Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I recently replaced my weather stripping using a kit from 1a auto. I saved money by not buying the GM set and instead bought this set:

http://www.1aauto.com/1A/Weatherstri...10/250708/1986

It looks like that was a bad choice because the leak is happening near as I can tell due to poor design or poor manufacturing.

The leak is happening where the T-Top sits into the rest of the weather stripping. The stripping is angled there so that the t-top seal and it are supposed to push together, but the little rubber arm coming off the body seal is not strong enough and gives a little bit making a non solid seal. While the rubber is touching each other water is still able to seap through the crack and then run down the stripping on the inside to drip off and down into the floorboard / along the door. It does this on both sides of the car in the same spot and I'm sure the installation was done correctly.

I can take pictures of the spot to better illustrate where it is happening if needed. I can't find anyway to adjust the t-top or anything to create a better seal here so looking to see if anyone else has some ideas. I want to replace the carpet and seat upholstery but it's pointless for me to do so if the new stuff is just going to get water damage every time it rains due to this crack.

Thanks!

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

do you use 3M wheaterstripping adhesiv, it worked for me.
be sure to put a film on the wheaterstripping where it touches the metal. specially underneat the T-bar its best that you put adhesiv on the side of the wheaterstripping and then push it in its place. it worked for me, before I did this my rubbers leaked harder then my original 20 year old rubbers.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I'm not sure if this is your issue, but you can adjust the Ttops some-what. Take off the black A piller trim, and the B piller trim around the rear portion of the door. Then adjust the mounting plates by loosening the bolts, its trial and error, just adjust till it seals tight.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

We do need a picture of where you think the problem is. I can't picture it. Did you bridge the gap between the a pillar and the roof and also the b pillar and the roof? There is a gap in the metal that needs to be bridged with 3M rope caulk. If you don't caulk this area, it could leak as the caulk is used to seal the gap.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

The 3M stuff does work great - just sealed up the leaking tops in my 97 Z28, and where it literally leaked gallons in a simple rain before, not a drop now! I didn't even remove the seals, just ran a bead all along the edges of the seals and ran my finger over it to mesh it along the seal-to-body edge, and let it dry for the afternoon with the tops out.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I think you might be having the same problems I am. The interface between the body seal and ttop seal at the rear of the ttop leaves a lot to be desired. The short piece of seal that comes of the body seal (and has that plastic tab that screws on to the body) just doesn't seem to work right. It wants to twist down and outward when the ttop is on. Then when you close the door, the same twist is there but the entire gasket pushes inward, leaving a 1/8" deep U between the glass and seal (where the Red Arrow points) . The ttop drip edge keeps rain out of there but it's a pain to wash the car without getting water in there.

No luck so far in engineering a fix.

http://www.mentalsocket.com/iroc87/ttopseal.jpg

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Thanks for all the replies thus far.

The spot where this problem is occuring for me cannot have adhesive put on it. Then I would not be able to remove the T-Tops.

I do have the problem ZZ3Astro mentions, but I don't really see much water getting in there. The rubber rain drip piece on the T-Top usually takes care of that. And I also have an idea on how to fix it when I get around to it. ZZ3Astro you may want to try this, I plan to find a strong piece of metal and slide it between the back of the weather stripping and the medal piece on the body that the weather stripping sits in. Slide it up so that it's poking up into that corner and it should push that demple out.

I'll take pictures of my problem location when I get home this evening. I'm using ZZ3Astro's picture for now to illustrate my problem location, except my problem location is on the front side of the t-top, not the backside as pictured. Circled in yellow:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...1&d=1303919519

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

sometimes the seal on the t-top needs to be tweaked a bit to seal here just right. the original factory ones used a screw with an elongated hole to allow the ends to slide in and out, but the oe replacements and aftermarkets did away with the screw slot, so you have to glue (3m adhesive) in place; since it can slide around a bit prior to curing, sealing up the ends can be a bit tricky

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

So it's basically poor design then?

How am I supposed to fix this with the weather stripping already glued down? Is it not going to tear it apart if I try to remove it in order to move it. I put it in the exact same position that the old one came out, I know because I made sure to mark off where the old one was before I replaced it. I wanted to try and avoid problems like this. And I really don't want to have to buy replacements due to poor design.

