windshield leaking

Discuss all aspects of windshield replacement, including techniques, billing, etc.
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Monkey123
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windshield leaking

Post by Monkey123 »

Hi,
I search the forum for windshield leaking but can't find any article about it. I'm new to the forum. I have a Toyota Corolla 2003 that is leaking water through the windshield at the headliner on the passenger side. I found where the water is coming from.
I am looking for a liquid sealer or liquid urethane. I want to shoot it in where the leak is. Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you.
pa glass
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by pa glass »

If the seal has only a breach do to perhaps rust, you may be able to "plug" it with some urethane from the inside for instance. If the glass has become loose to where you can see movement when you press from the inside then sealing is more likely a lost cause. A good way to detect minimal movement is to spray some foaming gall cleaner on the outside and see if it appears to be sucked in and out as you press up on it from the inside. If moves it's time to R+R.
Monkey123
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Monkey123 »

Thanks for the reply pal glass. There is no rust at all in that area. I will fix it in two weeks.The product I will use is Betaseal U418. This product is a urethane for auto glass. I don't have to prime the working area. Since it is a small amount that I will use, I'm planning to put it in a syringe with a small nozzle. I will shoot it in the leaking area inside and outside. Do you have any
product that you would recommend for this fix? I will keep you update when the job is done.
Glasseye
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Glasseye »

Betaseal U418 is certainly the best sealant to use. I think it has a low viscosity, so I doubt you will able to apply it, using a small syringe. The nozzle, that should be supplied with the cartridge, should do the the job ok. Regarding finding exactly where the seal is allowing water entry, make a diluted bubbly solution using washing up liquid and water, apply it, liberally, to the outside of the windshield with a small paintbrush, ideally with the outer trims removed. Then use a hoover ( on blow) or a strong hairdryer or an airline on the inside of the windshield, within 6 inches of the seal and watch where the bubbles form on the outside. This will a) identify accurately where the leak point/s are, b) used again after you have completed the reseal to confirm a 100% seal has been achieved. One final note, the outer trim from the glass to the body is not a seal. The actual seal is located underneath the glass edge, so, ideally you need to remove the trim to gain access to the seal on the outside. If you are just intending to try and seal between the trim and the body, then use a sealant such as Arbomast to make a flexible seal. Good luck.
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benswindshieldrepair
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by benswindshieldrepair »

I read the previous posts and got exhausted doing so. If this windshield is one that you had replaced, you need to go back to the guy who installed it and make him do some work. If not, the advice you got here is good. But DAMN that's a lot of work for the layman. Otherwise, have someone pull it out and replace it the right way. Honestly, you can squirt urethane in there all day and it will probably leak after a while. REMOVE, do it right, REPLACE. There you go, a solution. Good luck.
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Glasseye »

The advice I have given may seem long winded but It provides a foolproof method of finding the point of water entry. Changing the windscreen will not solve it if it is a body seam that is leaking and bridging the polyurethane bond. I have found this to be the actual cause on numerous occasions during my career especially when water is seen on the headlining. The attitude I employ when investigating water entry is "never assume". You must find the actual point of entry before you can effect a permanent repair.
Mariagilbert
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Mariagilbert »

Apply a few amount of silicone sealer to the exact point where the windshield is leaking or even if water leakage. Use only enough to cover the area. Press the silicone into the hole with a wiping motion.
Wipe several times across the area and apply another small amount of sealer. Do not apply excessive amounts of sealer. Done now test the repair after allowing the sealer to dry for two hours. Use a flashlight to verify that weather the leak has been fixed
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Brent Deines
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Brent Deines »

Mariagilbert wrote:Apply a few amount of silicone sealer to the exact point where the windshield is leaking or even if water leakage. Use only enough to cover the area. Press the silicone into the hole with a wiping motion.
Wipe several times across the area and apply another small amount of sealer. Do not apply excessive amounts of sealer. Done now test the repair after allowing the sealer to dry for two hours. Use a flashlight to verify that weather the leak has been fixed
Silicone...really! Not on any windshield I have ever replaced or ever will replace. I used to replace a lot of windshields in cars that came up from California, Nevada, Arizona and other dry climate states because someone had used silicone to try and stop a leak. Not only does that not stop a leak in a wet climate like Oregon or Washington but I believe it to be an unsafe practice.

I don't install glass anymore but when I did and someone else had installed a windshield that leaked I would always remove it. No telling what you will find but often silicone, rust, butyl, no primer, etc., in an installation that should have been set with urethane and urethane only. If I replaced a windshield properly and it leaked I would locate the leak with air, water, light, or a moisture meter. Sometimes a bubble in the urethane may have left a pin hole that was the source of the leak but more often than not it was a body seam, deteriorated grommet on the firewall, or some other defect that had nothing to do with the installation. Most of the time you can tell if there was a leak prior to replacing a windshield but not always, and owners don't always tell you if there was. It pays to look things over very well and noting anything suspicious before removing the windshield.

Only after proper evaluation would I determine the proper way to repair a leak. If I found it was the windshield (one I had replaced) and I could get to the area to properly clean, prime and seal with urethane I would do so. If not I would remove and replace the windshield at my expense, then retest. If it was not the windshield leaking I would use factory recommended sealers and parts to correct the problem or have the owner take the vehicle to a suitable mechanic or body shop depending on the extent of the repairs needed. Not often I needed to do that but there were a time or two.

Highly recommend all installers take a class from urethane supplier to familiarize yourself with the recommended procedures for using the specific products you use. I haven't run into one yet that recommends silicone for sealing up water leaks in a windshield.
Brent Deines
Delta Kits, Inc.
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Monkey123
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Monkey123 »

Thank you for everyone help. It was a success repairing the leak. I use a dispensing machine from work. Put the urethane in a syringe and add a nozzle to the syringe.
Turn the machine on and let the urethane sealer fill the crack inside and outside of the windshield. :D :)
Mariagilbert
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Re: windshield leaking

Post by Mariagilbert »

A leaky windshield must be removed and reinstalled. A proper windshield replacement requires complete removal and replacement of all of the old gasket material. Any material that is not removed can cause leaks. Modern windshield gasket material comes in a tube, like caulking. It is black in color and has a specially designed nozzle so that it will leave a bead with a ridge on it to help ensure sealing.
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