I know I read somewhere on here about window leaks but cannot find it. My 91 XLT is leaking in the side driverside window (back in the passenger compartment) from the top. Cant really isolate the source, but I am wondering what the most likely causes might be and what the fixes are. I thought there was a post somewhere about leaking roof racks, but this seams to be the seal area above the slider window. Any help would be appreciated.

Dave

 

What happens on the roof racks is that some vehicles do not have sealer on the screws. The screws rust, metal to metal, then it leaks. You have to remove the screws, and install new screws with sealer (looks like a big piece of gray clay or gray string).

When removing the screws, the biggest thing is pressure and a good bit if its (+) or Posidrive. Helps to spray with WD40 and shock it with a hammer blow before you turn the screw. This breaks the rust and seats the bit.

I have never repaired a leaking side window (nor seen one), so I will skip that part of the question.

 

Hi,
I had a leak in my driver's side sliding window on
my 92 Aerostar XLT. Took a while to figure out it
was the window as it appears to be leaking from the
top of the window. I originally thought it was the
roof rack, I popped each screw out, shot some
silicone RTV in and around. I couldn't see how they'd
leak after that. Next rain proved me wrong.

So I took out the seats (need room to work), the
rear fan cover and cross over, then all the screws
on the side panel. With a lot of pulling you can
get the panel far enough away from the window to
get to the bolt/washers (they're combined). Undo
them and (IIRC) the outer window rim will come off
(IIRC the studs are attached to that).

My leak was where the goo (looks like black tar)
didn't completely go around on of the stud/holes. IIRC
I cleaned out the goo, then put a whole tube of
GE silicone RTV on where the goo had been making
sure to complete surround each of the holes that
the rim studs go through.

This problem had actually been with the van since
new but it wasn't until it was 8yrs old that it
was leaking enough (and it was raining enough here
in southern California) to become a real nusance.

good luck
thanks
jim cowan

 

Yea, I kind of figured this would be the route. I have two weeks off comming up pretty soon so I will pull the window and seal out then. I looked at it this morning and it looks like an all day project. How did the RTV work at sealing the leak? It would be my preference to use something else, but I don't even know what would be best. In electronics, we shy away from RTV becuase of the acid in it which is corrosive to metal and electronics. Don't know how sheet metal reacts to this stuff though.

Thanks for the replies everyone.

Dave

 

Ok, I called Ford and they no longer market the sealant for the side windows. They suggested going to a local window repair shop. I called the local Speedy Glass and they recommended Non-Acidic RTV. I ended up going to the Hardware store and got some Silicone RTV (non-acidic) and used up an entire tube putting in the middle side window (on the extended cab there are actually 2 rear/side windows). Hopefully this stuff will do the trick. I noticed when I took the inside molding off that the rear window was also leaking around the most rear bottom corner. I put a wrench on the bolts and low and behold they were only hand tight. I tightened them and hope it will also stop leaking, but won't hold my breath. I didn't want to do both windows with the RTV until I see if the first one actually stops leaking.

 

After a two day down pour I can safely say that the window is fixed and not leaking anymore.

Any of you out there doing this make sure you use non-acidic RTV if you choose to do it yourself. Glob it on so that it squeezes out when the window gets bolted back in. In my case all the RTV went inside the window and it was pretty easy to clean up - mineral spirits. Even if it went out side I suspect it would be the same deal.

Good luck everyone.

Dave

 

 

96 AWD extended: Finally bit the bullet, pulled out the seats and the huge inside cover panel on the left side, and found the leaks were from the window frames. The point of origin was impossible to tell with the panel in place. Unbolted and removed the windows (use a helper!) and found that the factory sealant tape (foam-core butyl tape) had been misapplied in the leak points. The tape is supposed to be a face seal, but there isn't much of a face ledge on the removable window frames to seal, so they got sloppy at the factory and the seal ended up outboard of this area. So, you need to get the proper stuff first: the 5/16" (or 8-9mm) foam-core butyl tape. This will not be found at any Ford dealer and only one in several glass outfits. Buy one roll per window ($5-25 per roll depending on how nice they are). Thoroughly clean off (leave no body oils) all the old guck from the body pinchweld (flange) and the window frame (get a plastic "stick" to do this from the glass place); some may pull off cleanly but most won't. Then apply the new stuff to the perimeter of the window frame just barely outboard of the studs. Terminate the ends at a sharp corner on the bottom of the window, crossing over the starting point for a complete seal. With the skilled helper guiding from the inside, locate the window slowly (if you mis-stick the thing, you'll chance messing up the seal!) and carefully back in exact position. Your first shot is your only shot. Torque nuts gradually to spec (13-18 in-lbs). No more leak! Note that if you use silicone RTV or urethane instead of the foam-core butyl, only dynamite will remove it in the future.

 

I finally did mine yesterday.

To get the side panel out I had to remove what felt like 50 screws, so I marked the panel with chalk around each screwhole, with a note on the screw type/length. (Like XL Self Tap, or S.) I did not have to pull up any carpet, but I did have to remove the gas cover release lever, Seat belts, the Rear A/C vent cover that runs across the headliner, Tailgate step/tread, and the rear shock that supports the tailgate (I put it right back on behind the panel, until I was ready to put the panel back. Have someone available to support the tailgate!) The plastic spacers behind the cargo net ***** were a bit tricky figuring out where they fell out of!

I wouldn't recommend trying to add more caulk to the old stuff that's there. It won't stick as well. It took hours to pull off the old caulk, but my kids had fun - it works like silly putty or funtack. You start a little ball, and then keep pulling up more using the ball as a suction cup or something. As the ball got bigger and bigger, it became a great handle for pulling more and more caulk. Alcohol cleaned the few tough spots.

The Chilton's manual (and the other posts on this topic) all recommended Butyl Sealer. But my local Hardware store (don't have an auto store close) didn't have any. So I went with black silicon caulk.

One mistake I made was putting the frontmost side window back in, before the rearmost one. The front one has to come out first, but go back in second.

I tested before I started with a garden hose while the panel was already off, to confirm where it was coming from. It was definitely between the body and the window frame, probably around the bolt holes. I didn't test the fix yet, but I am not doing it all over again, so it better work!! Besides, since I used silicone, I might not be able to do it over again! (I don't think dynamite will help me.)