I just moved apts and my new apt. has no car port as my old one did. After not having the car port, I have come to find that my Volvo 240 DL 1990 has a leak. ONLY when it rains, the floorboard of the front passenger seat is wet. I'm really hopeing this can be an easy fix. Where would I look to try and fix this?

 

do you have a sunroof?

 

It's usually the windshield seal bro...or you have aquired a heater core leak..or like my pal TIPSP says you left your sunroof open or it is leaking...most likely a windshield seal though from experience

 

I got a pinhole'ish' leak near the top of my windshield seal, but I am in no hurry to fix it

 

My car has no sun roof. It's only when it rains.

So I don't have to worry about a leak in the firewall?

What is the best way to fix a leak with the windshield? Is is necessary to have it taken out and placed back in and resealed?

Would this be a pinhole leak even if the floor board is pretty wet?

 

yep...make sure they give you the new style seal like on the 92-93 240's..the old seal with the clips is garbage...or you could always emove your seal and put a bunch of windshield seal(glue) around it and hope to fix it cheap but I would HIGHLY recommend getting a new seal installed...

 

If you can't keep the car covered, fixing the leak is fairly important...your ecu is behind the passenger side kick panel and often gets wet/corrodes as a result of windscreen leaks. If you do pull the windshield, the 91+ have a built in seal and are much simpler to install. The earlier style with clips isn't really garbage...just aren't that many people anymore who know how to install them properly. The newer windscreen will retrofit all the way back to the 1967 140.

 

I am sorry to disagree...worked on hundreds of 240's the seal with the clips is garbage...sorry

 

which is the best place to have this done? the volvo mechanic shop, body shop, or other?

 

neither...autoglass shop. Windshield replacement...

 

Good news! I found the leak! It is in the rubber lining that sits on top of the windshield. More specifically, it is exactly in the middle bottom of the windshield. The middle of the rubber lining is slightly raised and not flush against the glass. Can I replace this rubber molding myself? Or does a professional need to do it?

 

Good news! I found the leak. it is on the bottom of the windshell in the middle of the rubber molding. The molding is not flush on the window in the middle. Can I replace the molding or does a professional need to do this?

 

That rubber molding you're referring to is part of the brightwork surround trim. Behind it, the windshield is set in butyl rubber. It is the butyl rubber that actually does the sealing. I've seldom seen a successful repair of a leaking windshield without it being pulled. Still...todays polyurethane is far superior to the old butyl rubber. If you are determined to attempt a repair yourself, you can gently remove the brightwork around the windshield with a trim tool or putty knife and examine the actual rubber sealant. Be prepared for a lot of debris. Clean it off and see what you're dealing with. You could always try to remove any failed sealant with a razor knife and force some polyurethane into the gap.Not saying this is recommended or will even stop it...but it might. If it doesn't, you're looking at a new windshield anyway so pulling the trim is no big issue.

 

If I had the windshield resealed they would have to break the old one to get it off?

 

Not necessarily. I've removed a few...I guess I'm 5 for 4...one broke. Here's the deal...the butyl rubber sealant is an aerobic sealant; it drys upon exposure to air. That means even after all these years, inside it is still very sticky, very nasty and very messy. All of it has to be cleaned off the glass as well as the body's recess it fits down into. This takes time. If you're doing it yourself it's no big deal. If you're paying someone an hourly rate, it would be cost prohibitive. Cheaper to ****** the old one out, throw it away, clean the channel on the body and pop a new style one in. You have to be very careful and go SLOW to keep from breaking the old windshield.

 

I have been doing this a LONG time and I don't even mess with windshields...hats off to Swift...it's just a job I do not like to do and feel that a professional should do it. They do hundreds everyday...it's not worth my time they have become so inexpensive and the job could take me a couple hours to do it perfect....Just have the windshield replaced by a glass shop with a new fresh seal...you are going to spend more time and energy and then have a half a-- job. Windshields with newer seals are only $130 installed here in Seattle...can't be that much more where your at...just my opinion you'll have fresh glass, a fresh tight seal and no nosense...unless you are SUPER broke(then you shouldn't be driving anyway) buy a windshield for yourself...you'll feel good about it and your car will thank you...

 

geeze bro your brave...I HATE DOING GLASS...messy job and a waste of my intelligence Just tell him to get a new windshield with a new style seal

 

just to give an update I taped up that area with silver duct tape and it sealed the leak! i'll end up resealing it though later on.

 

You go ghetto rider!!

 

I hope you used the high dollar aluminum duct tape and not the ghetto gray plastic duct tape!!