Waterleak Test Preparation

Waterleak Test Preparation

Saturn vehicles are designed to operate under normal environmental conditions. The design criteria for sealing materials and components take into consideration the sealing forces required to withstand the natural elements. These specifications do not, and cannot, take into consideration all artificial conditions such as what may be encountered in some high pressure car washes.

The watertest procedure has been designed to simulate natural elements and will determine the ability of a vehicle to perform under normal operating conditions.

Repairing body waterleaks consists of proper testing, diagnosis, and repair through the adjustment of misaligned components and/or the application of proven repair materials. The first step in waterleak diagnosis is finding the conditions under which the leak occurs, for example, a leak noticed only when parked on an inclined drive or water in the spare tire compartment.





If the general leak area cannot be found, the exact entry point can be quickly isolated by use of a localized test such as a water hose or air hose. If the leak source is not obvious, the generalized testing method using watertest equipment such as the watertest stands shown should be used. It may be necessary to remove some interior trim panels or components to locate the leak and confirm repairs.

Generalized Testing

Generalized watertesting involves flooding the exterior surface of the vehicle with water and observing the interior of the vehicle to determine where water entry occurs. It may be necessary to remove the interior trim components to observe water entry. Once the general area of the leak is determined, move on to localized testing to locate the specific leak area.

Watertest Stand Specifications





* Type of nozzle - Full cone spray with 60 included angle - Full jet spray nozzle no. 1/2 GG-25, or equivalent
* Nozzle height - Approximately 1600 mm (63 in) from the floor
* Volume of flow - 14 liters (3.7 gallons) per minute
* Pressure - 155 kPa (22 psi) measured at the nozzle
* Windshield and front body pillar (1) - Approximately 30 degrees down, 45 degrees towards the rear and aimed at the corner of the windshield
* Side (2) - Approximately 30 degrees down, 45 degrees towards the rear and aimed at the center of the rear door or rear quarter
* Back window and rear compartment lid (3) - Approximately 30 degrees down, 30 degrees towards the front and aimed approximately 600 mm (24 in) from the corner of the back window