[DeTomaso] Windshield Leaking

JDeRyke at aol.com JDeRyke at aol.com
Wed May 21 12:55:41 EDT 2008


In a message dated 5/20/08 7:44:24 PM, MyCars at Comcast.net writes:

> Eventually I plan to replace my windshield and get the correct rubber for 
> it. But until then, I was wondering if I should try to use clear silicone to 
> seal the rubber seal to the car, especially in the corners. Whoever previously 
> replaced the windshield botched the job.
> 
There's more to this job than simply hurling a new windshield into a Pantera. 
What I've found is, a new windshield AND new gasket is no guarantee of a 
leak-free installation. FWIW, factory glass is slightly too small in length & 
width to seal to the body opening; without the gasket, the glass will fall through 
the opening. Non-factory glass may be thinner, making the seal even worse. So 
clear RTV is necessary regardless. Note- once the glass is out, inspect the 
bottom area next to the dashboard very carefully: if the gasket was not sealed 
to the body, water gets in there and rusts, sometimes pits go all the way 
through the metal. Welding may be necessary to repair and if so, dash removal or a 
VERY skilled welder will be needed!

My method is, after any metal repairs and the glass & gasket is back in 
place, seal the lip edges of the gasket across the bottom, all the way up both 
sides and across the top as far as you can comfortably reach, leaving only a small 
unsealed area in the middle of the top for any further condensation relief. 
And use windshield silicone, not a cheap tube from Ace Hardware: ordinary RTV 
outgasses acetic anhydride while curing which combines with atmospheric 
moisture to form acetic acid. Trapped under the gasket, it corrodes metal even worse 
than water! If you can smell vinegar while using it, it's the wrong silicone! 
Windshield RTV cures odorless and does not form acetic acid. 

At current prices, a new gasket costs $250 so think long & hard before you 
hire a highschool dropout to cut your old gasket off for easy glass removal. A 
new gasket may be a little softer but still is likely to not seal without 
silicone. FWIW- J DeRyke, leak-free since 1991.


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