Convertible Leaking

[98CobraClone]

Anybody else with a vert can probably help me.......

whenever it rains around here, I notice that stuff in my trunk is pretty damp, back in the summer, I was even able to wring water out of the trunk carpet. My top is in real good shape....the J channels inside the car do not have water in them, there's nothing in the leather "well" behind the rear seat. It's not a top priority here right now since the temperature here hasn't been above freezing for a couple of weeks, but when it warms up, I don't want water all in my trunk and under my rear seat again.

Any ideas????

 

[JOSTANG75]

Does it happen after you use the A/C?

 

[98CobraClone]

Does it happen after you use the A/C?

WTF does the AC have to do with the trunk? Why would I be using AC when it's 11 degrees outside? Ok, now that I got my smart comments out of the way......

It only leaks when raining. The car doesn't even have to be running....all of my trunk seals and roofline seals are good. The seals between the top and rear window are a little loose, but no water gets by them. I've sat in the car looking all through the back when going through the car wash.

 

[Stang2Man]

check for drain tubes much like the sunroofed cars have. you may have stuff cloggin em up, and you know how easy it is to clean out a hole, heheh

 

[98CobraClone]

done checked the drain tubes when I went to Odyssey canvas works.....guy puts on convertible tops and recommended that. Not the drains.......

 

[marvinmycat]

I've got a 98 vert as well. Do you think it could possibly be the rear quarter panel windows. I wouldn't think that water could travel that far, or even if it is possible.

I wa thinking that maybe there might be some damager around the rear window. My vert has been through 3 grueling winters, and no leaks yet, but I think that maybe around the rear window or even the sides, there is the potential for problems.

Maybe there is something stuck between the fabric and window?

Where is the trunk soaked exactly (front, rear, sides?)?

 

[JOSTANG75]

Anybody else with a vert can probably help me.......

back in the summer, I was even able to wring water out of the trunk carpet.

That's why I asked about the A/C. I had an old car that would puddle in the passenger's side when I used the A/C, to find out that the drain tube was clogged. Any chance that it could be coming in through the spare tire well?

 

[UmmYeahOk]

I have a '94 vert. It only leaks when I run it through the car wash. It leaks in four different areas. Since the top folds down, our weather striping isnt all one piece. It leaks at the cracks.

However, mine also has a 5th leak. I only now discovered where its coming from.
Sometimes when I make a turn, I can hear water sway back and forth. And on some rather sick days, I can smell garabge, like mildew. Whats happening is I have a very small leak in the lower passenger side back window. Carwash water, even rain, drips down, and is collected in this little black bag that connects the top to the backseat. I guess thats what you're calling the "leather well."

My guess is, that yours is having the same window leak, and instead of collecting in that bag, your bag has a hole. The water then drips down where it is soaked up by whatevers insulating the trunk.

Take the car to a car wash, and while its washing, stare at the back window. This was the only way I was able to find this very very small hole. Obviously you cant watch it while driving in the rain, thats why it took me so many years to discover it. If water seeps in, and you notice the water didnt collect, than it proves my theory.

If thats the problem, I heard of drilling through the metal so it completely drains out. Or somehow patch up the bag and window.

 

[Ron Jeremy]

Very interesting. There are so many different areas where water can leak into a Mustang convertible. I always though it was just from the covertible top, but I was wrong.

I own 2 Mustang hardtops and when I pressure hose the side windows, I get a little water getting in from the side between the Mach speaker and the window. I guess that the rubber gasket between the speaker and window are not sealed tightly causing water to pass thru the rubber during high pressure rinsing with a hose. Both of my Mustang have this problem.

 

[UmmYeahOk]

I'm sure all vehicles have some sort of crappy leak... ...I recall seeing a cool avalanche parked next to us... ...had moisture in his headlights! How new is THAT vehicle?

 

[Ron Jeremy]

That's sad when a $40,000 Avalanche has a water problem in its headlights. American cars should be made with better care.

 

[DanM]

That's sad when a $40,000 Avalanche has a water problem in its headlights. American cars should be made with better care.

It's probably those bastard socialists' fault, eh Ron?! Sorry to crap on the thread, couldn't help it.

 

[98CobraClone]

Okay......finally found where it's coming in. Where my rear 1/4 window seals are, they apparently moved towards the front of the car leaving 1/4" gap between the window and seal. The outside seal just needs moved back, but I can't move it......any suggestions?

 

[marvinmycat]

Ok, Let's get some clarification here first. On the driver's rear quarter window, there are three seals.

One seal is actually part of the window and seals against the driver's big window. That seal is toward the front of the quarter window.

