Steps to remove the C pillar body moulding in 2001 SSEI

[kstills]

Ok, so I pulled the seat and the C pillar panels. Neither was difficult, however getting the panels back on looks to be a PITA.

Replacing them is really quite easy. The yellow retainers typically end up staying in the sheet metal when you remove the panel (as you can see in the photo I posted). Remove them from there and reattach them to the trim piece before re-installation. You just need to guide the trim panel into place making sure the retainers line up with the holes and press them into final position.

Thanks, I was wondering about that.

One side came out with the trim, one side stayed in.

[ddalder]

As I'm sure you've noticed, the rear drains connect to the rubber pass-through grommet for the wiring harness where both exit the interior. You can pop the large rubber grommet out the sheet metal to look at the rubber duckbill like valve (built into the other side) and make sure it isn't clogged with dirt. Just be gentle with it because after so many years the valve may be a little brittle.

[kstills]

As I'm sure you've noticed, the rear drains connect to the rubber pass-through grommet for the wiring harness where both exit the interior. You can pop the large rubber grommet out the sheet metal to look at the rubber duckbill like valve (built into the other side) and make sure it isn't clogged with dirt. Just be gentle with it because after so many years the valve may be a little brittle.

The passenger side one was pretty clear, but I was certainly cussing that grommet. That's the thing I had to turn upside down so the water would flow out, and it was not pleasent to get back into the hole. I had to fight the lack of light, poor eyesight, resistance of the wiring harness and the wet floor of the trunk in order to get it back in it's hole.

[ddalder]

That sucks! Normally the pass-through grommets are seated by pulling them from the opposite side. Unfortunately with the rear fascia installed it's not really possible to get to the other side. They can be a bit of a pain, but I've always been able to wiggle them and use a dull tipped tool to coax them into place. Good to hear that it's all done though. Hopefully your water problem will be resolved. The front drains are typically the more prevalent problem and they are a little work to repair. Water will flow freely from the front all the way to the rear foot well so you may need to keep looking. In addition, there's many, many other sources for water entry as we've discovered on the forum.

Typically if the problem was isolated to the rear you would have water under the rear seat on the sheet metal where the battery, fuse block and wiring harness are located. If you don't find water there, you need to start checking elsewhere, too.

[kstills]

That sucks! Normally the pass-through grommets are seated by pulling them from the opposite side. Unfortunately with the rear fascia installed it's not really possible to get to the other side. They can be a bit of a pain, but I've always been able to wiggle them and use a dull tipped tool to coax them into place. Good to hear that it's all done though. Hopefully your water problem will be resolved. The front drains are typically the more prevalent problem and they are a little work to repair. Water will flow freely from the front all the way to the rear foot well so you may need to keep looking. In addition, there's many, many other sources for water entry as we've discovered on the forum.

Typically if the problem was isolated to the rear you would have water under the rear seat on the sheet metal where the battery, fuse block and wiring harness are located. If you don't find water there, you need to start checking elsewhere, too.

I know I have water in the back seat area, but it's primarily from the drains being clogged/upside down going through the body panels.

I also have water in the front passenger seat, so I'm going to look in the area that you detailed in your post to make sure the drains are still connected.

The doors look good, but I may have that issue with the seal on the trunk.

Good thing I like this vehicle....

[ddalder]

I just got the impression from your post it was in the foot wells as opposed to under the seat itself. That being the case, you are definitely not wrong in your thinking. In my car I discovered leaks from:

The trunk lid weather stripping.
Broken trim across the outside of the trunk, across the bottom of the opening.
Leaking body plugs in the floor pan.
Leaking body seams.
Missing seam sealer on the firewall.
Leaking water deflectors on the doors.
One of two front sunroof drains.

Other members have also had problems with water leaking in around the center high mount stop lamp.

[CMNTMXR57]

I was going to mention the third brake light seems to be a common one for trunk stank.

[kstills]

I just got the impression from your post it was in the foot wells as opposed to under the seat itself. That being the case, you are definitely not wrong in your thinking. In my car I discovered leaks from:

The trunk lid weather stripping.
Broken trim across the outside of the trunk, across the bottom of the opening.
Leaking body plugs in the floor pan.
Leaking body seams.
Missing seam sealer on the firewall.
Leaking water deflectors on the doors.
One of two front sunroof drains.

Other members have also had problems with water leaking in around the center high mount stop lamp.

So, first off, many thanks for mentioning that duck bill valve. That was in fact the problem on the drivers side, and I am not sure how long I would have spent chasing that down if you hadn't mentioned it. As it was, the drivers side went off without a hitch (practice makes perfect and all) and now the back is buttoned back up.

Next up was the trunk, so I put a hose in the channel and let water run around the gasket, and it turns out that down near the latch the gasket has gone bad and needs replacement. Can I reseal that with goop, or is it best to buy a new gasket? Haro, I see you sell parts, is that something that can be purchased used or is it best to buy a new GM part?

I'll be cutting into that rubber under the dash sometime later this week to chase down the leak in the front, hopefully it just that the line is disconnected like you showed in your write up. I've tested the fronts, the drains do drain, question is where they are draining to at this point.

[ddalder]

Next up was the trunk, so I put a hose in the channel and let water run around the gasket, and it turns out that down near the latch the gasket has gone bad and needs replacement. Can I reseal that with goop, or is it best to buy a new gasket? Haro, I see you sell parts, is that something that can be purchased used or is it best to buy a new GM part?

