Gasket replacement on exterior door handle
03-12-2023, 04:11 AM
#46
Advanced
Took me about 2.5 hours for both doors, taking my time a few years ago.......only minor challenges are loosening and removing the far nut on door handle near the end of the door, the other nut on the handle, no issue, plus the wiring for the window switches are fairly short and took some patience to reattach and clip the connector. I fastened those with a wire to prevent them dropping into door cavity.....
A less than $50 in parts repair plus labor time........Next DIY is engine cover strut repair with Rennline mechanical strut versus hydraulic struts that fail every 3-5 years, hopefully replacing for the last time - lifetime guarantee on the RL struts.....will go with one RL strut on the passenger's side and leave the other hydraulic strut in place behind the blower motor on driver's side....as the mechanical strut should hold up the stock engine cover weight.....
A less than $50 in parts repair plus labor time........Next DIY is engine cover strut repair with Rennline mechanical strut versus hydraulic struts that fail every 3-5 years, hopefully replacing for the last time - lifetime guarantee on the RL struts.....will go with one RL strut on the passenger's side and leave the other hydraulic strut in place behind the blower motor on driver's side....as the mechanical strut should hold up the stock engine cover weight.....
09-09-2023, 10:54 PM
#48
I've got a '95 993 and for people with the wire (mentioned above) for the alarm or whatever it is, I managed to get it off the handle/lock mechanism with a flat screwdriver. You basically "snap" the black plastic housing holding the wire and then snap it back on after you attach the new gasket. It was pure hell (the whole job took me 2 hours and this wire nightmare was probably close to 30-40 minutes). Good luck!
10-25-2023, 12:16 PM
#49
I've got a '95 993 and for people with the wire (mentioned above) for the alarm or whatever it is, I managed to get it off the handle/lock mechanism with a flat screwdriver. You basically "snap" the black plastic housing holding the wire and then snap it back on after you attach the new gasket. It was pure hell (the whole job took me 2 hours and this wire nightmare was probably close to 30-40 minutes). Good luck!
I did notice that the front (smaller gasket) side had a small white plastic washer that presumably goes OVER the gasket, otherwise it does not sit flush. No one seems to explain this online either. I didn't see a washer or nut to hold the rear (larger) gasket on.
Not 100% sure that the gasket doesn't go over the plastic washer on the front stud, but it seemed not to sit flush without taking the washer off and replacing it on-top of the gasket.
Last edited by dekorum; 10-25-2023 at 04:46 PM.
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ph993 (04-30-2024)
10-25-2023, 02:17 PM
#50
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Here is a page discussing internal door access and pull handle servicing:
https://993servicerepair.blogspot.co...e-failing.html
Andy
https://993servicerepair.blogspot.co...e-failing.html
Andy
Last edited by pp000830; 10-25-2023 at 02:24 PM.
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ph993 (04-30-2024)
04-28-2024, 02:21 PM
#51
Time and detailed process to do the door handle gasket replacement on a 993
It took me 30 minutes to strip the door:
1) remove 5 screws of door pocket alongside bottom of door, plus the one inside the door pocket
2) inside door handle: remove three 5 mm hex screws (front one is behind black plastic shroud held by 2 Philips screws), 2 other hex ones are 2 in the middle) and one Philips screw (to the rear of door handle).
3) release plastic pull handle from door opening hardware by pushing up the thin metal rod inserted in the handle
4) disconnect the electric window switches and attch them with a string to keep them from disappeqring inside the door
5) use Swabben trim tools to pry plastic plugs holding the door card into the door (2 front upper and 1 rear upper - locate each them carefully before prying the door card away from the door frame
6) remove the door card carefully pulling the strings not to lose the electric window switches and
disconnect the lower connector of the door speaker (non hifi speakers) - no need to remove the speaker and tweeter plastic covers.
7) peel off carefully the corner edge of the plastic shield to access the area of the back of the handle
8) secure the handle to the door with blue masking tape to avoid dropping it and damaging its paint
9) release slightly the two Philips screws on the rear edge of the door, they hold the black plastic shroud which protects the latch mechanism from the rain. Remove the top screw to move the black shroud down out of the way to access the two 8 mm bolts holding the handle to the door. Don’t remove the lower screw, it is not needed and it will make it easier to reconnect the top one to the shroud.
10) clean up the bottom of the door.
11) place a rag in the door under the area where the bolts are to catch your small 8 mm wrench or the bolts if you let them go.
