Dutch Door Replacement Gaskets

[earlman]

Hi again-
Re: 1997 Safari w/ the dang DUTCH DOORS!

I posted this in 2009, that my Dutch doors were leaking water. Now, they are REALLY leaking, and I'm really bummed-out about it. I saw that someone got me a link to get the straight piece gasket on top that attaches to the body for $110. Now, I need the rest of them.
I need part numbers for these, and websites. If I have to pay a dealership top dollar for gaskets, I might as well just sell it.
Please somebody- can I get some help. It's only got 86,000 and it runs like a champ, but now it's starting to stink inside from the water.
Can anybody get me the GM part numbers for these gaskets, or the SPECIFIC part number for other sites?
I'm really at a dead-end here. When I go to the discount GM website, I don't know which part is which. THANKS GUYS!

[Phantom]

This should help, includes part numbers:

http://www.gmpartsgiant.com/components/ ... 11006.html

[sfeaver]

I have replaced all of my rear door seals. And it still leaks. Its a crap design. I fixed my leak by drilling a hole on each side where the water pools. I have a thread on here or the other site with pictures. I thought it was a lousy fix, but after spending the money for new seals and it still leaked at least its a fix.

Scott

[earlman]

Upon closer inspection, the rubber gasket is glued to the vinyl trim piece that holds it in place. I got some 3M #08008 gasket sealer (cheaper on ebay, and one tube will last you FOREVER) and re-glued the original rubber gasket to the vinyl, then I went to the hardware store and got 2 tubes of siliconized black door and window caulk. Siliconized caulk stays a little more ridgid than silicone, and it dries to a *matte black* color, not like the shiny stuff on your bathtub. The matte black look blends in real well. When I replaced all of the vinyl trim (with rubber properly attached), I shot caulk into the vinyl trim, and then pushed the trim back on (with some help from a rubber mallet). Then, after everthing was in place and dried, I caulked any place around the trim/gasket that looked like it needed to be caulked. I also took off the plastic trim that runs along the bottom, and because it's a large piece of plastic, it gave me the liberty to really caulk it good without it being seen. I don't want water to sneak up under that and get the carpets wet, then I would be back to square one.

So, Dutch doors leaks are SEALED!

Total cost: $17, total time 2 hours (not including waiting for drying time)


Since this post, almost all of my seals have been failing at the same time. More caulk, much success!

'97 Safari. Bubble gum, coat hangers, duct tape and prayers.

['cudapaul]

Just a suggestion for everyone who has this rear door leak problem:

Park with the front of the van lower than the rear so that the water does not flow towards the back doors.

[Big Dac With Fries]

And this is how my day ended. Was unloading my tools, and I noticed my knees were wet.



After peeling the carpet back and seeing how soaked the underlay is, I decided just to rip out the underlay. If it dries, I'll put it back in, if not, I'm going to use a sound deadener like Dynamat, since it doesn't absorb water.

I noticed that the water is leaking/pooling in at the bottom where the vertical sheetmetal "lip" ends. It pools up, goes underneath the threshold trim, and gets soaked up by the carpet and underlay. I was going to caulk the crap out of it with urethane, but after reading about drilling small drain holes, I might do that as well.

Parking downhill is a must for me...

[paintdrying]

My barn doors leak as well and it really pisses my off. I was thinking of making a hillbilly looking drip edge out of sheet metal.

[Big Dac With Fries]

I put the Safari back together today with the help of my dad, so I can get back to work tomorrow. Took some pictures of what I did, hopefully it'll help some of you out who are having the same issue I was, with water seeping in past the lower threshold trim.

I tried to dry the old underpadding out, but it was still dripping wet this afternoon. Even if I could dry it out, it would just wind up soaked again if I spilled something on it. So I decided to make an alternative.

I picked up a roll of aluminum waterproofing tape from Rona (~ $25.00) and laid some strips down. It's a heavy tar-like tape, and I've used it before on car trunks and floors to keep noise down. I figured it would be good to use here.



Then I used a 4-pack of foam tiles from Canadian Tire (~ $15.00) and made my new "underpadding" Its a high density foam that resists soaking up water. It's also the same thickness as the old underpadding I ripped out. Here is where I cut the rear seat bracket holes.



I put the new foam underpadding underneath the carpet, and started to put everything back together. When I got to the threshold trim, I ran a long strip of tape across the van, from drip rail to drip rail, and made sure it stuck well (I spent about 30 mins yesterday cleaning off the old two sided tape and tar tape with lighter fluid) It's kind of hard to explain, but half of the tape is on the carpet, and half of it is stuck to the van. So if water were to come in, it would have to run up the tape-dam.

I also siliconed the threshold trim after I screwed it back into place, and made some little plugs to plug the screwholes.



The final product:



The silver stuff is the waterproofing tape. Once it's stuck down, it's next to impossible to remove...

Hope this helps.

[mikestone]

I had a similar problem and found there was a gap at the doors between the gasket and touch point so a new gasket would not help.
I cleaned the body metal with alcohol, then I put packing tape, clear tape that you use on cardboard boxes, on the gaskets on the doors, I then sprayed them with Pam cooking spray. Next I ran a bead of GE silicone 2 caulk on the body where I cleaned it. I then closed both doors and let them sit for about 2 seconds, long enough to form the silicone but not long enough for it to ooze all the way out, then opened them back up. Them peel off the packing tape. You need to check that excess caulk is not blocking the flow gap so the water can travel along the door to the bottom. Let it dry well and then use the doors as normal. This did make the flow gap smaller and you need to check it periodically in case a leaf or algea get in there. I also changed all the carpet pad and had to remove the front seats and dry everything. It's been good for at least 6 years now.

