Door and water leaks??

clnilsen · clnilsen's Garage

I finally got a few things fixed on the 911 (1980 SC Targa) yesterday, and took a quick jaunt around the neighborhood in the rain to test things out.

When I got back, even though the wndows were sealed tight at the top, and no water appeared to be leaking in, when I went to pull my RS door pull it was SOAKING wet. The rest of the door appreaded bone dry.

I was pretty supprised by this, so I started looking for a source of water ingress. Then I noticed that the outside window rubber / scraper (the rubber that seals at the bottom of the window to the top of the door) lides back and forth, with about a 3/4 inch gap at the point where there seal meets the "A" shape window on the front of the door. I slid it back to tighten it up, but then there's a big gap at the back of the door.

I noticed on the passenger sind the same gap and movement. On

My question is..
A) should this piece slide back and forth?
B) Should this gap even be there? If so, where should this gap be?
C) should I try and seal this up?

I can't believe Porsche would have designed such a leaky seal..

Thanks!

Chuck

Rob Markworth · 05-16-2003, 07:45 AM

I cannot answer your questions, but I can sympathize with your plight. I drove my '73 targa in the rain yesterday. This is something that I never do, but my brother is in town and needed to borrow the other car for a job interview. The passenders side has some seal problems at the top, but the drivers side is pretty tight. I did notice water in the bottom of the drivers door (the pockets are out so it was easy to check). I noticed the same thing with myoutside window seal that you did. I thought that might be the problem as well.

Rob

Dan Owens · 05-16-2003, 08:11 AM

That's normal, I believe. Every one I've ever seen has the same gap. It's not a seal anyway, it's a scrapper to remove the excess water from the window when you roll it down. Try adjusting the targa top side window seals to stop the water from coming in. If you look upward on the underside of the thick rubber seal where it meets the window you'll see 3 or 4 holes down the length of the seal. Inside those holes are screws that you can loosened and then slide the seal tight up against the window and re-tighten. Do it with the door closed and the window up sitting in the seat. Also check the same seal where the top corner of the vent window meets that seal, leaks there are also common.

Dan O
84' 3.2 Targa

Dan

Rob Markworth · 05-16-2003, 08:36 AM

Assuming that the top seal is correctly positioned, is it possible that water is coming in at the bottom of the window? I know that my drivers side window fits snugly in the channel of the upper seal. I am sure that I could do more to adjust the vent window, and replaceing both the front and rear targa seals would help as well.

Thanks,

Rob

avendlerdp · avendlerdp's Garage

Hold the phone! You guys are barking up the wrong tree. That scraper is not a seal. Some amount of water will get into the door. One of the keys to a dry Targa (or any 911) is the plastic water sheet under your door panel. If it is torn or missing or not stuck in well, water will flow down the inside of the door and into the car through the bottom of the door panel. It will also soak through your door pull.

The way to fix it is to buy some .6mm plastic sheet at the H-Depo and use 1/4" butyle ribbon to stick it to the door under the panel. If you use the butyle to seal around any holes you cut in the plastic for handles and such it will help.

Alex

Rob Markworth · 05-16-2003, 08:50 AM

I had a feeling that some water was expected in the door. That is why there are weep holes on the bottom. I will check about the plastic sheeting to protect the door panel. I may also want to clean out the door bottom and spray something in there to protect the metal from sitting water.

Thanks for the advice.

Rob

clnilsen · clnilsen's Garage

Well, It sounds like that regardless of what you do, there will be a wet RS door pull, since the door pull bolts to the door, and must pass though the plastic sheet (which would normally provide protection).

The fabric will act like a wick, pulling the water though.

Ack.

Chuck

Dan Owens · 05-16-2003, 10:24 AM

Chuck,

Not so. The plastic does protect the inside or backside of the door panel but as much from air infiltration as water or dampness. You shouldn't be getting that much water in the door to start with unless you have a really serious leak and then you should be seeing the water run down the inside of the window not the outside. The window scrapper does stop some water as it runs down the outside of the window and is meant to remove water from the glass as you roll the window down. There are weep holes at the underside of the door down at the bottom that lets excess water escape but you should never get that much water in the door that the pull "wicks" the water. The door would have to be about 1/2 full to reach that level. Check your seals on the window and adjust them as much as you can. Also check for cracks or chunks missing from the side window seals and at the corner of the vent window where the rubber stop meets the seal.

Dan O