real strange problem - suggestions?????

graewulf · #1 (**permalink**) 08-21-2004, 10:14 AM

95 ZJ ---

OK, here is the scenario.. the last week I have had a wet floor twice - passenger rear carpet is soaked (we're talking puddle here). THe first time it happened was shortly after playing in the mud last Sat. OK, i figured the mud was a little deeper than I thought and some leaked in past a seal somewhere - it happens. Yesterday on the return trip from Baltimore (about 150 miles one way) I notice a puddle on the floor again. Now this is strange, no rain, no puddles, nothing.. where is the water coming from? Kaoskidd mentions that his XJ had a similar problem - the washer fluid hose to the rear lift gate runs on the passenger side and his leaked right there. So we check the reservoir - it's nearly full, so I don't think this is the issue. I taste the water - no antifreeze, tastes like pure water, so I doubt its the heater core. I have also noticed a water running sound when I make a hard left turn (not positive if its just left) - sounds like water rtunning in a stream - strange to say the least and the sound seems to be coming from the passenger side dash (not positive on that though). While I am bailing her out, a friend notices water dripping from the passenger front floor. I look, sure enough under the floor mat it is damp - probably ran to the rear floor since its lower. I look up, the A/C core is soaked! under the dash it appears that the heater core is in the center and the a/c core is under the glove box. The A/C was on, it was extremely humid, and the outside of the box is real wet (condendation).

Here is what I think is happening, please tell me if it souinds right/how to fix if you know:

Theory , no facts to back this up -
there is a drip pan under the a/c core to collect condensation
there is a drain tube that exits somewhere - floor pan, frame, firewall
I plugged the drain with mud on Sat. (had a/c on on sat.)
the pan fills up on a long run and spills over onto the floor (hence the running water sound)

Does this sound right? anyone know anything that may help here? I'm going to look at it today but thought I would post in case anyone had any insight.

Bounty__Hunter · #2 (**permalink**) 08-21-2004, 02:48 PM

You're right on the money, it's a clogged AC drain that has plagued only the ZJ in the jeep line. A friend of mine went through this with his '95 ZJ and there are a few fixes for it.
http://sija.org/forums/viewtopic.php...er=asc&start=0

Quote:

Congrats...you're the proud owner of an engineering screw up! I know this because I am also the owner of one. You can quit looking for access to the drain hole.....there isn't access to it. When you get sick of that smell, you'll have to cut a hole in the duct work on the pass. side under the dash. Then you can get a coat hanger and an air nozzle in there and clean it out. What happens is that small particles of leaves and stuff gets in through the holes (that are too large) in the cowl. Then they work their way down to the drain and plug it. The problem is that they have the drain where the dash/duct assembly sits on the unibody. The water drains (or is supposed to) down the "frame rail" of the pass. side unibody and out of the vehicle under the pass. side door. My wife is gone now, but when she gets home this evening I'll take a pic of where you need to drill a hole. I have to clean it out at least once a year. I think that this is unique to 95's.

http://www.jeepsunlimited.com/forums...ighlight=drain

graewulf · #3 (**permalink**) 08-21-2004, 05:42 PM

yup.. seems it has happened on mine before.. somsone cut a small hole in the unibody right in front of the firewall. Once i poked a coathanger in there it drains great now.