Interior - Water Leaks
NO.: TSB-97-42A-011DATE: August, 1997
MODEL: 1996-98 Eclipse Spyder
SUBJECT:
TOPSTACK WATER LEAKS
PURPOSE
This bulletin contains information about testing the vehicle for water leaks along with various adjustment, alignment, and suggested repair procedures for reducing different types of topstack water leaks on the 1996-98 Eclipse Spyder.
WATER LEAK TEST
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Leakage
Defined as water that spills into the vehicle and causes the interior to become wet in a short period of time.
Seepage
Defined as water that runs down the inside of the door and or quarter-glass but does not build up or drip onto any interior trim components. This type of seepage is also called a weep.
By nature of their design, convertible tops normally display some water seepage under certain ambient conditions. Water leakage/seepage characteristics for the convertible are:
^ Normal - Under normal conditions, the convertible top should not display seepage of more than a total of three moisture weeps of more than 5 mm wide at any or all of the convertible top roof joints. Excessive seepage (more than three 5mm wide weeps) should be considered leakage and would require service. As with any convertible top, leakage may occur under abnormal conditions such as the flooding of the weatherstrip roof joints with large quantities of water as might happen in an automatic car wash.
^ Service Required - Vehicle service is required if leakage occurs under normal conditions. (Some adjustments may help reduce leakage which occurs under abnormal conditions).
TEST PROCEDURES
1. Interview the customer to get a detailed description of the leak and the conditions under which the leak occurred.
2. Open the part of the vehicle to be tested for the water leak, i.e., door, windows, convertible top, etc.
3. Use a clean cloth and wipe clean and dry the sealing surfaces for the suspected area.
4. Close the doors, window, etc. of the vehicle to prevent water from accidentally getting into the vehicle. Before water testing around the door glass area, with the door closed, lower the glass once, then raise it all the way.
5. Turn off the A/C, heater, ventilation blower. Otherwise, if the blower is on this will pressurize the cabin and prevent water from entering through a bad seal condition.
6. Evaluate the customer's description of the leak in question then use the method of water testing (angle, distance, pressure, etc.) which closely simulates or duplicates the leak condition the customer's vehicle experienced.
7. Most leaks can be corrected by glass and/or weatherstrip adjustments so the glass achieves proper insertion into the weatherstrip. Proper insertion of the glass into the weatherstrip is necessary for proper leak prevention. Weatherstrip replacement may be necessary if proper insertion cannot be attained by adjustments.
AFFECTED VEHICLES
1996-98 Eclipse Spyder
PROCEDURES
Window Adjustments
Use the following information along with the door glass and quarter-glass adjustment procedures in the service manual to check and make any necessary adjustments. Remember that the window adjustments and the weatherstrip holder adjustments are closely related and must be checked together to achieve proper water leak sealing.
1. Check the door glass insertion into the weatherstrip at the three indicated locations while the top is up.
^ Point 1 = 3 +/- 2 mm
^ Points 2 & 3 = 1 to 5 mm
2. Check the parallelism of the door glass to the quarter-glass at the two indicated locations (50 mm from the top at point 5, and 50 mm from the bottom at point 4). This check should also be done with the top up. The gap should be even and 8 +/- 2 mm at each spot.
3. Check the height flushness of the quarter-glass to the door glass with the top down. The difference should be no more than 0 +/- 2 mm.
4. Check the tilt flushness of the door glass to the quarter-glass at the same locations as in step 2 with the top down. The difference should be 3 +/- 2 mm.
5. Check for proper operation of the door glass and quarter-glass with the top up and then again with the top down. Make sure there is no interference or crossover during operation.
Weather Holder Adjustment
Note
^ The illustrations show the top in the closed or up position while measuring the distances between the rails and the weatherstrip holders at the front and rear screws of each holder. The top can, however, be either fully open or closed.
