GTV6 Cowl Vent Drainage

["Herbert Neily" <neily@domain.elided>]

    I recently solved a leak problem in my GTV6.  Earlier, I had replaced
the door gaskets (needed replacement anyway - BTW, I got mine from
Re-Originals) in a vain attempt to cure a passenger compartment leak that
was soaking the driver's-side carpet.  Further forensics led to the
discovery that water spayed into the cowl vents would trickle from the lap
seams where the cowl vent sheet metal bottom joined the fenders (inside the
engine compartment).  That water would run down directly on the hood release
cable firewall penetration (no sign of a sealing grommet) and then follow
the cable to the low point at the release handle in the left footwell.  The
sneaky part of this scheme is that the firewall penetration seems shielded
by the bodywork above, so the absence of a grommet doesn't immediately raise
a red flag to the non-paranoid.  I've since sealed the hole with "The Right
Stuff", an expansive foam RTV-like sealant.  We'll see how it does in
tomorrow's forecast rains.
    I mention this to possibly help someone with the same problem and to
also ask a question:  Is anyone familiar with the *intended* means of cowl
vent drainage on the GTV6?  Is there some kind of invisible tube that is
supposed to drain to the fenderwell, or is the weeping lap seam an
accidental solution to the factory's failure to realize that the water
needed an outlet?  I probed the non-visible areas of the cowl vent housing
with my trusty straightened coat hanger and slid a vacuum cleaner crevice
tool into the far reaches to try to suck out any latent debris.  If there's
a *real* drain, I'd like to unclog it.  Thanks.
Bert Neily
Raleigh, NC
'84 GTV6 with hopefully dryer carpet.
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