Leak from drivers side where window meets roof
Scott
really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
stop, water will drip all over my leg.
My question is: Will replacing the top take care of this? Or is there
something else I can do to remedy this problem?
- Dom - Black `94 -
Paul Funk
car sits outside during a rainy day when I leave to go home the first time I stop I
get leaked on really good. I haven't taken it to the dealer as he says "leaks are
straight time. You never know how long it will take to find it." Any suggestions
from anyone as to how to fix this?.
Pokketman wrote:
> Dom-
> I have the same exact problem. The only difference(okay, so maybe not the
> *exact* problem) is that sometimes it leaks and sometimes it doesn't. It seems
> like it has something to do with the way the seals line up. But I'm a
> mechanical idiot, so I can't figure it out either. These guys start talking
> about modifications and repairs in the NG and my eyes glaze over in admiration
> and ignorance. Seems like I read something about it at Miata.net, but I
> couldn't tell if it was the same problem I had. Any help would be appreciated.
>
> BTW, just got back from an oil change at the dealer and sat in the 99 10th
> AE.......
>
> The Perfect Car. Someday.....
> <g>
>
> SHANE
> '94M
Pokketman
Ephar Smith
closely the forward most seal didn't even touch the window. Reasoning
that if that forward joint wasn't extended as much it might be held
tighter against the window. Thinking maybe a small cardboard shim
against the contact points of that front joint would help, I popped
the top and lo and behold there was already a cardboard shim in there!
(Smashed quite flat.) Replaced it with some thin gasket material &
rubber cement. Hasn't rained since, and it was freshly washed so I
don't know if it worked yet but the window is tighter against the
seal. BTW those rubber seals (3 per side) are $39.95 ea. from the
dealer. Ouch!
Anybody know of other fixes?
Ephar
'92 Red
(remove the nospam)
On Tue, 30 Mar 1999 22:21:38 GMT, hug...@writeme.com (Scott) wrote:
>Has any one had this problem? I have a '94 Miata and if it rains
>really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
>If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
>trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
>stop, water will drip all over my leg.
>
>My question is: Will replacing the top take care of this? Or is there
>something else I can do to remedy this problem?
>
AkiraRdstr
This one takes some courage---BEND the top of the vent window assembly in
towards the car body, bracing the door open slightly. Hand pressure will do
it. Worked for me on my old '90.
--
"Akira"
'96 Chaste A/T http://www.eunos.com/keith/stripes/akira.html
Robert Wiegand
>
> Has any one had this problem? I have a '94 Miata and if it rains
> really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
> If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
> trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
> stop, water will drip all over my leg.
>
> My question is: Will replacing the top take care of this? Or is there
> something else I can do to remedy this problem?
>
> - Dom - Black `94 -
Something simple to try:
Open the door when you roll up the window.
I have found that if I roll up my windows with the door closed then it
leaks. If I roll it up with door open, then close the door, then it doesn't
leak.
I don't know if this will work for you, but it costs nothing to try.
--
Regards,
Bob Wiegand bwie...@sesd.cig.mot.com
Ephar Smith
>> Anybody know of other fixes? >>
>
>This one takes some courage---BEND the top of the vent window assembly in
>towards the car body, bracing the door open slightly. Hand pressure will do
>it. Worked for me on my old '90.
Thanks for the hint, if the gasket material doesn't work I'll give it
a try. Much courage is involved, this is my "new" '92
roadster. They MAKE you smile!
F. R.
AkiraRdstr wrote:
Dom
point to do it from now on.. hopefully it'll help.
- Dom - Black`94 -
Dom
triangle window part on the door, right?
- Dom - Black`94 -
On 31 Mar 1999 12:07:41 GMT, akira...@aol.com (AkiraRdstr) wrote:
>> Anybody know of other fixes? >>
>
>This one takes some courage---BEND the top of the vent window assembly in
>towards the car body, bracing the door open slightly. Hand pressure will do
>it. Worked for me on my old '90.
- Dom - Black`94 -
AkiraRdstr
>>
>>This one takes some courage---BEND the top of the vent window assembly in
>>towards the car body, bracing the door open slightly. Hand pressure will do
>>it. Worked for me on my old '90.
>>
>triangle window part on the door, right?
>
> - Dom - Black`94 -
>>
Exactly. You might want to put a two-by-four near the hinge pillar and close
the door against it, just keeping a bit of pressure on it, then flex the top of
the vent window in towards the car body. Not too hard...it really doesn't take
much pressure, but it does take a bit of courage!
Lucius
As a solution I thought I would buy a bicycle tube (which usually is the
same material/colour than the window seal), cut out a longish piece, align
it alongside the whole window-seal, slightly overlapping it and use the
rubber-glue that comes in the cycle-tube repair kit to glue it to the window
seal.
I was hoping that since the tube stripe is thin, it would nicely align along
the seal, yet making it a little thicker and covering that joint in the top
middle of the window. As the tube is so thin, I don't expect problems
opening/closing the roof...
As a variation the thin tube part could also be cut just wide enough to
actually overlap the upper rim of the window by about 5mm making it
impossible for water to get in. This would be similar to how the roofs of
classic MGs etc. are sealed.
