Window seal not butting up

[2_Door_fun 0]

Hi all.

 

In rebuilding the C I needed a new window seal. The Horizontal 1 that sits across the door as you lower the glass.

 

My old 1 was not butting up tight to the glass. So £30 later and a trip to the stealers???

 

Fitted the new seal popped in perfect no kinks. Still the seal and glass do not meet?? Its as if the door is bowed outwards!!! The Pass side is a perfect fit. Real tight to the glass. When the window is down you can wobble ? the glass sought of like there is no guide (lock end) The pass glass seems to sit very tight with no room to wobble... Any ideas. I can't seem to spot if anything is missing?

 

Any advice appreciated.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yep, same here, tried 3 strips can you believe to get it right. The first two were GPC ones and useless. The VW sourced one was a lot better but it sticks out around the rear of the door frame and not quite pressed against the glass as yours.

 

Now, I know for a fact my car has had a side impact on the driver's side and the door and wing were replaced, both done to a very high standard, but it's got to be the driver's door that's different slightly (being aftermarket I suspect) to passenger door causing this problem.

 

I always look jealously at rados with perfectly fitted seals!

 

Try bending the lip of the door inwards and see if it helps. I'm going to give that a whirl I think.

[2_Door_fun 0]

Thank God for a reply. I actually just so lost my rag. Only afetr I had give up. Did'nt want to hit the car with a hammer or something :lol:

 

Felt like i was going mad.

 

I'll take yer idea and explain it to the car :D

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Erm, I did lose my rag and I did end up hitting the car with a hammer....accidentally!. It slipped off the rubber and dinged the top of door :(

 

I gave myself a public b0llocking with a slipper for that one..... but ho hum, it's added to the collection of dings awaiting 'respray day' :-)

[Phil K 0]

My drivers door is the same as this too... design fault?

 

It hadn't crossed my mind to replace the rubber though tbh... I was just going to remove the rubber and bend the mount in slightly to see if I could reduce the gap!

 

Let us know how you get on :D

[2_Door_fun 0]

Erm, I did lose my rag and I did end up hitting the car with a hammer....accidentally!. It slipped off the rubber and dinged the top of door :(

 

I gave myself a public b0llocking with a slipper for that one..... but ho hum, it's added to the collection of dings awaiting 'respray day' :-)

 

HAHA had me laughing. i've done it to. I was replacing the shoes on my mums Corsa...Rear drums..hate em. Freezing cold day all the little pins n spring cups. Ping of it flew again. I then hit the wheel arch with a pair of pliers :oops: Said to mother. Looks like you have a supermarket trolley dink in your arch!!!!! HEHE

 

Phil I;ll let ya know how it goes As for bending the door will try tomorrow. I'll need a new seal now the new one is bent n a bit wavey..! Thats what happens when you remove em. Never get em perfect again. So I'll try with that then spend another 30 at the stealers..Bought a VR6 clutch today cost me £140....! It better be worth it.

[Trig 0]

Yep mine is the same, think the piece of rubber is called the 'weather stip' anyway, mine bows out in the middle - it is annoying.

[2_Door_fun 0]

Yep mine is the same, think the piece of rubber is called the 'weather stip' anyway, mine bows out in the middle - it is annoying.

 

 

Exactly bows in the middle. That is my drivers side?? Pass side is perfect... I walk into the dealers I mention Corrado they all start laughing, Oh look mate there goes a rocking horse??? Ok bunch though nice ladieeees in the showroom. I also want a bonett release lever. Can't get 1 from VW the factory stopped making em in May last year.. Must be a warehouse full of em somewhere? Anybody got a spare. Grey interior. I have none no fixings or mount infact not even sure where it would go. The previous owner made a lever and fitted it under the front fogs. Nice when the already cut cable snapped!!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Yeah, it's that bowing that causes the dreaded window rattle. Between them, the inner and outer seals hold the window glass still like a glass sandwich. Make sure the inner one is seated properly too, and be VERY careful with the inners mate as guess what? They're obsolete! It's the one the door car clips into at the top. Crack it and you are utterly stuffed.

 

Yep, the VW VR clutch is most definitely worth every penny. They're a lot better made than the aftermarket ones.

[Rick_ford55 0]

so after reading this i'm now really pissed off....if my inner seal is not sitting pretty and my outer is making my window rattle it means i'm fooked!!

[corradophil 3]

With the scraper seal removed the gap between the window and the lip on the door is even all the way along on mine. I had the same problem, but now have brand new seals from VW which fit tight to the glass.

[Andy T 0]

I don't think the rubber 'window guides' are supposed to fit tightly against the glass, just sit close, otherwise they would give the window motors a hard time. They are there to deflect most of the rainwater away, but the rest of it runs down the glass, through the door and out of the drainage holes, just the way that VW design 'em.

 

The plastic guide piece that is attached to the glass, and runs up and down the metal guide can become loose, this will cause the window glass to move around and rattle.

[Trig 0]

Mine is flush on my passeneger side but sticks out on the driver side, definately not right. My window doesn't rattle though and as you say the water will just run straight through so it doesn't bother me much.

[corradophil 3]

I don't think the rubber 'window guides' are supposed to fit tightly against the glass, just sit close, otherwise they would give the window motors a hard time. They are there to deflect most of the rainwater away, but the rest of it runs down the glass, through the door and out of the drainage holes, just the way that VW design 'em.

 

I agree they should apply loads of pressure, but they are supposed to make light contact, as mine do. I have not made any changes to the seal or door and the fit is perfect.

