AN MD88 CONTRACT TECHNICIAN RPTS DISCOVERING MOISTURE BEHIND THE CAPT'S INST PANEL RENDERING THE PFD INOP.

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I WAS CONTACTED AT FBO ON NOV/FRI/02 AT APPROX XA40. TALKED TO ACR X CAPT ON ACFT X. ADVISED ME THAT PFD WAS INOP. I CONTACTED ACR X MAINT CTL AND WAS ADVISED TO SWAP PFD WITH FO NAV DISPLAY. UPON MY REMOVAL OF THE PFD; I NOTICED WATER ON THE UNIT. STOPPING THE PROC THERE; I ADVISED ACR X MAINT CTL. CTLR SUGGESTED CHKING PANEL AT WINDSHIELD WIPER. I DID FIND 3 OR 4 SCREWS ABOUT 1/2 TURN LOOSE AND ADVISED MAINT CTL. I WAS ADVISED TO DRY AREA AND PROCEED WITH SWAP OF UNITS. AREA WAS DRIED; WIPED WITH PAPER TOWEL -- NO EVIDENCE OF FURTHER MOISTURE SEEN. FELT AROUND IN PANEL OPENING FOR MOISTURE; NONE NOTED. PERFORMED VISUAL LOOK WITH FLASHLIGHT. NO VISIBLE SIGNS OF MOISTURE. COMPLETED SWAP AND PWRED UP COCKPIT. CAPT PERFORMED OPS CHK OF UNITS AS DIRECTED IN MAINT MANUAL 34-22-06-201. ALL CHKED NORMAL. COMPLETED REQUIRED PAPERWORK AND RELEASED ACFT. AT APPROX XE30 I RECEIVED CALL TO NOTIFY ME THAT CREW DECLARED AN EMER ON DSCNT INTO ZZZ ARPT (ORIGINAL DEST) WITH SMOKE IN COCKPIT. ACFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. AS OF XF30; CAUSE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION. ACR X CTLR MENTIONED CAPT NOTED SOME MOISTURE DURING PUSHBACK FROM GATE; HOWEVER; ELECTED TO TAKE ACFT X. APPARENTLY WATER WAS LAYING ON THE INTERIOR COVERS ABOVE PFD AND WAS NOT DETECTABLE UNTIL ACFT WAS ON DSCNT. I DON'T KNOW WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE DIFFERENTLY TO PREVENT THIS. MAYBE REMOVE EXTERIOR PANEL AND INSPECT; HOWEVER; SEALANT WAS IN PLACE AND IN GOOD SHAPE. THE PROTECTIVE COVERS THAT HELP KEEP WATER AWAY FROM AVIONICS; ACTUALLY DID AS MUCH HARM AS GOOD IN THIS SIT.