lube up the rubber seals (do the hatch seal while you're at it) with Vasoline, store indoors away from sunlight and dirt and leave the t-tops off for a half a day or so. THe vasoline will soften up the rubber and create a better sealing surface. After doing this and the adjustment mentioned above, my t-tops don't leak in the rain anymore. HIgh pressure stream of water directed at the rubber is another matter though...

i have an 84 transam with T-Tops and they have never leaked, i live in a hot a$$ desert where the heat destroys everything and they still don't leak after 18 years, i guess the fact that i never take them off helps, too. i dunno, it still has all of it's stock wheater stripping, i am wating on my new headliner so that i can start taking them off

Mine leak. After it rains the water comes down the front corners of both of them. It drips down on both sides on the electric door lock buttons. Is this where the leak is coming from or the only way for the water to get out? Are there supposed to be drain holes that might be clogged up?

Thanks guys


Danimal

my car does exactly that. you get in and ur all dry then boom. ur go and ur soaked

Have you checked the rods themselves to see if they're rattling?

Mine used to leak for the previous owner then I took them off then back on and they never have leaked for me but my headliner has water stains on it sucks!!!! But wouldnt trade my t-tops in for just that there sexy as hell!!!!!!

i wish i had t-tops

Have you checked the rods themselves to see if they're rattling?


It only rattles near the front rod on the driver top. I adjusted them (both tops) yesterday, the rattle hasn't gone away. But yes, it is near the front rod. What can I do about that? I guess it's time for SFCs! -89IRO

same here

Mine leak, but only down the pass side sail panel to the rear pass seat.

my drivers side leaks from the t top weather stripping.......i know i need to get the damn money together and buy the 30 dollar part....

Both cars leak. I do seem to have more trouble with leaks coming from the hatch hinges attach to the body though.

Same here... A nice little puddle on my back seat whenever I wash my car. I haven't taken a close look yet, but hopefully some black silicone around the hinge will do the trick.

actually maybe someone could help me out.......my leak comes in from drivers side...towards the back....it drips down onto the seat belt where the t top connects to the body.....it drips from where that space is.....any answers how to fix it?

Exactly my problem except on the pass. side. It drips right onto the seat belt. I siliconed it a few days ago, I'll let you know how it holds up when I wash her on Sunday. -89IRO

hah yep same problem....after a rain i have to strap up with a nice fully soaked belt.......i was thinking replacing the weatherstripping on the t top itself.....u think that would help?

I did that on both t-tops. But the pass. side still leaks. I've got both tops adjusted the exact same, so I don't know why the pass. leaks but the driver side doesn't. Damn Camaro. Anyways, like I said, I put some silicone a few days ago under the pass. side so when I wash it tomorrow, I am hoping it won't leak. -89IRO

my pass use to leak a little but now it doesnt anymore, i dont get it
yeah definatly post ur results on it, hey maybe i wont have to buy new stuff

Well, I washed it yesterday and sure enough she still leaked. Again just the pass. side. This week I plan on losening the tops a bit so I will have another shot at the silicone, I think I can get it. -89IRO

damn, hope u find a solution for both of us

Mine are terrible, both leak on front and back seats. Car is in good shape, no rust holes. Pass side has new gaskets, still leaks, I will try to adjust it though. The drivers side kinda leaked a couple years ago, I adjusted it and it stopped for 2 months, then when the leak returned it was worse than ever. I'll try some more adjusting, but they leak bad!

Let us know how it goes, hopefully you'll have some luck so you can help us. -89IRO

I wish we had air tight systems like C5's do. Get in a C5, and roll up the windows, you'll see what I mean.

My 84 doesn't leak an ounce of water!

for some reason mine only leak when i wash my car...not when it rains tho...

ATOMonkey wrote: And, 92 blue wrote: I also have this problem. You described my situation exactly! I was thinking maybe the water is coming in through the back hatch somewhere. I have that plastic piece off the car and see some rust spots on the metal of the car from where the water leaks in. Bought some silicon to see what I can do. If anyone knows a real solution to this... I'm going to try buying a new centre piece for the t-tops, see what that does - but that's not rusty or anything. Anyway, nice to know there's others with the same problem.

But, as for the poll, nope the t-tops don't leak. That 'mysterious' place on the bird leaks.

