Strange (FACTORY) Holes in Trunk Lid

[Treblig]

This comment triggers something in my mind. Have you heard of "exhausters"? They are used to release the positive pressure from inside the passenger compartment while the blower is working. If you put a fan on the top of a jar and turned it on, it would fill the jar with air, then when the jar is completely full of air and can't hold anymore, there will be a back pressure against the fan as there is no more room to put more air into the passenger compartment. So to eliminate this effect in a car from putting similar back pressure against the blower when the interior fills with air, they put what is called "exhausters" somewhere on the car to release pressure from the inside of the car to the outside so the blower can keep pushing more air into the car. The exhausters can be in many places and also hidden. On the original Grand Cherokees, the exhausters were styled into what looked like a vertical vent on each rear pillar behind the rear side glass window and just before the tailgate. They are basically a rubber sheet or flap hung from the top on the inside. Then gravity keeps the rubber flap covering the hole, then when the inside pressure builds up, it opens the bottom part of the flap to let the air out of the interior so the blower can push more in. On the second generation Grand Cherokee they moved them and incorperated them into the tail lights. That is those "vent holes" in the side of the tail lights. On the 2nd generation Barracudas, they are built into the doors. The inlet is on the bottom interior of the door and the outlet is on the back of the door towards the bottom (if I remember correctly) you have to open the door to see it. I just tried to walk out to get some pictures, but there is too much snow between me and the cars and spare doors to get some pictures (and now there is snow inside my shoe and my feet are cold and getting wet).

My point of all of that is: Could your exhauster "flaps" have been removed and could be letting air in from there? Check to make sure that they are there and straight not peeling back (distorting) from age.

Maybe someone could get some pictures of theirs to post (who don't have to dredge through snow to take them).

I'll look for the exhauster flaps in a few minutes. But a small blower to pressurize the cabin is a really neat idea.

treblig

 

[Treblig]

OK, I took a whole bunch of pics but first I'll show the factory gasket on the body with pics of the holes that are in the front of the trunk lid.

Treblig

 

[Treblig]

Now some pics of the inside of the trunk and the open areas in the back of the car as well as the hinged panel that all fastback Barracudas came with. If you look closely you can see the plugged holes from the inside of the trunk.

Treblig

 

[Treblig]

Last pics of the gap between the trunk lid and the body. The gap looks pretty good so I didn't want to mess it up. That's why I went with the extra gasket on the lid.


I appreciate all the help and all the comments. Like said before, I am considering covering the large holes on the inside of the lid so I can leave the small holes open. But (now) I am also planning on undercoating the inside of the lid because I live in one of the worst environments for corrosion in the US.

treblig

 

[cudascott]

Treblig,
The holes on the front underside corners or the deck lid came from factory with body plugs. I also notice you have a couple of plugs missing in the truck floor pan that also need to be installed

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

What is the ruff looking spot on the left bottom of the picture? Did you have to piece the gasket or something.

 

[68gtxman]

I also notice you have a couple of plugs missing in the truck floor pan that also need to be installed

Xs 2! I would venture to guess that the missing trunk floor plugs are your biggest culprit. Tape over them and road test it again.

Good luck my friend!

 

[cudascott]

The lower part of the trunk gasket is not in the right location,should be on the lower flat part in front of the 90 deg. lip here's a pic of the correct location

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

Looks like a second seam here. This gasket just doesn't look right for the car to me.

 

[Treblig]

The lower part of the trunk gasket is not in the right location,should be on the lower flat part in front of the 90 deg. lip here's a pic of the correct location

The gasket in this pic looks totally different from mine. Also my gasket has a groove in it that seems to fit onto the lip that goes around the bottom of the trunk (it was installed basically by pushing it onto the lip from the top side). I got the car like this so I assumed it was correct but the one in your pic actually looks fatter (more bulky). Could I have the wrong gasket or is it installed wrong??/

treblig

 

[Treblig]

What is the ruff looking spot on the left bottom of the picture? Did you have to piece the gasket or something.

