How to fix a leaky window on a 348 TS

Seriously... to fix a leaky 348ts, there is a simple solution:


Buy a Honda.





Mine leaks like a wooden sailing ship. I think 95% of them leak like crazy.

 

You should try adding a bit thicker spacers under the latches for the top so that it makes a tighter fit. You may also want to peal back the rubber trim around the windshield and then put some silicone sealer under it.

But the 100% sure shot way to put a stop to the leaks is to not drive it in the rain.

 

Buy a 348 TB.

 

I'm guessing you don't own either. It's not always an issue with the removable top. It's where the window connects at the top of the A-pillar, and the shameful gap where the trailing edge of the window connects with the B-pillar.

348's leak. ts, tb, Spider, Challenge, SS, etc. etc. Not every one, but a damn good percentage of them. The build quality on these cars basically sucks. And yes, I do own one. I love it, too. But the build quality still blows goats.

 

The build quality ? So you're telling me one of the best car manufacturers, the build quailty on them sucks ? I can't fathom that statement.

 

A ferrari isn't popular because of its nearly not exsistent quality ... ferrari has "other" qualitys the look, soul, myth, feel, ....
____________________
Samy

 

hahaha..

So why are they popular again ??? cuz of their 'exotic' look ? and their exhaust notes ?

 

Yes f.e. because of that.... its not explainable because of the passion of their owners and of the fans. But absolutly not because of build quality i can count many brands wich are far better in build quality then a ferrari. Its made in italy by a company wich is owned by fiat. The difference between fiat and ferrari .... they use much more expensiv materials to assembel poorly together on ferrari. But anyway i like the cars and don't care if my friends at the workshop make jokes of my car when they see how the parts are assembeld... but hey the italiens are very good in improvisation so much spacers i don't find on any other car to get the different body parts together
Disassembel an Porsche and reassembel it back together and then do it again with a ferrari then you will see the difference. Or use an audi, mercedes, bmw, .... the difference is also big.
_____________________
Samy

 

I assume you're kidding. Live with one, and you'll understand. They truly are of mediocre build quality -- at best. Any, literally, any Hyundai or Kia off the lot will have better quality control than a Ferrari in terms of the coachwork. Engines might be a different story. Maybe.

There's a whole lot of engineering and design in a Ferrari. That doesn't always translate to Luigi turning a wrench on the factory floor.

 

But make NO MISTAKE.... they are magical, simply magical cars!

 

Being that your profile isn't filled out, I take it that you probably have the early 348 with the hard gasket. They changed all the rubber in the later cars to a softer gasket and you may want to try and change the gaskets. This job is a real bummer to do and would take a lot of patience to make everything fit correctly. Not to mention that the parts are probably expensive. Many years ago when they changed to the softer gaskets, Ferrari said that they were going to have a task force that was going to change all of the early cars over or at least teach the dealers how to do it. As usual, it never happened.

 

I think RobM3 is the guy at Consumer Reports who always picks the Camry over the Testarossa because the TR fails the "plywood hauling test"...

 

You said that they messed around with the window system in the car. You now say it works fine. But is it really working correctly?? I slightly miss aligned windo on any removable roof car will show a leak in the rain. I would have a really close look to make sure you can't tweek it just a bit more to see if you can close the leak.

All 348ts leak in the rain..some worse then others, but you should beable to get it to leak less then what you are discribing.

 

If you take off the door intakes you will have access to the adujstments for the window stops. There are four allen screws on the out side, and two nuts in the door jam that hold it in place. It could be that they screwed one or both of the window stops out too much, and thus the window isn't closing all the way. You may also want to try adjusting the window guide that is on the door, it's the little black triangle thing. Open the door and you'll see two allen screws that hold it in place.

One more thing. Fill out your profile.

 

I think that you've thrown everyone a curve by talking about your window leaking, when it sounds more like your problem is with your removable roof (e.g. water pooling and then pouring over a passenger when you drive).

Wish I could help, but my 348 spider doesn't leak (well, with the top up, at least!). I drive in the rain, wash it hard, etc. You've pretty well got to power-jet water in from the side to even get a drop through the gaskets.

 

I'm calling B.S. on that one! Ernie, you bring the bucket and I'll bring a hose. Meet me in B'ham, and we'll show this dude what a leaky 348 looks like.

 

Ha! Y'all are welcome here. Just had Manny and FarmerDave here during their epic Mondial 1865 mile roadtrip.

The Spider top seals very well along the front windshield, front of the side windows, and top of the side windows.

But it has a gasket gap on each vertical (rear) side of each side window (as opposed to the top of each side window). This is where the convertible top folds in half; when those two halves elongate, they meet the rear of the side of the side windows.

I simply filled those two gaps with clear gasket goop right when I bought the car.

...And that's the only area that you can power-jet water into the interior. If you spray water, very hard, right at that side gap you can get a couple of drops into the interior during a wash.

But I drive her everyday, and even in hard rains she stays dry.

I've got the videocamera...do I have to film the inside of my 348 during a rain?! My wife's gonna give me no end of grief if she catches me doing that!

 

So you've got a 348ts that only leaks on 1 side. Lucky bastard. Find another one, cut them both down the middle and weld em up. Quickest cheapest fix.
mike D.

 

Easiest fix for the rainy season is Vaseline... a ton of it, on all joints and seals. Only irritating part of this is that its not a permanent fix and can leave a mess on the top of the windows.

 

Leaky windows is a problem on most 348s? I was driving my 355 yesterday and the skies opened up while i was on the highway, and my windows were leaking on both sides. I didn't intentionally bring it out in the rain, but it just so happened that way. I weas nervous to see water drops coming from the removable roof and from the door jams too!

You guys are saying this is normal?

 

So Daniel.

ON my F355 Spider, I probably shouldn't bother with 29 and 30 on this diagram:

http://www.ricambiamerica.com/article_info.php?articles_id=1526

I was about to buy LH and RH before I started reading this thread Considering that mine leaks very little on both sides, right at the top of the a-pillar; I should probably just consider this normal?

Thanks,

Nick

 

My '89 really doesn't leak, and the build quality has been fine.

 

Spent a year trying to find a leak on my GTS. After rain, the car didn't leak, but on acceleration or braking it gushed water on to your outboard thigh.

Turned out to be the sealing compound running along the rain gutter on the targa top. It had hairline cracks which let water into the hollow roof section. This was stored like a reservoir and braking or accelerating caused it to gush along the channel and exit at front or rear. Just scraped out the old sealant, resealed with black silicone. Dry as a bone now.