Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:50:17 -0700
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Creepy white/tan powder inside windshield rubber
In-Reply-To: <E1583581-3364-4206-9F08-30628B63A7EF@mac.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
It dissolves in water. Which suggests salt. Tastes kinda salty, too, with
a soupçon of rubber. Yum.
So - how the heck did the lower rim of the windshield inside rubber get a
carpet of salt on it? Nearest ocean is about 200 miles away, over 1-1/2
mountain ranges. I don't know if they use salt on the roads here in Bend,
Oregon. I did just go through our first winter here.
But regardless, the salt on the windshield grommet extends the full width
of the windshield, not just at the dash vent opening. So it's not some
kind of inhaled salt solution; AND the encrustation is only on the rubber,
nowhere else.
Again, here's the link to the two pictures:
http://picasaweb.google.com/j.michael.elliott/Vanagon#
Rubber leaching salt baffles science.
--
Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
Bend, OR
KG6RCR
On 8/20/2009 1:33 PM Kim Brennan wrote:
> If the stuff dissolves in water, it might be salt. Fungus is another
> possibility, it does look a bit like the rubber is degraded nearby it.
> Rubber does deteriorate over time. I'm not sure of the exact material
> used in these gaskets, if they are true rubber or some synthetic.
> Different materials break down differentially (my experience with these
> window gaskets is that a wipe down with a cloth turns the cloth black,
> very quickly, whereas new gaskets don't do that.)
>
> On Aug 20, 2009, at 3:54 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>
>> Here's some photos of the creepy white/tan powdery schmutz on the
>> windshield rubber. Please see the rightmost two pictures. Note that this
>> stuff does NOT appear on any other rubbers, nor is it on the sides or
>> upper portion of the windshield rubber. This portion of the rubber
>> receives a lot of sunlight, but the outside portion isn't affected
>> similarly.
>>
>> http://picasaweb.google.com/j.michael.elliott/Vanagon#
>>
>> Ideas?
>>
>> --
>> Mike "Rocket J Squirrel" Elliott
>> 84 Westfalia: Mellow Yellow ("The Electrical Banana")
>> 74 Utility Trailer. Ladybug Trailer, Inc., San Juan Capistrano
>> Bend, OR
>> KG6RCR
>>
>>
>>
>> On 8/19/2009 11:27 AM Jeff Lincoln wrote:
>>
>>> Mr. Squirrel,
>>>
>>> I wonder if this is the remnant of some kind of seal epoxy or
>>> lubricant used
>>> to install the window. Then again you think it would be common if
>>> that were
>>> the case.
>>>
>>> Does the windshiled appear to be leaking during rain? Is this the
>>> original
>>> window seal?
>>>
>>> I'm just throwing that out there because - well I'm curious to see where
>>> this goes. I've never experienced it.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Thanks,
>>>
>>> Jeff
>>> '90 Carat (Grover)
>>> '86 (We call this one Parts)
>>> '78 Bus (Melissa) Patty's Bus
>>>
>
>
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