Greetings. While I'm in the middle of repairing the fuel system on the 86 TR, I'm also attending to some other issues. 1) There is a leak into the right side passenger area that seems to come from the lower winshield area. Actually, it just pours in when it rains, which means I cannot run it when there is a chance of rain. Is there any other point of intrusion other than the windshield itself? Also, how do you remove the windshield trim to examine the area without breaking it off? I do have the parts manual, but it's not clear how it is attached. 2) Due to a tear in the passenger seat bottom, I'm going to replace the leather. What is the procedure for seat removal? 3) What paint is recommended for the black spoiler/bumper areas? Thanks for your time!
The windscreen trims are bonded in with a very strong silicon sealer which acts as a glue as well as a waterproofing agent. Unfortunately the most common place for leaks is in the lower corners where the trims join. The bad news is that when trying to remove the trims you will almost certainly damage them and the risk of cracking the windscreen is very high. If you do manage to remove the trims without damaging the windscreen you are faced with the choice of trying to re-seal the screen in situ against trying to get the windscreen out in one piece (it is bonded in with the same sealer as the trims. The seats are screwed to the floor through the runners with four allen bolts, takes less than five minutes to remove - watch out for the wiring that feeds the switches on the side of the seat ! MW
>The bad news is that when trying to remove the trims you will almost certainly damage them and the risk of cracking the windscreen is very high. If you do manage to remove the trims without damaging the windscreen you are faced with the choice of trying to re-seal the screen in situ against trying to get the windscreen out in one piece (it is bonded in with the same sealer as the trims. Oh H3ll. That does not sound even remotely good...
Only thing I could suggest, although not pretty, is using black silicone sealer. Message it between the metal and rubber on both sides of the window seal, and use water to remove any excess (so no one can tell you did that to your TR . It worked on several older cars I've had. Try that first, because I've heard that TR windshield replacement is difficult, and replacement glass is very hard to find (so I am told). Best of luck, David
Replacing the screen is a specialised job and yes screens are hard to come by, does your screen have the aerial built in to it - these are the screens that are hard to lfind. If your screen does not have the aerial then we have a good supply. MW
Yep. it's the original screen with the antenna inside. I can't believe I have to replace a windshield to fix a leak. Incredible automotive engineering...
gabriel This can take some time, but it's worth a try - using a sharp, but thin knife remove as much of the sealer as you can from between the windscreen and the trims, remove the sealer from around the complete aperture because the water could be getting in some where at the top of the screen and running down to the lowest point. Clean thoroughly and reseal with a black silicone sealer. MW
