Cobalt Leak Found..... Sealant Questions...

[Mirvin 264]

I had never used this stuff until I found a tube that one of the subs building my house had left. I was surprised at how sticky it was right out of the tube. I swear you could apply it in a rainstorm and it would still stick and seal.

It will bond while wet, I've been in the painting industry since '75 and used many different sealants. This is one of the best, and clearest on the market. A little pricey compared to most, but as with paint you get what you pay for. The stuff works........

 

[jcountry]

I feel for you. Water leaks SUCK. Unfortinately have to deal with them regularly on the new aluminum body ford trucks.

That always seemed like a bad idea to me.......

Aluminum bodies on sports cars like the NSX were one thing.... But a truck?

Seems like something to get the vehicle 1 mile past warranty and engage the 'so long-sucka' mode.

 

[Kyzrsoze]

This has been a real ***** to track down.

Thought it was the windshield drain pan. Cocked the hell out of that one, sprayed again with the hose, still leaking. Got it isolated to a body seam under a front quarter panel.

Once I get that taken off and cocked, it better not leak.

I'm at the point where I'm about to firebomb the old ****wagon and tell my old lady it was bad wiring.

Found this:

 

[gun guy17]

That always seemed like a bad idea to me.......

Aluminum bodies on sports cars l

That always seemed like a bad idea to me.......

Aluminum bodies on sports cars like the NSX were one thing.... But a truck?

Seems like something to get the vehicle 1 mile past warranty and engage the 'so long-sucka' mode.

Yeah aluminum is not the best idea imo. I should have worded that differently though. The aluminum body seams don't typically leak (though I have seen it) it's usually the third brake light or the sunroof if equipped. Sunroofs are a terrible idea. No good comes from a hole in the roof

 

[Cornholio]

My wife's Cobalt has been leaking on the passenger side for a long time. It would only leak when it was parked a certain way.


After MUCH consternation and all kinds of work, I believe I have actually found the source: When the car was assembled, the passenger side drip pan under the windshield had a little area at the outside bottom corner where the adhesive was missed. It's just a small area, but you can see that it missed about 1/8" in a little spot where metal to metal should have been sealed with this hard plastic sealant.....


My question is: I need to patch that up with something, but I'm not sure what kind of sealant to use. I'm not a fan of silicone. I find that it often fails after a few months, and I don't want to go through this all over again.


I'm thinking JB weld might could work. The guy at the auto parts store says emblem adhesive would work.


Any suggestions on the best stuff to use-so I'll never have to dive into this mess again??

Geocell 2300

 

[jcountry]

Yeah aluminum is not the best idea imo. I should have worded that differently though. The aluminum body seams don't typically leak (though I have seen it) it's usually the third brake light or the sunroof if equipped. Sunroofs are a terrible idea. No good comes from a hole in the roof

True.

I tried to tell my sister in law that. She got a sunroof anyhow.

She will be crying soon

 

[gun guy17]

True.

I tried to tell my sister in law that. She got a sunroof anyhow.

She will be crying soon

Its also very common for the sunroof to break on the new ones. Luckily ford has come out with a repair kit and we no lomger habe to replace the entire sunroof.
I owned a cobalt that the evaporator/heater core case drain clogged and when using the AC condensation would pool in the case and lower vents and spill onto the carpet. Doesn't sound like your situation tho

 

[jcountry]

Its also very common for the sunroof to break on the new ones. Luckily ford has come out with a repair kit and we no lomger habe to replace the entire sunroof.
I owned a cobalt that the evaporator/heater core case drain clogged and when using the AC condensation would pool in the case and lower vents and spill onto the carpet. Doesn't sound like your situation tho

Nah.

That's not me. (I started there, and blew it out real good. No water in there.)

I have (hopefully) finally tracked it down to a seam under the right front fender. It has a couple of spot weld points and one of them is actually a small hole. I can spray my garden hose all over the place, and that's the only spot where water runs in.

This car was swiped on the front bumper years ago. Bellamy Strickland did a crap job of fixing it.

Didn't notice at the time, but once I had to replace a headlight bulb, I found that the bolts wouldn't fit right. That fitting for the housing is jacked up.

So, I'm thinking that this weld was provably fine out of the factory, but developed a little hole or crack from that accident.

Far be it from any shop these days to actually check to see if stuff is straight after a small fender bender. Just put it all back together (even if stuff don't fit right) and let some poor sucker deal with this BS down the road.

Anyhow, live and learn. Anything like that happens again, and I'll know what to look for after it gets 'repaired.'

Cars these days are frustrating on so many levels. One of my major complaints is that they can't take a hit. Not a small hit, not a tiny hit, not even a freaking dragonfly-without major damage. This car obviously is bent a little. From an accident which really looked like a small scrape on the bumper and a tiny bump on the hood.

-Wife was driving, and she is a great driver. This whole thing wasn't her fault-some dude oversteered a turn at a red light and literally touched the front end at walking speed.

 

[roundhouse]

Nah.

That's not me. (I started there, and blew it out real good. No water in there.)

I have (hopefully) finally tracked it down to a seam under the right front fender. It has a couple of spot weld points and one of them is actually a small hole. I can spray my garden hose all over the place, and that's the only spot where water runs in.

This car was swiped on the front bumper years ago. Bellamy Strickland did a crap job of fixing it.

Didn't notice at the time, but once I had to replace a headlight bulb, I found that the bolts wouldn't fit right. That fitting for the housing is jacked up.

So, I'm thinking that this weld was provably fine out of the factory, but developed a little hole or crack from that accident.

Far be it from any shop these days to actually check to see if stuff is straight after a small fender bender. Just put it all back together (even if stuff don't fit right) and let some poor sucker deal with this BS down the road.

Anyhow, live and learn. Anything like that happens again, and I'll know what to look for after it gets 'repaired.'

Cars these days are frustrating on so many levels. One of my major complaints is that they can't take a hit. Not a small hit, not a tiny hit, not even a freaking dragonfly-without major damage. This car obviously is bent a little. From an accident which really looked like a small scrape on the bumper and a tiny bump on the hood.

-Wife was driving, and she is a great driver. This whole thing wasn't her fault-some dude oversteered a turn at a red light and literally touched the front end at walking speed.

Yup the cars nowadays are very fragile
Nothing but plastic crap

I know a guy that hit a big deer with his three day old 2018 mustang GT and totaled it

Pushed the front fenders into the doors and blew every airbag

From hitting a deer and coming to a stop in the highway

I’m done owning late model cars unless I get em for nearly free

I just picked up a 06 one owner 4wd expedition with 90k on the clock for $3,500
Original owner paid $51k
That’s quite a hit for owning a car for 12 years

Going tomorrow to look at a 03 Jeep Liberty for $400
I just spread the word around that I’m interested in cars and will probably buy yours for what the dealer offers as a trade in
As long as you don’t mention trade in until the last minute after y’all have settled on a final drive out price

But my next car is gonna be the nicest 88-91 K-5 Blazer I can find

Something easy to repair
Only one computer , no plastic
And will go up in value instead of down

 

[jeep78]

Butyl rubber caulk or Blackjack. Either will work and bond well to steel body panels.