T Tops Leak

  • FlyingT
    FlyingT
    Senior Member
    • 1095

    #16
    I used wax paper to separate the t-roof gasket from the one on the car, and then filed in the gap with RTV. That way you can still take off the t-roof. And if done with care, it looks like the original gasket, not a load of slop on it.
    Restore it, Don't crush it. They don't make them like this anymore.

    Scott
    85 Turbo, original owner, restored
    93 NA Babied


  • joshers21
    joshers21
    Member
    • 95

    #17
    Would you mind posting some pictures of your t-tops with the rtv repair?
    87 Turbo - http://z31performance.com/showthread…-turbo-rebuild
    88SS - #767
    88SS - #824
  • Marissasimos
    Marissasimos
    Senior Member
    • 160

    #18
    Okay, so I have updates on my progress with leaky T Tops. I bought black RTV and globbed it on the weather stripping on the driver's side pillar. I've been learning how to put it on better after a few tries and so far I've fixed gaps in the weather stripping and T Top weather stripping. Now my car only leaks water behind the seats, and I notice that although the T Tops aren't really leaking anymore, overtime the water comes down onto the fiber board and the fiber board gets really soaked. Which leads to water dripping onto the seats. I'm not totally sure where it's coming from, so I assumed the water was coming in from between the chrome trim and the T Top glass itself. So I sealed that in really nicely, you can't even see the silicone unless you look for it. I'm waiting to see if it'll still leak next time it rains, and I'm hoping it wont be a guessing game. I don't have pictures, but I'll remember to post pics eventually…
  • reddzx
    reddzx
    Senior Citizen
    • 6440

    #19
    sounds like the drain hose in the B pillar came off the nipple in the t-top channel. You will have to remove the quarter window trip and the B pillar trim and inspect it.



    1988 300ZX Turbo, Shiro Special #760
    1988 300ZX Turbo Automatic (wife's car)
    1991 Hard-body 2WD

    http://zccw.org/zccw/?page_id=1215
  • Filipe
    Filipe
    Senior Member
    • 524

    #20
    Originally posted by reddzx View Post
    sounds like the drain hose in the B pillar came off the nipple in the t-top channel. You will have to remove the quarter window trip and the B pillar trim and inspect it.
    Sounds like my exact issue…I blew the lines, and got air at the exit however, so not exactly sure. waiting for a nice day to inspect..
  • Urstin
    Urstin
    Senior Member
    • 1168

    #21
    So I did the RTV patch, and although I'm not proud of how it looks, I'm happy to report both my seatbelt and seat are dry when it rains now. Haven't tested in a car wash yet, but will soon!
    " I spend another hour trying to rip the bolt out of the subframe, pausing every five minutes to scream and contemplate how I get myself into these situations. Two cars over, a guy urinates. I watch the steam waft off of the fresh puddle in the gravel. It merges with the blowing snow and is cut by the aerodynamic wedge of a nearby Fiero. Beautiful. Another pry and the carrier finally falls to earth. I walk out of there $80 lighter, which makes me more mad." - Brian Kolar
  • FlyingT
    FlyingT
    Senior Member
    • 1095

    #22
    I took the time to clean and mask off the area, and I used my rubber gloved finger as the "paint brush", I was able to layer on as much RTV as needed and as smooth as the original WS if you spent enough time smoothing it, maybe multiple coats if needed.

    As I said, the original 30 year old rubber is a slightly different color than the new black RTV, so I just painted the rest of the weather stripping with RTV to match. It has now been over 3 1/2 years, and my T-roofs are still not leaking at all and all the new RTV is still adhering to the old WS. I will try and take some pictures of the WS after 3+ years. I figured I had nothing to lose since the WS in my 30 year old, winter driven, mostly kept outdoors Z31 was getting pretty bad. If I could have bought a complete set of WS for $1000 I would have done that, but the cost was much much more. So I chose the $5 option that has worked.
    Restore it, Don't crush it. They don't make them like this anymore.

    Scott
    85 Turbo, original owner, restored
    93 NA Babied


  • mtherkamp
    mtherkamp
    Senior Member
    • 243

    #23
    FlyingT, what brand/type of RTV did you use? I must have chosen one that was too sticky, couldn't get it to lay down smooth!
    Butter (credit where credit is due): "You have this "gift" where you can make cooking a Hot Pocket seem like you need a certain wavelength microwave and involve brown mustard."