My old stripping didn't even leak, I replaced it because it was old and dry-rotted and starting to tear.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I just got a 86 t top that still has the factory seals in it still ,and the look good but they leak as in the circle how can i fix it or whats the best after market seals, hawk's, camaro central , or classic industries

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Try putting just enough adhesive on that edge with the t-tops OUT. I think I heard that depending on the brand they take about 24 hours to cure. So if you have a garage or a nice neighbor ask them if you can park it there for the night and once the period is over reinstall the t-tops and test for leakage.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

not a bad design (even GM's factory replacements are molded without the original plastic tabs these days) per se, just require a bit of tweaking. your olds ones didn't leak because they were setup and adjusted before leaving the factory. These cars are a pain to keep leak free, we're all in the same boat, myself included. It just means making lots of little adjustments before you can sit back and enjoy not having a wet seat or pant leg.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I took some pictures for you guys of factory replacement weatherstripping and the fit they provide. The TTop strip itself is not GM and was purchased from Eckler's Camaro and could be Metro or Soff Seal. I don't recall. When I removed the factory piece, it was screwed into the ttop to prevent movement. The replacement did not have the screw in but was a tight fit and didn't require any adhesive to hold it in place.

The first two pics are of the front and rear weatherstripping.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...topsealfrt.JPG

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...opsealrear.JPG

The next two pics are of the seal with the ttop in place. Not sure why the seal hangs lower in the rear on the factory stuff compared to the ttop seal. I get no leaks with it. You can see that these two merge very well together in front and in the rear.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...ithttopfrt.JPG

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...thttoprear.JPG

The last two photos are of the window up and how well it seals.

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...indowupfrt.JPG

http://www.users.qwest.net/~nscamaro...ndowuprear.JPG

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

that looks good, i wounder if the Hawks ,or the camaro central kits fit that nice, any body use any of them ,or is classic industries is the best one for the money

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

For those who want nothing but the originals, we do have them available:
GM t-top seal set

however, the price is a bit on the higher side than the aftermarket stuff. I don't hear many issues with the Metro stuff, but occasionally it may require a little bit of tweaking to fit just right.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

The pricing that 1A has listed is not out of line with GM pricing today because they also have the TTop piece included in their set.

I called the local Chevy dealer and asked for prices on part numbers 10198208 and 10198209 which are still available. I was quoted $197.26 and $227 respectively. That comes to $424 from the dealer and then add whatever the cost of the TTop piece is. I'm glad I bought when I did. I called Ecklers and gave them the part number of the seal I bought years ago and was told they are SoffSeal. The TTop surrounds are GM original and I paid $123 for the one and $119.42 for the other side! I guess prices have increased considerably, but I also paid $107 for the TTop seal itself from Ecklers in 2005. So my costs from 2005-2008 are $349 vs todays cost of $455. You do get what you pay for. The originals lasted how many years on most of our cars. I'll pay extra to get the same lifespan again!

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Lol, I'm really jealous of how good yours fit scottmoyer. I wish I would've spent the extra money and gotten GM stuff, but I was told that the after market stuff worked great. No one told me about the numerous problems with it and all the "tweaking" required to get it in right.

"Tweaking" for me in this case looks like it's going to mean spending more money to replace stripping. I'm going to have to look back and figure out what brand is on these seals that I bought and make sure never to buy anything from them again. To many problems from it, initially I thought they were a good fit but that was before it rained on the car lol.

I just have the feeling if I order replacements and move them forward on the t-tops a tad in order to get a better seal in the front, then the back isn't goin to seal properly. :(

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Got the GM stuff thru GM Parts Direct last November for just under $300 with shipping. Part # 10198208 is still listed at $118.

I've used both the GM and 1A Metro T-top seals.

The GM pieces were a better fit, especially in the channels along the A and B pillar. The Metro required adhesive here where the GM pieces were a tight snap fit.

The biggest difference, however, was cosmetic. The Metro pieces had messier joints where the pieces were joined together. Compare the joint in post #6 above to the same joint in post #13. Maybe with time it will blend better as mine are less than a month installed.

Still love 1A and have used all of their other weatherstripping. Had their door stripping and outer sweeps on my DD since 2005.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

What about OER brand , i have call around and thats what the Hawks and Classic industries sell ,are they any good or even close to the Gm . thanks

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Wait... on GM Parts direct... are these the correct pieces for all the t-top weather stripping?

http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...86&catalogid=2

2 of the Weatherstrip - T-top roof - T-top roof and 1 of each side? Looking at the illustration that looks lik ethe pieces... but the price is not much more than what I paid for the after market crap that is giving me so many problems. I can't do a straight comparison because the kit I bought had a few other pieces in it but if I broke it down I don't think it'd be that much more. It's only 321.50 for all of that, where 1A has the GM OE kit at 455.95

http://www.1aauto.com/1A/Weatherstri...SC00096/366283

Is 1A auto really overcharging that much for these? Or am I looking at the wrong parts?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

careful - GM Parts Direct likes to tack on a lot of additional fees. "handling" (not including shipping) added another $67 to the price of those parts...

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Well, I went through the checkout as far as I could without entering payment information and it didn't add anymore charges for shipping.

