Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

Hello everyone! Today I shut the hatch on my '01 SS and noticed the bottom middle of my glass is not sealed to the hatch. I got in the back seat and pushed up on the glass at the bottom and could see daylight shining in.

I searched around the forum and this seems to be a commom problem with these cars, but didn't see anyone saying how to fix it besides take it to a glass shop. I would rather fix it myself if at all possible- I have replaced a front windshield before.

I saw one person say they smeared some black RTV on the gap and it fixed their water leak. I was thinking about doing that. It doesn't seem like that is the proper way to fix it, but I don't want to open up a big can of worms and I might do the RTV route.

How is the glass adhered to the hatch? Is it like a front windshield where it sits on a tar "ribbon?"

What is the procedure for removing and re-sealing the glass?

Would you guys just RTV the gap- seems to be about 4-6 inches wide and only about a 1/32" in height or pull the glass and re-seal it. I just fixed the damn hatch seal leaking and now found this.


Thanks in advance for the help!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

It's like the windshield. Tape kit at the factory and urethane. It just gets dry rotted over time and looses its bond.

You can just shoot that entire area with a bead of urethane and it'll be good as new. Shoot a bead all the way around if you want to. To remove the glass takes piano wire and a lot of sawing with that wire. Then clean the glass edge, clean the pinch weld and prime it. Put a new tape kit on, urethane the inside of that tape kit all the way around and on top of the tape, and put the glass back in.

A shop here charges $150 to R&R it with a new glass moulding.......I'd rather have them do it....it's a bitch.

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runtwrestlin

iTrader: (3)

I had the same problem several months ago. Had a local shop fix it, also for $150. It was well worth the money

Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

LS6427/runtwrestlin,

Thank you for the replies. I am a little tight on money right now, so I'll probably do like LS6427 said and just get some urethane and seal that area and/or the rest of the glass if it's going to be as good as new. this sounds like a better fix than using RTV and I would imagine a lot stronger.

Wow! It sounds like a lot of work to R&R the window, clean it, prep it, install it, etc and defintely seems well worth the $150 to pay someone else to do it if going for a full window R&R!


Thanks again for responses!

Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

Oh...one more thing. I'm also having the typical problem with the trim that goes around the back glass where the corners have shrunk. I'm imagining that this is just a trim piece to cover to the edge of the glass and doesn't act as a seal and the window is actually sealed by the tar ribbon and urethane. Is that correct?

Thanks!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Correct, it has nothing to do with sealing water out. Mine shrunk a few years ago, so I razor knifed them off so it wouldn't start pulling the rest of the moulding off the glass. Basically I relieved the pulling pressure caused by the shrinkage.

Then I repositioned the corner pieces where they should be and urethane s them on and taped them in place for 24 hrs. They look pretty good.

To have that moulding replaced with a new one......the glass has to be removed to do it properly.

And YES.....if you simply buy a tube of urethane from a glass shop...about $15.00 is normal, then get a squeeze tool for the tube.....and run a nice bead all the way around the inside and let it dry overnight....it will be good as new. Maybe have someone on the outside where the leak is, have them watch for the urethane coming through to the outside, just to completely fill that area inside and out.
after the bead is on....take a spray bottle of water and spray the bead with a lot of water, then use your finger to smooth it out little by little. The water will keep the urethane from sticking to your finger. That will also push the urethane into place better. Ay excess urethane that comes off, just wipe it off into a paper towel. but if the bead looks real good, you dont have to. Make sure after you put the bead on, you ROLL a window down before shutting the door. Or shut the door very gently, do NOT slam it with the windows rolled up. It will cause air to get pushed out through the fresh wet urethane where the leak is and maybe cause a bubble to form there.

And don't let the glass shop talk you into using 'sealer'.....use the urethane. The sealer will drip and run everywhere and it's not as strong or as long lasting.

I was a glass mechanic for 2 years....BTW....lol

It's easy. Good luck.

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Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the detailed step-by-step instructions on applying the urethane and also the info on the moulding! As i was reading through I was wondering how you knew the urethane procedure so well and then saw what you wrote at the end and it all made sense! LOL

Thanks again!

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

Yea, right out of high school I did it for two years. It's the kind of thing where you have to see how the glass actually goes in and how its bonded to the frame of the car with your own eyes.....otherwise it's like a mystery how it all works.

And you now what....it's funny. I started a thread a little over a year ago because water was filling up my back truck area of my Trans Am. I couldn't figure out how the hell it was getting in there.......now that this thread has started I'm thinking it has to be a leak in my urethane......LOL.....isn't that some funny ****. I just had my brand new 390ci installed, should be picking up my car tomorrow. I'm gonna check all around the back glass for leaks in the urethane....



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Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

Well I'm glad that my thread jogged your memory and that you find the leak in your urethane as well! LOL

LS6427

iTrader: (2)

It has to be.....no possible way water can accumulate back there in the trunk well......lol
I can't believe I didn't think to check it. I'll be checking as soon as I pick up my car.

.

Lots of Speed 1

iTrader: (1)

I'm pretty sure my hatch glass had been leaking for a long time. After I took the trim off of the inside of the hatch I could see a lot of evidence of it leaking.

I had originally thought the break in the urethane/seal was only about 4-6 inches, but after taking the hatch trim off and getting a really good look I could see the break in the urethane was pretty much around the bottom half of the window where the urethane/seal is thin from the factory. The top half looked perfect, but I put some urethane at the top edge of the glass where it's kind of thin from the factory also to prevent any future problems. I am about 99% sure that I have it fixed. It's supposed to rain tonight so we'll see.


Thanks again!