 

To those thinking about bending the lip of the door inwards a little to move the seal closer, I would not risk it, it would be a difficult job to do properly and my VW seals fit perfectly.

 

Has anyone replaced the plastic rollers which run in the channels at the base of the window glass. On Corrado Club Canada's, this is the suggested fix for rattly windows.

[2_Door_fun 0]

Phil said

 

To those thinking about bending the lip of the door inwards a little to move the seal closer, I would not risk it, it would be a difficult job to do properly and my VW seals fit perfectly.

 

 

Phil I'm well pleased for ya. I'm real glad yr seal fits perfect.....

 

So now that I'm feeling jealously peeved like Kev. What would ya suggest. Bearing in mind I have terrible wind noise. Not wind for those going for a pun!!

 

Do any of you guys suffer noise cos of the strip??

 

What would ya suggest as a replacement door membrane. My drivers has none.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

LOL, you always get that on here mare....."well mine's perfect, well mine doesn't do that, mine's fine, nerr nerr nerr nerr"

 

Doesn't really help solve the problem does it :-)

 

There are enough of us with the same problem to signify a design flaw somewhere, whether it be the door itself, a bad batch of seals, or even the techique in fitting them....although I can't imagine any special method is required. It's also peculiar how it's just the driver's side!

 

My passenger one just fell on, literally, a few taps and she was home and perfectly aligned.

 

The driver's side was a complete biaatch, wouldn't go on as smoothly and didn't line up properly. It has to be the lip on the door and slight manufacturing discrepencies must be to blame... they are hand made cars after all.

 

I'm going to knock the lip in slightly mate and let you know. Just waiting for my new seal to arrive.

[2_Door_fun 0]

Ha glad there is good humour on here...

 

I had a thought about bending the lip...You could use Ceramic tile pliers. The ones you use after you have scored a tile. They have big grab. To go across the whole width of the tile so that is 6". Would mean less plier bending. Which means fewer distortion points. Sought of lots of little plier marks.

 

You would only need to grab the lip say 3 times in the centre.

 

Might work.

[corradophil 3]

LOL, you always get that on here mare....."well mine's perfect, well mine doesn't do that, mine's fine, nerr nerr nerr nerr"

 

:lol: Well I've got to have something to feel happy about when speaking to you people with Supercharged VR6s.

 

Seriously though, I had the same problem and considered bending the lip too, speaking from experience with bodywork (I spent 3 1/2 years working in a bodyshop) there is a good chance that you could cause distortion to the door if you are not very carefull. Give it a go, but just be very careful.

 

Another option is to fill the hollow cavity in the ruuber with some sort of foam, I tried this with limited improvement because over time the foam moulded to the shape of the rubber and the gap reappeared - maybe a different foam would work ok.

 

How large is the gap between the steel lip at the top of the door and the glass? From memory mine was 10mm - 15mm.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

2 door fun, good plan with the tile pliers but you'll struggle in the middle of the door where the glass is only about 4 or 5 mm away from the lip. I think that's half the problem - the curvature of the glass. You can tap the seal in fine at either end, but in the middle where the glass is closest to the metal, you're tapping it in against the glass and it binds, so it probably doesn't 'sit' on the lip that well in the middle, hence bowing out and not pressing on the glass.

 

I bet those cunning VW gets fitted the outer seal before putting the glass in!! But that still doesn't answer why the passenger one goes in fine though!

 

Phil, you're probably right, but when you're desperate for a flush seal, you do crazy things :-) I'll have a better look at this when the seal arrives as there must be a reason for it, although as mentioned previously, the seals I bought from GPC were cr@p, but the VW one was a million times better.

[_leon_ 0]

I changed the driver side one tonight as it was sitting out more or less full length - but noticably more in the middle. Getting the old one out was a complete nightmare. It just would not budge. Getting the new one in was almost worse. It wouldnt just 'pop' in at all - I had to try and slide it in and give it some force. Sure in the process I have a) kinked the seal and b) tampered with the lip of the door - as now it neither sits close to the glass or allows the window up freely. I'm both stumped and throughly f**ked off!

 

any words of wisdom on how you managed to get the seal in and out would be appreciated as I'm determined to give this another go tomorrow when I've regained some patience...

[Trig 0]

10/10 for trying mate but that is exactly why I haven't attempted mine, you just know it's one of those jobs where you'll end up worse off than when you started!

[_leon_ 0]

its rusty under the seal - so i'm going to get a body shop to fit it after theyve treated it - and leave the passenger side one well alone as there is only 1mm of space if that...

 

i'll probably be forced to get another seal - so i MAY try it again. any help from people who have 'easily' done this please please tell me how!

[2_Door_fun 0]

Evening all.

 

Its not to had to do. You can use silicone grease on the door edge. Then with effort slide the seal on. Or position the seal on the edge and get a hammer and a block of wood and crack it onto the door. Either way is good as it does not distort the seals smooth line. Once these seals are bent or buckled you can never get em nice and straight again.

 

Should be on very quick.

[_leon_ 0]

i didnt try the hammer and wood approach - in hindsight that would have been a good idea. i just used the good old hands on method. and it was a right bitch as it just wouldn't go in. you cant fully slide it in as the end seal in the way so i had to half slide it in and then push the rest in. the bit that was the most difficult was where the window (when fully down) almost touches the seal allowing zero room for moving the seal around.

 

i'll have a stab at it again tomorrow

[2_Door_fun 0]

I slid mine into place. The electric grease helped a great deal. white silicone grease. It also helps to seal and paint chipped away unser the seal.