I was caught in a rain storm on the way home from a car show the other day. During the ride home, I found that my front windshield leaked in a few places along the top. Ho do you fix this? Do you remove the chrome trim on the outside and cauk around it with silicone or what. Any help will be deeply appreciated. Thanks.
Windshield Leak
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Nice looking car Mark! If There are no rust issues in the window channel, best bet would be to remove and reinstall in a new bed of sealant. Hard to chase leaks as they can be coming in in one location and travel to another location before coming out where you can see it.
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I think it's one of the annoyances of having an old car. When my car was painted I had a new winshield installed. I have had it back to my body man 2 or 3 times to be sealed. Not every time mind you,but I still get an occtional leak every now and again.
Thanks Jerry!!! Right, thats what I was thinking, I just wasn't sure if thats what to do. I've never had the trim off the outside of the window so I wasn't sure what was under it. It doesn't appear to be any rust around the trim. I guess I'll just take it off and see whats under it and what needs to be done. Do you know what type of sealent is used or is there something special. Thanks.
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http://www.levineautoparts.com/wi.html will have all the products you need.
It only takes a few minutes to throw one in but there are a few bad things that can happen so you need to take your time and do it right.
1) Get yourself a helper. It takes two people to position the windshield properly and you only have one chance to get it right.
2) Get a roll of 3/8" 3M Ribbon Sealer and the tape primer if you can find it. If you can't, don't worry about it I haven't had one leak yet with or without the primer.
3) Apply the ribbon sealer flush with the inner edge of the pinch weld, the glass isn't that much larger than the opening. Make sure the joint is at an upper corner of the window opening so water can't collect on it.
4) Clean and dry the glass with a good glass cleaner, especially around the edges.
5) Position the rubber blocks at the bottom of the opening for the windshield to set on and leave them in so the windshield doesn't shift after installation.
6) Place the windshield on the blocks and making sure it is centered and rock it into place. You only get one shot at this so make sure it is right before the glass touches the sealer. You may want to position the glass before the sealer is on and mark it with a marker to make this easier. Suction cups make the glass easier to handle but aren't a necessity.
7) Press the glass down with your hands to compress the sealer and make sure it contacts the glass all around.
It only takes a few minutes to throw one in but there are a few bad things that can happen so you need to take your time and do it right.
1) Get yourself a helper. It takes two people to position the windshield properly and you only have one chance to get it right.
2) Get a roll of 3/8" 3M Ribbon Sealer and the tape primer if you can find it. If you can't, don't worry about it I haven't had one leak yet with or without the primer.
3) Apply the ribbon sealer flush with the inner edge of the pinch weld, the glass isn't that much larger than the opening. Make sure the joint is at an upper corner of the window opening so water can't collect on it.
4) Clean and dry the glass with a good glass cleaner, especially around the edges.
5) Position the rubber blocks at the bottom of the opening for the windshield to set on and leave them in so the windshield doesn't shift after installation.
6) Place the windshield on the blocks and making sure it is centered and rock it into place. You only get one shot at this so make sure it is right before the glass touches the sealer. You may want to position the glass before the sealer is on and mark it with a marker to make this easier. Suction cups make the glass easier to handle but aren't a necessity.
7) Press the glass down with your hands to compress the sealer and make sure it contacts the glass all around.
One tip to add is to dry fit the WS and after centering it, run a piece of masking tape on the top of the glass onto the top. Take a ballpoint pen and mark on the tape from the glass onto the top. Then take a razor or knife and cut the tape at the edge of the glass before removing the WS. The exact centered position can then be repeated.
You can remove the chrome and run a bead of sealent along the top and sides. Then take a paint stick and push the sealet down into the butyl tape. The body by fisher manual has a drawing of how to add the extra sealent without making water traps while doing it. You hold the paint stick almost prependicular to the glass while doing this.
Hey thanks guys. I'm going to pull the chrome off this weekend and see what I can do. Hopefully just filling it in a little will do the trick. I really don't want to pull the windshield if I don't have to. Thanks for the replys guys.
Be VERY careful removing the trim on a windshield. If when prying you catch the edge of the glass and chip it, a crack will likely start there soon. Ask me how I know. My Malibu WS had a rock star in it anyway but I have to replace it now. The trim was stuck to the butyl caulk someone had used to install the WS instead of tape. Like to never got the trim off and ruined the WS in the process.
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