I'll be cutting into that rubber under the dash sometime later this week to chase down the leak in the front, hopefully it just that the line is disconnected like you showed in your write up. I've tested the fronts, the drains do drain, question is where they are draining to at this point.

You can try a sealant but success may be hit and miss. When I took mine off there was a small amount of corrosion that had to be cleaned up so you'll want to make sure you have a clean surface to bond to. The other part to this is that cleaning the inside channel of the weather stripping isn't going to be easy making that part of the bond difficult. I replaced mine with a brand new one just to be sure it wasn't an issue. This isn't to say that a good used part won't work though. Andrew may not see this thread right away so it's better to contact him at andrew dot suderman at gmail dot com.

As for the front drains, if water is draining down and you don't see it pooling on the ground just behind the front wheels, the only other place for it to go is the floor inside the car. Not good news but at least you know where to hunt!

[kstills]

I just got the impression from your post it was in the foot wells as opposed to under the seat itself. That being the case, you are definitely not wrong in your thinking. In my car I discovered leaks from:

The trunk lid weather stripping.
Broken trim across the outside of the trunk, across the bottom of the opening.Leaking body plugs in the floor pan.
Leaking body seams.
Missing seam sealer on the firewall.
Leaking water deflectors on the doors.
One of two front sunroof drains.

Other members have also had problems with water leaking in around the center high mount stop lamp.

Is that that little plastic piece right under the weather stripping along the bottom of the trunk? It looks like that purely decorative, however the metal on both sides seems to be a little separated from the body of the car.

I need to start posting pics.

[kstills]

Next up was the trunk, so I put a hose in the channel and let water run around the gasket, and it turns out that down near the latch the gasket has gone bad and needs replacement. Can I reseal that with goop, or is it best to buy a new gasket? Haro, I see you sell parts, is that something that can be purchased used or is it best to buy a new GM part?

I'll be cutting into that rubber under the dash sometime later this week to chase down the leak in the front, hopefully it just that the line is disconnected like you showed in your write up. I've tested the fronts, the drains do drain, question is where they are draining to at this point.

You can try a sealant but success may be hit and miss. When I took mine off there was a small amount of corrosion that had to be cleaned up so you'll want to make sure you have a clean surface to bond to. The other part to this is that cleaning the inside channel of the weather stripping isn't going to be easy making that part of the bond difficult. I replaced mine with a brand new one just to be sure it wasn't an issue. This isn't to say that a good used part won't work though. Andrew may not see this thread right away so it's better to contact him at andrew dot suderman at gmail dot com.

As for the front drains, if water is draining down and you don't see it pooling on the ground just behind the front wheels, the only other place for it to go is the floor inside the car. Not good news but at least you know where to hunt!

Yeah, I know the passenger side is blocked/disconnected. I have water on that side. The drivers side is dry, so I'm hoping that I won't have to do anything over there.

BTW, thanks for posting that list of places to look for leaks. I'm going to take some time and check all those areas to make sure I don't miss anything.

I just replaced the head gasket, and the car runs like a champ. Had an alignment done on all four wheels and it's like a brand new car.

Aside from the smell inside....

[ddalder]

Sounds like your car is coming along very well!

The acoustic foam on the underside of the carpet is really dense and holds water very well. Generally, it's recommended that the carpet be removed from the car and allowed to dry (sometimes for a couple of days in the sun - depending on climate) to ensure all the moisture is gone.

When I took mine out, I wiped down all the sheet metal underneath. This helped me to track down some of the other leaks because then I could see trails where dirty water had been. When I took it to the body shop for repairs they told me someone got under the car with compressed air while someone sprayed soapy water on body seams inside. Here's a link to a small piece of my little water leak heaven...

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 45414.html

[kstills]

Sounds like your car is coming along very well!

The acoustic foam on the underside of the carpet is really dense and holds water very well. Generally, it's recommended that the carpet be removed from the car and allowed to dry (sometimes for a couple of days in the sun - depending on climate) to ensure all the moisture is gone.

When I took mine out, I wiped down all the sheet metal underneath. This helped me to track down some of the other leaks because then I could see trails where dirty water had been. When I took it to the body shop for repairs they told me someone got under the car with compressed air while someone sprayed soapy water on body seams inside. Here's a link to a small piece of my little water leak heaven...

http://www.pontiacbonnevilleclub.com/fo ... 45414.html

I think this is the next step, carpet removal. I've tried letting it sit with the windows open and it isn't helping.

Thanks for that link, I'm probably going to do that full interior removal and check for those leaks like you suggested. I need to get the carpet out anyway, be a good time to do that other work.

[ddalder]

You'll want to check the HVAC drain, especially if there is water on the passenger side floor. They have been known to plug with dirt and condensation from the evaporator will end up running onto your floor instead of to the exterior. This may also be part of your odour problem, especially if it is worse and smells musty when your blower motor is running. This is another 'duck bill' like valve attached to the drain which exits the vehicle on the passenger side firewall. It may be hard to get at from the top though.

I replaced my drain because the rubber had become brittle, cracked and torn. They are still available because they are used on a gazillion different GM products, P/N: 25723079.

[kstills]

Just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Mods, please move over to the 'other than GXP' section.

[ddalder]

Just realized I posted this in the wrong section. Mods, please move over to the 'other than GXP' section.

To be honest, and just my opinion, this really doesn't matter because everything discussed here is really applicable to every Bonneville of this vintage. I had recently suggested a 'Body' section for topics like this but I don't know if the Admins/Mods have had a chance to consider it yet.