leaking hatch

[mdbrandy]

OK, "hatch leak" and "water leak" don't come up with anything interesting, so I'll ask a new question. I have a hatch leak in the new 280Z. Sat out in the rain for 4 days (3 inches of rain), and today when I went out to drive it, the rear carpet was very wet. Not enough to get anything into the spare tire well, but quite soggy back near the right quarter and rear panel. When I opened the hatch, a few drops of water dripped down from about half-way down the window on the right side. I also noticed that the outer seal on the car body lifts off for a couple inches.

So, anyone that has had hatch leaks: do you have any likely cuplrits? Is it likely that the actual window seal is leaking (because that's what it actually looks like)? Would that outer body seal actually cause water to get into the car if there were no other failures? I'd think it would just run down the channel beside the window and out the bottom. If it is the window seal, am I going to need a new one, or would a try with sealer be a reasonable first course?

I've had a fan in it all day in the garage, and it's pretty dry now (wife isn't too happy that I have all three garage bays taken up with Z's right now!), but more rain is expected on Sunday, and I won't have the parts car stripped yet. Help!

Thanks.

[240 in OZ]

Glass to hatch weatherstrip, particularly down on the lower corners.

[m240]

Unfortunatley I've had both leak. The glass to hatch seal was leaking in the bottom corner and a littlle silicon cured it, though I recently replaced the seal when I painted it. When I painted it I left off the outer hatch seal for a couple of weeks and during a storm I saw water running in from the top corners of the hatch. I replaced that seal also and it is now bone dry inside.

Mark

[240 in OZ]

Pardon my english, but isnt leaving the rear hatch seal off all together a no brainer for the cause of a leak?

[mdbrandy]

Sounds like glass to hatch is a potential problem. It looked like it might be leaking around the glass around half-way up the right side. It is supposed to rain like crazy here Sunday again. Maybe I'll have to go sit in the car and watch what happens. Don't want to have to dry it out again, though.

Thanks.

[240 in OZ]

Mark

Best bet is to sit in the car and have someone go around the suspect seal and pour a small container of water in various places while you watch for the leak.

Better still, just go to the parts store and get a cartridge of windscreen sealant and reseal the whole thing. Do the front while you are at it (ie covered in sticky sealant and turps ;>)

Hope it works for you; did for me with my old 75 260z 2+2.

Regards

Joseph

[ZmeFly]

shape I wouldnt think that it was the culprit.

Usually it is the seal to the hatch and the secondary seal that most forget about that goes about 75% of the way around the hatch, its the smaller of the two and it goes up the sides and around the top.

Mine on my 72 used to leak till i replaced that one little rubber seal. You might want to have someone spray a hose over the rear hatch area and glass to be sure of exactly where it is coming from so you dont spend unecessarily.

[mdbrandy]

Originally posted by ZmeFly

...so you dont spend unecessarily.

That's for sure. I'd rather buy new poly bushings than a hatch window seal! I'll try the pouring water and/or hose suggestions friday or Saturday and see what it looks like. It is probably a fairly small leak, considering that it rained for 4 days, and only enough water got in to soak the carpet, but not to flow into the tire well (bone dry there). It is probably a drip, drip, drip sort of leak, but we'll see.

Thanks for the suggestions.

[MicksZ]

I had a similar problem with water leaking in the bottom corners of the hatch window, but then remembered that when I bought the car it had a new seal but they hadnt put the chrome strip in the seal which apparently pushes the seal inwards and 'seats' it properly...

Went out and bought some of the chrome stuff by-the-metre with 4 corner bits and its all fine now.. and amazingly looks better!

[texasz]

Another way to find where the water is coming in from is go to a drive thru car wash and sit there watching it to see where it is coming in from...then after you have found it not only do you know what needs fixed but you also have a nice clean Z.

The car wash is good because there is more force behind the water and you will see all the spots that will leak even in the worst of thunderstorms.

[mdbrandy]

Originally posted by texasz

Another way to find where the water is coming in from is go to a drive thru car wash

Now that's a cool idea!