Water tightening bay doors?

[sawdust_128]

On a recent trip, we traveled for about 6 hours in a moderate, steady rain. On arrival at the camp ground, I noticed some ice forming at the bottom of the coach. The next day, I opened the bays to find that water had enetered the bay (2nd back on passenger side).

I have checked the rubber seals and they appear to be good. The surfaces that the seals compress against are smooth and clean. With this door, I have to go back and press in the area of the latches to ensure that they have completely engaged after I close the bay. So, here's my question:

Is it possible the the latches are too tight, that when I have to press on the latch area to completely engage the hatch, I am pulling the bottom of the bay hatch out?

Has anyone experienced this? Other suggestions?

Since the bay is full of built-ins, has anyone got any neat tricks on sorting this one out? My preference would be to climb in the bay, have the wife shut it down and examine for bad sealing. I'm sure she would let me back out, I think. But, that would mean I would have to pull all the cabinets.

I thought I read something here on POG about using blue carpenter's chalk rubbed on the surfaces to aid in this. Ring a bell to anyone?

[JIM CHALOUPKA]

Flood the bay door in various areas in a controlled way, to try to localize the leak location.

Place a $1.00 bill in the joint and close the door. Pull it out. If there is no resistance you very possibly have a leak there. Some say if you can pull it out with a finger and thumb, you have a leak. You have to work your way all around the perimeter of the door.

Buy or borrow the use of a sonic leak detector with a sound source. Place the sound generator inside and listen around the gasket joint for sounds.

Lube the gasket with silicone spray.

JIM

[Petervs]

I had a bay that was getting wet inside. When I closed the door I always got the whoosh sound of squishing air in the seal so it seemed like the door was sealing correctly. It was.

The cause of the leak was the rubber seal behind the side marker lights that are mounted just above the bay door. I replaced those seals as well as the riv nuts in the skin which attaches the lights, and presto, no more leak. You can just make the seal from a flat piece of rubber.

So check to see if your wet bay has a light above it, you may have the same simple fix.

[sawdust_128]

Added to the list. Thank you Peter.

Jim: it's a big leak, should I use a $10, $20, $50 or $100?


I think I'm in trouble. Wife likes the idea of closing me in the bay until I find the leak. Maybe not so bad, that bay has a beer cooler in it.

[gmcbuffalo]

I had the same problem and as Peter said it was coming from above and dripping into the bay.

To check to see if you have a major seal leak in the door you could put a strong light in the bay at night and see if any light is visible around the door edges. while closed.

GregM

[Will Garner]

Hey Wood Chips,

About that being shut in the bay and your not having room because of the built-ins. There is another alternative, find some really skinny kid, give them explicit directions, then shut them in the bay. I was going to say lose some weight but then that would go for me too.

On those side marker light gaskets, replacement gaskets and those little round rubber deals with an encapsulated nuts are available from Prevost Parts. I got a complete set for my 1990 and replaced them this winter. The old ones did not leak but they looked really bad. If you replace the gaskets you will be doing some rewiring of the clearance light electrical feeds, which I found not to be a big deal either. No, unfortunately, I did not take any pictures of the work!

Hope all is well with you and Cindi. The Outer Banks of NC should have been very nice this past week. May not be so nice again starting not later than Friday.

[Orren Zook]

Bust out your official POG authorized ultrasonic leak detector with the optional tone generator, put the tone generator in the bay, turn it on and run the wand of the leak detector around the edge of the door. That should enable you to immediately determine the leaking area(s).

[sawdust_128]

think I found out what is going on. When the gaskets are cold they are less flexible. I need to use a little more force (plus an adjustment) to ensure a seal.

Will: The Banks were spectacular. I will post some pictures as soon as I get chance. We bolted on weds after we got beck. We expect to have a front row seat for the shuttle launch tomorrow night.