Targa top leaking may end my love of the 911

[universeman]

Here's my saga:

Sep 14 - buy a 911 targa SC, complete boyhood dream
Oct 14 - commences the rainiest winter in Austin, TX history
Oct 14 - start thinking about new top from Dan P to end drip-drip leak during rainstorms
Dec 14 - pull trigger - new top from Dan arrives!
Dec 14 - more rain. Still dripping. Hmm.
Jan 15 - adjust glass height, parallel, angle in/out. Drip drip.
Mar 15 - remove targa roll bar to repaint. New rear seal.
Apr 15 - more rain. Drip seems faster. Every time it rains I end up with 1-2" of water under passenger seat. Lots of rare/expensive electronics get wet each time. Grrr.
May 15 - rain becomes Biblical. In a desperate measure, I dry the car in a few minutes of break between rainstorms, and apply blue masking tape to the front and rear seals, wondering if it will stop the water.
Yesterday - huge rainstorms. Still dripping from same place above passenger seatbelt hanger. Adjust rain gutter outward on passenger side, thinking a blocked raingutter is the culprit. Hit with garden hose to simulate rainstorm. Drip drip drip drip.
Today - remove blue tape in frustration. Slowly/carefully. Tape pulls black paint from freshly painted bar. Will need respray. Pulls some paint from PO body respray from top of windshield. Arrrgh.

I have new front seal from Dan but that does not seem to be the issue. Leak seems to be consistently coming from passenger side seal, back screw hole, where water must be coming in via capillary action and running to that point to drain. Or perhaps from front seal (although it came in even when I had the top/body sealed with tape.)

At my wits end. Seriously thinking about selling this car, or setting fire to it! Can anyone talk me off the ledge??

[dicklague]

Sorry to hear.

Sell it and buy a coupe!

[john walker's workshop]

Porsche never guaranteed that they were leak proof. Takes a lot of fiddling with the seals and windows to get close to being sealed. Drain hole in the floor until you get it slowed down?

[jwakil]

Well, it sounds like you are down to two possibilities...seal between rear window and top panel (likely), or targa top to windows (unlikely). Try taping those one at a time and you should be able to figure it out.

[cabmandone]

Sounds to me like you have a vertical seal leak. I believe there is a seal that goes on the bar that seals the back of the window to the bar. In my cab it's a different seal but same principle. I'd look at how your glass seals to the vertical window seal on the bar.

[TheSt|G]

Sell it and get a real 911.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

Sell it and get a real 911.

Do you mean one with electrical problems, oil leaks and broken head studs?

Jason,
Something to keep in mind is a Targa is a sunny day car. They're really the most fun when the sun is shining. Don't believe me? Ask my brother who just from DC to OH in the rain in his Targa to help with my car. His drive home was sunny and he had a great drive back home that he totally enjoyed.

[RSTarga]

When you put your rear seal in, did you apply body putty around the guide pin receptacles? Water may be getting behind the seal and seeping in through there.
Rear window seal usually comes in around the bottom and seeps into rear seat area or down where the seatbelt tensioners are.
There is a video around here that shows the whole fitting process. It's a bear but can be done.

[OsoMoore]

It can be done. My Targa is fine in light drizzle and only a very slow drip in harder rain. I avoid driving on rainy days, but I don't worry if it becomes overcast and I'm already out.

It sounds like you've adjusted all the seals. Take a break and wait for the rain to stop. Then do some driving in the sun until you love the car again. You can come back to sealing it later.

[Josh D]

Consider a water proof car cover until you can sort the seals out.

[DRACO A5OG]

Hey Brother Jason,

Post a couple of pics of the offending area or PM me.

It can be sealed, mine is water tight.

Jim

[gshiwota]

Jason - Hang in there. You can always move to California as our drought is perfect Targa weather.

There's a Porsche Technik manual with instructions on how to troubleshoot leaky Targa tops. I don't have a copy but I think you can search for it in the forums. I'm sure someone here has a copy they can send you. I also found this video from another post that shows common seal issues. It's in german but the pictures are pretty self explainatory.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYmjT8so5Lo

Good luck!

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Josh D

Consider a water proof car cover until you can sort the seals out.

Visqueen and a few bricks.

Get in the car. Have a significant other, kid, pal, M.I.L. put a hose on it while you are inside with a flashlight.

[cabmandone]

Something else,
On a dry day, drive the car and listen for wind noises. If you're getting water in the car you should be getting air sound also. I've been tracking water leaks on my cab by finding where I hear whistling sounds. I had water making it around my vertical window seal on my cab. Believe it or not while driving into a rain water was hitting me in the back of the head and it was coming in around the vertical seal and glass.

[universeman]

All, thanks for the words of support (and the zingers.) To the coupeists I say: thanks for clarification about what is and isn't a 'real' 911. To me, a 'real' sports car can include one in which the passenger compartment is open to the air, as in F1, Indy, Shelby Cobra, etc. etc. but we each have our own ideas about what is 'real.' Certainly I understand the tradeoffs, especially right now

I spent 20 minutes on the phone with Dan P at carsincnj. What a class act and an exceptional customer servant. He's helping me diagnose the issue and I've learned a ton from him, even though I've yet to solve the issue.

Appreciate all the encouragement and ideas, will keep trying! A garage, a garage, my kingdom for a garage!

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by universeman

Appreciate all the encouragement and ideas, will keep trying! A garage, a garage, my kingdom for a garage!

I'll take your kingdom and build you a garage. Deal?

[GH85Carrera]

Sell the Targa and buy a Coupe. Problem solved.

[D@vid]

I've seen a mechanic look for leaks by using a (rented) smoke machine. Filling the car with smoke while looking for escaping smoke outside the car.

[cabmandone]

Originally Posted by D@vid

I've seen a mechanic look for leaks by using a (rented) smoke machine. Filling the car with smoke while looking for escaping smoke outside the car.

Or he could go out and buy a good Cuban cigar and have a nice smoke while leak checking. Call in a couple friends, buy some beer and make it a male bonding event.

[yelcab1]

And this was the reason I fell out of love with the 84 cab, rain water leaks. The targa is a fair weather car.