OKC, the rough looking spot is where the two ends of the gasket butt against each other. Also, whoever installed the gasket used some sealer or silicone to mate them together. I really have no idea if the correct gasket was used. Wish I had a better pic of a correct gasket (close up and cross sectional view). thanks for the input!!

treblig

 

[Treblig]

Treblig,
The holes on the front underside corners or the deck lid came from factory with body plugs. I also notice you have a couple of plugs missing in the truck floor pan that also need to be installed

Thanks, that's good to know. I'll get some plugs for the holes in the trunk lid. I think the extra holes you see in the pan are optical illusions because I made sure all the trunk pan holes have plugs.

Thanks,
treblig

 

[Treblig]

Looks like a second seam here. This gasket just doesn't look right for the car to me.

Yes, there is more than one seam (break) in the gasket. I do not know if it is the correct one and I don't know if it is installed correctly. Is there a website that shows the correct gasket and installation. Thanks, Treblig

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

Yes, there is more than one seam (break) in the gasket. I do not know if it is the correct one and I don't know if it is installed correctly. Is there a website that shows the correct gasket and installation. Thanks, Treblig

That is a pieced together generic gasket that isn't made for the car and the correct gasket only has one seam. The single seam should center the trunk latch.

 

[norshorblufish]

That is a pieced together generic gasket that isn't made for the car and the correct gasket only has one seam. The single seam should center the trunk latch.

I have to agree.

 

[Treblig]

That is a pieced together generic gasket that isn't made for the car and the correct gasket only has one seam. The single seam should center the trunk latch.

I did a little research and found a seal just like mine at jimsautoparts website, P/N WS-323. Is says order by year, make and model. It looks exactly like the one on my Cuda. Is the one shown in these pics the incorrect one??? Where do I get the correct one??? Or is mine just installed wrong.

PS- You people are GREAT!!!! Been driving this car for three years and had no idea how badly screwed up it was@%$#*(^_*&.

Treblig

 

[norshorblufish]

Steele Rubber co. and Soff Seal co. look like the picture you have posted from Jim's.
It maybe installed wrong.
This is from site vendor that sells Metro Super Soft.

 

[Treblig]

Steele Rubber co. and Soff Seal co. look like the picture you have posted from Jim's.
It maybe installed wrong.
This is from site vendor that sells Metro Super Soft.

Thanks, and yes it does look like mine and yes I do believe mine is installed incorrectly. I did some more searching and found these great pics that show where everything went wrong BUT there's still a problem. I'll explain in a minute. When I first started this thread it was about the two small holes in the bottom of the trunk lid. Had I known my gasket was messed up I would have done some research before starting the thread. The problem I mentioned is that I will still have a exhaust leak problem even if I install the gasket like the pics on this post. When I was inside my "closed" trunk with my friend shining a light from the outside I saw light coming from the area where the weather strip runs vertical on either side (looking at it from the rear). So if I correct the seal on the bottom lip I will probably still have air leaks on the sides. Of course I won't know for sure until I actually do it.

Treblig

 

[norshorblufish]

I'll have to save those pictures for when I do mine (someday).
Thanks for finding them.

 

[Oklacarcollecto]

Even though you used a flashlight it is very likely there is air flowing around the gasket from angles the light couldn't penetrate.

 

[Treblig]

I'll have to save those pictures for when I do mine (someday).
Thanks for finding them.

No problem Norshorblufish,

Treblig

 

[Treblig]

Even though you used a flashlight it is very likely there is air flowing around the gasket from angles the light couldn't penetrate.

I agree 100 percent. Thanks for all the help!!! I hadn't though about it but I do have an original '69 Cuda service manual. I hadn't though about looking in there to see if it shows any pics of the trunk seal, but I will???

Treblig

 

[Treblig]

For those who might be interested here are the pics of trunk seal installation from "The Bible" ('69 service manual). This is for Valiant and Barracuda, the seal looks nothing like the one I have and yes mine is installed wrong on the lower section.

Treblig

 

[Rocky_JS]

This is the correct gasket for 67-9 barracuda. The one in the car is not only incorrect but is not placed correctly to boot. The factory gasket is one piece and starts and ends 4-5" to the right side of the latch.

Steele Rubber co. and Soff Seal co. look like the picture you have posted from Jim's.
It maybe installed wrong.
This is from site vendor that sells Metro Super Soft.