Date: Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:03:12 -0400
Reply-To: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject: Re: Creepy white/tan powder inside windshield rubber
In-Reply-To: <4A91B999.4070203@gmail.com>
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed; delsp=yes
Salt (several types are used, sodium chloride, magnesium chloride) are
easily put in to aerosol form by ocean spray, road spray, even "dust"
storms. Sodium chloride, in particular, is very hydroscopic (attracts
water). The fact that it is on the lower rubber gasket suggests it
entered via the vents, and condensed on the inside of your vehicle.
Due to the black color of the gasket, it will absorb more solar
radiation, and hence evaporate more water (leaving behind whatever was
dissolved in the water) than the glass above it. All this is simple
logic.
I believe the flame test for sodium chloride will be yellow (showing
the presence of sodium.) Of course, you might not have a bunsen burner
to test this out.
Of course the bad news, is that if this really is salt, then you have
been exposed in lots of other places you can't see.
On Aug 23, 2009, at 5:50 PM, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
> 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
>>>>