12) spray PB Blaster on the bolts and start unscrewing the bolts with a small wrench (8 mm). Start with difficult bolt at rear of door - difficult to access, it took me 1 hour to unscrew it! The other one 10 minutes. There is very little space to fit in a ratchet wrench, the bolts don’t turn freely on the threads and the wrench moves maybe 20
deg (out of 360) at each movement so it is very long and painful to you wrist. Be careful not to drop the bolt at the end.
13) take off the masking tape and the handle from the door
14) clean up time: rotten gasket pieces on door and in the handle inside. Secure the small white plastic washer on the handle thread on the pointy end of the door handle (only that side).
15) clean the threads and bolts with PB blaster until the bolts screw freely to the end of the thread when you use your fingers only
- this is critical to reinstall the handle in a couple of minutes very easily, with just a few movements of the 8 mm wrench to tighten the handle to the door.
16) put the new gaskets on the handle, don’t forget that there is a that small white plastic washer which goes on top on the outside of the pointy/ front facing side of the handle, it helps make the gasket flush with the door.
16) reinstall the handle and hold it with the masking tape
17) screw back the bolts with your fingers as far as possible (ideally to the end of the thread), and tighten with 8 mm wrench.
18) reinstall top Philips screw to secure black plastic shroud back in place. Tighten both screws.
19) complete steps 7) to 1) to reinstall plastic shield, door card, speaker connection, electric window switches, door latch rod, and finally door pocket.
—> count at least 2 hour and a half to do the job thoroughly, carefully and patiently with breaks to rest your hands and wrists.
1) remove 5 screws of door pocket alongside bottom of door, plus the one inside the door pocket
2) inside door handle: remove three 5 mm hex screws (front one is behind black plastic shroud held by 2 Philips screws), 2 other hex ones are 2 in the middle) and one Philips screw (to the rear of door handle).
3) release plastic pull handle from door opening hardware by pushing up the thin metal rod inserted in the handle
4) disconnect the electric window switches and attch them with a string to keep them from disappeqring inside the door
5) use Swabben trim tools to pry plastic plugs holding the door card into the door (2 front upper and 1 rear upper - locate each them carefully before prying the door card away from the door frame
6) remove the door card carefully pulling the strings not to lose the electric window switches and
disconnect the lower connector of the door speaker (non hifi speakers) - no need to remove the speaker and tweeter plastic covers.
7) peel off carefully the corner edge of the plastic shield to access the area of the back of the handle
8) secure the handle to the door with blue masking tape to avoid dropping it and damaging its paint
9) release slightly the two Philips screws on the rear edge of the door, they hold the black plastic shroud which protects the latch mechanism from the rain. Remove the top screw to move the black shroud down out of the way to access the two 8 mm bolts holding the handle to the door. Don’t remove the lower screw, it is not needed and it will make it easier to reconnect the top one to the shroud.
10) clean up the bottom of the door.
11) place a rag in the door under the area where the bolts are to catch your small 8 mm wrench or the bolts if you let them go.
12) spray PB Blaster on the bolts and start unscrewing the bolts with a small wrench (8 mm). Start with difficult bolt at rear of door - difficult to access, it took me 1 hour to unscrew it! The other one 10 minutes. There is very little space to fit in a ratchet wrench, the bolts don’t turn freely on the threads and the wrench moves maybe 20
deg (out of 360) at each movement so it is very long and painful to you wrist. Be careful not to drop the bolt at the end.
13) take off the masking tape and the handle from the door
14) clean up time: rotten gasket pieces on door and in the handle inside. Secure the small white plastic washer on the handle thread on the pointy end of the door handle (only that side).
15) clean the threads and bolts with PB blaster until the bolts screw freely to the end of the thread when you use your fingers only
- this is critical to reinstall the handle in a couple of minutes very easily, with just a few movements of the 8 mm wrench to tighten the handle to the door.
16) put the new gaskets on the handle, don’t forget that there is a that small white plastic washer which goes on top on the outside of the pointy/ front facing side of the handle, it helps make the gasket flush with the door.
16) reinstall the handle and hold it with the masking tape
17) screw back the bolts with your fingers as far as possible (ideally to the end of the thread), and tighten with 8 mm wrench.
18) reinstall top Philips screw to secure black plastic shroud back in place. Tighten both screws.
19) complete steps 7) to 1) to reinstall plastic shield, door card, speaker connection, electric window switches, door latch rod, and finally door pocket.
—> count at least 2 hour and a half to do the job thoroughly, carefully and patiently with breaks to rest your hands and wrists.
