Stupid rain is ruining my trunk!

[guvnuh]

Hey gang,

The Chally is currently at the AC shop (finally, what with these triple digit days here in T-town, AZ) and wouldn't you know it - it's raining again.  I replaced the trunk seal about 6 months back and, not only is the trunk now impossibly difficult to close, but it still doesn't keep the water out!  My trunk smells like a basement after a flood.  The seal appears to be dry when I open the trunk lid, so I don't know how the water is getting in (maybe I'll put a camera and a flashlight in there the next time I wash the car).  Is there any possible way for water to seep into the trunk with the seal being good?  Hopefully the AC shop parked her inside...

Thanks in advance,
-Justin

[calicuda70]

rear window and the taillights are common issues with that

[bandt]

Trunk floor plugs and seam sealer are good places to look.

 The trunk is full of seams, if your sealer has broke down anywhere particularely behind the rear wheels water gets tossed up by the tires.

Brian

[guvnuh]

Thanks for the tips!  I'll start checking those places.  Good thing I live in a place that only rains a month and half out of the year

[tommyg29]

My trunk can get a few wet spots just from sitting in the rain or being washed, so it must be coming from above.
Maybe around the rear window area? Do you have a vinyl roof?
Whenever my car gets wet the first thing I do is check the trunk. Sometimes I will find a few drops and I make sure to dry them up immediately and pull up the rubber trunk mat, because ANY moisture under that will very quickly get rust started.

[jimynick]

You're on the right track. Get in the trunk or get a smaller person to do so and start with a hose in one spot and SLOWLY move the water around the opening with the inside wo/man using a good light looking for a leak. If the trunk seals ok, then move the hose up to the rear window and again work your way around, looking for leaks. Same for tail lamps and then you can squirt under the wheel houses. The rear glass seal and upr trunk panel seams are classic leakers. Good luck
PS- there ARE professional leak repairers (Leak Pro is one) who usually use ultra sonic equipment if you get stuck and really want it gone.

[dougs bs23]

And I always thought they were designed to leak    If you have a vinyl top check where the clip bolts go through and also around the chrome trim on the ends of the qtrs and trunk lid

[Chryco Psycho]

And I always thought they were designed to leak    If you have a vinyl top check where the clip bolts go through and also around the chrome trim on the ends of the qtrs and trunk lid

Exactly , my trunk was perfect when I bought the car 32 years ago when I restored it I had to install a new floor , only because they had never used any DumDum putty around the trim bolts when they replaced the vinyl roof 

[Topcat]

The reproduction trunk plugs on each edge are a little bit too tall.
Grinding them down a little bit with a roloc so the trunk seals better might work.

FYICuda showed me this trick.

Get Soft Seal trunk weatherstrip. Not Metro. 

[ragtopdodge]

Taillight gaskets.  Check 'em.

I hate vinyl tops for this very reason.

[dutch]

check where filler panel and quarter panel meet ,underneath the trunk seal. A good way to find leaks is to put some tallow powder on the suspect areas. The water will leave a trace in that.

[moparmaniac59]

It's an "E" body thing.  I've never owned an E body that the trunk didn't leak some. My current one owner garage kept '74 Challenger was virtually rust free....except for the trunk. After a new paint job and all new rubber/seals it still leaked, but I found the spot. The seal doesn't make contact evenly around the perimeter of the trunk. Very carefully using a pair of clamp type vice grips and some strips of wood for reinforcement & to prevent scratches, I was able to even it up and have the gasket make good contact. This may work for you if the trunk seal is the culprit!


                                                                              Matt B.

[guvnuh]

Thanks for all the good information.  I DO have a vinyl top, which, since it only seems to leak when it rains or when I wash the car, may be part of the problem.  I'll check the taillight gaskets too.  Maybe I can trick my wife into climbing in the trunk for the hose test.  She'll go in empty handed and probably come out with divorce papers but maybe I'll find the leak!