^ Specifications shown in the illustration are based on optimal design positions under ideal conditions. However, real-world conditions must be considered, such as, normal wear-and-tear; variance in parts (old versus new); variance in vehicle build tolerances; etc. Therefore, some or all of the specifications may not be fully attainable. Use these specifications as a guide, reference, or base-line for adjustment purposes.
^ The weatherstrip must be removed from the holder to take the measurements and to make any necessary adjustment.
^ Remember that weatherstrip holder adjustments and window adjustments are closely related and must be checked together to achieve proper water leak sealing.
1. Either open the door or lower the window on the side of the vehicle requiring adjustment.
2. Remove the weatherstrip requiring adjustment from its holder.
3. Measure the distance between the rail and the holder as shown in the illustration. Take the measurements at the locations of the holder attaching screws.
4. If adjustment is required, loosen the holder screws, adjust as necessary, and tighten the screws.
5. Reinstall the removed weatherstrip.
Suggested Repair Procedures
SYMPTOMS AND CONDITIONS
A. Windshield Header and/or A-Pillar Leak - Some early production vehicles may exhibit a water leak at the windshield header or A-pillar weatherstrips. This may be caused by mis-installation, incorrect adjustment, or header weatherstrip damage or compression.
B. Water Drip at Center Rail/Rear Rail Joint - The customer may report a water leak or drip at the joint of the center rail and rear rail weatherstrip. Quarter-glass adjustment and new foam application to the weatherstrip holder can reduce instances of this type leak.
C. Front Rail/Center Rail Leak at Highway Speeds or in Heavy Rain - Some vehicles may have a water leak during heavy rain when the vehicle is stationary and the wind is blowing from the side, or at highway speeds where water tracks up the door glass and goes over the weatherstrip to the joint of the front and center rail. Door glass to weatherstrip insertion adjustment, weatherstrip adjustment, and foam pad installation will reduce occurrences of this type leak.
Important
Before starting any of the following procedures, use the information at the beginning of this bulletin along with the service manual to first make sure the window and weatherstrip holders are in the best alignment possible, then water test the vehicle. When you have duplicated the leak the customer has reported, and you have determined that all adjustments are within specification, proceed with the suggested repair solutions for that particular type leak.
PROCEDURES
A. Windshield Header and/or A-Pillar Leak
1. TOP ADJUSTMENT
a. Check the topstack for proper adjustment, referring to the service manual.
b. Using the instructions in the service manual, adjust the header latch J-hooks and top upstops as necessary.
Note:
Do not use the J-hook adjustments for header force adjustment. The hooks should be adjusted to a length of 17 to 21 mm as indicated in the service manual. Adjusting the J-hooks too tightly can compress and damage the header weatherstrip, requiring replacement.
c. If you had to make any adjustments, water test the area again to see if the adjustments corrected the leak. If the leak remains, proceed with the following.
2. HEADER WEATHERSTRIP ADJUSTMENTS AND MODIFICATIONS
a. Carefully and thoroughly inspect the header weatherstrip for damage and compression which may leave gaps or cause leaks. Make sure it is properly seated in the holder bracket. Make sure the comer push pin is completely engaged. If the weatherstrip is damaged, replace it and water test.
b. If there is no weatherstrip damage, detach the comer of the header weatherstrip to access the holder bracket and butyl application.
c. On vehicles produced before 10/96, check for foam pads on the edge of the header weatherstrip holder bracket, just forward of the top latch J-hook receivers on the windshield header. If there is no foam visible, remove the header weatherstrip and holder, add a 70 mm x 12 mm x 5 mm foam pad on each side, aligning each with the J-hook receiver.
Note:
If foam under the header weatherstrip holder was damaged on removal, replace it with new foam to prevent any new water leak.
d. Remove the old butyl tape from the end of the header weatherstrip holder bracket and apply new tape as shown. You may want to wrap the ends of the butyl tape around the corner push pin.
e. Reinstall the windshield header weatherstrip and holder. Make sure to apply pressure to the weatherstrip at the location of the new butyl tape to ensure proper adhesion of the tape to the weatherstrip.
f. Make sure the comer of the white header weatherstrip push pin (on top of the header, under the weatherstrip) is fully seated during reinstallation. Water test the header area.