I did not try it yet, but will do. Did anyone else try this? With success?
Scott <hug...@writeme.com> wrote in message
news:37014cc7...@newsreader.wustl.edu...
> Has any one had this problem? I have a '94 Miata and if it rains
> really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
> If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
> trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
> stop, water will drip all over my leg.
>
> My question is: Will replacing the top take care of this? Or is there
> something else I can do to remedy this problem?
>
Jim Carr
Yes.
>I have a '94 Miata and if it rains
>really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
That sounds like the two rubber seals are not touching. There is
joint in the middle, and on my car the rearmost one tends to creep
toward the back when the top is raised and lowered repeatedly.
They also dry out. Silicone helps the rubber stay sticky and
pliable, and be sure to put some inbetween them at the butt joints;
slightly pushing the rear-most one forward makes the joint tight.
Be sure the windows are sealed tightly against it.
>If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
>trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
>stop, water will drip all over my leg.
This I do not know either the cause or cure. It is not particularly
reproducible. Question to other respondent: is this what you fixed
by pushing on the wing window? Was it a problem with the water
getting into the side drain from the windscreen drain?
The main thing is to keep a towel in the car (I always have one
for the rear window and another small one to clean mirrors or
the front window) and use it to get the water out before you
move the car. Mine never accumulates while driving.
>My question is: Will replacing the top take care of this?
I'll find out soon. The top never seemed quite as tight on
the driver's side, and that could contribute to it.
--
James A. Carr <j...@scri.fsu.edu> | Commercial e-mail is _NOT_
http://www.scri.fsu.edu/~jac/ | desired to this or any address
Supercomputer Computations Res. Inst. | that resolves to my account
Florida State, Tallahassee FL 32306 | for any reason at any time.
Doug Mandell
side than the drivers side. I realized one day that it only happened on the
passenger side after the top was down. As it turns out, I would drop the top,
put it back up, leave it in the rain, and...lo...it leaked. If you are
dropping the top and putting it back up, roll the windows up, then open and
shut the doors, that's prevented all my passenger side leaks. As for the
drivers side, I religiously roll up, open and shut the door. Haven't had a
leak in a month of Oregon rain.
Doug
In article <37014cc7...@newsreader.wustl.edu>, hug...@writeme.com
(Scott) wrote:
>Has any one had this problem? I have a '94 Miata and if it rains
>really hard, it will just leak, leaving me with a wet drivers seat.
>If it rains lightly or after a hard rain, water will somehow get
>trapped in the seal between the top and the window, and whenever I
>stop, water will drip all over my leg.
>
Ephar Smith
move, it would dump about a cup of water on my leg.
The solution: Did some checking and there's a system of gutters
along the top of the windshield, down the front of the "Wing" vent on
the door, and from the top corners of the windshield, down all the way
to the bottom. This last one is actually a tube, designed as a
"downspout." This was the culprit in my case. It looks like regular
seal material, so apparently somebody pulled it tight, and clamped it
shut with the plastic kick plate under the door. I repositioned it
and checked it with low pressure air. Washed it liberally yesterday.
No interior water! Looks like rain now, guess I'll know for sure.
Also there are little rubber "nipples" at the front corners of the
top. From outside the car check to make sure they're not getting bent
back when you put up the top.
Good luck, I've heard they can be pretty dry for
convertibles.
Ephar
Jim Carr
>
>As a solution I thought I would buy a bicycle tube (which usually is the
>same material/colour than the window seal), cut out a longish piece, align
>it alongside the whole window-seal, slightly overlapping it and use the
>rubber-glue that comes in the cycle-tube repair kit to glue it to the window
>seal.
Then you would not be able to lower the top.
That joint is there for a reason.
Lucius
Maybe it would work if I made a cut that opened when I lower the top. This
cut would be , lets say an inch or so before or after the joint of the
window seal, so the rubber would still seal this gap completely. Also I Did
not think to put glue on all of the tube, just a small stripe on it's upper
edge so it would be more like a "flap"...
Anyone tried this?
Jim Carr <j...@ibms48.scri.fsu.edu> wrote in message
news:7ebi8b$88c$1...@news.fsu.edu...
Brooke Cain
Ephar:
My situation is similar to yours I think. My '94 leaks if the door is open
or the window is down. It's like the water rolls *inward* off the roof of
the car, not straight down the door. I haven't noticed this happening
when the hardtop is on, only with the soft top. Could that be because of
design of the car making the soft top sit smaller on top of the car? I'm
frustrated.
I haven't really noticed any leakage with the windows up during rain or
anything, but even if I'm under shelter and the top is wet, the water
pours into my car if i open the door or roll down the window. Is this what
happened to you?
-bcain
Jim Carr
>
>My situation is similar to yours I think. My '94 leaks if the door is open
>or the window is down. It's like the water rolls *inward* off the roof of
>the car, not straight down the door.
Optical illusion. Drop something from the edge of the roof and
you will see that the top is narrower than the car is.
It is particularly bad when getting in, because the rough surface
holds water and beads form on the edge just waiting to drop when
you open the door or sit in the car. Best plan is to run your hand
on the edge to get rid of the droplets and any standing water.
