Water Sloshing sound from back

jman340 · 05-27-2008, 02:58 PM

I've got a 2001 blazer 4 door, and when it rains heavy, I hear water sloshing around when I turn sharply at low speeds. It sounds like it's coming from down low in the very back. I've checked the tail gait, and been under it a few times trying to find where the water is, but have not seen anything. There is no leakage into the vehicle. Any ideas on where this stuff is hiding? Maybe a drain hole somewhere clogged?

MikeInCtown · 05-27-2008, 03:04 PM

I am fixing up a 2001 Jimmy right now and found that I hear water sloshing around from the dashboard. I was told the cowl on the outside by the wipers has a drain hole and that it is plugged up.

As far as the back goes, I noticed that if the rubber gasket where the rear wiper arm goes through the rear is not in there perfect that you will get water getting into the inside of the tailgate. This was apparent by the rusted parts in the middle of the door when we pulled the panel off. That's about the only place as there is a drain hole at the back corner on the floor where water can escape. (or at least washer fluid can escape when the hose is cut)

jman340 · 05-27-2008, 11:56 PM

It's not in the gate. With the amount that is sounds like, I'd feel it when I opened it. Plus I would think the inside would smell musty if the water was staying.

jman340 · 05-28-2008, 11:20 PM

I found the water, I pulled the trim at the bottom of the hatch opening and saw water inside. I found two grommets on each side that were designed to allow water to drain, both were clogged. After pulling them, a bunch of nasty water came out.

MikeInCtown · 05-29-2008, 09:02 AM

When you pulled that trim piece off, you didn't by chance happen to see the washer fluid hose running across there did you?

jman340 · 05-29-2008, 10:25 AM

I did not. I only pulled the trim at the bottom near the latch catch. I would think that the washer line would run up through the pillar.

MikeInCtown · 05-29-2008, 01:09 PM

According to my service manual the hose runs almost down the middle of the truck then turns to the pillar, goes up the pillar, over to the gate and down to the waiper arm. Seems like a long round about way, but that's where they show it in the diagram. Just figured I'd see if you saw one before I go tearing something apart I may not need to.

Merritt · 05-30-2008, 03:10 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by MikeInCtown

I am fixing up a 2001 Jimmy right now and found that I hear water sloshing around from the dashboard. I was told the cowl on the outside by the wipers has a drain hole and that it is plugged up.

As far as the back goes, I noticed that if the rubber gasket where the rear wiper arm goes through the rear is not in there perfect that you will get water getting into the inside of the tailgate. This was apparent by the rusted parts in the middle of the door when we pulled the panel off. That's about the only place as there is a drain hole at the back corner on the floor where water can escape. (or at least washer fluid can escape when the hose is cut)

This could come from the cowl being clogged, or it could be your heater core.

MikeInCtown · 05-30-2008, 09:36 AM

That would have to be one big heater core to make the sound I heard. It was as if there was a cooler with like a half gallon of water in it sloshing around. We'll be working on a ton of stuff this weekend so that will get checked.

I've never heard of a heater core making noise like that. I do know at one time last winter it was plugged and it had to get flushed. Think it's possible there is just a bunch of air in there even though we now get heat just fine?

lesterl · 05-31-2008, 11:29 PM

That would make a gurgling sound mike, suspect clogged drains myself.

MikeInCtown · 05-31-2008, 11:42 PM

Yea, we pulled it apart and it was pretty clean in there although there was a bunch of debris. It's possible that they were clogged and the heavy rains we had last night caused a bunch of stuff to either flow through or float around and move from the drain.

Anyway, washed a few gallons of water through the drain holes and all should be OK for now.

Bobby J · 06-02-2008, 10:18 AM

I have the same sloshing sound from the dash of my 97 blazer. Where are the drain holes? can they be cleaned by flushing and not removing the cowl cover? Thanks Bobby

MikeInCtown · 06-02-2008, 03:25 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Bobby J

I have the same sloshing sound from the dash of my 97 blazer. Where are the drain holes? can they be cleaned by flushing and not removing the cowl cover? Thanks Bobby

You could try to take the water hose and let it pour into the cowl, but it will probably do little.

To take off the cowl panel on the 2001 we had to first pull the wiper arms off. The next challenge was realizing that GM started using the plastic screws which really don't screw into anything. They just push into place, yet they have a screw head on them. After we realized that a pair of needlenose pliars or side cutters would help pry them out we pulled the clips they were pushed into. Once those clips were out we pulled the cowl and went to work on removing all the debri. The passenger side we could not get to because of metal bracing but the drivers side I was able to reach with my hand and clean everything out good. To do the passenger side we took a hose and gallons of water and sprayed around to flush the junk back into the middle. You would be surprised at how many twigs and leaves can wind up in there.

Anyway, between the two of us and wasting as much time as we did on figuring out the plastic screws, we were still done in half an hour.

