[Vwdiesel] MK1 Windshield leaks?

[Sandy Cameron]

At 09:40 AM 4/15/2011 -0400, you wrote:
>What about a MK1 Rabbit?  I've got a leak I can't find.  Is the groove in
>the windshield seal the source?  The "chrome" strip of plastic on mine has
>long since turned yellow and is cracked, has a few sections missing.  Would
>completely removing the remainder of this strip and then sealing the groove
>with silicon solve my leak?  That's what I have done on 2 mk2's, rake the
cavity out clean all the way around (make special tools if you have to)  be
careful not to scratch or nick the edge of the glass, then seal with
silicone (I used GE, black, in the large caulking gun tube. Absolutely,
positively, no leaks any more.

It's true, a professional installer will give you a leakproof seal, but
various evil fates conspire to screw it up, voids happen, pinhole
rust-through at the bottom of the groove, etc.

That plastic "dress strip" contributes nothing to the seal, and just lets
water in, and holds it there, rusting the ledge out from under the seal bead. 

Scrape it all out and seal it forever with silicone rubber..

Sandy
VE3AAC