I hate the rain, I hate the rain, I hate the rain, Rear window seal / gasket Options

[Mike McGrath]

So I replaced the original butyl tape on my rear window last weekend with the 3M stuff they sell. It looked like I got a good seal going, but it's been raining this week and I looked inside and it's a big lake on the floor. It is on the side that my wife was holding, so it's probably more her fault. Anyway, the seal itself is still soft, but there is an obvious gap someplace.

Question - do I need to start all over and remove the window from its nice new and super sticky seal or can I just put more butyl tape in the gap beneath the window?

Any ideas?

TIA,

Mike (in Portland)

[TROJANMAN]

do you have any pictures ? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

my dad called me this morning with the same problem on his car.

Oh, and if you hate the rain, I hate to tell you this, but you picked the wrong place to live (IMG:style_emoticons/default/poke.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[Allan]

Maybe you can heat the tape with a hair dryer and use a shower curtain rod to push the glass really tight against the tape and let it sit for a day or two...

[JPB]

I don't have that problem but the dude that did my rear window, past owner, made a big mess of it. I was thingking of tapeing the outside corner with some masking tape about 1/4" on each side of the glass seam and using a really good window cilicone adhesive like they use on buildings I work on. The stuff looks like hard ass rubber and lasts forever, water tight! I'd apply the glue and use a rounded object to make a consistant fillet all around the outside glass along the tape. Once shapped, the tape comes off leaving a seamless water proof gasket. Now that is a quality job! It would work good on windshields also.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) Thats me alright.

[Mike McGrath]

Maybe you can heat the tape with a hair dryer and use a shower curtain rod to push the glass really tight against the tape and let it sit for a day or two...

That, my friend, is an excellent idea. I will try it out and report back with the results. Oh, and I picked this shitty weather state before I picked up a 914. Summers are nice, though.

Mike (in Portland)

[So.Cal.914]

Clever idea but the rear glass is not tempered. The last thing you want is to put it

on a bind. No little pieces but large shards. R & R and be sure and safe.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/smoke.gif)

[rhodyguy]

where did you meet the ends? if you started at the top, the the seal would be seamless. either way, a redo while it's soft would be my vote. did you tape it tight to the butyl and let it sit for a day or so?

k

[JPB]

Hm, I see the possible flex thing as you have mentioned and to answer I would say to use the smallest fillet of glue as possible for the fix and have it as flexible as possible. The glass is often adhered to aluminium in construction jobs and there is some expansion and contration involved. The most important thing is to clean the glass well with rubing alcohol before applying the glue to remove all the contaminants that keep it from sticking. As for car wax, I'm not shure what to use to remove that if it is present, this would realy mess adhesion up!

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif) One more thing on my project car. Full 8 point role cage keeps her flex free!

[Mike McGrath]

In the middle of a nice gray mist, I decided to try using the rest of the butyl tape (only used about 2/3 of it to make the seal in the first place) in the gap between the bottom of the glass and the lip. Pressed it in to fill the space and squeezed a bit more underneath, between the flat pane of the glass and the deck lid. Looks like total shit, but it passed the first water test. If I have to do this once every thirty years, I guess it isn't so bad. Besides, it gets covered up with the black electrical tape anyway, right? Plenty of rain in the forecast, so we'll see how well it holds up.

[orange914]

In the middle of a nice gray mist, I decided to try using the rest of the butyl tape (only used about 2/3 of it to make the seal in the first place) in the gap between the bottom of the glass and the lip. Pressed it in to fill the space and squeezed a bit more underneath, between the flat pane of the glass and the deck lid. Looks like total shit, but it passed the first water test. If I have to do this once every thirty years, I guess it isn't so bad. Besides, it gets covered up with the black electrical tape anyway, right? Plenty of rain in the forecast, so we'll see how well it holds up.

i used a caulking/adhesive from my local auto windsheild shop made just for this type install. you can turn the car over and float it! i wouldnt want to remove the window though.