05-27-2008, 02:58 PM	#1
jman340 Registered User Age: 38 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 39 Location: kansas city User is: OffLine	Water Sloshing sound from back I've got a 2001 blazer 4 door, and when it rains heavy, I hear water sloshing around when I turn sharply at low speeds. It sounds like it's coming from down low in the very back. I've checked the tail gait, and been under it a few times trying to find where the water is, but have not seen anything. There is no leakage into the vehicle. Any ideas on where this stuff is hiding? Maybe a drain hole somewhere clogged?
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-27-2008, 03:04 PM	#2
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back I am fixing up a 2001 Jimmy right now and found that I hear water sloshing around from the dashboard. I was told the cowl on the outside by the wipers has a drain hole and that it is plugged up. As far as the back goes, I noticed that if the rubber gasket where the rear wiper arm goes through the rear is not in there perfect that you will get water getting into the inside of the tailgate. This was apparent by the rusted parts in the middle of the door when we pulled the panel off. That's about the only place as there is a drain hole at the back corner on the floor where water can escape. (or at least washer fluid can escape when the hose is cut)
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-27-2008, 11:56 PM	#3
jman340 Registered User Age: 38 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 39 Location: kansas city User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back It's not in the gate. With the amount that is sounds like, I'd feel it when I opened it. Plus I would think the inside would smell musty if the water was staying.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-28-2008, 11:20 PM	#4
jman340 Registered User Age: 38 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 39 Location: kansas city User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back I found the water, I pulled the trim at the bottom of the hatch opening and saw water inside. I found two grommets on each side that were designed to allow water to drain, both were clogged. After pulling them, a bunch of nasty water came out.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-29-2008, 09:02 AM	#5
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back When you pulled that trim piece off, you didn't by chance happen to see the washer fluid hose running across there did you?
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-29-2008, 10:25 AM	#6
jman340 Registered User Age: 38 Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 39 Location: kansas city User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back I did not. I only pulled the trim at the bottom near the latch catch. I would think that the washer line would run up through the pillar.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-29-2008, 01:09 PM	#7
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back According to my service manual the hose runs almost down the middle of the truck then turns to the pillar, goes up the pillar, over to the gate and down to the waiper arm. Seems like a long round about way, but that's where they show it in the diagram. Just figured I'd see if you saw one before I go tearing something apart I may not need to.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-30-2008, 03:10 AM	#8
Merritt Registered Abuser Age: 24 Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 8,088 Location: King, NC User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back Quote: Originally Posted by MikeInCtown I am fixing up a 2001 Jimmy right now and found that I hear water sloshing around from the dashboard. I was told the cowl on the outside by the wipers has a drain hole and that it is plugged up. As far as the back goes, I noticed that if the rubber gasket where the rear wiper arm goes through the rear is not in there perfect that you will get water getting into the inside of the tailgate. This was apparent by the rusted parts in the middle of the door when we pulled the panel off. That's about the only place as there is a drain hole at the back corner on the floor where water can escape. (or at least washer fluid can escape when the hose is cut) This could come from the cowl being clogged, or it could be your heater core.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-30-2008, 09:36 AM	#9
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back That would have to be one big heater core to make the sound I heard. It was as if there was a cooler with like a half gallon of water in it sloshing around. We'll be working on a ton of stuff this weekend so that will get checked. I've never heard of a heater core making noise like that. I do know at one time last winter it was plugged and it had to get flushed. Think it's possible there is just a bunch of air in there even though we now get heat just fine?
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-31-2008, 11:29 PM	#10
lesterl Wire Splicin Fool :-) Age: 30 Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 4,402 Location: Harrisonville, MO User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back That would make a gurgling sound mike, suspect clogged drains myself.
	[Reply w/Quote]

05-31-2008, 11:42 PM	#11
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back Yea, we pulled it apart and it was pretty clean in there although there was a bunch of debris. It's possible that they were clogged and the heavy rains we had last night caused a bunch of stuff to either flow through or float around and move from the drain. Anyway, washed a few gallons of water through the drain holes and all should be OK for now.
	[Reply w/Quote]

06-02-2008, 10:18 AM	#12
Bobby J Registered User Age: 62 Join Date: Apr 2008 Posts: 1 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back I have the same sloshing sound from the dash of my 97 blazer. Where are the drain holes? can they be cleaned by flushing and not removing the cowl cover? Thanks Bobby
	[Reply w/Quote]

06-02-2008, 03:25 PM	#13
MikeInCtown Registered User Age: 35 Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 927 Location: User is: OffLine	Re: Water Sloshing sound from back Quote: Originally Posted by Bobby J I have the same sloshing sound from the dash of my 97 blazer. Where are the drain holes? can they be cleaned by flushing and not removing the cowl cover? Thanks Bobby You could try to take the water hose and let it pour into the cowl, but it will probably do little. To take off the cowl panel on the 2001 we had to first pull the wiper arms off. The next challenge was realizing that GM started using the plastic screws which really don't screw into anything. They just push into place, yet they have a screw head on them. After we realized that a pair of needlenose pliars or side cutters would help pry them out we pulled the clips they were pushed into. Once those clips were out we pulled the cowl and went to work on removing all the debri. The passenger side we could not get to because of metal bracing but the drivers side I was able to reach with my hand and clean everything out good. To do the passenger side we took a hose and gallons of water and sprayed around to flush the junk back into the middle. You would be surprised at how many twigs and leaves can wind up in there. Anyway, between the two of us and wasting as much time as we did on figuring out the plastic screws, we were still done in half an hour.
	[Reply w/Quote]