Condensation problems STILL!

[Not Right]

Well, making that note about the windshield fogging problem...that makes me think of the positive air flow into the cowl and possible other openings that feed into the HVAC or HV system....have you inspected your cowl drain? Your heater box? Caked up Heater Core-A/C Evaporator? That kind of stuff? 50 years of dust and little pieces of leaves, spider webs,etc. eventually turn into mud which can Not Only clog the intended drainage routes, but act as a wet sponge, constantly emitting moisture in the form of water vapor (ie rising up onto the inside of the windshield.) Just taking a stab in the dark...

 

[Big_John]

Thanks everyone for the commentary. At the moment the cover is off and the windows are cracked. Once it gets above freezing today I'll remove as much water as I can with the shop vac and towels. Going to procure a small dehumidifier today. I've got the cowl vents open and the windows cracked for now.

No heater core leaks. No leaks of any kind except a little bit through the front windows when I wash the car. They are getting new seals and sweeps next summer, so that problem should go away.

It's just so weird with this car. Even back in October when I was still driving it a few times a week but it was starting to get cold at night, as soon as the sun went down, the inside of the windows would almost immediately fog up. NONE of any car I ever owned over the last 35 years has ever exhibited this behavior - just this Newport. My van stays probably 45-50 inside when it's 15F outside and snowing. No fog on the windows or condensation in the car, and it gets parked on the street. Same with all of the other cars I've owned. This beauty just seems to have a ventilation problem or something . . .

Anyway, I'll post an update once I've gotten a wrangle on the problem. Like I said earlier, I think this has been going on for a LONG time judging by the rust that I had to remove from all interior chrome pieces, and headliner trim pieces that are painted, but rusty towards the bottom. I'm just hoping my headliner survives this . . .

This type of condensation just isn't normal. I've had plenty of cars stored outside in the winter and never had all this problem.

The biggest offender for holding moisture is the carpet and I'll bet that the sound deadening mat on the bottom is soaked. Pull the door sill and feel under the carpet to prove this.

IMHO, the best thing you could do is remove the carpet. The hardest part will be pulling the front seat and that's really not all that bad. Anything else you do is just trying to dry that carpet, so take it out and dry it somewhere else.

 

[darth_linux]

Well, making that note about the windshield fogging problem...that makes me think of the positive air flow into the cowl and possible other openings that feed into the HVAC or HV system....have you inspected your cowl drain? Your heater box? Caked up Heater Core-A/C Evaporator? That kind of stuff? 50 years of dust and little pieces of leaves, spider webs,etc. eventually turn into mud which can Not Only clog the intended drainage routes, but act as a wet sponge, constantly emitting moisture in the form of water vapor (ie rising up onto the inside of the windshield.) Just taking a stab in the dark...

I vacuumed out the cowl vents last spring. I haven't done a visual on the heater core, but it blows hot air, doesn't emit a smell and doesn't fog the windows when the defrost is on. I used a bore-scope to go through the firewall hole into the AC box and it was clean and dry. Even the galvanized metal was in good shape. When it fogs over, it's not just the windshield, its all the glass in the entire car, and inside the trunk too.

 

[darth_linux]

This type of condensation just isn't normal. I've had plenty of cars stored outside in the winter and never had all this problem.

The biggest offender for holding moisture is the carpet and I'll bet that the sound deadening mat on the bottom is soaked. Pull the door sill and feel under the carpet to prove this.

IMHO, the best thing you could do is remove the carpet. The hardest part will be pulling the front seat and that's really not all that bad. Anything else you do is just trying to dry that carpet, so take it out and dry it somewhere else.

Carpet is a bit damp, as you would expect, but not sopping wet. The foam underlayment I installed last Spring is bone dry, as is the floor pan. Thanks for the reply Big_John.

 

[Big_John]

Carpet is a bit damp, as you would expect, but not sopping wet. The foam underlayment I installed last Spring is bone dry, as is the floor pan. Thanks for the reply Big_John.

If the carpet is damp, I'd pull it out.

Dampness leads to mold and mildew along with your condensation issue. It sounds to me like that is the big offender here.

 

[Boydsdodge]

It is a great looking car, I would hate for it to start rotting from the inside out. Also you will be getting abnormal amount of moisture on your electrical components. I also am thinking the carpet and the backing is holding a lot of water.

 

[darth_linux]

IF the deck lid has condensate on it, what about under the hood? Plus the hood pad, if equipped?

As far as the trunk goes, might have to mechanically remove the condensate in the floor with a shop vac or similar. Then keep it empty and the "floor liner" out to make getting the water out easier. If the carpet is plastic-backed, leave it out as the plastic is a vapor barrier to the moisture evaporating. Just like the OEM thick rubber mat that Chrysler used is.

