[catfishrod69]

I know this has been covered here before, and on other websites. Ive done alot of searching, but cant quite come up with the answers i need.

Ok i just got my truck maybe a month ago. It has only been drove to my house, then sat here while i was fixing the front end that had been wrecked. I drove it down the road a few miles once, and have moved it around the yard a couple times. But thats it, and i havent used the heater or AC. But my passenger floor is getting wet. Im not 100% sure if it was just wet before i got it, and now its drying up, or if it actually got wet after i got the truck. But i tore open the cowl below widow wiper, no debri or anything at all down in there. I located the evaporator drain tube, looks clean. Ran a 12" drain zip-it into the drain tube, it went all the way in, and got absolutely nothing at all out of the drain tube. So makes me think it cant be clogged. Inside the vehicle, under the evaporator, right where the drain tube is built on, but under the carpet, there is some very tacky sticky stuff. I thought either carpet glue, or where antifreeze had leaked. And yesterday when i went out the carpet was wet but more like condensation. And i have a bass stereo in the truck with a capacitor behind the passenger seat. The capacitor was slam covered in condensation. Nothing else at all, just the capacitor, and the floor in front of the seat. But i dont think the drain tube is plugged. I know there isnt water leaking in environmentally. It hasnt rained at all in a week or so. No evidence inside or outside the truck of anything broke, not in place, etc. Only thing i can find is that sticky residue under the very top part of the carpet, and on the bottom of the evaporator. I thought maybe heater core cracked. No coolant level drops, it is completely full. I fired the truck up today and ran it about 15 minutes using both AC and heat. Absolutely no leaking anywhere, and no dripping from the drain tube either. Any thoughts? I very much appreciate the help, i need to get it figured out before the floor starts to rot out. Thanks!!

 

[TxDayTrader]

You've pretty much done everything i can think of. I did my research on a wet passenger floor I had after blowing out the debris in my Evap Core. Couldn't figure out what the problem was til i heard water sloshing around in the black plastic box the evap sits in. If the drain tube in the evap is clogged when you run the AC for little while you'll hear sloshing when u make turns. Does yours have a sun roof? If so there's a drain tube that runs down to the front of the passenger side door and in the fender i think that can cause problems.

 

[catfishrod69]

No sunroof on mine. I have looked everything i can think over, and cant figure it out. I know it wouldnt leak while i was running it today, but i figure it had got wet before, so im sure the problem didnt fix itself. I started pulling the evaporator, took the 3 screws out, then put them back in. Said to myself im not messing with that nightmare unless i absolutely need to. I thought about drilling a hole in the bottom of the black box on the inside, and see if anything comes out. Then plug the hole with a fine thread bolt and permatex. Unfortunately i might have to just wait until it rains and see what happens, then rule that out, then wait til i drive it more, and run the AC longer, and see what happens. My buddy drove it 1.5 hours to get it to me, other than that its basically been sitting a few months.

You've pretty much done everything i can think of. I did my research on a wet passenger floor I had after blowing out the debris in my Evap Core. Couldn't figure out what the problem was til i heard water sloshing around in the black plastic box the evap sits in. If the drain tube in the evap is clogged when you run the AC for little while you'll hear sloshing when u make turns. Does yours have a sun roof? If so there's a drain tube that runs down to the front of the passenger side door and in the fender i think that can cause problems.

 

[The_Pope]

Been wrecked? There's a compromised body seam somewhere.

 

[catfishrod69]

It was wrecked on the drivers side. I looked around as best i can and cant find any seams that are bad. And it hasnt rained to get water inside. Also the condensation on the capacitor and floor seems weird.

Been wrecked? There's a compromised body seam somewhere.

 

[Roader]

I started pulling the evaporator, took the 3 screws out, then put them back in. Said to myself im not messing with that nightmare unless i absolutely need to. I thought about drilling a hole in the bottom of the black box on the inside, and see if anything comes out. Then plug the hole with a fine thread bolt and permatex.

