Water and 911T

[steveW]

Good day to all you wise, clever and helpful people!

Ihave got 71 T and I love it to bits, but it leaks water into the cabin area. This is particulary bad and noticable after heavy rains. I have noticed drops of water coming from behind the dash, but not much and certainly not enough to leave a puddle 1cm deep - it is really bad!!!!

I read somewhere that somebody had cured his 911 of water leaks, but this was only a mention in another thread.

Please help. This is a plea from the bottom of my heart 'coz I love my baby and don't want her to rust away.

[Leland Pate]

Well first off, is your car a Targa or Coupe?

Since you said the words "911" and "leaks" in the same sentence, I'm going to assume you have a Targa for now.

The good news: Your not alone.

The bad news: There are about a bizillion places on targas to leak.

The best way to pin point leaks of this sort i to get yourself an assistant who will sit in the car (windows up) and watch while you use a garden hose to gently pour water over the car.
Be methodic; work slow. Start at the lowest point (like at the base of the windshield) and work up (the wing window seal). Hold the water over one section for at least a few minutes and wait for a reaction....don't go too fast.
At some point, you'll start to see the drip. Hopefully that will help a bit.

A few common places are at the bottom corners of the windshield (the seal shrinks with age), the top of the windshield to targa top seal (If water gets behind it, it can travel down the sides and into your cabin).

And the biggie is where the vent window, targa top, and windshield corner all meet...this seemsto be the hardest part on Targas to seal.

new seals, plenty of glue, and allot of patience are just about your only hope.


...hope you don't have a coupe.


Good luck,

[steveW]

Oops I should have mentioned it is a coupe - not one of those half-car, half tent-jobs.

I have noticed the rubbers seem to have shrunk around at the corners. I tried the hose test, but obviously not for long enough. It rained all day and all night when my car filled up.

[Leland Pate]

Half-car half-tent HUH!!!




Oh well...

Yes, i would check the base of the windshield. Try injecting a silicon sealant in the gaps. maybe that'll help.

It can be a pain I know.

[tobluforu]

I tried everthing to get mine to stop leaking. Buy a new rubber gasket for the windshield and have it replaced- about 45 bucks for the gasket. Fixed mine in a giffy. One thing though, you will most likely find that some rust has built up at one of the lower corners of the sill. Mine was on the drivers side.
Good luck

[Dantilla]

"Cured his 911 of water leaks" Be careful- Next thing you know, he'll tell you his 911 doesn't drip any oil!

[Early_S_Man]

Band-Aid fixes on a seal that old aren't likely to work!

Get a new seal, and have it installed by someone who knows what he is doing ... end of water problem inside after downpours!

[Superman]

I also suspect the windshield seal. If you've seen dripping under the dash, then I'm about 99% sure your seal is leaking, and very possibly this does account for the large amount of water you are getting. I'd also agree that bandaids are not going to work but if you do try spooging some goop under the seal, do not use anything with silicone. Use Glazing Compound, available in tubes for your caulking gun. Water may be getting between the glass and the seal, but more likely it is getting between the seal and the body.

The real fix is to remove the glass, clean and paint any rust (the window sill will look a bit ugly, so be warned), and install a new gasket.

[Reg]

My seal is not the best either.

Can any regular glass shop do the job correctly? Is a 911's windshield and rubber much different from any other car?

And finally, would it be best for me to buy the seal and supply them with it and do the seals differ from my 1970 coupe type vs the say 1986 coupe. I know they have different coloured trims etc..

Thanks!

[Superman]

I believe the seals are the same for all those years. In theorly, any decent glass place could do it. In reality, only the ones with P-experience really understand this job. For example, they eventually discover that only the OEM seals (not the aftermarket ones) will fit and work properly. Also, these seals can be a little tricky, so I'd look for P-experience. The guy that did mine was the guy that the service writer at the local Porsche dealership specifically requests when he sends a job out.

Tip: It is indeed a good idea to bend the aluminum trim back into shape using the edge of the windshield (carefully). These get bent out of shape in shipping and do not fit properly until bent back into shape.

[85 Coupe]

I just thought I'd put this out there:

I replaced my windshield a couple weeks back because it was soooo pited. The guy at the glass place kind of liked the glass and though he'd try to take it out in one piece and do I know not what with it... The short of the story is that he broke it despite his attempt not to. I guess old glass become rather fragile... So beware if you go the "changing the gasket route".

Good luck
Jean-Paul

[Superman]

I'd agree. It can be very difficult to remove these windshields whole. For sure, you'd have to cut the gasket off. I know glass is another expense and I understand folks who like being thrifty. But this is a job where fresh, new glass would be very 'worth it.'

[Fishcop]

It's definitely your windshield seal. I changed mine myself with the help of a friend. Buy a new factory seal and a tube of dow-corning or 3m winshield calking, like Superman says DON"T USE SILICONE.

Do not spare the razor blades, cut as much of the seal away as you can. Jump in the car with your offsider and with your combined 4 feet gently press the windshield away from the old seal until it gives. Yes there is a small chance that you'll break the glass, but it is chance you have to take as a rusty car will result if you procrastinate (ask me how I know )

Treat any rust you find with an inhibitor and some paint - any colour will do as you won't see it.

With the new seal streched out in the sun to warm up fit it around the edge of the windscreen, run a length of 3mm electrical wire around the indent on the seal where it sits in the body of your car. You and your mate can then gently lower the screen and seal into position.

Inside the cabin of the car start pulling the wire at a 90 degree angle from the screen towards you. This will pull the lip of the seal out and over the edge of the window "crimp" As you do this your mate pushes down on the windscreen exactly where the end of the wire is comming free of the seal. You both work your way all the way around the window until it pops in.

Once in, make sure the seal is undamaged and completely un-pinched. You then start working calking into the area between the glass and the seal on the outside. Make sure you use plently particularly in the corners, and excess you can remove a couple of days later with a razor blade.

Hope this helps! Oh and by the way "Go Aussie Go" (Cricket is on in South Africa at the moment for you US people)

[Fishcop]

Oops

[304065]

Man, I would replace that seal asap, don't bother with caulks or silicones. The PO of my '88 Carrera went the silicone route. Fast forward to last summer, I go out one very rainy morning to start the car and am greeted by an INCH of water in both sides. So what do I do? I put the ignition key in and try to start the car! DOH!

$1800 later I have a new motronic unit and fresh carpeting and a great story to tell about water and electrons. I realize this particular experience doesn't apply to a '71 T but there are plenty of things behind that dashboard you don't want to get wet, to say nothing of rust in the pedal box.

Best of luck if you're going to DIY- my advice would be to proceed slowly and carefully with the windshield. My pal StuttgartDavid had two windshields broken by the shop that put his in: seems the learning curve is pretty steep even for professional glass guys.

[steveW]

Thanks to you all - I've ordered a new rubber and will tackle the job soon.

More leak testing also revealed water getting through the rear side windows (seals also very brittle and pulling away from bodywork)

Cheers - what on earth would we do without this site. it sort of makes shop manuals obsolete!!!!!