Water Leak/Damage - Recommendations?

[Bowhunter61]

I've been pretty good at inspecting and having the roof, edges and corners resealed with Dicor Self leveling sealant, BUT, just this week I noticed a little water in the garage area of the TH when getting ready to head to TN. THe TH lists a bit to the driver side when parked and I had it slightly nose down. The water was coming from under the diamond plate on the passenger side just behind the entry door to the garage. So, ended up pulling all the diamond plate and found the damage, traced it back to what I believe is the rear corner. Looks like it is coming in along the metal frame and outside paneling then running and weeping all along the wall.

I have included some pics. FIrst one is the whole wall, 2nd one is the corner where I pulled the inside paneling off and inslulation.




In this area the outside wood is very wet. I took the small air vent out to see if that was the source but it showed no signs of leaking.
Cut a hole above that vent in corner and outside wood is still wet, concentrated in the corner.



Now I am stumped. the corner trim on the outside all looks good, no cracks in sealant/caulk. The top corner also looks in good shape, not cracks, nothing peeling or separating.



Also as I stated, the TH tilts towards the drivers side slightly when parkedin my drive, so I don't think it is coming from the garage door area since that would run the other way and not uphill towards the corner.

Couple questions?
1) Anyone else with a Fuzion had this issue?
2) What recommendations for next step?

I will say I have duct taped a piece of plastic from just under the roof edge and rain spout all the way down so that the corner trim is fully covered. This is my attempt to isolate where it could be coming from.

Any recommendations or help would be greatly appreciated. This sucks because I inspect this twice a year so this wouldn't happen.
Had the TH all the way to Montana in October thru down pours of rain with no signs of this at that time.

Mod Edit: Adjusted photos down to 800x wide

[Madhatter1]

I was in the camper during a good thunderstorm at night. Used a flashlight to look for leaks and found 2. First coming through the lower vent (closed position with interior trim piece off) and second is from upper window.

[Bowhunter61]

Strabo wrote:

1L243 wrote:
Did the pressure test find the leak?

Yea, where it leaks smoke. 😕

***cough*** 🙂

Yes, the found 2 small leaks. All is fixed.
Now I have to pick it up before this snow storm gets here that they say is coming

[Strabo]

1L243 wrote:
Did the pressure test find the leak?

Yea, where it leaks smoke. 😕

***cough*** 🙂

[1L243]

Did the pressure test find the leak?

[nayther]

If you're handy you could rig up your own pressure test rig. Close all the door/windows except one and seal a box fan into that window. Use a smoke bomb (available at most HVAC supply houses) and set it off near the fan intake, then see where the smoke comes out. Probably want to tape up the cargo door first as I know mine would all blow out around it, but it doesn't leak water inside.

Just me being the cheap ass that I am.

[delad1954]

I couldn't agree more about getting a Sealtech Leak Test done.... I had a pesky leak that no one could find... I mean NO ONE could find ! I took it to a dealer who does the Sealtech Test, they hooked up the Sealtech Leak testing machine and in 10 min. they found the leak ! it was way fer away from where the water was coming in ...Thats what so great about the Sealtech test it doesn't just concentrate on where you may think its leaking !

[Madhatter1]

I have an 08 Fuzion 373 that has the same issue. Common on Keystone toy haulers but I also don't know where the water comes from. I let mine go being so busy with other things.

Rather than try and repair the soft spots in the floor (already rigged up some temporary fixes) I am going to remove the entire floor. Plan is to replace it with 2 layers of 3/4PT plywood and then install prefinished wood floor.

The area is so small that in five years it would be cheap to pull out the flooring and replace it. The PT plywood should outlast the camper. I am going come up with a mat to protect the floor from the bikes and gear to make it last. Also going to seal the roof, windows, and the 2 vents.

[Bowhunter61]

Dropped if off at a place in Maryland that has an Airtech system. Pressurizes the inside and they check for leaks on the outside.

[Strabo]

It was pouring hard yesterday so I went in and checked around the hauler, everything looked dry. I purposely seal the ramp with special rope insulation then I button it up tight, fingers crossed.

[TyroneandGladys]

Water can travel amazing distances IMHO the only sure way of knowing where the leak is by using Sealtech

[Bowhunter61]

Craig A wrote:
Could be from the marker light too. My last trailer (2006 Mountaineer) had a bad seal under the spotlight on the roadside, when the light filled up to the level of the bulb, the water went down the wire, behind the refrigerator, across the bar and got the floor on the curbside wet. It took an experience RV shop 9 months to figure this out. After spending $3200 to fix and recarpet, the roof leaked a year later. I just traded the sucker.

So that is interesting, I have another post here where I said I found the rear spotlight lens on that side of the back loose, ends up the screw holes had fatigued and cracked. Hmmmm.....could it be that was leaking and like you said running down the wire? I'll have to check that out. I just assumed if that light was leaking it would run the way the camper was tilted, opposite the corner that is getting wet.

Thanks!!

[Craig_A]

Could be from the marker light too. My last trailer (2006 Mountaineer) had a bad seal under the spotlight on the roadside, when the light filled up to the level of the bulb, the water went down the wire, behind the refrigerator, across the bar and got the floor on the curbside wet. It took an experience RV shop 9 months to figure this out. After spending $3200 to fix and recarpet, the roof leaked a year later. I just traded the sucker.

[Bowhunter61]

the bear II wrote:
How about the seal around the window.

On my 5th wheel the water traveled along the window frame and then down inside the wall. I noticed when I stepped in a big wet puddle in my carpet. Resealed the window and leak is gone.

I thought about that but that small square I cut above the vent, the oustide wood is still wet there and that is above the lower window. The top of the upper window is just under the rolled up awning so I don't think water can get in there. Plus the wall seems to be the wettest by the corner.

Maybe if it still leaks with the plastic on, I will dry everything back up and then run a hose on each window, just to be sure.
I have been running 2 big fans and a heater in the area to dry everything out.

[the_bear_II]

How about the seal around the window.

On my 5th wheel the water traveled along the window frame and then down inside the wall. I noticed when I stepped in a big wet puddle in my carpet. Resealed the window and leak is gone.