My drippy new 87 Cab.

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Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Hello Forum! As of this morning, I am the proud and excited owner of a 1987 Volkswagen Cabriolet. It is bright red with a white top, and a more handsome car I cannot imagine.

So thusly begins (what I understand will be) the never-ending journey to Cabriolet Perfection. Mind you, my cab is close already. Just a few nit-picky cosmetic details to hash out, really... I hope.

STEP ONE: FIX LEAK.

I come to you for advice, forum.

I've browsed a couple of threads on the subject of a leaky top, but seeing as how I'm new to the forum, and new to the VW Cab, I thought I'd see about getting some specifics.

Both the driver and the passenger's side front windows are leaking during rain. Each in two places, each in the same place.

The first place seems to be somewhere up near the J Hooks. Just a fairly steady drip from that one location. The seal along the top of the window seems solid, but there must be a gap of some kind up in there by the Handle/Latch situation, up where I can't see it.

The second place is right in that first joint in the folding top, along the window seal, about halfway along the window. Know what I mean? That first little hinge there.

For reference, like I said, the window seal SEEMS good. Plus, the J Hooks seem nice and tight.

I can snap some pics of the leaks, if it would help. My knees and seats are awfully damp, do you know of anything I can do to remedy the situation (besides some kind of poncho)?

Thanks, Forum!
CalAltaDubber
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by CalAltaDubber »

Hello and welcome to TRF.

Firstly, I also own an '87. It is my favorite car of all the cars I have ever owned!

It sounds like you need to adjust both the ecentric nuts on the top frame and the "J" hooks. But before you head off with wrench in hand, it would be a very good idea to post pictures of your troubelled area. That way our resident top expert can confirm the fix.

You might also post a picture or two of your car. We would love to see it.
Phil

'87 Cabriolet, "Topless Bunny"
'88 Cabriolet, "Posh Bunny"
'04 Golf
'12 Golf Wagon TDI
'69 Manx type Dune Buggy (New Toy)

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Briano1234
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

Posting pics would be a good thing.

J-hooks need to be tighter, and that you may have excessive gap from sagging doors, and or gap between the j-hooks and the frame.

my how-to "another drippy knee fix addresses that.
The Sagging doors is another possibility.

The gap at the fold is because there are either missing fome pieces on the ends of the seals, or that you need to pull the seals
a little bit towards each other.
Briano

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You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Thanks for the tips, gents!

I did adjust the J Hooks, and they certainly feel very tight, at least in terms of the amount of force required to clamp the top into place.

Here's some pics. The two spots indicated are roughly the same locations that I was noticing drips.

Hope this helps in the diagnostic process!
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My new ride!
My new ride!
The other leak.
The other leak.
The one leak.
The one leak.
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Briano1234
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

That is because your door isn't sitting under the "a' pillar seal. Saggy doors is one cause, and a mal adjusted one is the other.

Image

Here you can see the door seal is under the "a" pillar seal.
Image

I have a plethora of leaky top fixes....on this site.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Briano1234 wrote:That is because your door isn't sitting under the "a' pillar seal. Saggy doors is one cause, and a mal adjusted one is the other.
The doors don't look like they're sagging... How could I tell for sure?
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Briano1234
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

Image
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Well, after measuring the doors with a straightedge, per your example, they really don't seem to be sagging. The driver's door is maybe just a wee bit lower than just past the seal. The passenger's door, if anything, is a big higher than the the seal, so I'd say it's not the cause of the leak on the passenger's side.

Upon closer inspection I suspect that the rubber bit shown in my pic is responsible, at least for the leak by the J-hook. There's a gap of a few millimeters between this rubber seal and the rest of the car when the door is closed. Is this the A pillar seal you were talking about?

Any tutorials on fixing this one? I'm hoping to get her all sealed up ASAP. It looks like rain!
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I AM BECOME DRIP, THE MOISTENER OF KNEES.
I AM BECOME DRIP, THE MOISTENER OF KNEES.
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Briano1234
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

Now, it is a adjustment of the door to the seal. Now you can also take that whole seal tray and move to the outside most of the bracket and see if that doesn't do the trick, other wise you will have to loosen the hinge on the top and push the door closer.

http://www.the152.com/modules.php?name= ... pic&t=3087
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

That link you provided is not working. Do you have another?
Briano1234 wrote:Now, it is a adjustment of the door to the seal. Now you can also take that whole seal tray and move to the outside most of the bracket and see if that doesn't do the trick, other wise you will have to loosen the hinge on the top and push the door closer.

http://www.the152.com/modules.php?name= ... pic&t=3087
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Briano1234
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Hey Briano! I'm gonna try your door sag adjustment technique.

But I have one question: Your write-up says I ought to place the modified washer in the top hinge bolt, but wouldn't that make the door lower? Wouldn't I shim the bottom hinge?
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Briano1234
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Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
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Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Briano1234 »

Nope, as the it goes between the hinge, and that it will push the door up on the corner.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Oh man, you guys... I'm getting kind of discouraged.

I've done the saggy door fix, and I've done some poking around with the seals... But there seems to be such a multitude of leaky spots, and the more reading I do about the problem, the more it seems impossible!

Is it even POSSIBLE to stop this thing leaking? Should I just pay a body shop to do the work? WOULD THAT COST A MILLION DOLLARS!?
Citizen Gain
Posts: 14
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 2:41 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: My drippy new 87 Cab.

Post by Citizen Gain »

Oh yeah, and on top of everything else, I think my top cable is broken. Can it be replaced, or do I have to get a new top? (Please, please tell me it can be replaced. I can't afford a new top.)
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