Pelican Parts
Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   Pelican Parts Forums > Porsche Forums > Porsche 911 Technical Forum


Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Rate Thread
Author
Thread Post New Thread    Reply
Registered
 
moneymanager's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 2,307
Have you had a front window leak?

Car is a 74 sunroof. I have just read about 400 posts about interior leaks. I have just one question:
if my front window seal is leaking, can the water pass under the seal, enter the area under the hood then somehow drip thru openings in the sheet metal above the footspace onto the floor? In short, where does the water from a leaking window (top or bottom corner) actually go, as it travels into the car, if anyone knows? Thanks,

__________________
jhtaylor
santa barbara
74 911 coupe. 2.7 motor by Schneider Auto Santa Barbara. Case blueprinted, shuffle-pinned, boat-tailed by Competition Engineering. Elgin mod-S cams. J&E 9.5's. PMO's.
73 Targa (gone but not forgotten)

Last edited by moneymanager; 02-13-2009 at 04:23 PM..
Old 02-13-2009, 02:29 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #1 (permalink)
Registered
 
Cooper911SC's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Tustin. CA
Posts: 1,287
Hey Money,

My 911SC front window is leaking as I type...raining out in SOCAL right now...Mine weeps in from the left lower corner and then trickles down the dash near the left side defrost vent. It appears to be leaking through the side of the seal that captures the glass...not the side that sandwiches the body.

I guess it is time (gasp) to get out some black silicone...

Coop
__________________
Cooper's Classy Car Care
Providing Clear Bra installation, Paint touch-up, Detailing
PCA/OCR since 1997
'81 911SC, '95 993 Tip. Project 'Euro spec' '70 914-4 w/2.0 & side shifter
Old 02-13-2009, 02:47 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #2 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Capistrano Beach, Ca.
Posts: 7,235
It can go several places. As Cooper posted, that's one route that's visible. Another is to leak between the windshield lip and dash, seep under the dash and drip through the vent holes for the defrost or through any opening on the steel underframe of the dash top, and find its way in the trunk area behind the gauges and drip inside. If you've seen any pictures of the underside of old dashes, you'll understand the destruction that can happen without even having a clue.
If you have any suspicion the seal needs replacing, just do it, especially if your car sees any measurable amount of water.
__________________
L.J.
Recovering Porsche-holic
Gave up trying to stay clean
Stabilized on a Pelican I.V. drip

Last edited by ossiblue; 02-13-2009 at 03:03 PM..
Old 02-13-2009, 03:00 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #3 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Chicago, IL USA
Posts: 193
Garage
My front windshield leaked resulting in water coming in between the dash and the doors. I had a body shop pressure test the front windshield - I suspected it seeping in at the lower corners of the windshield. The pressure test revealed the water was coming in at the top of the windshield where there is the metal piece holding the frame together. It was then traveling down each side and then into the car. I guess my lesson was that where water comes in is not always what would appear to be most logical.

After a seal replacement all was dry and remains so.
__________________
Bob D

1982 RoW Silver 911SC - PCA E #339
1997 993 Turquoise Blue Carrera S
Old 02-13-2009, 03:14 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #4 (permalink)
N-Gruppe doesn't exist
 
teenerted1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: *%@#ing GPS, where am I? Oh wait I see the Space Needle.
Posts: 4,394
Send a message via AIM to teenerted1
i love it when so cal guys complain about leaking window seals.
__________________
Ted
'70 911T 3.0L "SKIPPY" R-Gruppe #477
'73 914 2.0L SOLD bye bye "lil SMOKEY"
"Silence is Golden, but duct tape is SILVER.”
other flat fours:'77 VWBus 2.0L & 2002 ImprezaTS 2.5L
Old 02-13-2009, 03:17 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #5 (permalink)
Recreational User
 
porschenut's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: A Mile High
Posts: 4,159
Mine was leaking at the right lower corner, and the water trickled down around the outside edge of the dash, then under the front lip back toward the glove box light, then dripped straight to the floor.
Old 02-13-2009, 03:30 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #6 (permalink)
 