[kus]

And this is how my day ended. Was unloading my tools, and I noticed my knees were wet.

[ http://i1128.photobucket.com/albums/m498/Bigdacwithfries/1999%20GMC%20Safari/IMG00121-20111029-1655.jpg ]

After peeling the carpet back and seeing how soaked the underlay is, I decided just to rip out the underlay. If it dries, I'll put it back in, if not, I'm going to use a sound deadener like Dynamat, since it doesn't absorb water.

I noticed that the water is leaking/pooling in at the bottom where the vertical sheetmetal "lip" ends. It pools up, goes underneath the threshold trim, and gets soaked up by the carpet and underlay. I was going to caulk the crap out of it with urethane, but after reading about drilling small drain holes, I might do that as well.

Parking downhill is a must for me...

had the same thing, all the carpet all the way into the pass and driver side totally soaked, took four days in the sun to dry the thing....I dried the backing underlay and glued it back onto the carpet, worked good with spray adhesive......now back to square one since I caulked the crap outta the threshold with acoustic sealer and tape to build up the lip.....design is horrible, somehow it got in again...or it is coming from somewhere else but sure seems the back foot gets wet first.....maybe overhead light afterall.
I may just pull all that off and have a 1/4 inch strip welded under the threshold cover all along the back door to continue the sheet metal lip. Where did you guys drill the holes exactly, right where the lip ends also gonna check the overhead brake light

[Jasen]

I had it coming in the third brake light. Removed the light, cleaned it all up, applied some silicone, let it dry to form a gasket and re installed the light.

[kus]

hi- thx. how'd you know it was coming from the friggen light?? did it drip down or run down the side somewhere?? I have not yet found a pathway but small puddles behind the new threshold I built up and no idea how it got there, grrrrrrr

[kus]

After all my efforts = no luck. 4 feet of the underlay soaked again. Strangly is seems to start soaking more from the middle rear and work outward but I sealed the brake light overhead and the only signs of water drops I have actually seen on the metal are in the corners.....which made me suspect the tail lights. When it rains, the drip edge actually allows the water to drip inside from the open hatch, however designed the hatch should be shot or at least incarcerated for making many people miserable.

Does someone have a photo of their "drain holes"? My dam along the rear is pretty skookum so I don't think anything is crossing that....must be coming from the sides. Perhaps water gets siphoned up by the vinyl rubber cover as it runs down the sides of the door opening? Wish there was a way to track this.....thought about spreaking some chalk in back but man that would be messy...Anyone got any other ideas? Gonna drill some holes, the puddles in the corners make sense for the most logical source.....someone pls post a pic

[earlman]

1 year post caulk update
... After a snowy winter, no leaks! Get out there with that tube of caulk. Get her good! No more wet floors for me!

[FishyBC]

Does anyone have pictures of where they caulked ? I am seeing that my seals are deteriorating and the water is starting to show up near the anchor mounts in the very back.
Would love to not have to recreate the wheel when it comes to fixing this.
Thanks
Pat

[kus]

I drilled the two quarter inch holes in each corner, substantial reduction if not elimination of the leak, not entirely sure as some water alwasy drips in when you open the door or blows in but underlay now dry for weeks....and it's been pouring....and snowing. all good it seems.

[Corsemoto]

Hey Kus, here's what I did with mine last week:

I picked up some Metro Moulded Parts http://www.metrommp.com/ butyl rubber, generic weatherstip and 3M weatherstrip adhesive from Autozone.

I installed the weatherstrip between across the floor between where the gasket ends on each side and glued it with the 3M adhesive and also filled in where it meets the gasket so water can't get through. On the back side, you can't see it under the carpet, I laid a strip of butyl rubber to back the weatherstrip and give it another layer of protection. I also drilled 1/4" holes on each side after seeing where the water comes in and gets past the seals. Before reinstalling the plastic trim, I cut the little support nubs off the backside of the trim so it sits down on the new rubber weatherstrip and doesn't leave those big impressions in it.



I had some gray foam weatherstrip so I put that on the front side just to block water from going all the way across and to better seal and reduce the gap under the trim piece.



This rubber moulding on the side and the door is where water is making the transition to inside and starts running down the inside of the door and into the interior so I pulled the moulding up and resealed it with 3M adhesive.



The moulding was starting to separate so I sealed it here as well.



Last but not least, this upper weatherstrip that's riveted in place was allowing water to seep through and drip inside, annoying when opening the hatch for sure. I pulled the trim and knocked the heads off the rivets with a chisel and prepped the surface. I reinstalled with liberal amount of 3M goop and riveted back into place and taped down to get a good seal while setting up.



I may go back and lift the top and squirt a bit more sealant but this is a noticeable improvement, not having water spill into the van when opening the hatch.

[[email protected]]

I'm doing this now, guided by your method. Just cleaned off all the old stuff with mineral spirits, drilled and painted the holes on either side and am ready to seal. Where on earth did you find big D weather stripping without the adhesive strip on it?

[TurnNburn]

Where on earth did you find big D weather stripping without the adhesive strip on it?

My guess is China...

[five10freak]

I am chasing this very problem now with a soaked carpet. Originally thought it was the rear AC, but checked that today and found the drain line clear and unobstructed, did seal up some small holes I had made some time ago.

So I decided to check the dutch door and glass seals. On a quick look, everything looked good...... then I touched the glass seal and they basically fell off,lol. Didn't have any good adhesive on hand but did have some silicone. So I silicone glued the seal back on and closed the glass so the silicone can set. I will check them tomorrow and also check the dutch door seals as well as drilling 1/4" drain holes in each corner.

my lovely seals