WaterPumper

I'm sure this has been asked before but t-top leaks have to be the #1 discussion on this site, I couldn't find this idea.
I've tried my hand at making my t-tops not leak twice and I don't want to do it again. I'm wondering if anyone has ever straight up glued everything shut. Not being able to remove the tops would absolutely be worth never having water drip on my knees again, by far the worst design aspect of these cars.
I believe my issue is water getting around the entire seal and entering the car so it would require a lot of glue and be a huge mess if it didn't work, hopefully someone has tried this before

Big&BadGTA

iTrader: (1)

While you might've tried, two realistic options remain.

1. Sell the car and buy a hardtop
2. Pay a pro/shop to fix.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

You don't think anyone has every tried dumping a contractor pack of sillycone kitchen and bath caulk into their ttops to stop the leaks? Lots of people have tried it, and it doesn't really work. I mean it looks stupid, but usually the leaks will persist.

As much as part of me has a nostalgic appreciation for T-tops, I gravitate towards hardtop thirdgens now. Done right, ttops don't leak all that bad. Trouble is that they're finicky. Once someone has been in adjusting things and trying to seal some tiny leak, things usually just get worse.

Gotta agree, find a skilled laborer to fix the problem right, or get a hardtop.

irvan

iTrader: (1)

Please think about the resale value, it's gonna hurt it.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

Don't drive in rain, problem solved��

And for what it's worth, I did just that years ago when I first got my 86, it didn't help and the body shop laughed at me when they had to replace the seals years later.

The new seals still leak, and I've gone over everything. I've just accepted it as one of the cars quirks.

sonjaab

I had 2 T/As new with factory Fisher t-tops and they LEAKED!
Many dealer visits, seal replacements, gaskets etc.
Peddled them both at a couple years old !

My 84 Z has the Factory Fishers w/original seals etc.

I learned to live with the drips, no driving in the rain
and always carry a towel!

They sure are NICE on a sunny day tho!

WaterPumper

I guess I was looking for pointers, obviously I'd assume someone has tried it in the past. My dad had one of these cars since new and warned me about it, but I didn't realize how bad it was going to be. If you all saw the car we're talking about, you'd know why resale is not something I'm concerned with.
Living around it is not as option for me. I do have a water proof car cover, but nowhere to park it under a roof and the leaks are really bad.
There is some rust around where the seals sit in but it's not too bad, how much would I have to pay a shop? I feel like I'd have to pay a lot to get any sort of no leak guarantee.

NoEmissions84TA

iTrader: (1)

84 TA and mine leaked also. Replaced all seals and they still leaked. Adjusted them for the least amount of leakage and then coated all the rubber seals with a generous coating of Syl-Glide. No leaks, and I have never removed the T-tops since. That was over 20 years ago.

82tarecaro

iTrader: (4)

Try new seals. No t top car is leak proof, but it definitely stops 99% of the drips if they are installed properly.

WaterPumper

I'm pretty convinced the water is going around the seals; the leak doesn't matter if the car is moving or not and the water comes in in the middle of the structure, not near where the glass seals.
The seals I installed were used admittedly, but they looked great and the guy that sold them to me is very nice and loves thirdgens, I doubt he'd take advantage of me. I really don't want to pay for and install new seals if that's not my problem.
Really wish I had gotten a hard top car, this leak has caused so much damage in this cars lifetime.

GOATS2QUICK

iTrader: (5)

try this stuff. dealers used a version of it back in the day when these cars were new.
put some on the upper seal areas, leaving the channels open, so not to affect the draining of water.
install glass, wipe any excess off.

i do mine once a year, and works well, but can still leak if the storms are bad but works for the most part.

TTOP350

iTrader: (8)

If I go on a trip or know my car will be out in the rain I put black electrical tape on the ttop seams (I carry it in the car too).
Four runs front to back o the ttops (2 on the center bar an one on each side of the ttops) and then 2 long runs across the car left to right on the front of the ttops and 1on the rear.

T.L.