Registered
 
moneymanager's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 2,307
Well rain passed thru here a couple of hours ago and left me with two small pools of water on the floor. Fortunately it only rains here in CA every three or four years, so I probably won't have to attend to this problem for a while.
But you've answered my question I think: the water can come in and drip down onto your feet so it appear to be entering from the trunk space. Please, if anyone else has another water route, please chime in. Thanks to all.
__________________
jhtaylor
santa barbara
74 911 coupe. 2.7 motor by Schneider Auto Santa Barbara. Case blueprinted, shuffle-pinned, boat-tailed by Competition Engineering. Elgin mod-S cams. J&E 9.5's. PMO's.
73 Targa (gone but not forgotten)
Old 02-13-2009, 03:41 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #7 (permalink)
dtw dtw is offline
GAFB
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Raleigh, NC, USA
Posts: 7,842
Mine was leaking up at the top corners of the seal, down along the frame invisibly, and pouring in under the dash.

This is a dire source of rust under the dash, btw. Whenever checking a 911 over, I lightly press against the dash face, right where it blends into the door rail. Any crunchy noise? That car's got the cancer.

A bodged install and poor blame glass were to blame. Dummy installer had stuffed lenths of rope between the seal and body in an attempt to fill out the seal.

I reinstalled with a new seal and good new glass. The fit was still poor in the corners. A soft rubber mallet, like what you'd use for carpet/upholstery installs, was the answer. Using that I was able to correct the poor corner fitment of the trim in the windshield/seal. It was not guiding the seal into the proper position - some of the angle of the bend was lost during the crappy install. A few careful taps and it was right again.

Dried up seals, of course, are the usual cause of this, but you'll also see a lot of really, really, bad installs causing leaks. What is tricky, is that it can be bad glass, bad aftermarket seal, or bent trim - or a combination of the three - causing the leak.
__________________
Several BMWs
Old 02-13-2009, 03:49 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #8 (permalink)
Born to Lose, Live to Win
 
ramonesfreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: New York
Posts: 8,637
Garage
mine ends up as a puddle on the floor of driver and passenger side, fills up the map holders on the doors as well.
__________________
Things fall apart; the center cannot hold…

1983 911sc
2025 Chevy Colorado ZR2
Old 02-13-2009, 04:17 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #9 (permalink)
Registered
 
moneymanager's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 2,307
Very helpful. After distilling the combined wisdom of the group, it appears that no matter where the water flows or ends up inside the FRONT of a 911's passenger compartment, it can only actually penetrate from the outside in a few ways:
it can enter thru the corners of the windshield seal;
it can enter via the front fresh air vent if: the vent isn't bolted tightly to the body, or the hose coming out of it is clogged, broken or missing;
it can enter via the rubber hood seal if old, missing or broken
it can enter via the rubber gaskets at the windshield washer or wipers if they are missing or defective.
it can enter via the doors if the door seals are missing or shot.
it can enter via the sunroof (though this almost always seems to be a problem at the rear.)
Of course if the car is a rustbucket, there are endless additional possibilities. And I don't fortunately have a leak at the rear of the passenger compartment so I have yet to address that. But the list for the front is pretty finite and it should be relatively easy to isolate your problem with some ducktape and a hose.
__________________
jhtaylor
santa barbara
74 911 coupe. 2.7 motor by Schneider Auto Santa Barbara. Case blueprinted, shuffle-pinned, boat-tailed by Competition Engineering. Elgin mod-S cams. J&E 9.5's. PMO's.
73 Targa (gone but not forgotten)
Old 02-17-2009, 06:50 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #10 (permalink)
Registered
 
4flyboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Delray Beach/So. Cal
Posts: 2,857
Garage
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cooper911SC View Post
Hey Money,

My 911SC front window is leaking as I type...raining out in SOCAL right now...Mine weeps in from the left lower corner and then trickles down the dash near the left side defrost vent. It appears to be leaking through the side of the seal that captures the glass...not the side that sandwiches the body.

