DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

The common is a very very common problem on 90-93 Integras. The issue is that after 17yrs the seals are no longer in good enough shape to keep the water out and it ends up on your floor. This is after it goes through your blower motor and rusts it out.

Before even starting, go to a Honda or Acura dealership and order 8 of the follow part number, 91608-SJ6-003. They are super cheap ($2.50 each, a buck something at cost).

To do this you'll need basic hand tools, 14mm socket, flat head and #2 phillips screw drivers, panel poppers and needle nose pillars. You will also need a pair of scissors.

I didn't take pictures of removing the wiper cowl but I will describe it the best I can.
Step 1: First use the 14mm socket to remove the wiper arms.

Step 2:Then use the flat head to pop up the little black circle covers and unscrew the clips around the white pegs. You have to unscrew them by hand, you can use the flat head but you may break one so be careful.

Step 3: Now pull the plastic push pins from the cowl seal (they are under the seal). Use the needle nose pillars to squeeze the bottom and the panel popper to pop them out. Now you can remove the seal.

Step 4: Remove the wiper cowl, be very very careful to not break the cowl. Especially were it goes around the hood hinges.

Step 5: You will now see the cabin intake cowl, there are 8 plastic trim screws on the top and 2 on the side. Use the Phillips screw driver to remove them. They can be a bit of a bitch. The panel popped helps to get them out.

Step 6: Now you can see the problem, the 8 black trim screw along the top have those seals you order. After 17yrs they are shot! So it's time to replace them. Pull them out by hand.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4751.jpg

Look how old and worn these things are.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4753.jpg

Step 7: Pop the new seals in.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4752.jpg

Step 8: Re-assemble? No no yet. Look at the cabin intake cowl, look at the bottom. I bet yours will look similar to mine.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4754.jpg
How am I going to fix this? one might think. Fear not, it's a simple fix. Go to any hardware store and buy foam tape (commonly used for sealing windows but also works in making a seal here. The stock seal is just foam too. Also, they make GREAT tail light seals and are much cheaper then the $20 per from the dealer).
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4755.jpg

Step 9: Pull the old seal off and wash all the dirt and grim off the cowl. Now pull the backing off the foam tape and put it on just like the old factory seal.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4757.jpg

No need to cut the foam tape either, it does corners like a champ.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4758.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4759.jpg

Step 10: Assembly is the reverse of removal. Stand back and be happy that your windshield cowl will no longer leak.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v8...x/IMGP4760.jpg

Hope this helps some people!!

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

nice write up as usual man. i got my seals from herb a while back and still have yet to put them in, but i want to get my car painted first before i put them in. but nice tip on the foam replacement.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

That foam stuff works wonders man.

My tails have had it for like a month now and no issues.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Nice write up. I need to do this ASAP.
May do it this weekend. The leaking water shorted out my blower motor and that's why I didnt drive it over the winter.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Nice intake :) oyeah nice write up too!

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

nice work, i remember i had the same problem when i had my da.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Recession!

I actually have an intake tube but don't have the silicone coupler for it.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

i did this in my dc2, well i replaced the seal, used caulk, and ran a bead of caulk on the outside of the cowl to insure nothing gets in there, but it still leaks from somewhere :(

are there any other possibilities where it could leak?

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Does the DC have the little windshield screw clips like a DA?

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

nice write up. I wish you would have put this up about a year ago. I slathered Honda bond all over the place and also applied some waterproof caulking....really messy, but its bonded and sealed well. I may just revisit my cowel, now.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

thanx alot...hopefully the leak stops...have to admit..i felt pretty cool walking into acura dealership already knowing my part number..lol...good write up

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Added to the faq :thumbup:

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Awesome, did it today and your write up made it possible to complete in like 20 minutes.
I didn't redo the seal on mine because it was in pretty decent shape. Hopefully it wont bit me in the ass!
I should recommend to anyone doing this that they purchase the anchor clips and screws as well. I destroyed them pulling them out and putting them back in.
Also had a tough time with the wiper cowl around the windshield, couldnt tell if it was stuck or just supposed to be sealed to the glass.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

my next mission! lol. then i get to buy a new blower...*sighs*

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

I'm in the same boat, the leak killed my resistor and blower as well.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

i hhave that problem with my DA tooo now im gonna fix it thanks 2 u loll

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

soo i fixedd the problemm thankssss

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

I have a 1994 Acura Integra and was wondering if replacing that cowl thing would work on my car as well. because it leaks pretty bad as in my car frosts over night and when it melts in the morning my passenger carpet gets wet!! need some major help do you think this will work for my car? fingers crossed!!

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

I was just working on this today while waiting on other parts for my project DA. Half of my clips holding the cowl on wouldn't unscrew, so those had to be hacked out. Half of the seal clips holding that on, broke. Lol. Old cars and their old components.

So, a large re-assembly order went in! Now, once I finish stripping the entire interior, I can take a look at the blower motor and make sure that is good to go.

Hope it's worth it. I know my buddy had the problem, and I havn't driven the car yet (it runs, I'm just tearing it apart before I endulge).

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

did this and have to say my story did no have a happy ending,today it rained and i purposely let the car outside and left then came back after 5 hours to find water on the passenger carpet


now i will remove everything and use 1 tube of clear silicone on any possible water entry spot and not none of the seal were ripped during installation

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Did you replace the seals?

Your the first person I've heard of having problems.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

yeap i did everything by the book even went the extra mile and cleaned the hell out of that area to the point it was spotless,when the seals where inserted i was extra careful no to rip any of them installed everything back normally,tested very same day and it did not work

and looking at the pics i think i just found why it did not work,on the first picture below the foam tape pics you can see on the right side the plastic piece has a 2"-3" inches lip im pretty sure mine is missing than lip

does anyone have the par number for the plastic tab holding the first cover you remove also the number for the plastic screws mine have all of them but from pulling them out they are kind of streched

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

Awesome DIY. I needed this. I can't seem to get the wiper arms off though. Do I need to take the hood off to do this?

It just started pouring on me while I was working on this, so I had to quit. Hopefully it'll be okay.. No rusted blower yet.

Oh, and the Cowls are now $3.86 apiece from the dealer.

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

^^ there is a bolt on each wiper arm that you have to remove after you open the hood. Hope u get the leak to stop

Re: DIY: Fixing The Passenger Side Cowl Leak On A 90-93 Integra
 

I took the bolt off. Are the arms supposed to just pop off from there? Maybe I just needed a little more brute force.