Glad I don't have T-tops...

scottmoyer

My ttops don't leak. Many people replace the weatherstripping, but forget to bridge the gap at the top and A pillar with the rope caulk. This will cause leaks at the front, outer edge of the ttops. Also, water should not be getting between the body and the weatherstripping. So, if the weatherstripping is sealed to the body and the center bar, the center bear is sealed underneath it and also at the front and rear of the center bar, the pillars to roof gaps were bridged properly, then the only place for water to get in would be between the ttop glass and the weatherstripping. If the weatherstripping channel is dry when water comes in the car, then the body isn't sealed correctly.

Another place for leaks would be between the ttop and the side window. If you get water in there, then your windows are not adjusted correctly.

It's pretty simple to fix the issues if you seal it up correctly.

Drew

iTrader: (58)

There are leaky t-tops, then there are t-tops that leak a dribble or two when you spray high pressure water at the edges of the side glass. High pressure water is probably always going to come in. Drips can be improved.

GM improved the seals on later cars also. Worth looking into if your seals are OE from before about 1990.

Guessing the dielectric grease is just a silicone grease. You can carefully use silicone spray on weatherstripping, just don't get it anywhere near anything that might ever need to be painted. Silicone grease is a little easier to deal with. You can find it at autoparts stores as Syl-Glide or hardware stores as Plumber's Grease. Read the labels, 100% silicone you're good to go. The silicone lets the glass slip and slide better, reducing squeeks and rattles, also reduces wear on the rubber. Silicone repels water, so the water will try to bead away from the lubed seal. It also penetrates the rubber and acts as a protectant, keeping the rubber from drying out and cracking.

WaterPumper

Now thats the idea I was looking for! However short the period of time the tape lasts is so worth having to do it again.

I will definitely try everyone elses suggestions, I did not know about rope caulk and I definitely need to adjust my windows.

scottmoyer

Many people forget to bridge the gaps on the A pillar to roof and b pillar to roof. This is a necessity or you WILL have leaks. Instead of using the 3M weatherstripping adhesive, which gets hard and can crack as it ages, the rope caulk stays soft, yet seals the weatherstripping to the body really well. It also bridges the gap at the front and rear of the center bar where it meets the body.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...done-ttop.html

Eagle223usa

I did my T-tops 6 or 7 years ago and they do not leak. I used GM weatherstripping. I was told by a friend at the body shop where I had my car painted that leaking T tops could mean the cars frame was twisted a bit.

RedLeader289

iTrader: (2)

Just throwing my 2-cents in to say that if you install new weatherstripping and properly seal around the center bar, front, and rear seals you won't have drips. The hardest part is getting the top of the windows to seal but with some shimming in the right places you can do it.

In the end though if you spray the right spot with a water hose or go through a car wash (did it once. . .NEVER again. . .) water will get in. But you can make it so that the rain stays out.

scottmoyer

GM did recommend that pressurized water and car washes were to be avoided with ttop cars.

From the GM Water Leak Correction Manual:
"GM vehicles are designed to operate under normal environmental conditions. The designed criteria for sealing materials and components takes into consideration the sealing forces required to withstand the natural elements. These specifications do not and cannot take into consideration all artificial conditions such as may be encountered in some high pressure car washes."

I just looked for this online and found it. I have a copy on my computer, but this is very important information for anyone with TTops.

http://www.kt-s.net/media/T-Top%20Wa...k%20Manual.pdf

WaterPumper

I've come accross that link before, really good information. Last time I saw it I regarded it as silly dealer nonsense(I work at a JD dealer, most things like that are pretty useless from deere). The soapy water test is an awesome idea! I'll be trying that when it gets warmer. It's also nice to know how things are SUPPOSED to be adjusted.

Whenever I think I know everything it always comes back to bite me

jharrison5

This is the #1 problem with our cars that very few people actually address. I have owned a lot of 2nd and 3rd gen f-bodies and everyone of them had body flex. The cars that had sub-frame connectors never leaked and the ones that didn't leaked about 80% of the time.

The very first experience i had with leaking t-tops was on my sister's 77 T/A. My dad caulked the hell out of those things and it fixed the issue, but it looked terrible. When I bought my '81 espirit, which had connectors installed, they never leaked, but my '79 T/A leaked until I replaced the weather stripping and installed a set of connectors.

The '87 iroc i'm playing with now has had them on there for some time, and the doors on that car shut better then the doors on my duramax.