B. Water Drip at Center Rail/Rear Rail Joint - Quarter-Glass Area
1. Make sure the quarter-glass and related weatherstrip and holders are in proper adjustment according to the information in this bulletin and the service manual.
2. Remove the center rail weatherstrip.
3. Mark the location of the two screws which hold on the center rail weatherstrip holder for proper repositioning during reinstallation, then remove the holder.
4. With the center rail weatherstrip and holder removed, remove the foam along the edge of the center rail and apply a new piece of self-adhesive foam around the lip of the center rail as shown. (For vehicles produced prior to 3/97)
5. With the center rail weather strip still removed locate the drain hole in the front lower edge at the front of the rear rail weatherstrip. Carefully increase the size of this drain hole, elongating the hole toward the inside of the vehicle as shown. This will allow a greater flow of water to drain from this area and out of the weatherstrip.
! CAUTION
Be careful not to cut the hole too large or in the outward direction. This will collapse the weatherstrip and allow more water to enter the vehicle.
6. Reinstall the center rail weatherstrip and holder, making sure that the holder screws are aligned according to the match-marks made on removal. Inspect the fit of the center rail weatherstrip to the front and rear rail weather-strips. There should be a smooth fit without any gaps or binding. The rear rail weatherstrip should slightly overlap the center rail weatherstrip. If there is a gap at either or both ends of the center rail weatherstrip, remove the weatherstrip again and insert a 3 mm long hard rubber pad at the front and/or the rear of the weatherstrip where the holder bracket inserts as shown. This will allow the weatherstrip to be stretched reducing the gap(s) between it and the other weatherstrip(s).
7. Reinstall the weatherstrip and holder. Check the alignment of the glass in relation to the weatherstrip, then water test to make sure the leak is corrected.
C. Front Rail/Center Rail Leak at Highway Speeds or in Heavy Rain - Front Door Area Leaks
1. WEATHERSTRIP ADJUSTMENT AND INSPECTION
a. Inspect the weatherstrip for damage or abnormal compression and replace if necessary.
b. Remove the weatherstrip and make sure the holder is adjusted properly according to the procedures in this bulletin. If not, move the holder outward as necessary to provide the proper pressure on the glass. Retest.
2. FOAM ADDITION
If there is still a water leak from the joint between the front and center rail weatherstrips after adjustment, add a foam pad at the edge of the front rail weatherstrip holder.
a. Open the top to the half-open position.
b. Remove the front rail weatherstrip.
c. Mark the location of the front rail weatherstrip holder retainer screws, then remove the two lower screws from the holder.
d. Lift up or slide the holder bracket away from the rail and slide a piece for self-adhesive foam pad (30 mm long x 20 mm wide x 5 mm thick) under the edge of the holder. Wrap it outward to the edge of the rail assembly as shown above.
e. Reinstall the weatherstrip holder back into its original position using the match-marks for the screw as a guide. Reinstall the weatherstrip and check for gaps between the front rail and center rail weatherstrips. If there is excessive gap, go back to step B.6. and install the hard rubber pads in the center rail weatherstrip. If not, water test to see if the leak is corrected.
PARTS INFORMATION
PARTS REQUIRED
Butyl Tape
Foam:
Any self-adhesive closed cell black foam tape (3M Scotchfoam 6375 or equivalent)
Header - 70 mm x 12 mm x 5 mm
Center Rail Wrap - 520 mm x 12 mm x 5 mm
Front Rail - 30 mm x 20 mm x 5 mm
Hard Rubber Pads: 3 mm x 5 mm x 10 mm
WARRANTY INFORMATION
Service information only. No special warranty procedures apply.