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JM3972's avatar
JM3972
Explorer
Feb 16, 2014

Dealers unable to find leak

I have a 2004 Class C Tioga. About a year after I bought it
I was camping and was in a torrential downpour. The
Next day I noticed that the overhead bed was soaked.
Since then it has been a continual battle. I have had it
1 dealer/RV repair shop 5 times and now another dealer/
RV repair shop going on 4 times. No one can seem to find
leak. At one point I even had them completely tear apart
the entire overhang to see if they could trace the leak and
check for rot. Each time they think they found the cause
but it always ends up leaking again. Ugh!!! I'm so frustrated.
It's costing me a lot of $ and still not fixing the problem! It
always leaks in the same spots on the right and left corners
of the overhang up on bed. It also takes time and a lot of
water to build up before it comes in. It must be leaking
into the curved section of the overhang then when enough
water builds up inside there it comes into the bed area.
The dealer told me he was at a loss and wasn't sure what to tell
me at this point.. Please HELP!
Class C
  • ron_dittmer's avatar
    ron_dittmer
    Explorer II
    May 06, 2014
    Our first motor home seen below had a seamless body, yet we too had water getting inside the top cab-over bed. It turned out to be the marker lights up top in front. I removed all marker lights and caulked every hole shut where the wires came out. A day later after the caulk cured, I mounted new marker lights and didn't use any type of gasket, just the plastic marker housing directly on the fiberglass body for a clean look. I never had water entering again and I sold the rig 15 years after the repair, so I considered it the right repair. Not using the gaskets also helped with the inside of the lights themselves. Any moisture inside would quickly evaporate when driving or with the sun. The original markers corroded inside because the gaskets held in the moisture.
  • JM3972's avatar
    JM3972
    Explorer
    May 05, 2014
    So an update on the leak. Back in to RV dealer and
    they think they found the problem. The running
    lights on the cab over. They were not cracked but
    the seal was and with heavy rain the lights were
    Filling with water then making its way inside. So far
    so good. Keeping my fingers crossed.
  • Jim_Shoe's avatar
    Jim_Shoe
    Explorer
    Feb 18, 2014
    JM, I have the same make, model and year. I bought mine new from a local dealer. Before they turned it over to me, they had removed and resealed the marker lights in the overhead. They explained to me that several 'C's arrive from the factory with screws around the marker lights that were over tightened with power screwdrivers at the factory, creating hair line cracks. Re-sealing before delivery was Standard Operating Procedure for them. The water doesn't necessarily show up inside next to where it came in from the outside.
  • Handbasket's avatar
    Handbasket
    Explorer
    Feb 18, 2014
    It's a long shot, but my Tiger had an 'unfindable, unfixable' cabover leak wetting the edge of the mattress. Turned out to be one of the Hehr-brand side sliding windows. The lower plastic channel that the sliding window panel moves in had shifted forward in the frame. It only moved 1/4", but that was enough to block the drain path to the weep hole when parked just a little nose down. I found it by getting into the cabover bunk with a really bright little flashlight during a heavy rainstorm and spending some 'quality time'...

    Jim, "Some people lack the ability to laugh at themselves. That's where I come in."
  • woodgeezer's avatar
    woodgeezer
    Explorer
    Feb 17, 2014
    I don't want to say this is your solution, but water will travel almost the whole length of the vehicle. In my case, a bad seal on the TV antenna at the rear of the vehicle showed up at the overhead, inside. Don't limit yourself to the front only.
  • katysdad's avatar
    katysdad
    Explorer
    Feb 17, 2014
    Have a reputable dealer do a test with the "sealtech". You will be surprized how far water can travel through a RV before it shows in the interior. It is well worth the money.
  • Shadow_Catcher's avatar
    Shadow_Catcher
    Explorer
    Feb 16, 2014
    Among other things I used to do leak testing and while it did not include RVs... I do use pressure testing with compressed air to check water lines and gas pressure to check propane lines each year. We used to use a mix of Joy dish soap and water sprayed on the joint. You might get enough air pressure using a lief blower and just start spraying the exterior.
  • mikeleblanc413's avatar
    mikeleblanc413
    Explorer
    Feb 16, 2014
    Thanks for posting this JM3972...sounds exactly like my leak...our stories are pretty much the same...except for having the unit in a shop to look for the leak (or leaks). I've worked at covering sections of the cabover during a rain, have most seams eternabonded and have caulked the cabover windows (no front window). From your description the water is showing in the cabover in exactly the same spots. Shortly after purchase (December 2011), and after a humongous rain, there was so much water in the front part of the cabover I had to remove the foam...I've kept it removed and it has made it much easier to check for water after a rain. I keep the motorhome level so I don't believe the water is travelling from the back part of the unit. BUT, I don't know where it is coming from...and really don't have a clue. I've continued to enjoy Winnie...just wish I could solve this. Your thread may shed some light.
  • path1's avatar
    path1
    Explorer
    Feb 16, 2014
    wish you were closer. Would like the challenge.
    I had problems finding my leak also. Turned out after the normal leaks were checked, it turned out to be the actual window butyl, not the window frame, (where most leak when caulk drys out). Easy fix after I found out where leak was but finding them can be a hassle.

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