The musty smell was the tip-off and then I noticed the damp floor mat in the front passenger's side. Also water will drip from the area where the headliner meets the windshield trim during rainy days right above the driver's seat. The windshield leak is a little more obvious- looks like the rubber weatherstripping on the exterior has lost its tackiness and no longer seals the windshield glass. But how should I go about sealing it back up? The other leak is more of a mystery, although it seems like water runs down the roof and along the corner post, entering the gap between the right front fender and the right front door- but how to search for the actual place where the water enters the car? How do I seal it?

thanks for the help!

-Jack

If you've been using the air conditioner, then condensation from the evaporator drain pan may be overflowing onto the carpet. The culprit could be the drain pan drain tube is plugged/filled with debris. Common problem ..same thing happened to my old '86. I fixed it by taking out drain tube and then cutting one of the slits back just a little. Just a suggestion.
Cabbie2169

hello jack,

i've got an '86 245 with a roof rack. i have a similar problem on the driver's side. your problem may lie with leaks from the roof rack.

i know that my well nuts (the rubber grommets that seat in the holes on the roof) are not seated well on the driver's side.

there are 2 ways i can fix the leak.
1. apply polyurethane to the well nuts where they seat in to the roof.

2. take the roof rack off and seal the holes with the ipd roof rack grommets, which can be removed if i wish to put the roof rack back on.

you may notice that the rubber trim around the windshield has shrank. mine has, but i still have no leaks. i've checked thoroughly when i replaced the dash. no leaks & no rust--i'm relieved.

one other suggestion, take out your seats, carpet, and foam cushions underneath the carpet and look for rust very thoroughly & repair as needed. rust seems to be a common problem in the floor pans.

dave shannon has a superb site.

in his quick index, he has one site w/ pics for floor pan repair. i did just about the same thing in the same location.

http://www.homestead.com/volvo2/Rust.html

my 250k+ mi 86 wagon still cruises like silk sliding off a lady's back. watch out for rust. also watch that rust in the corners of the cargo (side) windows & on the hatch.

regards,
byron golden
86 245
92 245

The stock Volvo roof rack is crap. No other thing to say about it.
It's held on with rubber nuts, for cripes' sake. If you need a good
rack, you can pick up a set of Thule 300 feet and Thule 50"
load bars on EBay for well under $100.

Unbolt it, toss the rubber well nuts, and sell it on EBay if anyone
wants it. Get some 1/2" hole plugs from a hardware store to seal
the holes - coat the "lips" of the plugs lightly with sensor-
safe (noncorrosive) silicone before installing.

The windshield can be sealed with aquarium sealant - if the stuff
can hold up under a head of several feet of water, it won't be
fazed by a bit of rain.

Also, there's a blanking plate in the right firewall where the
steering and pedal linkages would go on a right-hand-drive car.
Remove the carpet and pad, and tighten the bolts holding that
plate on. You can also seal the seam between the plate and body
with (sensor-safe!) silicone from inside the hood. This plate
was the source of a leak in my car.

Also, others have probably told you this, but check the A/C condensate
drain for blockage - it's a tube going down to the transmission "hump"
on the right side of the car, behind some carpeting and the side
covers for the center console.

-b.

The stock Volvo roof rack is crap. No other thing to say about it.
It's held on with rubber nuts, for cripes' sake. If you need a good
rack, you can pick up a set of Thule 300 feet and Thule 50"
load bars on EBay for well under $100.

Unbolt it, toss the rubber well nuts, and sell it on EBay if anyone
wants it. Get some 1/2" hole plugs from a hardware store to seal
the holes - coat the "lips" of the plugs lightly with sensor-
safe (noncorrosive) silicone before installing.

The windshield can be sealed with aquarium sealant - if the stuff
can hold up under a head of several feet of water, it won't be
fazed by a bit of rain.

Also, there's a blanking plate in the right firewall where the
steering and pedal linkages would go on a right-hand-drive car.
Remove the carpet and pad, and tighten the bolts holding that
plate on. You can also seal the seam between the plate and body
with (sensor-safe!) silicone from inside the hood. This plate
was the source of a leak in my car.

Also, others have probably told you this, but check the A/C condensate
drain for blockage - it's a tube going down to the transmission "hump"
on the right side of the car, behind some carpeting and the side
covers for the center console.

-b.

I used some RTV silicone (clear) to patch a leaky windshield seal and after 2 years still no problems.