I guess it is time (gasp) to get out some black silicone...

Coop

Yup Coop,

I feel ya. I've been driving my '85 Coupe up PCH from S.Monica to Camarillo the last couple of days on business. Yesterday it was howling and I got cold drips on the left knee.
There seems to be water pooling inside on the left lower corner of the windsheild and trickling down near the vent. I had my hands full with the road but I assumed the leak originated there? Sounds like it could be anywhere.

Scott
__________________
Scott

"Houston, Tranquility Base here, the Eagle has landed"

Silver 1984 M491 Sunroof Coupe
Old 02-17-2009, 09:19 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #11 (permalink)
Registered
 
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Peoples Republic of Long Beach, NY
Posts: 21,140
the windshield floats in the frame. It's meant to be kicked out from inside in case driver is trapped inside. The glass and seals eventually drop. Water leaks in at the top.

I used some dum dum at the lower part of the frame and sides to help stop it from falling.

I had to reinstall a new glass 3x to make sure I used enough dum dum.
__________________
Ronin LB
'77 911s 2.7
PMO E 8.5
SSI Monty
MSD JPI
w x6
Old 02-17-2009, 12:11 PM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #12 (permalink)
dtw dtw is offline
GAFB
 
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Raleigh, NC, USA
Posts: 7,842
Quote:
Originally Posted by moneymanager View Post
Very helpful. After distilling the combined wisdom of the group, it appears that no matter where the water flows or ends up inside the FRONT of a 911's passenger compartment, it can only actually penetrate from the outside in a few ways:
All those & more. Though, water shouldn't enter from the sunroof unless the drain pipes are plugged and/or rusted.

Best bet is to sit in the car while a helper sprays the car down with a garden hose. I was totally mystified trying to track down the leaks in my car until I did this. Works great. Flashlight helps.
__________________
Several BMWs
Old 02-23-2009, 08:30 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #13 (permalink)
Registered
 
moneymanager's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 2,307
Water spray did nothing for me; I had to methodically eliminate each of the items on my list until, finally, the window gasket problem was isolated. FWIW.
__________________
jhtaylor
santa barbara
74 911 coupe. 2.7 motor by Schneider Auto Santa Barbara. Case blueprinted, shuffle-pinned, boat-tailed by Competition Engineering. Elgin mod-S cams. J&E 9.5's. PMO's.
73 Targa (gone but not forgotten)
Old 02-23-2009, 08:52 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #14 (permalink)
KTL KTL is online now
Schleprock
 
KTL's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Frankfort IL USA
Posts: 16,639
When you pull the windshield to replace it, make sure you inspect the low corners of the windshield opening. You'll likely find rust there. My car has never seen bad weather (winter) and has virtually no chassis rust. Yet I did find rust beginning in the openining when I pulled my windshield. Likely due to crappy installation of replacement windshield.

windshield seal replacement rust
__________________
Kevin L
'86 Carrera "Larry"
Old 02-23-2009, 09:32 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #15 (permalink)
Registered
 
moneymanager's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Santa Barbara, CA
Posts: 2,307
If the seal leaks, water runs to that very spot and sits there sometimes for days. Do that for a couple of years and there will be rust.

__________________
jhtaylor
santa barbara
74 911 coupe. 2.7 motor by Schneider Auto Santa Barbara. Case blueprinted, shuffle-pinned, boat-tailed by Competition Engineering. Elgin mod-S cams. J&E 9.5's. PMO's.
73 Targa (gone but not forgotten)
Old 02-23-2009, 10:21 AM
  Pelican Parts Catalog | Tech Articles | Promos & Specials    Reply With Quote #16 (permalink)
Reply


 


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:40 AM.


 
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2025 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page
 

DTO Garage Plus vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.