Just a follow-up post to myself.
I installed the ABS headliner and put my plastic trim back in the car and she doesn't leak (and this is in New Jersey where it rained like 18 weekends in a row!). Whoo hoo!
:lala:

My ttops dont leak, only if you spray right on top of them... but as it was brought up before... your not supposed to do that. I need to get an ABS headliner from somewhere. I have a gray interior, but want a black headliner cause i think it would look cleaner, but then i would have grey everything else, and gray visors. ah dunno. If anyone has a new abs headliner, where did they get theres and for what price?

I bought mine from FBody Motorsports. I bought the whole kit w/covered headliner, sail panels and visors. It's listed as $250. When it shipped, they had thrown in a yard's worth of extra t-top material.


Link: http://www.fbodymotorsports.com/inc/pdetail?v=1&pid=288

I have mine down to bare metal right now, new center bar, new strips, new adjusting slots, used tops. I'm having to do some patch work with the front and rear areas as far as rust is concerned, I guess the water sat in there behind the strips for
awhile. So I've got my resin cloth and filler, hope this works I
really love this car. Anyone have experience with 3M's strip adhesive?

Both of mine leak in real hard rain, I also have the problem with the back hatch seal leaking on the back seats. I think most of my problem is weatherstripping. Its badly weathercracked and rotten. The previous owner used the T-Tops on every day it wasnt raining or snowing... and so do I, so the weatherstrips get alot of sunshine. I've got a box full of new weatherstripping and a tube of ultra black sitting next to me though... hopefully the leaks will be gone soon

I'll probably get the strips put in within a couple weeks... I'll keep ya'll posted.

Paul J.

hello trying a test post i am having problems

I love t-tops, wouldn't have it any other way. But mine leak as well. I found that alot of water was coming from the brackets that hold the hatch to the body. Overtime they rounded out the holes and alot of water was making its way in there. I washed the car once and I was suprised to see a pddle in my rear seat. This was before I did my interior swap. Anyways, I sealed around those brackers with some silicon, and also inside the car. It used to POUR in, now its more of a trickle, but I still need to get to it. The car must have had leaking weatherstipping for year, as that bar in the middle is all rotted in there. The original owner had new weatherstriping installed before I bought the car, but it was too late and the damage had been done. When I swapped my interior, the carpet was absolutely disgusting under the rear seats. the front portion of the car was dry for the most part. the rear hatch was also quite wet in the well. I did my best to seal it all up, but only the next rains will tell. Hopefully it won't be bad and I can adjust accordingly. Ill be damned if I am going to ruin a brand new interior.......

Will

i had one bad incodent with the hatch and then it stopped.. i think my truck was open slightly.

Well mine leak and here is why, does anyone make a replacment panel for these, it is the panel that is spot welded in and the gasket fits into.
Thanks
John

Yup, I have the same problem. I plan on redoing my weatherstripping the same time I install a new headliner.

I did not read this whole thread, But I can imagine what some of the complaints were.

T-tops and seals like anything else do wear out with time and age. Mine on my Formula Started leaking last year, and all I had to do was adjust them, and what do ya know, no more leaks WOW!

Is your car a piece of junk when the starter goes bad? would you rather trade it for one without a transmission when the clutch wears out? when the tires go bald? when the Brake Pads wear out? etc.... You get my point. The newest 3rd Gen is 16 Years old now.............

Then why complain when the seals wear out, or the t-tops need to be readjusted????

I personally would not own another thirdgen with a Hardtop (I have had 2 Hardtops and 3 T-Tops), makes me feel too claustrophobic T-TOPS 4 LIFE!

Mine don't leak and I still have the 22 year old weather stripping with no adjustments done to the tops. I concider my self lucky because the car was abused by the previous two owners.

This is one of the leaks I had it was the worst; it would leak out of the trim piece screws at the back by the third brake light. I thought it was the hatch seal or the hinge blots but it was water getting by the ttop seal and flowing between the roof panels back to were the screw’s go through the inner roof. I did several tests and if I sealed the ttops with tape and washed the car or even if I parked the car so it was facing down hill the leak would stop or be greatly reduced.
John

White
Lithium
Grease

I'm with you man, t-tops is the only way to go.

i with all you guys, thats why i cut the roof off and did a roof swap so i could have t-tops, now i just hope that i seal it right when i get it out of the garage in early 2009. wish me luck