To my surprise, there was some condensation under the hood in the areas were the hood pad was not covering the metal. Also, the trunk lid was wet on the inside, but I pulled the carpet up and the sheet metal under it was dry. The trunk carpet was damp from condensate dripping on it, but not sopping wet. The floorpans are dry, as is the carpet pad. The carpet had some dampness in places where the water was dripping down from the headliner. I'm NOT pulling the front seat at this point.

Right now with the car cover off, I've dried all the windows, underside of the trunk lid, head liner, and anything else that was damp. I've got the windows rolled down half way. I wasn't able to find a dehumidifier yet. Gonna look tomorrow.

It's currently 31F, 89% humidity, dew point is at 28F. Barometric pressure is 30.28 inHg. At the moment everything inside is still dry, after sunset. It's predicted to reach the dewpoint at 4am, so when I wake up in the morning I'll go check the car. If the windows and headliner are still dry, I think I have a solution. If wet, I'll get that dehumidifier and try it all again.

If that doesn't work, I'll be hitting up a friend or two to see if someone has a garage I can borrow for 2 months.

More news in the AM. Thanks all!

 

[MoPar~Man]

My advice to use a de-humidifier might not be so good. I read that the typical consumer-grade unit will not be too efficient when it's dealing with air temps below 60f and probably won't do anything below 40f. That said, if you keep it running long enough it probably will end up heating the air.

I think you do have a leak, but unless you cover the car in a 100% waterproof cover you won't know. With an interior volume as small as a car cabin it doesn't take much water, a cup or two, to give huge condensation problems. That much water could easily be distributed or held in the carpet and seats.

Dry the interior of the car, and stop water from getting in while you're doing it.

 

[darth_linux]

My advice to use a de-humidifier might not be so good. I read that the typical consumer-grade unit will not be too efficient when it's dealing with air temps below 60f and probably won't do anything below 40f. That said, if you keep it running long enough it probably will end up heating the air.

I think you do have a leak, but unless you cover the car in a 100% waterproof cover you won't know. With an interior volume as small as a car cabin it doesn't take much water, a cup or two, to give huge condensation problems. That much water could easily be distributed or held in the carpet and seats.

Dry the interior of the car, and stop water from getting in while you're doing it.

Yes, I appreciate your suggestions and advice. I'm stumped at thinking there could be a leak. I've got 10 months now with car washes, rain, etc., and no water intrusion into the cabin at all. It wasn't until it started getting cool at night that the condensation problem started, and that was before the rain and snow started. I just don't think I have a "leak" . . .

 

[MoPar~Man]

Are there any other cars parked outside nearby? Can you compare the condensation levels between cars?

How about this: Outdoor Car Shield - Inflatable Car Cover and Storage Bubble ($900)

Amazon product ASIN B084ZY9JQS
Or this:

LuliKa 3 Packs Disposable Car Cover Clear Plastic Car Cover Universal Rain Dust Garage Cover with Elastic Band Medium (12.4 FT x 21.6 FT) ($24 - for 3 !)​

Amazon product ASIN B09NHQVS99

 

[Boydsdodge]

To my surprise, there was some condensation under the hood in the areas were the hood pad was not covering the metal. Also, the trunk lid was wet on the inside, but I pulled the carpet up and the sheet metal under it was dry. The trunk carpet was damp from condensate dripping on it, but not sopping wet. The floorpans are dry, as is the carpet pad. The carpet had some dampness in places where the water was dripping down from the headliner. I'm NOT pulling the front seat at this point.

Right now with the car cover off, I've dried all the windows, underside of the trunk lid, head liner, and anything else that was damp. I've got the windows rolled down half way. I wasn't able to find a dehumidifier yet. Gonna look tomorrow.

It's currently 31F, 89% humidity, dew point is at 28F. Barometric pressure is 30.28 inHg. At the moment everything inside is still dry, after sunset. It's predicted to reach the dewpoint at 4am, so when I wake up in the morning I'll go check the car. If the windows and headliner are still dry, I think I have a solution. If wet, I'll get that dehumidifier and try it all again.

If that doesn't work, I'll be hitting up a friend or two to see if someone has a garage I can borrow for 2 months.

More news in the AM. Thanks all!

Wow. 89% humidity, No wonder your wet. You really need to start offering people money to rent there garage, or find a dry ware house type storage. Does it snow there much? Do they salt roads?
If not, I would have my car treated by Krown rust preventative and just keep driving it on dry days. Going to get wet either way if you leave it sitting out side. If the building can't be heated, you will still have the moisture problems. You still need to borrow or rent a dehumidifier and park in a heated garage to dry out the interior. It will never dry out in your climate at this time of year. Damp is water, I bet you have a couple quarts in the carpet, like a huge sponge.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Vintage Car Storage and Removing Moisture | Technical Articles | RanchoTransaxles.com

This time of year causes the hearts of many vintage car buffs to sink, as it means storing their baby for the winter. I'm fortunate that, where I live, I'm able to drive year round, as the winters are relatively mild and not too much salt is used. My strategy is to simply wait for

ranchotransaxles.com

 

[3175375]

Put a WiFi temperature/humidity sensor in the car.
I have 4 Temp Sticks and like them.

