gjprigge

Hi - I just purchased and 06 997 and it looks like it had a windshield replaced and the rubber gasket has dry rotted and shrunk around the corners. Two questions I was looking for help with.

1. Does anyone know if the gasket can be replaced without taking the windshield off and where to order an oem gasket.

2. Does the oem windshield gasket have a lip over the edge of the windshield, or does it sit flush with the windshield? Mine sits flush with the windshield but due to the dry rot it's shrunk and shows a gap.

Thx!

Bruce In Philly

My '09 sits flush (you can see the glass edge). I also had a leak and asked the same questions you are asking.... but did not get a solid answer. In looking at the replacement part on the Porsche parts list (Katalog) it appears that seal cannot be replaced but honestly, I am not sure.

If you take a trim tool, or even a screwdriver if you are careful, you can push back either side of the rubber trim. On the "top side" you can see down to the metal. On the "bottom side", you can see down to rubber that then goes under the glass.... it is one piece.

Anywhoo.... I was looking for a low-viscosity silicone and found that is exactly what Permatex sells as their sealant. "Permatex 81730 Flowable Silicone Windshield and Glass Sealer, 1.5 oz." The stuff is fantastic as it is very runny but sets up just like regular silicone (I tested some before I used it).

http://a.co/7a1amuC

I just pulled back the rubber on the "top side", in the center over the rear-view mirror, inserted the tip of the tube, and squeezed hard as I slowly pulled the tube to the edges and around. I then did the same on the "bottom side" and then moved to the other side of the car and repeated. The leak stopped. You can not see the sealant from outside the car as the black rubber seal is still intact.

My leak came from a bad windshield replacement I had done years ago and the leak was intermittent.... would drip straight down from the dome light onto my shift boot.

This may or may not help your issue. If you feel the rubber needs to be replaced, I suspect the window must be reset and there is a high chance, so the dealer noted to me, the glass will break. Again, I never got a solid answer on this..... On my '09, this black rubber seal you are talking about is 997 541 901 10 (coupe) or 09 for Cabrio. about $100 for me.... I think your part number is different and is about $40.

Honestly, unless you get a solid answer here, take it to a good body shop where they do this all the time and just ask them. They can probably do it fast and cheap if you wait and let them order the part.... assuming the rubber can be pulled out and just pressed in. If the glass requires removal, you run the risk of damage to glass and therefore the cost of a new one.... and with resetting glass, I recommend the slow-cure adhesive which requires 24 hour cure time without driving (twisting).

Oh one more thing.... if your glass is pitted from stones, you may qualify for a new windshield (and then you will get a new seal!) ... check with your insurer.... and then ask if you policy covers OEM replacement glass..... then demand OEM from the installer... in writing.. they are famous for installing cheaper glass and pocketing the difference from the insurer.

My original question here with pictures: https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...-question.html
BTW, the body shop was slow to get back to me so I just did the leak repair myself per up above.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

TheBruce

Bruce - many thanks! I spoke to the dealer and some recommended windshield installers and the consensus is the windshield needs to be removed to replace the seal and there is a 50/50 it will break in that process.

Wulfrik

Bruce in Philly,

I'm chasing a water leak in my 2008 997 S coupe, with my driver's side footwell getting wet.

My initial on-line research led me to the roof and cowl drains, and I've since blown those out, testing each one individually with a water pitcher for drainage about a month ago.

Everything was dry until last week when I discovered water in the carpet at my feet again, and this time I ran my hand along the bottom edge of the door and found the carpet there completely soaked. More research on the forums told me that this is another common issue, and I found a guy on Rennlist who took the door apart and installed plastic sheeting on the backside of the inner door panel to keep rainwater from penetrating the cab. I liked the approach, and so I did the same this past weekend. It's been raining buckets since the beginning of the week, and so far the door is bone dry.

However, I touched the carpet again yesterday, and it's wet again. Not as bad as when the door was leaking through, but it's there.

