Community Forums

Sky_Boss · 05-16-2016, 01:27 PM

I've been trying hard to figure out how water is getting into my fuse bay (Bus Bay?) on the front left of the coach. I've replaced the gasket seal and it still is getting water inside.

After a good rain I have seen 1-2" of standing water. I also see indications that water must be coming down from above because I see water "splashed" a few inches above the water level.

I don't see anything obvious areas were water is coming through. Any thoughts on how I can trace that?

I'm not ready to try caulk on the back edge of the gasket but is that something I can consider without causing any other unintended consequences? Perhaps there are some hinge adjustments I haven't seen yet that might come into play?

MJFZ · 05-16-2016, 02:03 PM

Have you tried the $1.00 bill test? Place the dollar bill between the door and frame and then close. If the dollar bill pulls out easy you know the gasket is not sealing. If on top of the door, I can picture a good leak would occur. If this is the issue, you would need to see if its the rubber gasket or if its the alignment of the door.

Mike

Sky_Boss · 05-16-2016, 02:09 PM

A little follow up...

I went out and took a water hose to the bay door. I worked from the bottom up in stages. No leaks from the bottom or sides.

What I did find was that water was seeping on the top part of the gasket when I gave it a lot (not crazy) amount of pressure and a good 30 seconds of that.

So...while I can adjust the bottom seal pressure with the latch, I don't see any way to do that with the top since the hinges don't appear to have any adjustment.

It may sound counter intuitive but is it possible (ya, all things are possible.

) that by having the latch adjusted to be very tight on the bottom I'm some how deforming the to enough to not properly seal?

The other thought is whether or not I can add some kind of additional gasket/seal to the top part of the door to tighten that gap. If I do that, I should probably run that down the sides to.

Anyway...time to run to the hardware store. The bolts that hold the latch bar are sooooooo corroded I think I need to replace them.

hes4all · 05-16-2016, 02:11 PM

I had a very similar issue with my 06 MA but is was on passenger side behind the tag. That compartment got so much water in it we had a electrical short and the engine turned off going 60 mph.

Had a $2500.00 tow bill and $1100.00 repair bill. Thank God for Coach Net tow was paid for!

I ultimately had to take off the tag wheel and tire, remove the inner fender and do repairs to seal up the leak.

I used a hose to find the leak, or should I say lleeeeaaaakkkkk!

It was 14" long. Newmar left a gap where the inner fender was to hang over and cover. So I filled it first with commercial silicon, then covered it with a piece of flashing then sprayed it with Flex seal 5 times over two days.

I also extended the inner fender about 2 inches!

Took my pressure sprayer to test without the tire on to make sure and TA DA!!!

Good to go!

Come on Newmar, I love my coach but this is dumb!

Dutch Star Don · 05-16-2016, 08:16 PM

"Sky Boss"....If you're sure it's the door, then take a block of wood and place it between the bottom edge of the door and frame and push on the top edge. This will tweak the door. This often how they adjust the main doors.

I was going to mention that you check the back of the bay. All of your wiring runs into the upper front corner and than they spray foam insulate it. It could be getting road water in there.

Sky_Boss · 05-16-2016, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch Star Don

"Sky Boss"....If you're sure it's the door, then take a block of wood and place it between the bottom edge of the door and frame and push on the top edge. This will tweak the door. This often how they adjust the main doors.

I was going to mention that you check the back of the bay. All of your wiring runs into the upper front corner and than they spray foam insulate it. It could be getting road water in there.

Point taken on the first suggestion. It makes sense.

I don't think it is road water at all. The common denominator is rain and more so with strong winds from that side of the coach.

I just added plain, ole weather foam-rubber trim strips both to all parts of the door that contact the bay gasket. I also added another strip of weather trim to the top of the door that is between the hinged edge.

It got late tonight before I did that "mod" so I didn't put the garden hose on it but I'm expecting several hours of rain over then next 18-24 hours. Lets see how that works.

Josh2129 · 05-16-2016, 09:09 PM

Had a leak in that compartment and after trying several things including replacing the gasket the service tech found the toll window weap hole drains were clogged. These drains were rubber tubes that drain water from the toll window into the front left wheel well. He used compressed air and blew construction trash out and water started pouring out. In this case the water was backing up and running in the floor and draining down the electric wire loom into the fuse compartment. Hope this helps.

