If you notice a strange rattle behind the seats
when you hit a bump or a mysterious water leak that pools
behind the seats, your rear window is probably loose! After
years of use, the stick-um kit dries out and the window is
no longer firmly attached only held from falling by the seatbelt
bolsters and the backwall ledge!
Replacing the seal is easy and satisfying as
the rattle disappears and rear floor pan, rusting from the
water leak, is avoided. The general steps are as follows:
1. Remove the targa top for better accessibility.
Next, remove the seats. Of course we all know they slide
forward, but they also slide out! Slide forward until the
seat stops and then back up slightly. Reach your hand under
the outboard bolster and under the seat rack, feeling for
the spring tension clip. Hold up on the tension clip, hold
up on the seat adjustment loop and slide the seat out. The
other seat is removed likewise. Remove the center cushion
or center deposit box next by unscrewing the four phillips
screws.
2. Remove the back pad: Back pad removal must
be done very carefully to avoid damaging the pad. Since
you have removed the seats, you will now notice four phillips
screws in the seatwell portions of the back pad. Remove
these screws and then unscrew the engine lid release knob.
Pull off the rubber seal and unscrew the engine lid release
knob base. The base unscrews with a dual pointed screwdriver
or two awls inserted into the removal holes. Carefully remove
and unhook the interior light taping off the positive black
with red wire. Carefully grasp the back pad at the bottom
and pull out and down. Do not pull the back pad from the
top!
3. Remove the seat belt bolsters. There are
phillip head screws under the small interior plugs, 17mm
bolts under the seat belt loop cover and finally a phillips
screw under the coat hook cover. After all of this is removed,
remove the bolster. It is not necessary to remove the top
bolster, nor do you want to! It is much too difficult to
remove!
4. Remove the glass. Many rear windows are
so loose they will just fall out but some need help. Remove
the lid to glass seal and possibly the engine lid (remove
the two 10mm bolts) and with the putty knife cut around
the complete perimeter of the glass seal and then remove
the glass.
5. Clean the sealing surface thoroughly after
removing the glass. If an original sealing kit is still
installed it is impregnated with a piece of string for easy
removal. Simply slide a screw driver blade under the seal
and pull on the string working completely around the perimeter
until the seal is out. Clean the remaining kit with a rag
and enamel reducer or carburetor cleaner until shiny and
bright. Touch-up any paint nicks and wire brush and rust
paint any rusted areas.
6. Install the glass. If you look carefully
you will see a rounded grove or channel for in which the
new butyl tape kit will rest. Stick the beginning of the
roll and roll along the four sides lightly pressing the
papered tape against the grove! Only use enough pressure
to make the tape stick, do not remove the paper! When you
reach the end, overlap the tape for double coverage. It
is easier to start at the bottom and end at the bottom,
overlapping here. Clean the glass! Over the years the hard-to-access
rear window has become a lot dirtier than you think and
you will be surprised just how dirty. You will probably
have to use single edge razor blade to scrape overspray
and grime from the window and finish the cleaning with glass
cleaner. We usually lay the glass across a rubber garbage
can to make cleaning easier. Remember, a dirty glass will
not stick so make sure it is extremely clean.
Stick the glass. It is important to center
the glass so have an assistant help you. First remove the
paper from the tape. Holding the glass from each side, insert
first into the top of the seal channel from the inside of
the car. Center the glass top to bottom and left to right
before sticking. You stick one side then go to your assistant's
side and stick his or hers as you can best judge centering.
Press firmly around the perimeter until you can see the
tape turn black through the glass (the air is gone when
the tape turns black). Pay careful attention to fit along
the bottom edge: We have seen a few 914s with warped back
walls that first must be straightened before glass installation.
Remember to install the glass with the VW
emblem on the passenger side! Also remember to make sure
that all the tape has turned black through the window for
a good seal. If you happened to have missed the channel
in an area, you must push the tape seal up to where the
window can seal against it. Finally, tape the bottom edge
of the window with one strip of black electrical tape. This
hides the butyl tape kit from view and finishes the job
nicely. Trim with the razor blade.
7. Reinstall the interior, engine lid, rear
lid to glass seal, seat belts and bolsters. This is fairly
straightforward but with the following notes:
A. The backpad "fingers" may have
been previously ripped out. If so, it will be necessary
to epoxy them back together before installing. Be very
careful to fit all four fingers into the slots for a firm
installation.
B. Grasp the interior light wiring harness
and guide it through the backpad interior light hole before
installing the pad. Remember the black with red "hot"
wire connects to one side of the interior fixture and
the two brown leads to the other side.
C. The engine lid has adjustment when reinstalling.
At this time also check the engine lid hinge brackets
for cracking. If cracked, the engine lid will move backward,
not be adjustable, and actually hit the rear trunk lid.
If the hinge brackets are cracked, this is an excellent
time to weld in new ones.
D. Install the lid to glass seal before
installing the engine lid!
E. This is also a good time to clean-up
the interior of your 914 and treat any rust problems.
Don't you want Dr. 914 to be proud of you?
If you have completed all of the above, congratulations!
You should have solved the rattley, leaky rear window problem
for the next 15 years!