So, my next step is to take your approach with the Permatex flowable silicone sealer.

How's it holding up on your installation? Leak still cured? Anything different you'd do if you tried it again?

Thanks for your help, Sir!

--John

Astraelraen

I had what is probably the same problem as you, except on the passenger side. Chased all the usual suspects.I thought it was the Targa top, but I followed all the bad looking gaskets, etc and finally settled on the windshield gasket.

If your windshield seal looked like mine, I think your best solution is to either have the windshield (and gasket) replaced or to try and get some sealant into the gap if you have gaps.

https://rennlist.com/forums/997-foru...ield-leak.html

Bruce In Philly

2009 C2S 159K miles

Yes, no leaking any more.

Just to summarize, I had an odd drip from the center light fixture, I swore it was coming from the moon roof and or its subsystems like drains.... I was wrong. The leak was coming from somewhere along the windshield seal along the top. This went on for years... it was very intermittent. So, I used the flowable silicone windshield sealer stuff (pricey!) and it did NOT stop. A year or so later, in desperation, I did another sealing pass and this time it worked. Why twice? Well..... later, I had to remove that center dome light fixture cap for something or other and then I saw a big puddle of silicone in the cap. Apparently, the hole was so great, the first pass of sealant flowed through it and down into the light fixture leaving the hole, albeit a smaller hole. The second sealing effort was able to clog the hole, finally.

If you use the sealant, I recommend getting a few tubes of the stuff. You will need to seal both sides of the rubber seal... one side of the black rubber is to the glass, the other to the frame. You are not going to know which side is leaking although I suspect the frame side is the where the leak is. Why? Because when a new windsheild is installed, they use a fresh black rubber seal. The window-rubber interface is clean whereas the frame will have residue from the prior adhesive seal.... bumpy. IMO.

So.... choose one side of the seal to attack first... then start from the top center of the windshield, press the tube down in, and start sqeezing and moving slowly towards the side and then down along the A pillar. Squeeze a ton of that chit in there... just do it. You will need multiple tubes to do the entire frame, both sides of the seal. Then, given my experience, give it a week to dry, and then do it again. You are not going to hurt anything.... I did a little test with that sealant and squirted a dab on my workbench... it peals up real easy like. It is not a strong glue.... oh and it pealed right out of my dome light cap too.

Let us know how it goes.

Peace
Bruce in Philly

Wulfrik

@Astraelraen >> Thank you, Sir. I examined the rubber trim around the top and sides of the windshield, and they are nice and tight -- no distortion whatsoever, actually. However, the cowl trip piece that runs along the base of the windshield -- in which the wipers sit within -- have several gaps. Of course, I've never looked at this piece of trim as being "watertight," but I'm imagining that these gaps aren't helping things. I've decided since this piece is inexpensive, I'm going to replace it.

@Bruce In Philly >> Thank you for your response, and for the added input regarding how the sealer "acts." As each tube is only 1.5 ounces, I ordered 6 -- I hope that's enough! ;-) And if it isn't, I'm going to buy more, as I like your "do it a second time" approach.

I will definitely report back with my results.

Thanks, Gentlemen!

Wulfrik

Yikes -- first day with Rennlist >> I need to figure out how to get photos to load properly!

Astraelraen

To test, I took all the passenger side interior trim out (glove box area, etc) and masked off everything outside but the windshield gasket in the picture in the thread above. When I poured water on the windshield gasket I could see it seep into the gap and down in the passenger compartment.

While I am no expert, based upon my experience, I think it's safe to assume if you have gaps in the windshield gasket its an area that can/will leak. The only place for the water to go is to the metal frame and once it gets to the metal frame its in the car. I had another post where I traced the water but I can no longer find it.

Wulfrik

@Astraelraen Yes >> as I said, the gaps can't be doing me any good, as there letting more water in, which means more hydraulic pressure against whatever opening there may be in the existing gasket. So, I'm just gonna fill up the seam with a bunch of silicone and see what happens.