removing windshield wiper arms

[w261w261]

I'm getting a leak into the driver's footwell, which I suspect is coming down from the airbox. I've cleared the sunroof drain tubes to no avail. I'm hoping that the airbox has drain holes that are plugged, and that somehow this is resulting in a leak. In any case, I can't get the airbox cover off because I can't get the wiper arms off their mounting shafts. I did take off the little nuts on the top, but the arms will not come off. I'm not sure what I'm facing...are the arms splined, and just stuck, in which case some leverage from below will break them loose? I did try to lever them up with a pry bar, but didn't want to over-force things before I know what I'm dealing with. Soak them with penetrating oil? They are really on there hard, but they're had 16 years to settle in!

TIA.

Hal

[mouchyn]

well, i don't think your airbox is leaking water inside the car.

there should be a rubber plug in the firewall that keeps water out. is that still there?

have you tried pouring water all over the car one area at a time to see where the water is coming from? i had a pin-hole leak in my windshield seal and it filled the passenger footwell. the leak was on the top driver's side corner and it would soak the passenger footwell.

[w261w261]

Well, it is kind of mysterious. I've never caught any water coming into the car. It is garaged, but I'm in New England, so do get my share of rain. It kind of sneaks onto the carpet, but if it's parked in a heavy rain, the carpet gets pretty wet. I've tried to hose it, but never can see any drips, although I probably haven't tried that hard.

Where is the "rubber plug" you refer to?

Thx

hal

[87accordlxi]

Is there a rusted hole in your floor? A lot of times that happens on the driver side because you're tracking salt in with your shoes and it rusts from the inside out.

[88accordalltheway]

thats crazy, i actually have a leak somewhere too. it just happened recently, but every time i wash my car, i go to step on the break, and my foot gets all wet. I dont think having water anywhere near there is good considering theres a butt load of electrical right there.

[w261w261]

OK, I hope I have the answer. Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to let the dealer fix it.

The shop manual shows the left front sunroof drain as a straight shot into the wheel well, and the dealer said that that was the way it was. However, on another forum a couple of years ago, a fellow made reference to a Y fitting under the dash, which if the drain downstream of the fitting backed up, it would leak into the car. I couldn't figure out why they would do this, so I let it go, until today.

By jamming my head way under there and shining a little flashlight around, guess what I found? A drain tube from the power antenna, hanging loose! In the shop manual, the instructions for replacing the antenna motor say to put the drain tube in the drain hole, but they don't say anything more. Meantime, I had my son pour about 12 oz. of water into that corner of the sunroof. Very little came out of the drain hole in the wheel well, but the carpet got very wet. I think that the mysterious Y fitting does exist, that the last person to install an antenna (my very own Honda dealer!) pulled the drain tube out of one side of the Y fitting. Meantime, the hose between the fitting and the wheel well got plugged up, so the water from the sunroof drain hose backs up out of the unhooked-up side of the fitting. I never saw any water dripping in because it goes under the carpet down at the left corner.

Unfortunately, I can't get in there to do anything. Maybe by dropping the fuse panel I can get some room, but I think I'm going to let the dealer do it.
At least it isn't the windshield.

Oh, and by the way, I did get the wiper arms off using a puller for a battery clamp. The airbox has a big opening at the corner draining out, no way it could be plugged, and in any case there's no way for water to get into the car. I do think I've solved it.

Also, if the rear drain hoses for the sunroof are clogged, you have to take out the trunk liners, reach in and pull the hoses out from the inside. Honda put little flappers on the ends (probably to keep out insects, etc) and these things get stuck together, causing a backup that reveals itself by dousing you or your passenger with water down the back of your necks. Some people just cut off the flappers, I lubed them up and left them on.

Hal

[88accordalltheway]

wow man, that is some extremly useful info. I think im going to pull this off in the summer, cause im going to be pulling and painting my dash, changing out the power antenna cause it dosent work, and then fix this problem. Three birds with one stone.(woo hoo!) Actually, now that im thinking of it, my sunroof leaked one time earlier this winter right on top of my head, it wasnt fun. Yea thanks for finding this stuff out.