The second seal is where the window goes down into, and keeps rain from getting in behind the rear quarter panels.

The third seal is the one that is on the convertible top itself.

Which seal is the one that has a gap?

The frist thing I would suggest without knowing which seal it is would be to recheck your top and how it operates. Is it leaving a gap or is it closing striaght. I'd also check to see if the window is going up and down along the track it is supposed to go along.

When you put your top up and down, do you first put the windows down. If you don't, that could be where your problem was created from in the first place as you should always lower your windows before putting the top up or down.

 

[Stang2Man]

You could always just give me the car, let me deal with the leaking seal, and go buy that Yellow Roush in Maysville, BTW, some of our braided stainless steel hose is sittin on the pole at Daytona

 

[98CobraClone]

check the picture.

http://forums.stangnet.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=18594&stc=1

The outside seal, that runs along the bottom of the 1/4 window. There is 1/4" gap between that seal, and the one that actually fastens to the top.

 

[marvinmycat]

I remember one day while washing my car, that I noticed there was a 1/2 inch space between the window and the seal running up the back side of that window. I think all I did was roll down the windows, put the top part way down, and put it back up again, then rolled the windows back up. The gap was gone.

Where the top latches to the front of the car, there are the two chrome hooks. You might want to try tightening them one turn to see if the top closes better. If it doesn't, you'll have to make sure that the metal framework that the top attaches to is free from any obstructions within it's inner workings. Maybe something got in the joints that is preventing them form closing all the way.

My only other guess is that maybe the window isn't following the tracks correctly.

I haven't had to mess with mine much at all, so I'm only guessing here. Good luck though!

 

[InBlack]

Easy Fix for leaking Convertible top

There is a drain (gutter) that runs around the back of the convertible top - the trick is just to get any water that "comes through" the top to run into the drain rather than into the top well or trunk.

THIS IS ALL DONE FROM INSIDE THE CAR WITH THE TOP UP KNEELING ON THE BACK SEAT FACING BACKWARD.

TERMS:
Headliner - the soft inside lining of the convertible top
Top well - The area behind the back seat with a black vinyl liner where the top should stack when the top is open

1) From overhead the soft headliner has side curtains that run from near the back seat to the back of the top well - remove the torx screws that attach the elastic straps to the rear trim.

2) Pull back the side curtains

3) Lean over the back seat and look to where the top well liner attaches to the rear.

4) Pull the vinyl top well liner off of the pegs that run across the back.

5) You can now see the gutter that channels water out of the car

6) IF your problem is water running into the car from the rear window, this is not abnormal - DO NOT try to seal the water out - just divert it to run into the gutter.

7) Run water on the rear window before you start repairs to verify where the water is coming in.

8) Use duct tape to form a channel from where the leak drips into the car down to the gutter - run it all the way down to the gutter along the top.

9) You may want to wait until the top dries again before the final taping.

10) Rehook the top well liner - be sure not to pull off the duct tape; Rescrew the side curtains.

11) If you can see the duct tape - go buy tape that matches your top color and reapply (mine was hidden from view by the side curtains.

Done - should last you a year if the tape sticks well - reapply as needed

Time: 30 minutes

 

[dgoggans7972]

ok here it is... i have a 2002 gt and i've had the same problem.. i've replaced a few tops myself on the stang and a miata i have and i am going to order new cables for my problem ... i think the cables that hold the inside of the top to the body have weakened over the years.. i had one that broke and i rigged it..(not good enough)... i think replacing the cable will solve this..they call these cables "rear flap" cables.... they are available from "convertibletopguys.com" for about 38 bucks...otherwise, hard to find..only thing is you might have to have them professionally installed unless you want to save some bucks.. a 1st timer may pull your hair out.. you have to remove the back seat, speaker panels, then the covers to the rear windows.. to access the cavity where the cables are.. take pictures and notes... be careful to put the screws to the windows back exactly the way they were (look at paint marks where screws are removed) or your windows may not roll back up right...so .. all that said.. good luck..,,,(this is to answer 98cobraclone's gapping problem at the rear windows)

 

[dgoggans7972]

replying to "inblack" ... actually the fashioning of or extending the drain rail is not a bad idea.. instead of duct tape( which eventually goes when wet enough times) you could use 100% silicone and fashion some hard plastic to extend the drain rails all the way to the drain cavities where the top is anchored in the corners.. that's where you want the water to go.. the top is actually a " drain system" and if it;s not properly draining.. that ain't good... the plastic and silicone is a more permanent fix.. if we keep talking...maybe we could get something patented!!!