Reprinted with permission of author. Replacing T-Top P-Seals
In addition to the P-seals, the plastic end caps into which secures the
locking pins from the roof panels often have to be replaced. If the roof
leaks and the seals look good, the problem is probably one of these caps
not holding the roof securely. Unfortunately, all of the plastic now comes
in a bluish-gray color and you have to paint them. For the 1988 Fieros,
the interior paint codes are:
Either of these paints may have to be top-coated with a low gloss clear spray. PPG code: UCV-69.
To remove the old P-seals, first you ahve to drill out (4) 1/8" black pop rivets, (2) per side on each end of the seal. The P-seal is then just glued on by self adhesive strips. Just pull the seal off. It may be best to use a blow heater like a hair dyer or, as I use, a paint remover gun. Get as much of the adhesive off this way. Then carefully work at getting the rest off. I used lacquer thinner and a dull putty knife. This is a long, slow process but one that's worth the effort if you prize your car. When installing the new seal, first find and mark the center of the seal. I attached a piece of masking tape to the felt and marked the tape. Remove a piece of the release paper, about 3 to 4" each side of the center crack in the roof. With the seal in place, fold back a corner of the short piece of the release paper and roll it off. Then press the seal into place securing the adhesive backing. This technique helps insure that the seal can be slipped into the center crack of the T-frame. Then continue to secure the P-seal on both sides of the center. You'll notice that the seal strip is longer than needed. But, at the edges of the roof where the seal ends, there is an opening which the excess seal can be tucked into. You should be able to form the end of the seal to hide this hole from view. This is where craftsmanship take over.
As for the rivets, the guy at Farmont Skylite told me to drill a new hole but I found that the aluminum in the seal was soft enough that, if I knew the approximate location of the old hole, I could easily find the old hole with an awl. Punch it out then re-drill the same hole. This works very well.
Good luck. If you run into a problem, give me a call and I'll do my best to
help.
|
Check the Registry |
Archives |
Classifieds |
Replacement Parts |
Suppliers
Waterleak Manual |
Tech Tips