Oshin11

Storm moved through Santa Barbara today, lots of heavy rain and my car was on jackstands in the driveway. I thought nothing of it as I had prepared for it and covered the rocker arms, valves, and engine heavily. However, mid day I go outside and notice a small puddle on both the passenger and drive side seats. Not the backs of the seats but pretty much where a person's rear end would be if they were sitting in the car. I cant figure out where the leak is coming from as the top felt clean from the inside as I touched it. I took a guess that it was the front seal where the top comes down and sits on near the windshield. I threw a coupld of towels on the seats, two towels at the top of the windshield where the cabrio top meets the frame of the car, and threw the car cover on. I hope the leather doesnt get ruined as I cannot move the car into the garage (roommate's mustang is getting a tranny swap). Is this a common leak problem? Some rubber seal I can change? I just finished retapping my rocker arms and bam I get hit with another problem haha. Such is life.

Amber Gramps

I wunder if the car on jack stands rather than on the ground changed the angles where the rubber and glass come togeather or the top and the windshield? put her on the ground and I bet it wont happen. I'd be looking for a tarp for the night. How are the rockers?

WPOZZZ

There is a rubber seal at the leading edge of the top that mates to the windshield. Mine leaks from the right side at that spot. My upholstery guy supposedly ordered the part last year but tells me it did not com in. I think he's just being lazy.

Oshin11

I don't think gravity would have a major effect the car is still pretty straight on the stands. I might just have the people at Schneider Autohaus take care of this one, nothing I want to screw with. Rockers....waiting for God to stop peeing all over my house so I can do something. I read a thread about a rocker arm and shaft falling out while a guy was driving on the freeway...he took it to a shop that had just worked on it and they said the torque was not coorect to spec, I cant find anywhere what the torque is for the rocker shaft pinch bolt....anyone know?

EDIT: Rocker shaft Pinch Bolt: 15N-m (I wish I had a better idea of what 15N-m and 25N-m felt like.

Amber Gramps

The translation for that is right on your torque wrench. (or it is on mine) Not that you can fit the torque wrench into the engine compartment. It is something you have to feel. I remember busting a bolt on a Sukuki I was assembling as a kid(My scoutmaster owns Mountain Motorsports) and it cost me dearly. That was just a $700 bike, this is a +/-$12,000 motor. you gotta get it right the first time. Is there room for some of the smaller tools or is it hand held allen wrenches only? anyway, remember how hard it was to get them off, that is what 15N-m and 25N-m feel like.

Oshin11

I don't think I can fit a socket with an allen on it. I don't think necessarily that it should be as tight as it was hard to get it off the first time. That rocker could have not been opened for 20 years for all I know...maybe all the heat cycles caused it to seize up. I put all my strength into tightening it the second time and I was still able to get it off with decent umph power. I think I'll just have to imagine im the hulk haha. As far as my leaky top I think I know what it is, if my windows are pulled all the way up, as you close the door it leaves an opening and you have to push the window in a little to get a snug fit, this has always been a problem and I think its the rubber trim on the door that is bad. Does anyone else's windows do this?

imcarthur

It's a common problem as the seals age & start 'staying' compressed. Mine leaks slightly on the driver's side in a pouring rain. One guy told me that he wedged a small piece of foam insulation up the corner & it solved the problem.

Ian

diamondcarrera

Has the roof fabric been re-proofed? It should be done once a year. I got caught out with this.......
I had new seals (just because they had started to look grey rather than black) - but as the car is garaged I never bothered to re-proof the hood. BIG mistake when I went on a driving tour in Scotland (where it never stops raining).
Normal tent fabric re-proofer is ok to use.
Cheers

Oshin11

Thanks all good advice

3.2SLANTNOSE

Oshin11, if you look at the seals that are on top of the windshield frame, you will see the seals that might be bad, or the top might just need adjusting if the seals are still soft and pliable, or they are without any cracks. When I replaced my top a few years ago, I installed new seals on all of the sealing surfaces, windshield frame seals, door glass tops to cab seals, door glass to "B" pillar seals. When you get a chance, take a look at the seals to see if they are still good, or if they need replacing, or just the top needs adjusting. Be very careful, if there is a lot of rain that is getting in, because it will puddle on the floors very quickly, and it does not take very much for it to get to the DME relay and DME control box. If these get soaked, it could very easily short out you DME system. As a precaution, I would certainly have the battery disconnected, if you have not already done so, just in case it gets more water in there than you think that will, and be sure to check before connecting your battery up for water under the drivers set. I have seen flooded floorboards on 911's before that had totally fried the DME system due to rain soaking. I believe I still have the part numbers for all of the seals for your year model. Good luck!!

MTBGUY

I'll second what diamond carrera listed above. Mine had little puddles in it after rainfall. Last year I washed the top to get it really clean- after letting it dry out a few days I used a product named Formula 303 Aerospace protectant on the top. (It sprays on).

It has never leaked water ever again, and looks neat when you see rainfall beads running off the fabric top and no longer soaking in. I also had a slightly compressed seal on the drivers side that I shimmed from the underside to effectively make it thick again, but about 95% of my leakage was from the non-waterproof fabric.

I bought the 303 bottle at West Marine for around $15, but have seen it other places recenly for around $11- i even think I saw it at Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

Hope this helps!

srf506

Being the smart a _ _ I am, my fix would be to buy a coupe!