old man neri

Okay, so here is a video of my windshield. As you can see the damn thing is just popping out. Has anyone ever had that happen? Will simply getting a new seal (OEM of course) and replacing it solve this problem. Also, is any sealant supposed to be used with this? Or does it just go on dry.

I went to an auto glass place and the guy said he had never seen such a thing. He also said his computer put the job at 3.8hrs. Even he thought that didn't make sense.

Thanks!
-matt

psychoideas

That’s really weird!

All I can think off is: it was not installed correctly in the first place or the rubber has split and come away from itself over the metal edge.

When I do my windscreens I use a black sealant we call “ezycaulk” it does go hard after some time but it is not a ‘glue’ like urethane.

I find it quite easy to install the screens myself with the aid of a friend. I put heaps of ezycaulk on it between the screen and the rubber and the rubber and the screen.
Ezycaulk is VERY messy but I don’t mind taking my time to do it right.

The string (rope) that I use is the stuff that is for ‘pull starts’ on lawn mowers. I just bought a piece long enough from my local garage.

DRACO A5OG

Oh my, well maybe it's time to upgrade to the 996 Window and Seal? My buddy did it on his 87 Slant, it came out really nice and reduced wind noise to boot

Edgy01

A video is worth 5,000 words.

Your windshield is not correctly installed. Sadly, the early 911 windshields are installed just like they installed VW Beetle windshields. I have installed several Porsche windshields over the years but their design has several issues.

First off, the aluminum decorative strip that surrounds the outside of the windshield, and which is buried in the rubber, MUST be fully embedded within that seal. It maintains the shape of that seal. They do sell the seals without the groove for that aluminum stiffener,--and I would recommend that one to you in this instance. The problem with the alu. stiffeners is that they are frequently bent when a windshield is taken out. Rarely do they go back in well. All of this is worse if the car was in an accident and the windshield opening wasn't put back into the proper shape.

Beginning with a new rubber seal (without the stiffener groove) get some Rubeglide,--it's the same stuff the tire installers use to mount a tire on a wheel. Also, get yourself enough nylon string to go around the perimeter of the windshield and about 4 more feet. Find the middle of that string. Start from the bottom center. You will want to stick that string into the outer-most groove of the seal from the cockpit side. When you begin to overlap the other string you should leave that string to dangle from the bottom,--both ends dangling from the bottom of the windshield groove. Tape the ends to the center of the inside glass.

With the Rubeglide, squirt some into the groove. With a buddy, place the windshield into the opening. (Obviously, you have cleaned the windshield first of the old rubber seal and have the corresponding car's opening clean and ready to go. Sometimes (particularly with CANADIAN cars) you WILL find rust in that area. It is UNWISE to reinstall the windshield if that hasn't been fixed first. DON'T!

Once it is somewhat centered and in the proper position have your installation buddy begin to slowly press and even pound with their naked palm onto the glass gently so that the windshield fits into the opening. Inside the car, you should be starting to pull on the string. What your objective is here is to pull the inner lip of the rubber seal up and over the inner headliner material. You can get some good momentum going if your buddy keeps up with the pounding. Stay in synch. When you are working the other long end (like the top) you may find that your buddy may have to beat the glass a bit harder. What he is doing is literally forcing the glass into the opening, as you are securing it from the inside with the rubber on the lip. If the windshield wasn't started, properly centered, you will wind up starting again. It's normal to have to try this several times to get this right. Keep working at it. Obviously the last part is the toughest. Have your buddy continue to pound on the windshield as you continue to slowly pull the string. Sometimes, with a special tool, you can recover pulling some of that inner flap over the headliner if the string came out prematurely. But if you wind up trying to do too much of that, just pop it out again and reinsert the string,--and start over.

If properly centered, and your buddy keeps up both pressing with one hand and beating on the glass with the other, you will prevail!

These windshields are not intended to be installed with any sort of windshield sealant. The rubber seal alone is all that is needed. (Today's cars are significantly different and MUST be installed with a sealant,--much of the rigidity of today's cars comes from having the windshields GLUED in).

Good luck! It's not that hard.

psychoideas

Hi Dan,
My Auto books manual says to put sealant in when installing a new screen. I know that Porsche probably don't reccomend it but I can't see how adding sealant would be of any detriment.

Maybe if it was used in those Canadian cars there would not be any water damage in the windscreen area.


I Am also interested in the 996 option mentioned above..............how does that work?

DRACO A5OG

My Bad I Meant 993:

Done at AXIOM by rudy

Edgy01

Adding a sealant can impede water flow. The factory didn't use a sealant on the early 911 series (up to at least 1990 to my knowledge). What can happen with a sealant is you can create pockets where water can reside,--and then do damage. I would resort to using a sealant if you absolutely can't get a good seal against the windshield falling out, taking on moisture, or excessive wind noise.

The rubber seals are supposed to be a perfect fit,--there really isn't room for sealant, if you do it right.

Of course, today, there probably isn't a car around that doesn't have a sealant there to hold in the windshield.

old man neri

Is it just a 993 seal or the seal and window?

Dan, thanks a lot for your detailed explanation, that really helps a lot. Where does one find the windshield seal without the aluminium trim groove?

Thanks!

psychoideas

Hi Dan,

I can see your point about the sealant impeding water flow but surely the factory seal is also supposed to be water tight? And hence also impede water flow? If the sealant creates pockets where the water can reside, surely the factory seal has failed and let the water in?

From the information that I have seen on this forum, the windscreen surrounds tend to rust out in the lower corners as the windscreen frame slopes back at that point and allows water to pool between the seal and the frame.

On my own car I see that I have two options: factory rubber with no sealant and take a chance that it will be water proof. Or add sealant correctly, and be sure that my screen is not pooling water.
I know that when I fit my own screens that they are watertight.

Daniel Dudley

Take it to another glass guy, who has done the job before. Call a local repair shop and get a reference or 2.

Edgy01

Most of the Safe Light auto glass guys know how to handle this. It's not particularly difficult.

Finding a rubber seal should be easy,--try Performance Products to start.

If a pro does this for you they will resort to adding a sealant in the corners.

Just make sure that if you repaired rusty corners that you cleaned them out, primed them, painted them, and then took the time to cure properly before the seal with the glass goes back in.

DRACO A5OG

Both, As soos as I get a un-repairbale crack on mine, I am pulling the trigger on the 993 set up.

911vet

I was recently told by a body shop tech that one of the major reasons 911s rust below the windshield is because when new glass is installed, the metal wasn't primed and painted.

Make sure you can inspect the job as it's being done and insure proper prep of the metal so you don't get rust afterwards.

old man neri

I think what I might do is take out the glass myself (as evident by the video it seems to be doing that on it's own) prep it all, take car of any rust if there is some, and then call one of the glass installers to come by and do the work. I was thinking of doing it myself but I am afraid of cracking the glass.

theiceman

Let us know how it goes Matt. i have a delaminating windshield and I am missing my alluminum trim . i was thinking of getting the trim a new wirndshield, and and a new seal and redoing it.