A Pillar antenna

Finding some water that's leaking into the cabin, right where all the fuses are on the driver's side of my 242... Seeing as how the antenna goes through the body and into there, is it possible that water is seeping in through there?

What's the most likely point of entry for that, besides the windshield? (first checked that )

Also, my antenna isn't hooked up (I could never find where it actually goes into the cabin for the radio, PO decided they wanted to rip it out. I have a new cable ready to go in.

Thanks guys.

The pinch weld in that area is a common location for leaks but if disturbed the antenna can contribute.

The antenna is secured by a tapered threaded male protrusion that simply screws into the sheet metal. It does have a seal, of sorts, but that can dry up and crack in the 3rd decade of life.

I pulled the lower cover off and filled the underside with butyl tape. That will take care of it for another 3 decades.

TestPoint said:

The pinch weld in that area is a common location for leaks but if disturbed the antenna can contribute.

The antenna is secured by a tapered threaded male protrusion that simply screws into the sheet metal. It does have a seal, of sorts, but that can dry up and crack in the 3rd decade of life.

I pulled the lower cover off and filled the underside with butyl tape. That will take care of it for another 3 decades.

Click to expand...

Awesome. Thanks!

As for the point where the antenna wire goes into the cabin... do you have any info on that?

The antenna lead obviously comes in high under the windshield and is difficult to find. Remove the external antenna hardware and push a doubled white shirt hanger through until you can find it. Tape the new lead to the wire and pull it through.

The lead is attached to the base that threads into the sheetmetal. In any case, you insert the cable into the hole and bend it to the left, so it goes under the windshield. It'll pop out into the passenger compartment between the two seams in the firewall, just below the windshield. Route it above the column, then down to your radio. It usually goes into the left rear corner of the radio pocket if you still have that installed.

Some cars, namely the ones that were TDS cars, had a hole drilled all the way through where the antenna wire entered the passenger compartment, directly below the hole in the exterior body.

I've begun to hate these antennas, especially after our silver '84 245GL had the sheetmetal hole become damaged so the antenna no longer would remain threaded into the hole.

You could pull it out and insert it back into the hole. This was the only real spot of rust on the car, btw. The rest was in decent condition. I've debated finding a NOS early-style 240 power antenna to install in my blue 245, like what the old Crown Motors Volvo dealer in Lynnwood, Washington did in the early-mid 1980s. I'd then have to fill the holes in the A pillar, but I would be rid of the secondary water leak location.

Another spot where it can leak is the hole below the hood cable, if you've updated to the 1990-93 240 corrugated wiring tube that normally is used for the cruise control wiring and vacuum lines. Need to make sure that the rubber grommet is installed in the hole, that way the tube will not provide a conduit for water to enter your driver's footwell and fry the wiper relay at the same time.

Awesome advice. Thanks John!

I really need to have a good look through the driver's side and locate any points of entry.

The design of the a pillar antenna is really stupid... I dunno what they were thinking and why it was such an afterthought it seems...

Would you know what size that rubber O ring on the plastic base that meets the body is too?

TestPoint said:

The antenna lead obviously comes in high under the windshield and is difficult to find. Remove the external antenna hardware and push a doubled white shirt hanger through until you can find it. Tape the new lead to the wire and pull it through.

Click to expand...

Thanks! I'd imagine that's really the most effective way to thread the wire through.

I don't. I suspect that you can take it into your local ACE hardware and probably match it up, though. If I find my extra antenna, I'll try to remember to take it with me to McLendon Hardware and see if they have something that'll work. I'll grab an extra. That way, I can pass it to ya at XXX on the 24th.

Thanks for the help!

I may have just solved my issue though... It turns out there was a big hole cut on the inner fender for a wire tuck the PO attempted. That in turn flung a bunch of dirt up into the inside of the engine bay and clogged the drains, which caused water to pool up to that fire wall plug you had mentioned before. I checked mine an it was cracked, which not only explains the delayed soaking of the drivers side floor, but also that the drains were clogged to begin with. As for the giant hole in the fender from the wheel well, I'll measure and get some grommets to plug it up.

I'll still try to route that antenna wire in the correct way at some point. Still kind of confused about where exactly it enters the cabin from under the windshield where the seams are.

A string of butyl around the base of the antenna works better than an "O" ring.

TestPoint said:

A string of butyl around the base of the antenna works better than an "O" ring.

Click to expand...

More than a year later and i finally got around to it. Butyl tape adhered, will test it leaking.

As for that stupid antenna wire itself, the plug was ripped off. I didn't notice until I was messing around with sealing the base of the antenna up.

Any way I can repair this plug relatively easily or buy a new one that'll work with the mounting system on this car? I know once the shield is compromised, signal quality will be messed up. It's only the motorola type plug at the end that's gone, the rest of the wire is fine.