Re: Stinky van | Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 old hand | OP old hand Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 | I don't know what fungi is growing in there but my sinuses are going bonkers today. I couldn't get the rear carpet out fully because the bolts for the bench seat brackets & rear seat belts need to be unscrewed from the bottom, which I can't do without a much beefier jack, or better yet a lift. Next week, upholstery shop here I come. | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,961 Likes: 63 veteran | veteran Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,961 Likes: 63 | Good to see you found the source of the leak, otherwise you were fighting a losing battle. Spray them seat bolts with some PB Blaster, might help with removal. I am assuming they are bolted through the floor, many times when you put a big wrench on them after all these years, they will turn completely out of the body welds. | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 old hand | OP old hand Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 | The problem is that the nuts for these are situated on the underside of the van, and hard to get to in general, plus the middle ones are on the other side of the gas tank, which is really a tough nook/cranny to get at. | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 1,015 Likes: 19 old hand | old hand Joined: Sep 2013 Posts: 1,015 Likes: 19 | The Dollar Tree has a version of these for $1. I bought all they had last time and keep 2 in each car that I have stored. Definitely seems to help! | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 old hand | OP old hand Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 | Thanks for the tip, will try and find some of that stuff locally here. After removing the soaked front shag, I rolled up as much of the back carpet as I could. After a few days of letting it air out, I'd say most of the funk is gone. I haven't scrubbed down the bare floor yet as I'm still deciding on how to put in some new carpet. Going to swing by an upholstery shop next week to see what they'll charge, maybe see if they can fix the droopy headliner too. If it's crazy $$$, then I'll just get a mechanic to help me undo the bolts from the bottom of the van and install a pre-cut kit myself.
I got the weather stripping that was leaking replaced too, so we'll see how that goes over the weekend, supposed to get some rain over the next couple of days. | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 old hand | OP old hand Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 1,060 Likes: 47 | So I got the leak mostly fixed. There is still a small drip coming from somewhere in the corner where the passenger front quarter panel, door jam, and lower corner of the windshield meet. I'm thinking it's a pinhole somewhere up in some hard to reach crevice, maybe one of the welds is cracked.
I can't get to this area easily with the silicone, it's a small compartment up next to the glove compartment I can barely get my hand into. Same on the outer side under the windshield cowling.
I'm thinking of shooting some spray foam up inside, but not sure if that's a bad idea or if there's something better to use? | | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,850 Likes: 231 carpal tunnel | carpal tunnel Joined: Sep 2005 Posts: 9,850 Likes: 231 | I'm thinking of shooting some spray foam up inside, but not sure if that's a bad idea or if there's something better to use? Never use spray foam!! It holds moisture and will cause rot before you can blink! I've seen what that stuff does to van walls..... A thinner seam sealer may flow well enough to work if the area is dry when applied. Feed a small hose into the spot and force the sealer thru it. My 2% BTW ... ditto on the Damp Rid
Last edited by CatFish; January 18th 2019 4:40 pm.
| | | Re: Stinky van | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,961 Likes: 63 veteran | veteran Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 2,961 Likes: 63 | Om my Mid-Dodge, I remove the sunvisor and access the pillars from there and also through the air vent doors in the front compartment. I use a coat hanger or flexible steel rod with a rag on the end, coated with a heavy undercoating that I can stick in there and swish around to prevent rust. Every few years I recoat with chainsaw bar oil. | | |
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