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73-87 Chevy _ GMC Trucks => Interior & Equipment => Topic started by: bidda-boy on January 08, 2012, 01:08:52 pm

Title: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bidda-boy on January 08, 2012, 01:08:52 pm
My87 has no material headliner it is just the factory moulded metal.My problem is the roof area sweats in the winter months and drips condensation in cab. I practically have to put on rain gear to go for a ride sometimes lol. Any suggestions on a remedy for this problem?  Thanks( right now it is just painted factory color)
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: zieg85 on January 08, 2012, 02:27:43 pm
I have that same metal roof, non-Silverado, on 3 of my 4 trucks and have not had that problem.  You are either in a way more humid climate or you have a different problem. My $.02
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: VileZambonie on January 08, 2012, 03:11:44 pm
Never heard of that happening. You must be in the moistest area ever. No A/C in the truck? When does it accumulate ? Do you park it outside?
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bidda-boy on January 08, 2012, 03:30:42 pm
yes its parked outside  I'm in British Columbia Canada  west coast weather lots of rain up  here but hot summers.the roof and all the glass is wet on the inside every morning
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: VileZambonie on January 08, 2012, 05:57:26 pm
You don't have AC?
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: Dr_Snooz on January 08, 2012, 07:11:09 pm
I'm not sure you're going to find a solution without replacing that headliner. So long as you have warm moist air hitting cold metal, it's going to condense and drip off. If you run the heater hot enough, it might warm the metal too but that could be uncomfortably warm and you'd still get wet while the truck heated. You can try  directing the defroster across it. I would be looking for a replacement headliner. If you can't find a new one, you should be able to make your own from a junkyard headliner. Failing that, I would try experimenting with different undercoating sprays to put on the ceiling.
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bd on January 09, 2012, 12:04:46 am
If you're getting water into your cab, accumulating under the mat or carpet, that moisture will evaporate and saturate cabin air as the cab is warmed by the sun or heater.  Then, as the cab skin cools the moisture condenses.  So your problem might actually be one of water intrusion into the cab, rather than just moist ambient air.  If you smell coolant you could have a heater core leaking.  Or, the cab may be perforated from rust.  Lift the passenger side floor mat/carpet/insulator and check for moisture/coolant.  If you find evidence of moisture you'll need to figure out how & where it's entering.

If you don't have factory A/C, take a look at this previous thread:
http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,22630.0.html (http://forum.73-87chevytrucks.com/smforum/index.php/topic,22630.0.html)

Once you get it fixed you'll have to thoroughly dry the interior to reslove the issue. 
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: ehjorten on January 09, 2012, 08:51:07 am
You can also have this problem if you are running the heater on high and then shut-down truck and walk away.  If the cabin is all hot and damp and you then shut it off and walk away all of that warm moist air is going to condense and accumulate somewhere.  Usually it is via fogged-up windows.  You can help to minimize that issue by shutting the heater off a few minutes before you arrive somewhere so that the cabin is not so warm.  But I would agree that such extreme condensation issues is probably related to other water intrusion into the cab.  You have a lot of moisture getting into the cab somewhere.
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: PromiseKeeper on January 09, 2012, 09:43:01 am
X2 on what bd said. On a sunny day even if it's cold open the windows and let it dry out some. Take out the floor mats. I be that will help alot until it gets warm enough to work on it. If it is coolant you should smell it and your radiator will be low. It could be a leaky windshield and the water in on the floor.
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: nucknoel89 on January 09, 2012, 07:52:33 pm
yes its parked outside  I'm in British Columbia Canada  west coast weather lots of rain up  here but hot summers.the roof and all the glass is wet on the inside every morning
Where abouts are you?  I'm in Abbotsford and I also have a headliner-less roof and have never had this issue.
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bake74 on January 10, 2012, 08:02:06 am
X2 on what bd said. On a sunny day even if it's cold open the windows and let it dry out some. Take out the floor mats. I be that will help alot until it gets warm enough to work on it. If it is coolant you should smell it and your radiator will be low. It could be a leaky windshield and the water in on the floor.

     x3
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bidda-boy on January 14, 2012, 12:51:17 pm
Thanks for all the info  I checked the carpet and it is wet on both drivers and passenger sides. I'm going to look at the vents  for water intrusion,its coming in somewhere. thanks again   bidda-boy
Title: Re: Raining inside my cab!
Post by: bake74 on January 15, 2012, 08:41:59 am
     Hope you find it and fix it before rust starts, if rust has started you need to address that before it becomes worse.  Good luck.