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I have a 2003 E350 van with a leaking passenger side large rear window. I scraped all the old material and am waiting for an 80 degree day to install the window and get a good seal.
There's a small surface amount of the old 3M window weld remaining. I bought 3/8" Window Weld. It leaked the first time when I used 1/4" Window Weld. Do I need to use a solvent to remove everything? I made sure that there is hardly any material remaining.
Better wait for JWA to chime in, but all the ones I ever replaced that were broken at the dealer, came with a roll of uncured butyl rubber in the box
The newer "polyurethane goop" they use these days does not last long and leaks eventually
The windows in my 1994 do not leak and probably never will, they have butyl behind them
Both mating surfaces need to be spotlessly clean and smooth. 3M automotive adhesive remover spray was pricey but the best for me, along with lots of patience and cleaning. 3M window weld only. In my case, I discovered a leak between the encapsulated frame and the glass itself. Even with a perfect repair, I would have still had a leak at that point. I was able to find it using my compressor blow gun and soapy water. After cleaning, I could actually slide a putty knife into the gap. I was too chicken to try to separate the encapsulated frame from the glass so I tried some flowable silicone I had seen recommended elsewhere and sealed that one section, then reinstalled both windows, ever so carefully, tightening the bolt pattern.
Since it was such a chore, I decided to add a single strip of the flowable silicone to the top edge of both sides in the channel after install. Probably didn't need it but hey. I've been thankfully leak-free going several years now.
My '97 15 passenger van had butyl rubber from the factory. I replaced it on both large windows and all leaks were fixed. The butyl rubber rope is easy to work with. Put the seam on the bottom.
The glass AND the body need thoroughly cleaned of all old butyl sealant, the photo here needs to be cleaned further so none of the sealant remains, The 3/8' naterial is too thick and can cause glass breakage when someone inexperienced attempts this process I use 5/16" because it will conform better to effect a durable seal over time.
Butyl is the recommended material where the urethane is for experienced automotive glass installers and even then we prefer butyl for its overall effectiveness and relative ease of use.
The glass AND the body need thoroughly cleaned of all old butyl sealant, the photo here needs to be cleaned further so none of the sealant remains, The 3/8' naterial is too thick and can cause glass breakage when someone inexperienced attempts this process I use 5/16" because it will conform better to effect a durable seal over time.
Butyl is the recommended material where the urethane is for experienced automotive glass installers and even then we prefer butyl for its overall effectiveness and relative ease of use.
The 3M website says it's made with Butyl Rubber. I will buy the 5/16". I would rather follow JWA's advice and be "one and done". Safely removing the glass took an hour. It's a perfect 87 degrees today.
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