87_LG4

Hi guys.

I really need your help on this one, or this problem might be the final nail in the coffin for me to sell this damn thing.


Ever since I bought my t-topped 87 it's had various leaks from its weatherstripping. Mostly around the area at the bottom of the A-pillars where the plastic triangle meets up with the weatherstripping. On any rainy day the front of the door panels would get soaked. The rubber that was on it at the time looked to me like original GM.

So I looked around for replacements, and landed on a kit from soffseal IIRC. This mostly cured my A-pillar leak, but they would leak violently around the areas where the t-top bar meets the top of both pillars, on both sides no less, due to poor design. It also started to leak from the t-top bar on the drivers side right into the drivers seat.

So that set didn't last long before I purchased a new set of original GMs. Got them installed last week, and today was the first day of rain since then. I was thrilled when I looked through the window to see that the seats were completely dry. Also the seal around the window edges seems to be really nice and tight. So imagine my disappointment when I got inside the car and saw that the front of the door panels (on both sides) were soaked again.



So I stepped outside to see where the water could be coming in. I noticed that the weatherstripping around that area had been folded inwards by the plastic triangle, so I thought that that had to be the problem.



I unfolded it and went around to the passenger side only to find no such problem. The passenger side looked completely fine, yet the door panel was soaked on that side as well.



So I snapped a few pics and here I am. At wits end. This is really killing both me and my car. I live in a city where it rains on average 250+ days a year, and I don't have a garage. If this continues my car will rust out before I can mend it, and I'm getting really tired of trying to cure cancer with band-aids. I'm thinking it might be partly the door seals as they are non-GM as well and have a rather poor fit as you can see in the top picture. I will also try to find some sort of water repelling gel to put on that area to see if that helps.


Has anyone else had this problem? Does anyone know how to solve it? (preferably a permanently fix). Please.



Thank you for any and all advice.
- Dennis

white gold 88

Have you tried adjusting the window and triangle any? There could be other areas that are leaking but I'd try starting there first. You may try removing the inner a-pillar trim and checking to make sure the water is not comming in around the weatherstrip retainer. Looks like a nice car, I'd hate to see you sell it just for that.

87_LG4

I did check the window to see if it looked misaligned at all when I did the weatherstripping. It looked to be leaning a bit inwards at the top, so i adjusted the top bump stops a bit. But it looked good side to side as far as I could tell.

In any case, if further adjustment is what it needs, I might have a problem.



- Dennis

white gold 88

Uh yep. That would be a problem but to stop the water leak and keep the car that stuff would have to go or be replaced.

87_LG4

Well, sh*t!



Also, I guess this is would be my original problem, but how do I adjust that?



Thanks
- Dennis

kentuckyKITT

iTrader: (4)

I had the EXACT same leak on my driver's side door panel just like yours. It was driving me up a wall for days. I could clearly see that my triangle and glass were sealing perfectly and when I sprayed water at it, nothing got in, yet every time it rained, wet door panel at the front with a nice water mark on the black plastic. It's most likely coming from a ttop leak and running down the a-pillar trim and dripping right down the door panel.

Every time I have one of these cars it's ALWAYS a ttop leak every time and that water channels into places and ends up somewhere else. Here is what I would do if you can: take out the headliner, front a-pillar trim, rear b-pillar trim and door panels. Get in the car and watch all over while you have a friend dump glasses of water all over the ttops. Have your buddy drown them especially in the corners and around the tbar center piece.

IF you are by yourself, you can open the passenger door and do one side at a time. Pour water all over the driver's side ttop up to the center piece (all around it), then race over to the other side, climb in and watch. This is how I always find the leaks.

Another thing you can do to nail down ttop leak only. Using wide masking tape (painters kind that WON'T peel the paint when removed), tape off every seam around the ttops effectively sealing them temporarily. Now, spray the car good with a hose but try to hold the hose so that you are spraying at a downward angle simulating rain. SOAK the car. Let it sit like that for a few minutes, then dry it off good. Get inside and look around to see if there are any leaks. If you have a buddy, you can already be inside while he or she sprays. You can also dump water all over it with buckets or whatever. You want the car SOAKED. Water will find it's way in if there's a way. IF there are no leaks while ttops are taped up, then odds are it's the tops.

It's always ttop leaks for me every time and it's never failed once. Good luck with it.