Well, we needed more room in the garage which sent the poor bird outside in the weather. after reading some scary posts about t top rust i decided to check mine out. after checking things out ive found that about an inch or two of the rubber seal is beginning to let water underneath it right at the rear of the t bar. no water leaks in the interior so far so im assuming there probably isnt any major rust issues, YET, but i want to check things out to take care of anything that might be starting.

So, my first question is there are two panels with three screws in them each i would like to remove and look underneath (circled in white) and i was wondering how they come out. after removing the three screws they do not budge and i dont want to bend them.

My second question is can i remove and reseal my existing weather stripping without buying new stuff? (poor 17 yr old ) my origional stuff is in good conditon it just seems the sealant is coming loose in that little spot. Anyone have tips on removing weather stripping without tearing it and also with removing excess glue from the metal AND the weatherstripping?

Anyone have good installation steps for when i put the weatherstripping back in?

BTW, in circled in yellow is where water is coming in uder the seal. i spent some time searching this topic but didnt find what i was looking for so Thanks in advance for all the help i want to take the time to do this right so i dont end up having to do it all over again.

(didnt have a pic so i borrowed one from one of joshp14's threads. not my car)

 

That whole centerpiece is on piece (both sides) I think there is the 3 screws your talking about plus 3 more on the other side and 2 more on each of the ends. Even after you remove them the weatherstrip is cemented to them and getting them free without damage is almost impossible. If you try you will almost certainly need new weatherstips. I need to do the same thing but I'm waiting until I get up my nerve to try.

 

ringo234 is right about the weather strip being stuck to that center piece. You need to take it all apart to get that center piece off. About the water leaking in, you will see it in the inside. Look at your headliner, and that plastic strip that is at the back of the headliner. The water might be leaking down and sitting in there. If you're lucky it hasn't leaked yet. You can take that plastic strip off and check, it's not too much work.

About taking the weather stripping off without damaging it. That will be hard, but try to get a thin wire (fishing line will probably work best) and run it under the strip as close to the body of the car as possible. Scrape the excess glue off the car with a putty knife or something. Gently peal it off the weatherstripping, and be GENTLY! It tears easily.

 

im not sure if its leaking into the interior yet ill have to take off that plastic, but since that one small area is the only place thats not sealing well, can i dry it out really well peel it back to where its still sticking and then re seal it? id like to fully re-do it but i dont have hundreds to buy on new weatherstripping. anyone have pics of the centerpiece being removed or out, so i have a better idea of what your talking about??

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...top+center+bar

There's a little more help, I can't find a picture though.

 

That space you circled in the picture, I just filled it with silicone and the problem was fixed.

 

i might try filling it with silicone like your saying, but in know there is water in there and i dont want to trap it. maybe i can wait until the weather has been good for awhile so i can be sure most of the water has dried out.

 

you know, the gap is there because water is supposed to channel down the hole and behind the seals and out, but the problem is that it gets trapped in there, so siliconing that hole shut will only prevent water from entering in that spot and prevent water from channeling properly. if your centre thing isnt corroded then youll be ok, usually water leaks past the seals where its corroded and runs down your interior and slightly drips on your headliner, and when your headliner is good and saturated itll pool and drip on your backseats. perhaps its time to look at the whole system if its leaking...

 

would you mind explaining how this "system" works exactly? (like where this hole is and how it lets the water out behind the seals etc.) im not totally picturing what your talking about. im pretty sure i have the slight drip problem you describe. i havent gotten a saturated headliner or drips or anything like that, the car just feels humid inside after rain and sometimes the insides of the windows fog up more than what i would expect to be normal. i can also see a spot where the seals are not sticking anymore (circled in yellow in my first pic) any pics you might have to explain this would be great thanks