targa still leaking

[Moy]

Like the title says, my targa is STILL leaking. I have absolutely no clue why though. It's only on the passenger side. I replaced it with a new one, and used a sealant between the drip rail and targa skin. I did the same on my driver side and have had no leaks what-so-ever.

Does anyone have any idea on what the cause of this could be?

Btw, all of my targa seals are brand new OEM.

 

[Setheroo]

Have you made sure that your screws aren't backing themselves out? Every so often I have to go through and tighten mine back up in order to keep mine from leaking.

I know that sounds really basic but it is a good thing to check and eliminate.

 

[Moy]

I've redone the job about 3 times now and it's STILL leaking (taken seals off, added sealant and in different places, put everything back together as tight as possible). I honestly have no clue what the hell is going on. My driver side doesn't leak at all, but the passenger side is a waterfall

 

[CPT Furious]

The TSRM has clearance specs for front and rear...have you checked those?

http://www.cygnusx1.net/Supra/Library/TSRM/MK3/manual.aspx?S=BO&P=44

 

[Moy]

Never even thought to look there. My thing is, I have no clue what to check the clearance with, all I have here at my house is a ruler, and those aren't accurate enough for something like this.

 

[Kristian_Wraae]

Did you replace the front and the rear seals too? Or only the sides?

Mine leaked badly from the passenger side so I changed the front and rear only (not the the sides) and it stopped. Never had one drop inside the car since, not even when hosing the car and directing the water straight at the seals.

 

[Moy]

All of the seals (front, rear, left, right) are all brand new from Toyota

 

[Kristian_Wraae]

Did you remove the two rails (front and back) and put a line of "goo" underneeth both?

I used some black stuff which looks like silicone but it never hardens and stays sticky and sort of liquid.

 

[Moy]

I used rtv. Whenever I stop, the water comes out of the valley in the interior plastic piece connected to the targa

 

[mirage83]

Very basic question, and no offense intended, but since it hasn't been mentioned yet are you putting the targa in place and tightening the bolts in the proper order? These things are fickle as hell and it'll leak like nobody's business if it's torqued even slightly out of true.

I figure you've already got this covered, but thought I'd ask anyway just in case.

 

[Moy]

To be honest, I never even knew there was a proper order for tightening it down.

 

[mirage83]

To be honest, I never even knew there was a proper order for tightening it down.

Yep. The diagram for proper installation and tightening is under one of your sun visors as well as your owners manual (if you've got one)

For removal, the pattern is...
Drivers front
passenger front
passenger rear
then drivers rear.

When putting it back in place, you go....
Passenger rear
drivers rear
drivers front
passenger front

Hope that might help make a difference with your leak problem.

 

[Canuckrz]

To be honest, I never even knew there was a proper order for tightening it down.

Likewise :nono:, I just tightened the back down first to seat the front ones better then tighten the fronts. Is that we I should be doing?

edit: excellent I was doing it the right way

 

[Moy]

I've probably warped my targa in some way then. For a while when I first got the car, I would do back then front, but lately (when working on my car in the garage w/ top off), I'd do driver rear, driver front, then passenger rear, passenger front b/c it's so damn cold and I just wanted to get in to warm up.

If I did warp it, how do I straighten it back out?

 

[Kristian_Wraae]

I don't think it is warped. I don't think mine would even leak if I just untightend the screws and left the targa in place.

You just need to go through the sealing again. You've obviously made a mistake (although I can't tell you which)

 

[mirage83]

I've probably warped my targa in some way then. For a while when I first got the car, I would do back then front, but lately (when working on my car in the garage w/ top off), I'd do driver rear, driver front, then passenger rear, passenger front b/c it's so damn cold and I just wanted to get in to warm up.

If I did warp it, how do I straighten it back out?

I don't think it's likely to be physically warped or damaged, just perhaps not sealing like it should with the pattern(s) you were using. I'd just remove it and let it sit in the hatch for a while and the seals expand some, then put it back in using the correct pattern and see if it makes any difference.

 

[Moy]

Yeah, I'll mess with it when it warms up. There's still snow on the ground right now

 

[isnms]

Like the title says, my targa is STILL leaking. I have absolutely no clue why though. It's only on the passenger side. I replaced it with a new one, and used a sealant between the drip rail and targa skin. I did the same on my driver side and have had no leaks what-so-ever.

Does anyone have any idea on what the cause of this could be?

Btw, all of my targa seals are brand new OEM.

Did you remove the two rails (front and back) and put a line of "goo" underneeth both?

I used some black stuff which looks like silicone but it never hardens and stays sticky and sort of liquid.

I used rtv. Whenever I stop, the water comes out of the valley in the interior plastic piece connected to the targa

You didn't answer the question and what you said in your first post doesn't make much sense 'targa skin'?

The RTV does not go between the targa seal and the rail. It goes underneath the rail. Look here > Targa Leaks

 

[Moy]

mirage83: I would put it in the hatch and all, but my folks' cars get the garage, mine stays outside. It's currently sub 20 F, and I daily drive my car, so currently that is not a viable option.

isnms: Well I called it the targa skin cause I don't know what else to call it. When I say "targa" I refer to the whole piece (metal, headliner, drip rail/seal). I meant the metal part of the targa.

I did not put RTV between the seal and the rail, I put it between the rail and the metal, but still have leaks. I've read the SOGI write-ups, and that's the way I've done it.

I'll be buying more RTV and doing it again, for the 4th time.