Their faq makes it sound like the handling charge you are talking about includes shipping charges. And if that's true it is still 65 dollars cheaper than 1A Auto's price.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

If that's the case, they may be beating us on pricing on these. We do our best to price competitively, but sometimes we can't be the cheapest.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I have to be honest and now that I see the GM Parts direct pricing, I remembered that I got a discount at the dealer I bought mine from because they were our local Camaro Club sponsor. Unfortunately, that dealer is now closed due to the GM restructure and the one I called today doesn't know me from mud. I need to build a relationship with the new dealer in town!

Customer service is also very important. Can you return parts to GMPartsDirect if they are damaged? Without additional fees?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

When I ordered mine from GM Parts Direct I got a message to confirm the parts numbers with them via e-mail or they wouldn't guarantee a return if they were wrong.

And try typing 'gmpartsdirect' into the address bar. I'm seeing slightly lower prices there (but can't answer on the shipping).

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

$296.55 was my total from gmpartsdirect WITH SHIPPING to Louisiana..... That was for both t-top main seals.

I did the order as a "check/money order" and it showed me shipping costs as they do not show shipping unless you submit the order.....

Also, Third Gen Ranch has the t-top seals for $316.89 shipped....

Not trying to bash 1AAuto, as I have always had a positive experience when ordering from them, but the OEM seals can be had for cheaper elsewhere....
However, this kit 1A offers is fairly comparable in price once you factor in the door seals, hatch seal, etc...
http://www.1aauto.com/1A/Weatherstri...01/242024/1985

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Since were discussing weatherstripping, I have a quick question. I'm replacing the hatch weatherstripping on my 87 Iroc and when I pulled up a section of the old one, there's no adhesive there. Do I need to use adhesive for this installation?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

You could dab a little spot here and their if you want to,but you really don't need it for the hatch.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I don't know about you guys but I bought my weatherstripping from 1A and had no problems what so ever,you have to take your time and do it right the first time,don't rush it and let the 3M dry properly,and prep it really good,preparation is the most important thing you can do,that's 75% of the job. And also I couldn't find any auto supplier that even came close to the price I got from 1A.I got the inner sweeps with the sills,outer sweeps,T Tops,T Top side rails,Hatch,Door seals,Front window triangles,Free shipping,no sales taxes,all for $465.95

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

im also having leaky ttop issues, i have new gm weather striping on it now and its leaking worse than before. its leaking out of the dome light, both rear seat belt holes and both visor mounts... could this be caused by the 2 little square patches under the center ttop piece?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

It's getting under your t-top bar and/or you've got holes in the sheet metal of the stripping channels. For some steps to fix, peruse:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/body...waterleak.html

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Did you remove the center bar? If you did, you need to be sure to fill in the same areas that had adhesive in them from the factory. Also, the front and rear of the center bar need to be sealed where they meet the body. This area is a bridge between the right and left side of the weatherstripping and needs to be filled in with rope caulk or 3M sealant.

As it was said, water is getting under your center bar and dripping thru any opening.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

yes i replaced the center bar mine had 2 roughly 4 by 4 inch square patches one in front and one in back underneath the center bar, is there any specific meterial i should use to replace thoes? there gone now but i belive they were just rubber... and by where the center bar meets the body do you mean under it or in the very front and back of the part the ttops slide under?
thanks for the help

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...top-1231_2.jpg

Use 3M Weatherstripping Adhesive.

Most people forget to bridge the gap between the roof and the A/B pillars. You need to also use 3M windshield rope caulk here in this shape to seal it.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...-ttop-1231.jpg

In this area, you can puddle up the 3M adhesive, but if you have the rope caulk, it will probably do a better job. You can shape it and get a good seal. If I was to do it again, I would use the rope caulk everywhere except in the lower channel. I'd even use it to seal the 1/4 size holes listed in the first picture.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...p-pc300010.jpg

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

I am having the leak at the same place on the drivers side front and rear. also my window is wobbly and pinches the back side plus my door is sagging

wenterstrip my unit is GM NOS

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Would you use window weld,or black sillicone sealer in the t bar pic ,and to do the 1/4 'in spots, and would you use the window weld or sillicone to go between the weather strip and body on the sides . thanks

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

my looks just like that when sealed but it still leaks at the front and rear where the secondary/ window side seal meets by the window

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

thank you for the help i tryed it yesterday and it no longer leaks at the visors, seat belts or dome light anymore... now im having trouble with it leaking out of the center of the trim molding that runs along the top of the interior from quarter too quarter. its a fairly slow leak and i pulled the headliner down to see where i was coming from and it looks like it almost coming out of the roof, completley behind all the weather striping inbetween the back of the ttops and the hatch and it dosnt seem too be just running through the center piece, the whole inside of the body center bar is completly dry... gota love t-tops

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Your leak on the trim part from 1/4 to 1/4 panel is prolly from your hatch bolts and shims. yes you'll need to remove the hatch and reseal the studs an shims where the hatch hinge bolts to the body..

