Carrera tail question
 

I'm about to replace the tail to engine lid gasket. Any hints on how or how not to do this?

Looks like the a/c coil has to come down, and I'm assuming the tail just needs to be loosened, but not removed. Am I close? (Yeah, I know this is an easy project, but it's still nice to benefit from other people's experience.)

There's a small groove underneath the outboard edges of the spoiler. Is the gasket supposed to seat in that groove?

Lee,

You'll need to remove the spoiler (not the engine lid altogether) to do a good job since the seal is stuck to the spoiler with adhesive tape. When you remove the spoiler, you can flip it over and place in on some boxes with towels. Then you can get the old seal's adhesive residue off the surface. Clean it with some solvent to make sure the new adhesive sticks well.

The new seal comes in a roll like a roll of tape. Lay it out for a while to let it unwind. Before removing any of the adhesive backing, lay it out around the spoiler to see how it'll fit. You'll start at the top (closest to the window) of the spoiler when you put it on. When you get ready to actually put it on, don't remove all of the adhesive covering at once. Remove a little at a time as you go around the edge of the spoiler. Make sure to not hug the corners of the spoiler too tightly as you go or you'll have some seal left over (overlap) when you're done! Ask me how I know.

That groove is the seal rubbing against the engine lid, wearing into the metal. My car has that too!!!! I'm sure we're not the only ones.

Take your time and it'll turn out great. Other than a little overlap (maybe 3/4 in., just snipped it), mine looks just like new.

With the spoiler off, you can clean it up real nice and clean up the accumulated dirt underneath the spoiler on the lid as well.

Do you start at the top (window side) of the spoiler? I thought that the joint for the gasket should be on the bottom edge?

I placed the meeting edges of the seal at the top solely because I have the ET light covering the seam. Other wise I would place the meeting edges on the bottom. I don't know if it makes a difference aside from cosmetically.

Good catch. I believe the original had the seam at the bottom like you said. Leaving the joint at the bottom would not be as obvious, hidden under the tail. Still, if you cut it nice and straight with a razor, the ends butt together pretty clean.

I didn't know the gasket had adhesive - mine didn't. When I put mine on I mounted the tail loosely, slid the gasket under the tail and then tightened the screws down. It worked great. I put the seam at the bottom so water has a place to drain out. Eric H 87 Targa

tail gasket
 

I try'd the adhesive didn't work so well wouldn't stay on very well on the corners So I did the same thing as Eric did real easy

I've got a related question and could use some info before I start disassembling things. I've got an 88 Targa with a stock rear wing. The grill on top has a few minor scratches and is faded. I'd like to renew it as well as the wire mesh that mounts right underneath it. Question: Does this grill come off from the wing? I dropped the AC coil to take a better look, but found there are two metal plates underneath the wire mesh that mask how exactly the grill is held on (if it is removable). I looked at the top of the grill and couldn't tell if it actually comes off at all. The line between the grill and the rest of the spoiler almost looks like the grill was just masked off and the spoiler painted, especially where the rear wiper arm would have mounted. It looks like a PITA to remove the grill and I'm afraid I'll scratch things up worse than they are trying to remount it so I'm considering just masking off the rest of the spoiler and painting the grill with Wurth black satin from the outside. This seems like a half a$$ed way to do it, tho, so I'm torn about how to proceed. Any guidance?

Argo
88 Targa

tail grill
 

The wire mesh comes off from the under side. Those strips of metal are held on by screws that hold the rubber part of the tall on. It's not real easy to get to with the tail still on the car. I have seen the fiberglass part of the tail masked off and the grill and mesh painted so the louvred part is black and the rest is the color of the car I think some came stock that way. I know it's a job. I did it on my 930 when I painted the whole car and to get it all back together with out scratching things was a lot of fun:D

The groove I'm talking about is underneath the spoiler at the far left and right edges. It sure looks like it's made into the spoiler and not worn. I say this because the original paint is good there.

I never would have expected adhesive either. Why do I have the feeling that this is going to be one of those projects that I expect to take a couple of hours, but ends up taking a couple of days?

I'm sorry Lee. I misread your original post. You're right. The bead of the new seal lays right in the groove you mention. This is where you don't want to turn the corner too tight with the seal. Make sure it lays down in there nice and "loose."

I still think you'll see that the seal rubs on the engine lid!

Here's what the seal looks like. See the pink plastic backing? That's the kind of OEM Porsche seal I received.

Thanks to pbs911 for the pic.

Tail Seal