22, 2020

bucket said:
I never understood this. How does a leaking heater core cause rust? They normally don't leak very long, in the grand scheme of things. They either get bypassed or replaced. And coolant prevents rust too. That's one of it's jobs that makes it ideal compared to water.

NEGLECT.
I dunno about road salt. Never had to worry about that in My neck of the woods.

bucket · Nov 22, 2020

PrairieDrifter said:
The fact that it leaks in the footwell and into carpet and that jute pad insulation. It's a weep to begin with i believe, in most cases which is why I believe it's not always caught fast enough, you can also kind of tell because the panel that kicks up to the firewall from the floor is usually not rusted out as bad, cuz the liquid doesn't "sit" there. My suburban has no rust forward of the rear rockers and this is what my floor looked like, no kick panel rust or cowl or fender rust, just floor surface rust from the heater core. I haven't had a leak since I did the heater core so I'm attributing it 100% to that.

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Yeah, I mean I get the part about it seeping into the jute padding and all that. But let's say that happens for a year. Is that really any worse than 30-40 years worth of people climbing in with wet shoes and boots whenever it rains? That and coolant stained carpet is always slimy and oily, because coolant is designed to keep rust from forming inside of an engine.

Also, I've got a completely rotted out '92 Camaro with basically no floor left for the most part. It's had a heater core leaking on the floor for several years now. That passenger floor is actually in much better shape than any other section of floor. Whether I'm incorrect or not, I don't think I'll ever buy into the heater core theory.

PrairieDrifter · Nov 22, 2020

bucket said:
Yeah, I mean I get the part about it seeping into the jute padding and all that. But let's say that happens for a year. Is that really any worse than 30-40 years worth of people climbing in with wet shoes and boots whenever it rains? That and coolant stained carpet is always slimy and oily, because coolant is designed to keep rust from forming inside of an engine.

Also, I've got a completely rotted out '92 Camaro with basically no floor left for the most part. It's had a heater core leaking on the floor for several years now. That passenger floor is actually in much better shape than any other section of floor. Whether I'm incorrect or not, I don't think I'll ever buy into the heater core theory.

I mean there's no explanation other than heater core in my situation, the rest of my floors are immaculate, like brand new paint, even the bed floor is great! It's just like how an engine block will get rusty coolant, if it sits long enough or it breaks down enough. Then add the trickling effect for however many years, it's way worse than snowy or muddy boots, it doesn't get underneath stuff like the heater core does and that foot traffic gets dried from the blower motor that's most likely on in those conditions, and like you said it's slightly oily so it doesn't dry out easy.

Then yes, also add up the years of neglect as well, this is what my floor looked like when I bought my burban, the original carpet and insulation was intact, and soaked to the bone even after sitting for a year for sure before it was for sale. I haven't done any cowl resealing and I haven't changed windshields or rubber.

RecklessWOT · Dec 1, 2020

PrairieDrifter said:
The fact that it leaks in the footwell and into carpet and that jute pad insulation. It's a weep to begin with i believe, in most cases which is why I believe it's not always caught fast enough, you can also kind of tell because the panel that kicks up to the firewall from the floor is usually not rusted out as bad, cuz the liquid doesn't "sit" there. My suburban has no rust forward of the rear rockers and this is what my floor looked like, no kick panel rust or cowl or fender rust, just floor surface rust from the heater core. I haven't had a leak since I did the heater core so I'm attributing it 100% to that.

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Exactly, you just proved the point. Your floor has mostly surface rust, a couple tiny holes. That is due to neglect and a wet carpet keeping moisture. This other truck is rotting to death- in addition to the floor, the rocker, the fender, the floor support, the cab corner, etc have all turned into an exploded pile of what used to be steel. I'd bet my house on the fact that there's absolutely no way this happened from a little heater core leak. Dude lives in Canada, ain't no warm parts of Canada. It's most likely salt the liquid **** is horrible, or rock salt mixed with sand from winter roads is bad too. And if he lives in an area with dirt roads and they don't use salt, having mud packed into crevasses is just as bad because it retains a lot of moisture and just stays wet for weeks on end. Salt is worse because it chemically affects the metal, but sand and mud packed in is really bad too. That ain't antifreeze rotting the truck that bad dude, come on.

PrairieDrifter · Dec 1, 2020

RecklessWOT said:
Exactly, you just proved the point. Your floor has mostly surface rust, a couple tiny holes. That is due to neglect and a wet carpet keeping moisture. This other truck is rotting to death- in addition to the floor, the rocker, the fender, the floor support, the cab corner, etc have all turned into an exploded pile of what used to be steel. I'd bet my house on the fact that there's absolutely no way this happened from a little heater core leak. Dude lives in Canada, ain't no warm parts of Canada. It's most likely salt the liquid **** is horrible, or rock salt mixed with sand from winter roads is bad too. And if he lives in an area with dirt roads and they don't use salt, having mud packed into crevasses is just as bad because it retains a lot of moisture and just stays wet for weeks on end. Salt is worse because it chemically affects the metal, but sand and mud packed in is really bad too. That ain't antifreeze rotting the truck that bad dude, come on.

Not saying it's the direct cause, it may or may not be. But it could have been the start, another year or two on my truck and there for sure would have been holes. Which starts more rust and rusts out the whole corner. I'm from and my trucks are from North Dakota, as close to Canada as you can get lol, and one better, all my trucks drive dirt roads constantly. You're preaching to the choir over here lol

Jdgrant96 · Dec 7, 2020

If not the heater core check the seal/weld at the cowl and firewall. That’s where mine is leaking.

Ideas as to where this problem is coming from?

Tank6x2

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