Del Sol targa top Leak

[chris13]

hey my del sol's targa top is leaking. has anyone else with a sol had this problem? any easy fix? do i need to replace the seals?

[osnap]

welcome to driving a sol... haha as soon as your ashtray breaks and your door panels start to crease, you'll experience the full effect. theres a fix link out there somewhere, but the link is broken right now. im on the search, and ill post it when i find a valid hyperlink.

[chris13]

aight man preciate it man. yea ive already got those problems too

[97WhYt_TeG]

yea...mine does it too on the driver side....is it commin from where the lil triangle window and the actual window meet? that's where mine leaks from! SUX! let me know too about the fix!!!

[SixSquared]

www.hondaautomotiveparts.com

Put in that you own a 96 model

buy new seals.

That's the most effective fix... in 93/94, the area above the triangle was a "bubble"... the rubber was bulged out. Well that's good an airtight for a while.... 13 years later, the bubble is deflated and water is getting in. In mid 94 they redesigned the seals so that the bubble has a groove in it. Works, but still not 100% effective. Go to the dealership and run your VIN for recalls.. if you're lucky, your car qualifies for a seal recall and honda will eat the cost. It's a good idea to run a recall check anyways.. there were a crapload of recalls done on the Sol.

Aside from ordering new seals, You can use hondabond or another atv type grease to moisten them and help... sometime over the summer I'll come up and show you guys my super spiffy way of fixing seals that will make you all jealous and want to inflict pain upon me. I've owned sols for 7 years, figured out the fix about a year in, and haven't had a drop of water in any of my cars since then. I can't explain it, though... it's a show you thing. I suck at online how-to's.

Chris... you forgot to mention that he also gets to know the joy of a leaky trunk! C'mon! That's my favorite part! ;)

[97WhYt_TeG]

i got a leakin trunk !!! ahhhhh! but i love my sol. phantom... you must teach me the ways of the wise!

[osnap]

the only problem with majestic is that for the price of getting all the weatherstripping and seals, you could just buy a whole used targa. regardless though, it is the best fix. (btw, here is the DIRECT LINK (http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=DEL+SOL&catcgry2=1996&catcgry3=2DR+S&catcgry4=KA5MT&catcgry5=ROOF+PANEL) to what you need there) ive got the HV crew searching for that fix, so it should only be a matter of time.

and emily... based on what weve talked about recently, that fix of yours is the LEAST of your secrets! haha but i need to see it, mostly because my seals are fucked too... i have to close the door by the window, or it wont close (the window sits outside of the seal) the leaky trunk is something we all suffer, but it doesnt really bother me... other than the targa and my spare, its always lonely back there anyways.

overall, the recall check is a FANTASTIC idea... i think ill do that very thing this weekend. cant believe i didnt think to do that before.

[chris13]

phantom- ok since the only people really reading this are people with sols u should really just go ahead and tell us your little secret, oh and yea i know bout ALL of the leaks

and thanks to all yall for the help

[osnap]

the (huge) pdf is attached :goodjob:

[97WhYt_TeG]

um yea........too bad i can't make out the pics at all!!!!!! has anyone done this yet?

[chris13]

not me

[SixSquared]

Seriously guys... I SUCK at telling people online how to do stuff. It basically involves using a rubber compound and universal weather sealant and neatly tucking the weather sealant into the existing grooves on the targa top area, and making a small incision in the "bubble" and reinflating it using the rubber compound, letting it dry, sticking a knife in to loosen one part of the bubble from the hardened rubber compound, and forcing even more in... literally reinflating it. :)

[osnap]

Seriously guys... I SUCK at telling people online how to do stuff. It basically involves using a rubber compound and universal weather sealant and neatly tucking the weather sealant into the existing grooves on the targa top area, and making a small incision in the "bubble" and reinflating it using the rubber compound, letting it dry, sticking a knife in to loosen one part of the bubble from the hardened rubber compound, and forcing even more in... literally reinflating it. :)

:thinking: im gonna agree with your original statement.... you'll have to show me.

[97WhYt_TeG]

u should make a tutorial video!!!!!!! we can all cast! haha

[chris13]

yea that sounds like somethin id have to see.