VetteMike83

Hello,

Water has been finding it's way into my 'Vette since the very first day of my ownership. Little by little though the amount of water getting inside is decreasing due to my repair/restore efforts.

Recently I decided to go all out and handle the final trouble spot, the windshield trim. Water has been seeping through the gap between my trim and windshield, onto the speaker covers and onto the door sill.

After spending a lot of time removing everything (old glue residue ) I was ready for a re-install. Using double-sided tape I carefully installed the trim pieces back onto the car (weatherstrip retainers still attached). I then made the mistake of not checking for leakage and went ahead with installing the weatherstripping. (Fortunately I always use little glue, just a few drops at the corners and a the bottom of the A pillar.) After letting it sit for a day or two I tested for leaks and what do you know... my repair efforts didn't help one bit

Now water comes flooding in (literally) at the following locations:







What do I need to do to get this problem fixed? Is my windshield even properly installed (too low)? Or is the trim bent?

The thing I'd like to do is to take it all off once more and then just fill the gap/space between my trim and windshield's side with some sort of sealant.

I'd love to hear from you guys!


Mike Maarse
The Netherlands

Steve59

Got the same problem on my 87. Would love to know the solution.

MotorCity_87_C4

From the 87 FSM diagram there is several leak paths. there is a sealing strip between the windshield and reveal molding then another sealing strip between the reveal and weatherstrip retainer. Your third picture shows a displacement of the reveal molding. Try to carefully direct the water to the "bend" in the molding where it meets the windshield.

Edited: Or is it the weatherstrip retainer that has the bend? The picture is a little dark.

CAJUN C4

My 95' does this.I understand over time the sealant shrinks.You must take the weathestriping off and the sealing strip and re-seal everything.It should fix your problem.

samsonb

You don't have to do that. Just run some sealant on the retainer/molding seam underneath inbetween the A pillar plastic trim and weatherstripping. That is what I did.

I had the dealer a few years ago run sealant on the outside of the windshield around the reveal molding where it touches the glass.

I also ran some sealant in the gap where the top windshield reveal molding overlaps the A pillar reveal molding in the upper corner on the outside. I noticed water coming in from that hole when I was spraying water.

And you might want to make sure the drain hole in the A pillar weatherstripping is working since you are messing with it. Take the Targa top of, and inside the top end of the A pillar weatherstrip, there is a hole. Just make sure water will go in the hole and drain out the other end.

CAJUN C4

I'm Gonna Try This First
Thanx

Z51JEFF

You've got to have something between the weather strip retainer and the windshield frame and something between the trim and the retainer.Ive replaced the windshield in the past so I know how all this stuff needs to be sealed.Your best bet would be to tear everything out and start over.Its a job but you have no idea what kind of hack job was done before you got the car.

GKK

99% of all C4 Vette windshield leaks, start between the windshield glass and black trim reveal.

The most efficient fix- fill in the gap between the windshield glass and black trim on the top and both sides with Back RTV. This will fix the water leak that runs down the "A" pillar to the sill carpet.

If you're removing the black trim reveal and weather strip channels, use RTV sealant in between each piece (don't gob it on) before re-installing and also, use RTV at each corner and ends of the weatherstrip.

I did this on my 91 Vette after the previous owner had the windshield replaced and No water leaks.

samsonb

That will only fix one possible leak. You can still get a leak from inbetween the reveal molding and weatherstrip retainer. And I also found a leak coming from the seam at the top corners where the top reveal molding overlaps the A pillar reveal molding. I sealed up underneath the windshield reveal/retainer and also squirted some silicone sealant in the top corner gap.

I'll see about getting some pics.

Actually, when I was working on fixing my last leak, which was at the bottom of the weatherstrip retainer on the driver side and leaking in on the windlace, when I was spraying water. I noticed water running out from under the windshield along the lower inside of the reveal. The windshield is sealed, so I don't know how water was getting there. It is possible it was getting behind the weatherstripping and going in a hole that was in the lower part of the reveal, but I think that lower hole was sealed. But when I reglued the end of the weatherstripping and sealed the rest of the lower part of the driver retainer/reveal seam, I ran some sealant on top of the gap between the reveal and retainer. I wiped the excess up with my finger and wet towels. So far leak free and no water coming out from under the windshield.

jimmypodunk

I'm in the middle of doing mine too. I guess I keep reading these posts and I'm just not finding the answer I need. It seems like between the windshield molding and the weatherstrip retainer channel there was a piece of foam? Is that right? And we don't replace it with foam but use silicone? Is that because the foam soaks up water and rots and leaks? I know what goes in between the windshield and molding. I know what to use between the channel and the weather strip. I just don't know what to use between the molding and the channel. I've got this stuff off, cleaned and ready to go. Just need that one little tid bit of information.