interesting t-top leak
#1
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Car: Black 89 Camaro RS w/t-tops
Engine: 2.8L (173ci) v6
Transmission: 700r4
interesting t-top leak
ok. for some reason when the rain is light my t-tops love to leak, but when it pours they don't? It forms in little dropplets around the point where the screw is (towards the front of the car) that secures the interior plastic piece to the t-top and then falls onto my passenger seat. Now looking at it when it is dry i see no way the water could get in, realistically the water should run off and fall onto the outside of the window.
My question is: since it gathers slowly and doesn't really have a direction to move does the water seep in between my window and the seal or is it entering beneath the seal?
Another thing is that the water will run the entire length of the window seal and then enter/fall along my interior door where the triangle seal is. The window is sealed fine and now water gets into the area where the triangle seal is (i have tested it) but i am thinking that it comes from the same place as the drip near the screw.
And when I turn corners it drips really fast onto the seat..is there build-up somewhere that i can not see??? But i can't see where it comes from?? This is confusing as hell and I don't feel like having to replace the weatherstripping.
Please Help, I did a search, but afte reading for a long time nothing addressed this TYPE of problem.
It has only happened during the winter, the last owner garaged it during the winter and i bought it last spring. im assuming this could also be a problem with the cold.
Dave M.
My question is: since it gathers slowly and doesn't really have a direction to move does the water seep in between my window and the seal or is it entering beneath the seal?
Another thing is that the water will run the entire length of the window seal and then enter/fall along my interior door where the triangle seal is. The window is sealed fine and now water gets into the area where the triangle seal is (i have tested it) but i am thinking that it comes from the same place as the drip near the screw.
And when I turn corners it drips really fast onto the seat..is there build-up somewhere that i can not see??? But i can't see where it comes from?? This is confusing as hell and I don't feel like having to replace the weatherstripping.
Please Help, I did a search, but afte reading for a long time nothing addressed this TYPE of problem.
It has only happened during the winter, the last owner garaged it during the winter and i bought it last spring. im assuming this could also be a problem with the cold.
Dave M.
#2
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When you turn, the water that is pooled around the outside of the t-top weatherstrip on the roof runs out towards the window. That's normal.
The leak is probably from one of the corners where the stripping turns down from the roof. A hole might have formed in the weatherstripping there and allows water free reign across the length of the window (it seeps in the hole and runs along the inside of the weatherstripping). When it's raining hard, most of it probably rolls over the hole, but some still will get in. When it's warm, the weatherstripping expands a bit, possibly enough to plug the hole again.
Cheapest solution is find the hole and plug it with RTV, weatherstrip adhesive, or good old clear caulk. Best solution is replace the weatherstripping.
The leak is probably from one of the corners where the stripping turns down from the roof. A hole might have formed in the weatherstripping there and allows water free reign across the length of the window (it seeps in the hole and runs along the inside of the weatherstripping). When it's raining hard, most of it probably rolls over the hole, but some still will get in. When it's warm, the weatherstripping expands a bit, possibly enough to plug the hole again.
Cheapest solution is find the hole and plug it with RTV, weatherstrip adhesive, or good old clear caulk. Best solution is replace the weatherstripping.
#5
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Just an FYI, I had the same leak for a while, and I filled in some small openings on the top corners of the weatherstripping that didn't seem to be leak spots. It just looked like the stripping was pulling off of the body of the car a bit. I filled them with weatherstripping adhesive (the black stuff) and it's been raining today with no leaks so far! I'm pretty happy about that... I can wait for fresh paint to be done before putting on my new weatherstripping now.
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