Temporary removal of VE front seats

[mtd]

I rub silicone paste into mine to keep them supple and full. Like my lips.

Cheers,

 

[mtd]

Done a bit more investigation. Guess what, its raining so cannot confirm leak below just yet, and getting too dark.
Fu got me thinking when he asked about cracks in the weather strip channel seam etc. Took off the weather strip again to have another look. No big 'traditional' cracks, but right where I suspect the leak is coming in the paint has flaked away (arrow with 'culprit') and there does seem to be a gap (that's a small rock wedged under the channel plate).
It might be a bit of confirmation bias on my part, but as this tends to only drip inside on a heavy rain event - and the 'culprit' area is at the lowest point (the channel slopes up slightly towards the windscreen, can be seen in pic) then this is starting to make sense. It would pool there and be continually replenished. The bottom line is, is water getting through??????

That said, I could be on enrirely the wrong track - time will tell.

Other small pic is a close-up. What do you reckon?
Think my arrow descriptions might be a bit wrong in hindsight, is that white stuff primer or sealant?
I'm in the middle of pulling out trim and will continue tomorrow.
If i find this is, in fact, a leak. What should I seal it with. Some type of Sika sealant?

 

[chrisp]

Done a bit more investigation. Guess what, its raining so cannot confirm leak below just yet, and getting too dark.
Fu got me thinking when he asked about cracks in the weather strip channel seam etc. Took off the weather strip again to have another look. No big 'traditional' cracks, but right where I suspect the leak is coming in the paint has flaked away (arrow with 'culprit') and there does seem to be a gap (that's a small rock wedged under the channel plate).
It might be a bit of confirmation bias on my part, but as this tends to only drip inside on a heavy rain event - and the 'culprit' area is at the lowest point (the channel slopes up slightly towards the windscreen, can be seen in pic) then this is starting to make sense. It would pool there and be continually replenished. The bottom line is, is water getting through??????

That said, I could be on enrirely the wrong track - time will tell.

Other small pic is a close-up. What do you reckon?
Think my arrow descriptions might be a bit wrong in hindsight, is that white stuff primer or sealant?
I'm in the middle of pulling out trim and will continue tomorrow.
If i find this is, in fact, a leak. What should I seal it with. Some type of Sika sealant?

View attachment 252020
View attachment 252021

I can’t really help with any practical answers to your questions, but, from experience, water can capillary through small holes surprisingly well! It’s almost like very small holes are just as bad a big holes. I suspect it’s something to do with surface tension and the hole size?

Anyway, it seems that you are on to something that should be attended to regardless of whether it is the source of the leak or not. So give it a good clean out and reseal that area. Holden used some sort of sealant along those joins so maybe reseal it with a similar sealant? It is fortunate that it’s an area that is covered by the the channel strips.

 

[mtd]

Yeah ta chrisp. I don't think anyone can help until its properly water tested tmrw. Agree it still has to be treated even if not the leak source.
I'm hoping it IS the source so I can move onto the next leak! Cheers

 

[Fu Manchu]

Done a bit more investigation. Guess what, its raining so cannot confirm leak below just yet, and getting too dark.
Fu got me thinking when he asked about cracks in the weather strip channel seam etc. Took off the weather strip again to have another look. No big 'traditional' cracks, but right where I suspect the leak is coming in the paint has flaked away (arrow with 'culprit') and there does seem to be a gap (that's a small rock wedged under the channel plate).
It might be a bit of confirmation bias on my part, but as this tends to only drip inside on a heavy rain event - and the 'culprit' area is at the lowest point (the channel slopes up slightly towards the windscreen, can be seen in pic) then this is starting to make sense. It would pool there and be continually replenished. The bottom line is, is water getting through??????

That said, I could be on enrirely the wrong track - time will tell.

Other small pic is a close-up. What do you reckon?
Think my arrow descriptions might be a bit wrong in hindsight, is that white stuff primer or sealant?
I'm in the middle of pulling out trim and will continue tomorrow.
If i find this is, in fact, a leak. What should I seal it with. Some type of Sika sealant?

View attachment 252020
View attachment 252021

Faark yeah.

 

[mtd]

I haven't heard of the "Faark yeah" sealant Fu. Where do i get this from?

 

[Fu Manchu]

You will use Sikaflex 227
https://www.bunnings.com.au/sika-31...ViZlmAh3KEQfsEAQYASABEgJO1fD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Just clean off the area. Slap it on. Try get some into the seam gap there. Smooth it out with your finger. Put a glove on first. Like a nitrile disposable glove. Don’t wear a boxing glove. It won’t go well.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Actually. Mask up the area first. Go to a bit of effort to stop a fk up. Mask the areas that will be visible with the trim on.

Might pay to get it down the length of the channel even. You’ll have plenty. If doing that, grab a cheap small brush from Bunnings. The sealant will be in the paint area and the brushes are usually right next to the sealants.

Slap it in, lightly brush it over.

Masking tape is usually near the sealants too. I love using yellow frog tape. Works well.

 

[Fu Manchu]

Oh. If you get some sealant where it should not be. Coat your digit in soapy water and wipe off. Have paper towel on hand. Have soapy water on hand.

 

[Skylarking]

Doesn’t the VF accessory installation manual PDF have a section on installing roof racks and within it talks of using sealant within some specific area of the roof channel?

There may be a similar issue with the VE and as the mentioned PDF above is available on some post within the VF forum, it’s worth a search and a read. May just solve the issue