Date: Mon, 20 Apr 1998 12:01:51 -0400
Reply-To: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From: EMZ <vw4x4@FYI.NET>
Subject: Water leaks-reposted
In-Reply-To: <9804201256.AA22734@fetch.unx.dec.com>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
To all Vanagon owner:
Subject: Water Leaks
I have seen several Vanagons with water leaks in the same spots.
The first
is around the from windsheild. Hard to notice leak, you will
find a small amount of water on one or both sides of the front
floor. This water can easily be misstaken for water from your
feet getting into the vehicle in wet weather. If you look under
the flooring (carpet and 1/2" thick sound insulation) you may
find a lot more water. The fix is cheap and easy. On a dry day
use a air gun around the entire outside windshield seal,
between rubber and glass, and then between the rubber and body,
until you see no more water or dirt coming out. Then use clear
silicone seal from a caulking gun around the hole window,
both rubber outside edges. You may need to stop on the outer
corners to fill up larger gaps. Spend the time needed to clean
up. This stuff makes a mess.
The second leak I have seen is a
vertical body seam on drivers side, between quarter and middle
panel. Once again by removing the flooring and finding water
in the bay area, you can tell if you have this water leak.
To fix this, remove the driver side inner panel. This leak also
means rust. You need to spray a rust inhibiter acid from the
inside out. Force it into the seam with a air gun. Then clean
any of the acid that may have made it's way to the outside, off
your paint. Once dry use a good paint on the inside. This is
usually enough to stop this leak. If you use your van for camping
this is a great time for insulating.
The third Leak is an easy one. The middle slidding windows.
The channel that the window runs on, have small drains that
fills up with dirt. Also the Aluminum is not a perfect fit to
the outer edge Aluminum. In maunfacturing there is a small
amount of Silicone seal add to fill the void. This, after time,
looses it's adhesion and needs to be replaces.
ERic ZEno
Eric 86-VW4x4
vw4x4@fyi.net 72-240z
Pittsburgh, PA USA 1936-Chrysler
On Mon, 20 Apr 1998, Paul Henderson wrote:
> The floor under the dash of my '84 Vanagon gets very wet each time it
> rains. I see water coming down the interior wall just ahead of the
> front door, where there is a black knob for hooking the front
> carpeting onto the interior wall.
>
> I can't locate where the leak is occurring, whether there is a leak in
> the windshield, or in the exterior panels, or in the door seals.
>
> Has anyone seen this before, and, if so, could you suggest a remedy?
>
> Thanks,
> Paul
>
> Paul Henderson
> '84 Vanagon WasserBoxer
> Bedminster, NJ, USA
>
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