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

ok ill try that tonight, id rather it be that at least itd mean my ttops are good... thanks

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

It looks like when the window moves to the top, it presses the side seals up tight to the angled t-top seal... the raised window stop adjustment is critical to not over deform that front and back seal. I suppose T-top adjustment down tighter may help too....Although the second picture posters corner seemed to be deformed without the window up. Those detailed pics are great. The sealant behind the weatherstripping pictures are also a great help.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

i'm coming in on the tail end of this, everything looks to be a big help for me over the next few weeks/months. My car has rusy in only one area - the center bar, and rhe area under it at the front and back. The front and rear area of the center bar is rusted beyond any repair. I bought a replacement from local bone yard. 1 question here...there are 2 screw holes at both the front and rear of the center bar - there are no holes in my top. Are they likely rusted? Should I drill new holes?
The area where the ttop seal sits is fairly badly rusted. I do not have the ability/funds to completely replace the top. How much of that old rusted area should come out? I hate the use of bondo, but I will probably have to use it here. Will spray on rust remover/reverser work?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Hi Guys, well, this gal took all day and cleaned out all the old TTop W stripping. Now I do have a question if anyone will answer? The 3m glue, is really just a good contact cement...now, having used that before, usually you have to put it on both edges and wait until tacky before putting the two pieces together. What I need to know, can one really get a good seal if you try an just put in a good bead, then manipulate the seal? Seems to me, there is a LOT of adjusting to do while installing this stuff, so having it tacky does not make sense to me as you then easily tear your product, as once it is ON you will NOT adjust it! As for some of the problems leaking water or not lining up, don't over stretch the stripping...something I learned in canvas work and upholstering, start in the MIDDLE, and work down...each side..as that tends to keep things more even, but, who knows, weather stripping seems to have its own quirks! TTOP style!LOL Sigh, since it was such a huge job today...not looking forward to tomorrow!!LOL

Anyhoo, if anyone would email me or reply here for a quick tip on this I would appreciate it! Also, for other sealing problems, I use a very good pure black silicone exterior (but not the car kind, marine kind!) and also black window caulking kneaded stuff...that does matter. Also, do seal up the darn holes in the TTop main frame, water will get into that eventually no matter what, so seal that when the TTop frame is off! And add extra sealant at the back of the TTOP, as that again is a regular prob with water. Ok my tips for today, as I got my old seals to work for me for an extra 10 years as that is how long I had this car second hand (its a 1985)...my daily driver no less, in Canada...so I am a Camaro nut-nut, even if winter lasts way to long up here!:))
Oh, and one more tip....when the seals are not tight enough, I found placing a 'rubber rib or rope' under the bottom edge so that it raises it just a tiny tad...this will also correct a seal problem...or so I found...again, lasted just fine..and fixed a lot of wind problems too. May not be just perfect, but if you can't afford to fix it for a while, or need something more snug, it does work fine. It is also a trick used in leather work etc...add a layer!:))

Cheers,
Vicki

You can reach me at willowswaves@gmail.com

Thanks, and I sure enjoy the site!

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

seems like hit and miss with these seals, not looking forward to replacing mine. If something can go wrong for me.....better believe it will...hahahah

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

LOL well, I know how you feel....it took all day just to take them out and prep to put in new ones....sigh...a big job, so if you can get that much done, you will at least save some coin when having the rest done by the 'pros'....:)

Cheers,
Vicki

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

The only way you will tell how bad the rust is , is when you start to clean it down to see how deep it goes, you may have to cut and replace a section, again, in the bone yard, you can get a good piece to fit and not cost you tons...and in great condition...you will have to replace the entire center piece. I have used a very good environment friendly rust stop that has worked very well and stopped rust as well as cleaned it right off and that is in liquid form, not spray...the acid kind might not be a great idea on that part of the car and in your case, it will not be enough if it is deep. Sorry, but the only fix there will be to see how deep it is and if so, replace the section...not what you want to hear, but, I feel is the best solution.

Anyhoo, just my own two cents on that one....:) See you, and keep on...once done you will be a worry free driver!....

Cheers,
Vicki

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Vicki - what brand of t top seals are you using?

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

OER genuin parts from Ricks Camaros....can't seem to get the darn glue off either...spent hours...may have to use laqure thinner...?? Wow, just beat doing this! The other stuff is supposed to work (acetone) but good luck on that too! Sheeesh!

Thanks for the help.

Cheers,
Vicki

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Try some Goof Off.

Re: Weather stripping leak, ideas to fix?
 

Does not work, not strong enough for this old stuff...oh well, slow and steady as they say! Will see if I can find some of the 3m contact cement cleaner...that should do it...I hope! And again, good to know someone is really out there helping! Thank you so much!
Does anyone have a non rusted center piece out there at all?? I think mine is not good enough to put back at this point....

have a great day,
Vicki K.