Every time I wash my car I have a large puddle in my rear trunk. The water comes in through the tail lights. I can see gaps where the housing does not meet the body of my car very well and gaps where the red lens mates with the black plastic housing. What is the best way to seal out the water? Remove the assembly and use clear silicone?

I've got the same problem. I just yesterday picked up some seals for the lens to housing. I got them from GPR. I think I remember a thread here recently on them, and how to glue the ends together. DDD has in the past given nice directions on how to seal the housing to body.

The lens housing to car body is where most of the leaking occurs. Run a bead of black sealant on the mating surface of the car or along the gasket of the housing and reinstall the housing for a leak proof seal. The sheet metal shape and the gasket thickness conspire to leak on just about everyones cars without some help from additional sealant.

The taillight lens to housing seal is easily replaced. AA has a good repro seal that is cheap that I just installed, but I don't know what GPR has.

Be careful when gluing the housings to the body of the car with RTV or silicone. You may never get them off again!

I'd recommend making a body seal with RTV. I'd put it on the housing and then let it set up some. I'd also use some kind of release agent on the body of the car - maybe talc or vaseline or both?

What is DDD and GPR? Also, I have never had any problem removing something glued (or sealed with silicone). Why black instead of clear? Eddy

i used duct seal, stays soft somewhat sticky, and is gray. it blends in nicely and is easy to get off. costs about 3 bucks at HD.

I think he meant DD. Dave Darling at Pelican Parts.

I went to the local RV place and got some grey sealing putty - made some rolled beads around where it sits - screwed it on - and scrapped off the excess. Cannot tell it is there. Sounds a lot like the HD stuff.

M

DDD = "Damp" Dave Darling

GPR = German Parts & Restoration http://www.gprparts.com/

I do have duct seal. It just seems like a silicone bead would be so much simpler. Also, is there supposed to be a rubber gasket b/t the red lens and the black housing?

QUOTE (smooth_eddy @ Mar 26 2005, 06:34 PM)

I do have duct seal. It just seems like a silicone bead would be so much simpler. Also, is there supposed to be a rubber gasket b/t the red lens and the black housing?

There is a gasket that sits in the channel of the lens to seal the housing from the elements. I just replaced my left side housing because it was corroded beyond repair from the lens leaking without the seal. I just installed the repro seals from Auto Atlanta ($15), and they worked find for this. Their seal is just a stip on foam "cord" that sits in the channel and is a nice density for compression. Seems to work well. No more turn-signal quiting after every bump in the road.