Hey, i have a small leak from my hatchback... It drips rather steadily into the passenger's side rear seat. Someone mentioned to me that this is because leaves and stuff collect up in there and it eventually starts leaking thru; clean out the leaves and it shouldn't leak--- That doesn't seem to be the issue. What's the best & cheapest fix for this???

Thanks,

 

Mine had a leak come through in the same place. After taking down the headliner and looking around with a flashlight while a helper hosed it down from the outside we found where it was coming from. To my suprise, it was the T's that were responsible the whole time. Does your car have T-tops?

 

Yea it does have t-tops... So the leak comming in @ the hatchback is actually due to the t-tops???? That's messsed up. Where abouts on the t-tops specifically--- Is there a way that i can fix it with out re-weatherstripping the entire t-s?

Thanks

 

Same thing on my IROC. It was leaking between the rubber t-top gasket and the black center bar, running onto the headliner, then back onto the plastic piece that goes all the way across. From there, it dripped onto the back seat. Siliconing the hell out of the joint between the black bar and the roof fixed the problem.

 

When I replaced my weatherstrip it was leaking on my back seat. I took some 2" wide masking tape and taped the cener bar to see if that was indeed it was leaking, sure enough...

I masked off the areas where I did not want silicone,

I waxed the heck out of my t-tops.

Then i took some 100% silicone, and squeezed some between the centerbar and the rubber seal. I also put some between the black centerbar and the body in the front & back and ran a little down the front & rear edges of the weatherstrip to make sure of a good seal to the body.

I took some celephane (suran wrap) and ran it along the edge of the T top when I installed them when the silicone was wet.

let the silicone set up overnight, pulled out the T's and removed the suran wrap.

removed all the tape, and removed any silicone that I did not want on my paint & t-top with my finger. (kind of rolled it up)

My car is LEAK FREE!!!

hope that makes sence

John

 

That sounds great. Exactly what I was looking for. okfoz is it just me or have you come up with a solution to just about every single post i've made in the body & interior forum? haha

Thanks

 

I learned almost everything I know from these guys here on the Forum...

John

 

I had the same problem and still do! maybe you guys can help. I pulled down my headliner and everything and it turns out I have solid rust from the inside to the outside.. all around the bolt and across to the next bolt. dont know what to do...

 

I would first recommend trying to get all the rust off, and paint it. once you have that taken care of install your seals with some silicone to make sure you get all the leaks.

without looking at it thats the best I can suggest...

John

 

Allright fellas-

okfoz is right, with a leak the first step is to stop the rust you already have (might have to drop the headliner to see any) by scraping, grinding, sanding, or what ever and then by painting over it with a rust prohibitor. Sounds like some of you guys have a leak similar to what I had on my roc. It soaked the back half of my headliner and actually dripped on the rear passenger seat durring any type of rain. I let this go for a while and it ended up costing me my headliner, I suggest if you keep your car outside you act fast. I have included a pic of where I found my problem area to be (note the green arrow). It is where the black metal bar that is between the T-tops (visible with them on or off) meets the actual roof of your ride; a small 1" x 1/8" area apoximately straight above the ashtray on the back of your center console (we're on the outside of the car mind you). I could tell there used to be some type of rubber seal here, but all that remained here on mine was some roted, black, gummy stuff. Spraying a hose at my car to simulate rain made it obvious that water was puddleing in this area, and then draining to some where (hmmm, interesting). So I took of my t's and got up in there with some small picking devices and picked off all of the old rotted rubber (just in this one little 1/8" x 1" area now) I could get at while not harming the actual t-top seals. Next I applied a conservative amount of silicone sealent (I prefer the goop brand) to the area I had picked clean. I used some of the previously mentioned small picking devices to finess the sealent into the trickier areas (ie. deep down into the dug out area and into the small crevices between the t-top seals and the body) so that the sealent wasn't noticeable unless you're looking for it. I gave it ample time to dry and whala; now she's as tight as a, errrrr, drum! NO leaks ever sence.

I sure hope some of you have the same problem and not anything worse, it was really easy to fix; not to mention cheap.

Good Luck

 

mine leaks by the trunk but the gasket is worn, it drip on the plastic piece on the cieling near the roof, so is it the t-tops or the trunk gasket? cuz i just ordered a gasket and want to know if i don't have to get one, someone help quick cuz i don't want to pay 60 bucks if i dont' have to

 

let me restate something, it drips from the plastic piece, onto the rear passenger seat

 

It seems that everybody that told you it was the center bar also had it dripping from the plastic piece onto the rear passenger seat.

 

mine would leak from the center bar, run down the headliner to the plastic piece in the back and drip on my back seats (I took care of that BEFORE I got my leather)

I noticed one day when I hit the brakes, it driped from my sunvisor screws onto my leg, thats how I figured it was coming in from my t-top and not the hatch hinge bolts...

One thing I did notice though, is when I changed my headliner I took the board and coated it with some Fiberglas resin, BEFORE I did this I had no leaks, it was because it only saw minor rain to start with and the board would soak up the water. after I coated it the board would not absorb water any more....

John

 

excuse my french, **** YA, thats got to be where its coming from, so what is it that i have to do? use adhesive on the t-tops near the bar? well either way im talking down my headliner tommorow so i can clean whatever damage the water has done

 

Hey guys, it's me, the one who started the thread, hehe---

You were right, it was the t-tops that was causing the leak into the back seats-- But it wasn't the t-bar, it was the passenger side rear part of the t-top. I went along and siliconed it up, stopped the leak... (another one sprung up, but that's cause the weather stripping where the window & the t-top meet is in rough shape-- water is just dripping right inside the window. Any suggestions for this? Or do i need to just replace the weatherstrippin?)


Thanks

 

it might be the t-top strip, that part the flies over the window, or maybe you need to adjust your window so it rolls up properly, so if eitehr of those are a problem