Water leaking into trunk (coup) - resealed but still leaking from diff source?

[golgo13]

Edit: To anyone who searches and reads this topic, I solved it by using a neighbor's 3M seam sealer on the joint shown below. I put some on the inside and outside of the adjoining metal pieces. It stopped the leak.

Edit: This is from a 1990 240SX S13

Well, just when I'm trying to fix one problem, another issue I thought would be easy to resolve still lingers. When I was replacing my fuel pump a few weeks back, I found a puddle of water in the spare tire well. I searched and found the info in the faq and a nice write-up at the zilvia website about resealing the tail lamp. Sure enough, I remove the bulb assembly and felt the large puddle of water in the light assembly. I was putting this off trying to fix another problem but the constant rains made this a priority instead. So, I went and resealed the tail lamp with butyl seal. I became a little disconcerted when the previous seal appeared relatively intact and there was a lot of it too. Regardless, I went ahead proceeded to replace it.

Now, after replacing it and testing with a hose, I didn't notice anything immediately indicating a leak. However, after a rain storm a couple of nights later, I decided to check it and I saw water coming in from a interesting location. Below are pics of my findings:

Image 1: The puddle of water found. After drying it, it reappeared within 30 minutes. After some time, the water slowly stops seeping in. It appears to seeping in through a joint? (See image 2)



Image 2: A clearer picture with identifying marks of where I find water seeping in.



I guess I can just put a caulking there? Silicone? There's a seal along the metal. What kind of seal is that? It seems tougher than regular caulk/silicone. Remember, I'm a novice. Where can the water be accumulating to ultimately come in from that location?

Ok, still with me? I noticed there's still a little water in the light assembly. It's not puddles but it accumulates in a small lengthwise crevice. Here's a picture to understand. I also noticed my other lamp, which didn't have puddles of water like my left lamp, had this to smaller degree. Where's this water coming from? The butyl seal looks good. I should note that when I was resealing there was algae like substance in the crevice. Thoughts? See Image 3.

Image 3:

Image 4: A reference shot of the light assembly from above
Modified by golgo13 at 12:10 PM 8/10/2006

[vancouverbc]

zerothread/161947

[golgo13]

zerothread/161947

I probably didn't make myself clear in the intial thread. What I found is that I have TWO sources of water leaking into the trunk. Everyone talks about the lamps, and it's true, they leak. Mine was leaking. But, I seem to have a second source of water entering the trunk. The second source appears to enter between two sheets of metal below the lamps in the corner. (as shown above). The the link you posted pertains to the lamps but not the second source.

I went back and re-examined the corner and traced the water run off from the trunk as it goes down the small gap between the lamp and car (shown in overhead image...image 4). The water flows down the gap and flows against the outer metal of that corner seeping in where the pieces of metal appear to meet.

Anway, it looks as it was sealed before from the outside. But, I don't know what's best to use. I'm also thinking of sealing it from the inside. What do you think?Recommendations?

BTW, for anyone who needs a good guide on resealing the lamps, http://www.zilvia.net/f/showthread.php?t=103050 .

[ricebike]

golgo,

yep, this is some factory seam sealer that's brushed on; dunno why they just make a more stronger weld between the sheet metal from the factory <shrugs>

after doing what Van had linked to replace my tailight weatherstripping,mine's was also leaking @ some of those seam points.

mines was next to the plastic housings as pictured on image 4... so i used duct tape to hold me by until i can harvest enough coin to get me some silicone sealer or equivalent.