Windscreen Rubber

[ahebron]

Righto lets raise an age old Discovery problem.... windscreen leak on my 1997 300TDi auto:).
But what I want to know is can I remove the rubber windscreen trim without damaging it and reuse it. And what is the best way to do this? I would like to remove the rubber if possible so I can have a good look rather than just squirt sealer willy nilly under the rubber. I think it is a bonded screen but could be wrong. I am tracking down a leak that I have established comes from the base of the windscreen on the LH side using the dribbling hose test. Yes I have sealed up the wiring loom and leaking washer bottle and last weekend I removed the LH guard and sealed anywhere that looked like trouble. The water is dribbling down the lower A pillar area behind the dash:(.

Thanks

[streaky]

Don't re-use it! It's a false economy.
My dealer tried that and it never sealed properly afterwards.

The water got in and started to rot the surrounding steel resulting in a hefty repair bill further down the road.

[lynalldiscovery]

The high tech landrover cure is to lift the seal up and where it touchs the paintwork add a bead of silicone sealant and lay the rubber back down again.
All the way across the top, did this to my last 300 auto and worked a treat.
The seal is only a finisher and not the actual seal.


Lynall

[JulesV8]

I had my windscreeen replaced earlier in the year and it proved leaky. The Autoglass man came out last night to have a look and apparently the external trim does not act a waterproofing trim, its purely cosmetic. My screen is properly sealed but I have leaks on each side. I'll be getting the silicone sealant out this weekend. this might be helpful:

http://freespace.virgin.net/mark.hopkins2/WaterIngress.htm

Tells you exactly how to fix windsreeen and alpine window leaks

Very useful

Ta chaps,
J

[ahebron]

I am pretty sure I have fixed the leaking windscreen problem.:D
I had tracked the leak down to the bottom left hand corner of the screen so I removed the plenum moulding at the base of the screen. With this gone I could open up the rubber trim at the base of the glass and inject windscreen sealant all the way along the screen.
So far the water testing is looking good, no more mobile paddling pool around the passengers feet.

Now to sort out cruise control and belt squeal:rolleyes:

[disco-duck]

i was just about to say, silicone sealant aint really that gd, pop into your local windscreen repair center and buy the proper sealant, its half the price, i got told by them that silicone sealant has an affect on steel, makes it rust faster n thats why they dnt use it,. dnt know how true that is??????????:rolleyes:

[ahebron]

Weather report for last night Wellington NZ.
Thunder, lightening, hail, horizontal rain, southerly gales and leaking Discovery:(.

I was for to early in my last report of a dry Discovery. I tested for vertical and 45 degree rain but not horizontal. Water gets blown under the screen rubber and leaks into cab.
Oh well out with another tube of windscreen sealant this time under the rubber and glass

[ahebron]

Fingers crossed this time I have solved the leak. And it wasn't the windscreen. I appears to have been cracked body sealer that was letting water in the 'A' pillar behind the dashboard. Investigating deep into the dash and under the sound deadening there is an overlap seam that had water running out of it when water was directed onto the base of the screen. Using my compressor blowing air up the seam and soapy water sprayed around the suspect area under the screen and plenum showed up bubbles thereby indicating the leak. A good smearing of body sealer across the broken body sealer under the screen and plenum seems to have fixed it. I tested with hoses rigged at various angles and forceful sprays and I still have a dry Discovery.