Here’s a couple of screenshots from the app:
Temp Stick

 

[Not Right]

I, and my relatives/friends, use dehumidifiers in our basements. To add to what Mopar Man said in a previous comment, all of us around here (where I live) are very aware of the fact that the dehumidifiers quit sucking water out of the air right at 40F. Tween 55 and 40, their effectiveness begins to diminish, until reaching 40, when they stop doing their thing. Therefore we keep our basements no cooler than 55. Also, I found a GREAT 100% Waterproof Cover on ebay several years ago. I ordered one to fit a 70 Fury and it was just too small. So I ordered one for the Caddy Fleetwood! By God, I'll tell you what! That Fury was very well covered then! Also, by putting an old Breeeeeathable cover on top of the Konocover, the Kono is protected from most of the UV and bird poop. Only the fine dust gets through the cloth cover and onto the Kono cover...and this method has given me a solid 3 years of excellent protection. I've used the same Kono on four different cars during the 3 years. (3 yrs X 365 days) all kinds of weather, zero to 90F, etc. And, it's cheap! Here's a screen shot from one of my latest purchases. I don't know how to make a link.

 

[darth_linux]

Morning update:

Checked on the car today and it was completely dry on the inside save for the very bottom of the rear glass where I wasn't able to wipe it down as well (towel was too big to fit in there). Under the hood was dry and inside the trunk was dry as well.

I think the car cover was the biggest offender at retaining moisture. Leaving the wing windows fully open and the cowl vents open seems to promote enough airflow through the cabin to keep things dry.

It's supposed to rain a bit on Tuesday, so I'll check back with it then.

 

[Boydsdodge]

Are you able to put the cover on for rain and then remove for dry weather?
That will help a lot at keeping water from getting in body seams etc....

 

[Not Right]

I vacuumed out the cowl vents last spring. I haven't done a visual on the heater core, but it blows hot air, doesn't emit a smell and doesn't fog the windows when the defrost is on. I used a bore-scope to go through the firewall hole into the AC box and it was clean and dry. Even the galvanized metal was in good shape. When it fogs over, it's not just the windshield, its all the glass in the entire car, and inside the trunk too.

This one, your problem, is just blowing my mind. I've lived in all 4 corners of the country, and I've never experienced the misery that your are going through. When I moved from Az. to S.W. Fla, every shiny place, like where a heater hose had rubbed the paint off of the inner fender instantly turned brown (rust film), but after that, the only soaked interior was caused by a rain leak or floor board hole (driving in the rain). The ONLY place I've witnessed the interiors of cars being as soaked as yours, from the inside of the top, like it is raining inside of the car, is in junkyard cars, where the cars are in a swampy or low lying area. But, if you've got leaks, your carpet and padding should be soaked, with the floor pans getting ready to rust through. Even a small windshield leak will eventually leave some sort of evidence. The water has got to pool somewhere, which eventually becomes evident....but it sounds like you've been through the car very thoroughly.., and nothing. The sweat on the underside of the hood says that there is major moisture right beneath the car...or you've had a driving rain blow through the grill to wet the radiator, engine and other things. I'd lean towards major moisture coming up off of the ground(pad). It shouldn't be like that! Does run off rain water flow across the pad, beneath the car? Was the chrome knobs and turn signal lever rusted or corroded/barnacled real bad when you got the car? or has all that just now started? Are the plastic floor pan plugs in place? Are the seat bolts(seat to floor) rusting badly?
Although I'm not a fan of leaving windows cracked open, I know you need to roll them down to try to dry the car, I get that. I live in the country, so I rarely experience what you would call clean air. Either the pollen is flying out of the woods and off of the fields, or Farmer Brown is fertilizing, cutting and baling, or tilling on a windy day....there's almost always something in the air. That stuff floats right into the car and lays on everything...then add a week's worth of normal humidity to the sediment and violla....instant mold stains. Mold spores are the enemy, even out there where you are. I am just stone cold stumped at the moment with your dilemma.

 

[darth_linux]

Are you able to put the cover on for rain and then remove for dry weather?
That will help a lot at keeping water from getting in body seams etc....

I could probably do that, although the inside of the car cover is pretty wet and dirty right now, and putting it back on the car risks scratching the paint . . .

 

[darth_linux]

Was the chrome knobs and turn signal lever rusted or corroded/barnacled real bad when you got the car?

Yes, all of the chrome on the inside of the car was rusty freckled when I got it. Same with the A and B pillar painted metal trim - rust at the bottoms. I have a feeling that it's been a problem with this car for a very long time.

Like I mentioned in this mornings update, pulling the car cover off, drying EVERYTHING off, and cracking the windows has put a stop to the problem for now.

 

[darth_linux]

So, I now realize this concrete pad is problematic, as well the fact that the trunk is above the lawn. I’m gonna move the car, put down a tarp, and then move the car onto the tarp.