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windshield gasket

TommyD11730

TommyD11730

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Guys, does it pay to hunt down the OEM gasket and lock strip for the windshield, or just go aftermarket?
Mine is leaking pretty good on the drivers side. My installer has only been able to source the lock strip. Me, I have sourced a OEM gasket but not the strip. I woder if the lock strip from the aftermarket will work on a new OEM gasket?
Thanks
 
Maybe others can chime in, but the gasket would seem an unlikely cause of a leak. Improper install, or just as leaky (likely, unintentional play on words), a poor windshield frame is the issue. In your area the metal may be rotted out there. Water tends to puddle up in the corners, add salt and humidity, much more likely to rot out.

If you can, peel up the corners of the gasket and see if there is any obvious rot. I noticed on my gasket in one spot there is a bulge. GM left a blob of metal (probably from spot weld process) on the window frame, which keeps the gasket away from the rest of the frame in that spot.
 
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California truck, gasket is shrunk, you can see the tattle tail mark inside the truck where it's leaking it.
ORdered new gasket and lock from steel rubber product's. Wish us luck!
 
I've been having the exact same issue on the passenger side of my Suburban. I removed the dash pad so I could trace the leak. Mine is definetly coming form the corner of the windshield where the water puddles up. I have yet to figure out exactly how to go about fixing the leak. I'll be watching this thread to see if that causes the issue.
 
I would use something like 3M urethane they use to install windshields,or some butyl rubber caulking--dont use RTV on body metal,it has acetic acid in it and can cause metal to rot rapidly..

I have yet to own one GM vehicle that doesn't leak around the windshield at the lower corners,or above it,due to rot...that leads to soggy carpets and padding,that rusts the floor out in no time..my pickup has some rot holes behind the sun visors that leak onto my crotch during heavy rains,despite my attempts to patch them with roofing tape and caulk..

A friend of mine did a '62 Nova up,and used "Soft-Seal" brand body gaskets and weatherstripping and it seemed to be of good quality..trouble is what they sold last year,might not be what you'd get if you ordered gaskets today..
 
my cab looked super clean before media blast .

found this after and had to fix it up .

cab paint and gasket were real good before removed and sent for media blast . seen lots of pics of other guys here with same problems and or b-piller on blazers with 1/2 top 76-up rusted out bad .

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I found a couple pinholes at the 6 o'clock position in mine, which is a very low-rust truck. In my case, they were small. I used filler rather than new metal, but you're pretty likely to find something.

To your original question, I used a gasket and lockstrip from 1A Auto (vendor here). Actually, I used their weatherstrip kit for the entire truck. Is was good quality and good fit. Warm it up and stretch it out beforehand.
 
Well the new gasket and glass went in today. The frame under the glass was in VGC. The gasket and lock came from steel rubber products. My installer was not impressed and said he would NEVER do another one from that company again.
A low note was while removing the gasket the dash flexed and we'll you know what happened. Yep the otherwise mint ( but dry) pad is now cracked.

If the leak is fixed (it's going to pour sunday) I'll be happy.
 
OEM gasket showed up on ebay the other day, so I checked gmpartsdirect.com, you can get the GM gasket still for $125, plus whatever shipping is. FWIW. Bit late for you, but if others are considering it, that is an option.

Your experience unfortunately is just another example of poor aftermarket production of gaskets and seals. Pretty much always better to pay the premium for GM seals and gaskets when you can.
 
Any suggestions for breathing life back in to a factory gasket? Mine came out easily, looks good and appears to be soft but it's chalky. I'd like to make it as presentable as possible when I get the new glass installed.
 
That's a good price. Even with my discount my dealer wanted $140. FWIW the aftermarket lock seal would not work with a OEM gasket. The lock seal has been discontinued.

dyeager535 said:
OEM gasket showed up on ebay the other day, so I checked gmpartsdirect.com, you can get the GM gasket still for $125, plus whatever shipping is. FWIW. Bit late for you, but if others are considering it, that is an option.

Your experience unfortunately is just another example of poor aftermarket production of gaskets and seals. Pretty much always better to pay the premium for GM seals and gaskets when you can.
Click to expand...
 
nvrenuf said:
Any suggestions for breathing life back in to a factory gasket? Mine came out easily, looks good and appears to be soft but it's chalky. I'd like to make it as presentable as possible when I get the new glass installed.
Click to expand...

Thin coat of dielectric grease seems to work.
 
Anybody else that needs a window seal I used precision brand after doing a lot of web research. It fit perfect and after a year no problems. My installer said that was the best quality he's seen on a first gen seal. He doesn't do many but that one went in like butter he said. I got it from gmcpauls for future reference. Was the best price at the time.
 
That's good info. My installer said precision was his brand as well. However when he tried to source it all he could come up with was the lock strip.

chulisohombre said:
Anybody else that needs a window seal I used precision brand after doing a lot of web research. It fit perfect and after a year no problems. My installer said that was the best quality he's seen on a first gen seal. He doesn't do many but that one went in like butter he said. I got it from gmcpauls for future reference. Was the best price at the time.
Click to expand...
 
I use oem nos stuff on mine. Had bad luck with all the aftermarket stuff I stated with.
 
TommyD11730 said:
That's good info. My installer said precision was his brand as well. However when he tried to source it all he could come up with was the lock strip.
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They had seals for all gm trucks. Many that I couldn't find anywhere else or for s better price.
 
Still got a leak on the pass side kick pannel. When flooding the cowel with water I'm getting some water in through this funnel looking thing. Is this just the cowl venting into this area and normal?
can't attach photo... grrr!
 
TommyD11730 said:
https://goo.gl/photos/eg3d96V2LGCb5xYL8

This is a link, I hope. If you pull the passenger kick pannel and look up inside water from the cowl floods down from it. Seems odd as this is inside , just below the blower motor.
Click to expand...

I can't make out where that is...can you maybe post something a bit further back to get some reference? I'm assuming it's up under the corner of the window, but I dunno.
 
If you pull the passenger kick pannel and stick your head up in the hole. It's to the right, inside the hole. I guess water is diverted into this area via the cowl.
 
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