There are five screws holding the case together. It's pretty easy to open it up a couple of inches to see if it's draining:

DIY Guide: How to Change the Thermal Control Amp on 1st gen Frontier

 

[shift_RUSH]

This may or may may not be your issue since you don't drive it much:
Look in the wheelwell for a hole due to rust. Driving in the wet or rain will usher/force water to seep into the foot area. I discovered a small rusty hole in my '00 XE, but in the driver's side wheelwell/footwell = mustiness. Not a fix, but I simply removed the rubber floormat to facilitate evaporation.

 

[catfishrod69]

Yeah i was debating on doing that. Might give it a shot to see if thats it or not.

There are five screws holding the case together. It's pretty easy to open it up a couple of inches to see if it's draining:

DIY Guide: How to Change the Thermal Control Amp on 1st gen Frontier

I will take a look, but im pretty sure there isnt anything there. But it will be a quick easy thing to check. Thanks

This may or may may not be your issue since you don't drive it much:
Look in the wheelwell for a hole due to rust. Driving in the wet or rain will usher/force water to seep into the foot area. I discovered a small rusty hole in my '00 XE, but in the driver's side wheelwell/footwell = mustiness. Not a fix, but I simply removed the rubber floormat to facilitate evaporation.

 

[TexasScout]

Here's a long shot, but here goes; My CC always had water on the drivers side back door after a rain. I looked and looked, never found a leak from the doors or windows. I store a LOT of stuff behind the back seats. Sometimes I get a little violent pushing the seat back in place so it will latch. Well what happened was my jumper cables smashed into the vent for the "flow through ventilation" and knocked it out. It didn't fall out just tilted back against the bed. When it rained, water dripped down the back windshield and hit the drain and then right into the cab. Four SS screws and all is right with the world. They are BEHIND the carpet on the back of the cab. Give it a look.

 

[catfishrod69]

Well my carpet was only wet in front of the seat. There wasnt a single drop behind the seat.

Here's a long shot, but here goes; My CC always had water on the drivers side back door after a rain. I looked and looked, never found a leak from the doors or windows. I store a LOT of stuff behind the back seats. Sometimes I get a little violent pushing the seat back in place so it will latch. Well what happened was my jumper cables smashed into the vent for the "flow through ventilation" and knocked it out. It didn't fall out just tilted back against the bed. When it rained, water dripped down the back windshield and hit the drain and then right into the cab. Four SS screws and all is right with the world. They are BEHIND the carpet on the back of the cab. Give it a look.

I tried looking into the cowl again, checking all body seams, opened up the evaporator box, it was bone dry, no rust holes in fender well. Cant find anything at all that would let water in. But i decided to fire it up and run the AC a while and keep looking. Its pumping out hot air, so i figure it needs charged. After looking around a bit, i notice the AC pump isnt running. I checked all fuses, and the relay, everything seems good. Got out the voltmeter, and the pump isnt getting power. I checked everything i can find and cant figure out why it isnt. The button you push to kick the AC on, isnt lighting up when pushed, not to say that it actually will light up though.

 

[TexasScout]

When the Freon is low, it won't allow the compressor to run to prevent damange.

 

[catfishrod69]

Small update. The other day it rained very hard, went out to check for leaks, and dampness. Didnt find anything at all. It seems like in the mornings is when this happens, like its sucking in condensation from the dew on the grass. I did find a small rip in the passenger door rubber surround at the very top, but it never leaked there during the rain. Couple mornings ago, the passenger floor was very slightly damp, to the point that i had to think if it was actually damp, or if i was imagining it. And my tool bag was sitting in the passenger seat with wrenches, sockets, etc.. in it. The wenches had a coat of condensation on them. It really seems like somehow morning dew from the grass is coming in. Why would only the passenger floor in front of seat, and my wrenches be the only thing that had any indication of moisture?

 

[catfishrod69]

Checked this morning, pulled out floor mat, and its very slightly damp, as if condensation was on it. Dont see the point in this at all. I would love to just rip the carpet out, drill a few tiny drain holes, and rhino liner everything.