Ephar Smith
I think the key lies in that "downspout" that goes from the top
corner of your windshield down to the bottom front of the door. From
the outside, look at the point where the windshield frame, "wing
vent", and top all meet. You should see a little (~1") rubber cup
looking thingey. Open the door, and see if this is clogged. Trace it
down the windshield frame all the way to it's end. It's actually a
rubber hose. Check to see if the end is pinched by the plastic kick
plate. You should be able to see into the end.
If the end is pinched by the kick plate, simply remove the 4
screws, pull the "downspout" loose of the car for a few inches and
push it back on so the end is in front of the kick plate.
Using a soda straw, blow into one end, and check to see if it's
plugged up. The air should move through freely. If it does, go to
the end of the reply.
If it is plugged up, try gently massaging the downspout throughout
it's entire length. It's very pliable, you should be able to feel any
obstructions. Try moving them downward, and out the hole at the
bottom.
If you feel an obstruction, but can't remove it, try pulling the
kick plate off, then "peeling" the downspout away from the car, till
you get to the obstruction. Try working the obstruction out with the
"downspout" removed.
If you still can't get it out, remove the downspout completely
(note it's position before you do) and try flushing it out with a
garden hose.
Re-install the "downspout" (the black/brown icky stuff they seal
it to the car with should still be ok), and kick plate (don't pinch
the end shut), and use a soda straw to make sure that it will flow
freely.
The end of the reply.
If the downspout is clear, check the "top of the windshield frame"
gutter. With the top down look closely along the top of the
windshield frame. You'll see two rubber "lips." Gently push them
apart, and viola! Another gutter. Run your finger along the length of
this gutter checking for obstructions.
If it works, please post what the problem was. (My bet is a leaf.)
If it doesn't or you have other questions, e-mail me (remove the
nospam) with specifics and I'll puzzle it some more.
Be well, and WAVE
Ephar
On Thu, 8 Apr 1999 17:32:51 -0400, Brooke Cain <bc...@pagesz.net>
wrote:
>
>Ephar:
>My situation is similar to yours I think. My '94 leaks if the door is open
>or the window is down. It's like the water rolls *inward* off the roof of
Brooke Cain
On 9 Apr 1999, Jim Carr wrote:
> In article <Pine.LNX.4.10.990408...@nina.pagesz.net>
> Brooke Cain <bc...@pagesz.net> writes:
> >
> >or the window is down. It's like the water rolls *inward* off the roof of
> >the car, not straight down the door.
>
> you will see that the top is narrower than the car is.
>
> It is particularly bad when getting in, because the rough surface
> holds water and beads form on the edge just waiting to drop when
> you open the door or sit in the car. Best plan is to run your hand
> on the edge to get rid of the droplets and any standing water.
>
that nasty pollen off, but no luck so far). The first time it drenched me
was at a drive-thru window. I rolled my window down (under a shelter) and
get drenched. I had just bought an "Absorber" and that worked really well
for clean up. But it's still really inconvenient.
-bcain
Jim Carr
>
>Maybe it would work if I made a cut that opened when I lower the top. This
>cut would be , lets say an inch or so before or after the joint of the
>window seal, so the rubber would still seal this gap completely.
Could work, but there would be a gap there instead.
If the problem is that the window does not contact the seal,
why not just adjust the window?
Leon van Dommelen
>In article <7eerp6$dc0$1...@plug.news.pipex.net>
>"Lucius" <Luci...@hotmail.com> writes:
>>
>>Maybe it would work if I made a cut that opened when I lower the top. This
>>cut would be , lets say an inch or so before or after the joint of the
>>window seal, so the rubber would still seal this gap completely.
>
> Could work, but there would be a gap there instead.
>
> If the problem is that the window does not contact the seal,
> why not just adjust the window?
Which is described in Miata Magazine 98-V.
Leon
--
Leon van Dommelen FAMU-FSU College of Engineering
domm...@eng.fsu.edu Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
http://www.eng.fsu.edu/~dommelen 2525 Pottsdamer Rd, Room 219
(850) 410-6324 Office: 6331 FAX: 6337 Tallahassee, FL 32310-6046
Darrel x
Scott wrote in message
, blah blah leaky roof,
I've had my car two weeks and boy am I glad to hear a leaky roof is part of
the car's character. I've just had the dealer replace the drivers
weather-strip (£95 +vat UK). I got in it tonight after picking it up and got
wet :[ couldn't figure out where it was getting in, but it hit my left leg
(UK car) and I was baffled. I think I'll just carry a towel. If anyone in
the UK is selling a marina blue hard top for a 92' mark 1 I'd be very
interested :]
cheers D, 92'blue
Paul Funk
has played around a bit and through trial and error he has found that the
leaking is somewhat reduced if you apply some sealant to the screws that attach
the inside release to the roof. Open the roof up and look on the driver's side
where the roof meets the windshield. There are two screws there. They (I assume)
hold the latch. That is the place to put the sealant. So far so good. Will keep
the group informed.
IDirect News
coming in.....
Paul Funk <paul...@bc.sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:371D49DD...@bc.sympatico.ca...