John
2015 Newmar Mountain Aire 4503
2013 Jeep Wrangler Moab Edition

Sky_Boss · 05-16-2016, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Josh2129

Had a leak in that compartment and after trying several things including replacing the gasket the service tech found the toll window weap hole drains were clogged. These drains were rubber tubes that drain water from the toll window into the front left wheel well. He used compressed air and blew construction trash out and water started pouring out. In this case the water was backing up and running in the floor and draining down the electric wire loom into the fuse compartment. ...

Thanks for that idea. Coincidently, Last week I replaced all my window trim seals and found very little evidence of my weep holes being plugged up. I've got the weep holes that drain to the side of the coach for all of my windows. The ribber trim had gotten old and shrunk over the last 10 years.

"007" · 05-16-2016, 09:36 PM

If rain is coming down window to pan on floor under window it has a drain hose that maybe plugged up and water is leaking over pan to compartment below your fuse bay.
Check this link found in QT's # 3.
I under stand all drivers windows have pan not just ones with doors.
Hope its just a plugged drain hole, for you.

Sky_Boss · 06-21-2016, 07:12 PM

OK...been working this now for a couple weeks. New gasket installed and then I caulked the latch. So...I don't know why I didn't see this but the leak is coming from the bottom corners where some corrosion has set in and also where the vertical and horizontal bay frames meet.

When I spray water into the side gasket seams I can not see the water leaking under the gasket from those corners. I've added a couple pictures to show the corners.

I'm trying to figure out the best way to seal those corners. I don't really want to just caulk the heck out of them but I might have to. I was wondering if anyone has any experience with using some kind of liquid metal or metal putty that I can use to rebuild those corners to smooth them out.

Of course, any other DIY smart folks that have a better idea...feel free to toss them out.

Mr_D · 06-21-2016, 07:22 PM

I'm having the same problem with our CC. Finally sat in the rig during a real downpour and could see where it was running in around the toll window, then inside the frame down to the bottom of the window, then then let it down the wall and into the compartment. Tried window sealer which helped, then got some wax like boat emergency patch stuff that stopped most of it. Now using some marine Tully's crack sealer that's getting the rest stopped.

Jeff426 · 06-22-2016, 04:41 AM

The only issue we have had with the fuse bay was that the latch was not as positive as the other doors, you really have to ensure its latched completely.

Jeff and Lynn

Sky_Boss · 06-22-2016, 10:07 AM

I'm now very confident my leak source is in the gaps caused by the meeting of the bottom corners. It appears that those corners originally had enough of a channel to allow some leaking from the first day. That is perhaps why there is a bit more corrosion, especially on the right side corner, in those areas. I was able to see that when directing a fairly light stream of water at the sides of the bus bay and could see water seeping into those lower corners.

There is no evidence I can find that there is any leakage caused by the toll window. No amount of rain or water hose usage directed at the toll window can produce any leakage from above the bus bay.

I did make adjustments to the latch bar that tightened up the door against the bottom areas of the gasket and that made a huge difference in the amount of water getting into the bay. I think that helped tighten up the gasket seating in the corners and slowed the leak.

What I am trying to do is fix the problem without just resorting to gobs of caulk. I was thinking I would sand out those corners to clean them up. I think I might be able to even grind/sand those rough corners to help reduce the small "channels" that currently exist for water to leak through.

If I can find a product that I can use to smooth out those corners and fill in the small gaps that is solid enough to hold in place. As I am typing this it just came to mind that I could even fill in that area with solder and then smooth it out. Maybe that is my best answer?

Sky_Boss · 06-23-2016, 11:28 AM

I THINK I GOT IT!

This morning I used a Dremel tool grinder and ground out the unleveled joint areas. I was able to smooth the area at both corners were the vertical and horizontal frame pieces are joined which was the area that created a water channel under the gasket.

Using a water hose I put a lot of water at all parts of the bus bay door. The only time I got any leaks in the lower corners was when I used a fair amount of pressure on the based of the gasket. Even then it wasn't a lot.

The last part of it was that I used a dull edge to push the gasket into the corners. That seemed to help get the metal spine in the gasket to make a more perfect 90* bend further covering the corners a bit better.