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    Leaky taillight fix

    I wasn't sure really where to put this, as it's not a DIY as I didn't take any pics. I had leaky taillight gaskets on my 4 door, both of the outside ones. Where I live in Texas just went through two straight months of historic rainfall, so there seemed to always be rain in my trunk.

    There seems to be some different opinions out there as to exactly how to fix it, so I just wanted to add what worked for me.

    I went to the local Hobby Lobby out here and got 4 11 X 18 sheets of 2mm thick foam. These are big enough to do two gaskets apiece.

    I removed my old taillights, removed their gaskets, then cleaned both the taillights and the surface on the car where the gaskets touch. The car was filthy in that area with lots of caked on dirt.

    After that I transferred the old gaskets to the foam, traced out templates and cut them out.

    I placed a thin bead of silicone RTV on the edge of the taillights and pressed down the gaskets, inspecting the whole perimeter to make sure of even coverage. After about 30 minutes I installed them back in the car, leaving all of the trim off until I could verify the fix.

    I got to test my fix the next day as a heavy storm rolled through. I opened my trunk to see what I had and my trunk was bone dry. I checked everywhere with my flashlight on the trunk floor as well as all around the taillight openings. No water anywhere.

    In other news my Camaro's trunk was leaking too!! Which is particularly worrisome, as the battery is in the trunk. Again, bad gaskets letting water in. There's little foam gaskets around the spoiler studs and a couple of those seemed to have failed. I used the same foam there, so hopefully it works out!
    My '91 LX build. Bought September 2017. Sold June 2020.
    http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...r /> t=209871
    Current mileage: 399450 5/18/2020

    My '92 LX build. Bought Novemeber 2019. http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthre...91#post3293791
    Current mileage: 422679 11/21/19

    #2
    The other area that is troublesome is the seals on the clips that attach the chrome trim along the bottom of the rear window. I just had to do the outer tail lights and these clips to keep the trunk from flooding in the 92 EX rescue project.
    90 LX 4dr 5 spd 396,014 (sold 1/1/2022) - MRT: http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=201450
    08 Element LX FWD AT 229,000 - MRT: fleetw00d : 2008 Honda Element LX - CB7Tuner Forums

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      #3
      That's so crazy because I have literally just dealt with this same issue myself.

      Fleetw00d, how did you redo the clips for the window? I was at the junk yard
      last weekend with my buddy who does autoglass work. When I started to
      pull up the chrome trim, it was very hard to get it off without breaking the
      clips behind it.
      Keep Pushing..

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        #4
        You lift the little cover up and on the bottom(?) and take the screws out. It's been awhile since I've removed it but there are screws. Maybe 8 of them across the whole window.
        MRT: 1993 Honda Accord SE Coupe (Lola)

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          #5
          Originally posted by Rilas View Post
          You lift the little cover up and on the bottom(?) and take the screws out. It's been awhile since I've removed it but there are screws. Maybe 8 of them across the whole window.
          Yes, eight clips with a screw. You have to lift the rubber lip to access them. If it is cold outside, use a heat gun to soften the rubber.
          90 LX 4dr 5 spd 396,014 (sold 1/1/2022) - MRT: http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=201450
          08 Element LX FWD AT 229,000 - MRT: fleetw00d : 2008 Honda Element LX - CB7Tuner Forums

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