98XJSPORTSATINJADED

So today I took out the drivers seat to clean under neath since the odor of the vehicle is still quite foul! Well decided that while I had the seat out lets see under the carpet. Now I know my floorboards underneath are clean with rubber coating but has 2 rust spots that is it!! So i took the very rusty 2 bolts near the doors and the not rusty at all bolts near the center console out. Vacuumed and carpet cleaned it ok but when i took my floor mat out of the drivers side i noticed a large spot not wet at all though, so i took out some interior pieces and pulled up the carpet and its wet under the carpet weird because the top of the carpet is dry and where the channels are by the rear drivers side door the one channel is full of water. Its a 98 Cherokee Sport 4 door 152,000 with bad door hinges on the drivers front door.

One more thing whats the studs for under the drivers seat wheres theres no carpet?
Thanks,
Cody

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

Didn't realize the floorboards were made of paper thin metal well time to bedline and re install so i dont have to see it ever again made save whats left

andrewmp6

Yeah the floor pans and rockers rust out easy in the xj,What caused it could be a few things like a leaking windshield or a sloppy previous owner that spilled a lot of drinks or didn't use thick rubber floor mats in the winter time.

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

Haha well the interior was trashed dog hair, spills, dirt! I cleaned it all up but the passenger side is getting really wet (1 gallon of water i vacuumed) not to mention the gallons stored in the carpet, but the drivers side is just a little bit wet. I currently am trying to figure out where the leak is coming from! I Dymomatted (home depot waterproof repair tape 17$ a roll) the drivers side and put in some outdoor grey carpet that matches the interior perfect, but without thinking i cut carpet per side and not front and back and it looks terrible but better and smells way better than the factory carpet. And to be honest the rockers don't even have a spec of rust on them neither does the outside of the floorpans all the rust is on the inside of the floorpans!!

Cheddarnut

same issue but much further gone. Welding in new pans. Did you treat the rust before covering it up? POR15 is great and a few other things to stop the rust. Second is check your AC drain tube, if it's clogged it can wet the carpet. Also check around the windshield, if that seal let go water will seep in and cause the carpet and rust issues?

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

Yes i sprayed some cheap duplicolor rust to primer on it it worked kinda and the chassis saver i used eats rust when you paint over it(personally i dont think so) but only time will tell i guess!!

Cheddarnut

Good news on treating the area and be sure and investigate that leak...

andrewmp6

While you got it apart i would get in the jeep shut the doors and have a friend take the garden hose to the windshield.Have them hose it hard see if you find anything leaking on the inside.If after 10 mins you see nothing move on to the front doors.

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

Ac on for 5 mintues blowing cold air and i dont see a drop of water anywhere

Cheddarnut

Well, that's good. Now maybe the garden hose next, just need to spray around the windshield, door on passenger side and hood/cowl in the same area. You don't have to spray like crazy, your leak is probably seepage more than flooding.

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

For how long on each area ?

98XJSPORTSATINJADED

Its coming from the corner of the door . I noticed a crack in the door as well as theres no drain plugs just empty holes on the passenger side! The water sits in the weatherstripping and drips down onto the floor.

Cheddarnut

Excellent detective work! You just need to order a new door seal and you are in business. Cheap enough too, they are like 20-25 online. I just did the rear hatch a couple of weeks ago.

Cheddarnut

here was one I found online, never used these guys but they have a lot of Cherokee odd stuff.

http://teamcherokee.com/door-opening...kee-1997-2001/

thatXJguy

I noticed that the factory grommets between the HVAC box/firewall and blower motor/firewall tend to leak easily. If you ever wash your engine compartment, or park in the rain, it's a pretty easy place for water to drool in. Sealing them with RTV virtually fixed my leaking problems.