Leaking Windows

[Sugar Spun Sisters]

Not so much a 'technical' question, more a 'technique' one!
I have 4 rear side windows that all need new seals and rust treatment...a planned 'winter' proper job.
As all the seals are pretty much knackered, having probably never been replaced (1983 autoSleeper Transporter) and let in water...not a huge amount but enough to feel bothered by when it rains heavily.
The rain last week gave me a bit of a puddle around by the wardrobe and back end, the ply/mdf whatever having drank it up somewhat. I'm pretty sure it isn't the tailgate window seal that's the problem, though tell me if you know something I don't?
This weekend (no camperjam for me ) I'm going to have a bash at trying to seal the windows/seals temporarily until the 'big' job.
I am armed with the Sikaflex that everyone raves about.
I know this might sound like a stupid question, but can someone please tell me how to do this?...for example, do I need to get the sikaflex under the rubber seals somehow? Anyway, what should I be doing exactly and what is the best technique? I don't really want it to look like a botch job with black sealant on very nice white paintwork.
Thanking you all in advance, Ash

[kevtherev]

it will look like one.. with black sealant.
Why don't you use clear?

rear windows rarely leak.. are you sure it's not coming through the gate seal itself?

personaly I would be fitting new stuff and not bodging

[1664]

I have over the years and on numerous occassions, with numerous different vehicles, attempted to prevent water getting past knackered seals with sealer. Despite my best efforts I have NEVER known it to work. Save yourself an awful lot of time and effort for little or no benefit and replace them - even if you have to pay someone to do it. Also, if you've ever liked the idea of tinted windows, this would be the time to do that too

[boatbuilder]

If you really must use the sealant, lift the seal and squirt some in there as far in as you can. Not too much though as it will make a mess.
The sikaflex cleans up with white spirits if you work fast enough to get it wiped off before it dries. I don't see the problem using black rather than clear....so long as you do a good clean-up job with the white spirits and a cloth afterwards.
But as already said, its not a permanent solution and you'll have to grind/cut/sand the sikaflex off when you get round to changing the seal.

[Sugar Spun Sisters]

Thanks for your replies
In retrospect, I guess black isn't the greatest colour to use, but someone had passed it onto me.
If I was to use clear sealant can you recommend a particular make?
Of course I may now just wait until the big job..I will check out the tailgate again to see if there is a problem but things looked ok there, but I guess it's hard to find the actual source of water getting in anyway. Ash

[Russonly]

Don't be too afraid of changing the seals! I gave it a go and now am confident I could get a window out and back in in about 40 minutes - infact I had to when I locked the keys in

Obviously if there is rust around the window that would need to be cleaned up before you change the seals.

Having said that - before I changes my seals I squiged some black sealant down the edges and it worked for a while, cleans off quite easily and looked part of the black seal from a short distance.

[peepingheads]

I thought the window seals in my Joker where leaking as I had puddles in the back of the van after heavy rain. Then I suspected the tail gate rubber seal, and the rivets at the top, then loads of other bits and pieces in the high top....... was none of those that caused the leak though.

Basic problem was the seal around the high top, but not what you think.

It appears that the seal around the high top on my van, in the gutters, although I replaced it after cleaning it out thoroughly, including above the windscreen, was still the problem.

Someone had drilled the gutter to fit something or other years ago and the holes has rusted a little, this allowed water into a small void between the gutter and the top of the side panels, this had then drained to the back of the van and had pooled up above the rear engine air vents, if there is a lot of rain a lot runs from the high top, down the gutters, through the now know to be troubles gutters etc....

So, I drilled another hole in the air vent area to let it drain away as quickly as it arrives.