Leaking Targa Top

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

I hope Aurel doesn't mind, but I used his photo to help illustrate the leaking area on my 86 Targa.

While sitting inside with the windows up and the Targa installed, I can see daylight coming through the seal in the area indicated in the photo. It is actually leaking in the same area on both sides.

I've looked closely at the seal and it looks as though it's in good shape. It actually looks as though the windows aren't coming up high enough to make a complete seal.

I'll try to get some pics tonite of mine so you can see what I'm talking about. But in the meantime, does anyone have any ideas. Was thinking maybe the seal was installed incorrectly or something...I just don't know.

Randy

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Well, posting the pic just isn't working, gonna have to finish this when I get home tonite.

Basically, its along the top of the window. It starts at the vent window and spans about 6 inches.

Randy

JMPRO · JMPRO's Garage

Randy, the windows can be adjusted to go up higher and fill that space, there is a section on how to adjust it in the haynes manual. Also the side seals can be adjusted slightly from side to side to help make a better seal.
Hope this helps
Jerry

Argo · 08-28-2002, 11:15 AM

Also, the perpendicularity of the window with respect to the door/top can be adjusted (this is my problem and it sounds like yours - my window is too high towards the rear of the car but just fine towards the front).

Argo
88 Targa

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Jerry,

I've looked at the rise of the window and from what I can tell, it looks like its coming up high enough. It clears the top of the vent window by about 1/8 of an inch.

Argo,

I think you may be on to something here. My problem may be opposite of what you have. My window leaks towards the front (i.e., higher in the back)...is this going to require an adjust ment to the window on the tracks?

Randy

BTW...."perpendicularity" I almost didn't believe that to be a real word! Looked in the dictionary and lo and behold.... there it was, just waving away at me...

JMPRO · JMPRO's Garage

Randy, you could also try shimming under the rubber strip to bring it closer to the glass.
Jerry

Aurel · Aurel's Garage

Nope, I don`t mind you reposting my picture.Here is where you can see it.
I had the same problem before I recovered the top.It was leaking at the corner of the window. Now, I have overlapped the vinyl at the corners, so there is more pressure on the seal, and it looks like it will leak less.(I need a heavy rain to confirm this !). The downside is that the corners are slighly lifted now, and do not sit perfectly. So it really is a balance : too much pressure, your corner lifts and you get wind noise, too low pressure and it leaks...
If you are not going to recover the top, it seems that the end of the ruber seal can be removed. If you manage to do that, I would suggest that you inject some silicone glue underneath the rubber, to create that overpressure that will make the seal heremtic.
Good luck !

Aurel

Argo · 08-28-2002, 07:11 PM

Adjusting the window parallelism is my next project and it looks easy. Per Bentley, you take the door panel off and loosen 2 bolts holding the rear regulator guide rail to the door panel and slide the rear bolt up or down in its elongated slot to change the angle of the window until it's level. This might change the height of the window. To adjust this, lower the window until the stop bracket is aligned with the access hole, loosen the bolt and move the bracket forward or back to adjust the height and tighten bolt. This is for 87 - 89 Targa's; I can't confirm that it applies to 86's.

Targa tops - the Rubik's Cube of the Porsche world.

Argo
88 Targa

rcecale · rcecale's Garage

Well, the top is in desperate need of recovering so I think that will have to be the first thing. (Hail storms and Targa Tops do not play well together!) Once I have it reskinned, I'll have to start in on the adjusting of the side windows.

Funny thing about Targas, they only seem to leak when its raining, and if its sunny, why would you want to spend your day fixing it if you could just as easily br cruisin' without it?

Randy

Jdub · 08-29-2002, 05:32 AM

Psst. No Cabs or Coupes reading this thread!

Let's face it guys, the misguided owners of the Cabs and Coupes will never understand the wonders of the Targa design. So what if we are persnickity and arrive at work with wet left knees! And we can recover our tops indoors, not out in the garage unzipping access panels and futzing with gears, drive cables, grease, and mismatching sunroof lines. And we don't have to refinance the house to purchase a cab top!

Today's drive was fantastic: not a single red light (another day with the top off: when will the Seattle weather madness end!). And with the Targa, you've got nice thick glass and Targa bar for privacy, but you'd never know it was there when you drive - might as well be a cab except you have rear seats to boot!

Targas. I am now convinced!

John