Keep your truck!!!!! Do not know how convincing that is, but you asked!!!!!

You wrote:
"Thanks for the responses guys. Sometimes a guy just gets worn out <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> That comment from the parts guy also had me pretty bummed. I just wish I could get a couple things fixed that no one seems to know how to fix. That cab leak has me perplexed. I've tried tracking it to up above the fuse box and patching it to no avail. It still comes in during heavy rains."

Last fall I sold my '86. 347K miles. Similar story as yours. Lot's of work to keep it going. I gave up on the original bed and got one straight from Toyota in '99.

As far your leak goes, I had a similar situation and was stumped. I finally decided to dig in. I got under the steering column and pulled out the sound deadening on the firewall and whatever wrapped up and around to the fusebox area. I had a bud run a garden hose directly into the cowl. Water came in at a seam in the upper left hand corner where the firewall bends underneath the A pillar. That seam was liberally coated with seam sealer. I pulled the sealer out and found rust. I took off the cowl and looked in. Where the bottom of the cowl was welded to the firewall, the seam sealer had lifted. In the engine bay, that same seam showed cracked seam sealer, near the clutch master. The fix was clear. Remove the seam sealer, kill the rust, then re-seal it. The downside is that, IMO, this would only be accomplished with the windshield removed. Mine was shot, so I popped it out. From inside the truck I had total access into the cowl area and was able to pick out the sealer, clean the rust out, POR 15 it, and re-seal everything. I used an acid brush to paint on the POR 15, and applied the seam sealer with the finger tip method. It's tight in there! I'd say you must be in a determined mood to deal with it.

Anyway, that seam may be a good place to check. I don't know if it's a common problem. The fix totally cured the leak. A bit painstaking but worth it for me, at the time.

I think you might have nailed the problem. I have tried everything I can think of to stop this leak to no avail. Don't suppose you took any pics when you did this? I'm not sure I totally understand how/where you found the leak.
Is it not possible to do from under the dash perhaps?

I tried cleaning up the seam above the fuse box and fiberglassed the works, but I still have a leak. I even resorted to pouring a bunch of fiberglass resin down from the cowl outside the truck. Still have a leak. Does this seem like the same spot to you, RichO?

Thanks for all the responses, Guys. Sometimes I feel I'm all alone in Toyotaland here in Central Illinois with no support. This forum sure is great.

T.

T.

I'll do my best to describe the area better. Open the hood. The master cylinder/booster is to the right, as would be the clutch master if your's has a stick. To the right of the clutch master is the hood hinge assembly. Between them, running horizontally from fendewell to fenderwell, is a ledge. It's a welding seam for the firewall and cowl assmemblies. That ledge represents the floor of the cowl. The zone between the cowl grille, which you can remove, and the ledge serves as your fresh air intake and where the winshield wiper crank assembly resides. I found my trouble just right of the hinge inside the cowl zone. I removed the hinge assmembly to have more space to work. Like I said earlier, my best look at this spot was from inside the truck with the windshield out. It was just accesible enough from this angle to perform the fix. BTW, I had pulled the driver's side fender first looking for a trouble spot and found none. Seeing how that's an easy thing to do, try that first. You may find a seam has opened up there. However, I doubt it. It's worth a look.

I wouldn't rely on fibergass or fiberglass resin to fix these problems. It's too rigid. The mating surface really needs to be toothed and super clean. Even then, it really doesn't love to be bonded directly to metal. Also, just pouring it down into the cowl zone doesn't take into account the dust and muck that has settled onto the sheet metal. I thoroughly sanded the rust and beyond, then cleaned it all with thinners before painting it with POR 15. Same for the seam inside the truck. I like McKanica aerosol seam sealer for these fixes. Wet, it has the consistency of toothpaste. It gives you time to work and is super sticky. It will seal things off like nothing else and is quite flexible when dry. It needs a solid 24 hours to dry.

I hope this was clearer. Sorry, no pics of this operation. Feel free to ask follow up questions. I'll do my best.

Rich

Here is how you decide. How mamy times have you got out of your truck somewhere and had someone come up and ask "What year is your truck?" "Wanna sell it?" "I used to have a truck just like that, I wish I had never gotten rid of it!!!"

I may get a newer one someday when I win the Lotto but the old dog will also get a makeover.

Also look in the classifieds and see how many 1st and 2nd Gens are in there. Then tell me how many you still see on the road and trail.