Hello.

I posted a bit about our new S-type and myself a bit ago. This is new to us. I have tackled the windscreen leaking onto the engine, sop's, and electrical system, etc, hopefully anyway. I read on this forum and on Automotive Forum Jaguar's the use of cove base moulding to solve the windscreen leaking issues. Here is what I did.

1. Used red rosin paper to make a template of the windscreen. Pattern started 1" from the bottom of the windscreen and extends to the bottom of the stock drain system. Be sure to locate and mark the 4-5 screw hole covers and the wiper blade posts on the paper. Leave the windshield wiper blades in place. The drivers side blade will cause your moulding to be lower as it sits differently than the psgr side.
2. Transferred this pattern to the cove base. Use 1" blue Painters tape to mark the locations of the screw caps and the wiper blades.
3. Began cutting and fitting the cove base to the complex curve of the window.
4. I made made 7-10 cuts from the bottom of the cove base upwards, some too far UP on proto type #1. Cuts should not be longer than 2". This is to ensure that the cuts do not go above the plastic window stock drainage system. Also so that you will not notice them once done.
5. Made separate Red Rosin end patterns for both ends of the window.
6. Ensure that your pattern will go under the rubber windscreen molding on the psg. and drivers side of the window. I made mine a perfect fit and to go under the rubber on both sides.
7. Would recommend going from Psg. to Drivers side and leave the Drivers side an 1.5" long.
8. Now back to Ace Hardware: Tools and equipment list:
A. Buy another 6" of 3.5" cove base board molding. So Initially buy 12'. This is if you expect 2 tries. I did mine in 2 attempts.
B. Buy a tube of black 100% Silicone Adhesive sealant.
C. Buy a roll of blue painters 10 day tape.
D. Scissors.
E. Caulk Gun. A good one with a release on the back.
F. Paint Thinner. 100% silicone is solvent or paint thinner based.
G. White rags and paper towels.
H. Red rosin paper or stiff paper to make a pattern.
I. Masking tape.
J. Patience.

9. Initially drop in the red rosin paper under the wiper blades, and pre fit the location of where you want your seal.
10. Use 1" blue painters tape with 1 piece and mask from the Psg. side to the Drivers side above the rosin paper. Be sure the tape goes all the way from the A pillar from side to side. This is important because you will pull this piece last and leave a clean rubber silicone line on the top of the rubber molding.
11. Remove wiper blades only. Mark both sides of where the "U' hits the windshield. So you can put it back on in the same place.
12. Remove the wiper arm. 13mm socket.
13. Clean window last 6" for good adhesion.
14. Now the fun part. Set you new rubber seal on the window for 30 min. in the hot sun.
15. Bring out your newly patterned rubber, with the pattern pre cut for the psgr. side.
16. Slide rubber under rubber psg. side moulding 1/2". Trim as necessary for a nice fit. Begin taping with 4" segments of blue 1" painters tape along the top of the rubber. Continue taping Psg to Drivers side. Press tape aganist window and create a 90 degree up and over the rubber. Make it tight. "Bend the rubber as you go along." Remember earlier when I said you will need only 8 short cuts 2" long. If your cuts from the bottom up are longer than 2" they will show.
17. My cuts from Psg to Dr. Measuring from the top where your rubber goes under the moulding on the Psg and Dr. side. Cuts are at 7", 7", 8", 13 1/4" (This 13 and 1/4" cut is at the center of the psg side windshield wiper. Here do not make a 2" cut. cut about 1 1/2" wide (centered at the 13 1/4" mark), x 1" 1 1/2" tall with a oval on the top. Looks custom.), next cut from psg wiper is 5 1/2", 3 1/4", 3 1/2", and last is 4 3/4". Now your at the drivers side with a few inches left to trim up and tuck under the Dr side rubber. So, 3 cuts to the left of the psg wiper blade and 4 to the right of the psg wiper blade cut out.
18. Ok time for the black silicone. Prep gun, have rags ready.
19. Pull up your rubber seal which is all taped to the window.
20. Put a 6" piece of blue tape in the middle to hold it up, then a 6" piece on the psg and drivers side to hold them up. Tape to the windshield UP and out of the way.
21. Apply adhesive to the 1" of window glass. Ensure your putting on enough as the windshield is 1/8" lower than the drain system. You want to be sure that there is enough sealant on the top edge of the rubber. Be generous as your going to "squish" this down in step #22.
22. Fold down your new seal.
23. Tuck in the psg side seal under the psg rubber already there.
24. Run a bead along the psg rubber and put a clamp on it against the drain system. These left and right rubber seals are not actually up against the drain system.
25. "Smooth" with your hand the rubber from left to right, rubbing along the top 1" of the rubber silicone seal.
26. Tuck in the Dr. Side.
27. By this time the Silicone will begin to harden a bit. begin pulling the tape which holds the rubber to the windshield. This is the "top" layer of tape. NOTE WHEN YOU PULL THIS TAPE PULL IT HORIZONTAL TO THE TAPE ITSELF. DO NOT PULL UPWARDS AS YOU WILL PULL THE SEAL RIGHT OFF THE WINDSCREEN. USE YOUR LEFT HAND TO HOLD DOWN SEAL FROM PULLING UP.
28. Ok now the litmus test. Pull the bottom blue 1" tape which goes from Psg to Dr. side put on in step #10. Pull this tape at a 90 degree angle and slightly away from the rubber seal.
29. At this point you should have a very clean silicone seal along the rubber top edge. This is the most important part. If the silicone did not "squish" out enough, then roll it down some more on the top edge.
30. Use paint Thinner and white rags and clean up the top edge. There should be no black silicone on the window which you can see, except right where it meets the rubber seal. Any boaters out there will know what I'm talking about if you have done any deck work or re-bedding of hardware. I'm a sailor also.
31. Be sure to clamp the rubber on the Psg and Dr. side where you put a small bead on the inside to hold this aganist the left and right side.
32. Also take some of your silicone sealant and encircle the windshield wiper 2" rubber seals from the bottom all the way around. I noticed on my "light" water test that these seals are a light touch seal. Water drips through these.
33. Put a few 1" squares of velcro under the lower flap of you seal. Closest to the engine to ensure no cross wind or the windshield wipers do not get caught on these. It is unlikely, however I'll update on this later.

Ok, so that's it. I'm hoping to never have another drop of water into the engine compartment which came from the windscreen. Note that the windscreen drainage system has 4-5 cover caps. These will be covered by the new seal, so if they need to be removed they could be for servicing. Also these were NOT the major source of the leaking. Mine leaked right under the factory rubber seal which is in very good condition.

After this is all cured I'll post on my water testing.
Next on my list is to fix the slight miss fire at idle. I'll post on that separately.

Hope this is useful. Pictures to follow as I do not want to lose this post.

Thanks,

John

 

Wow! Great write-up and pics. Hope I never have to do this.