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1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters)


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jPzVan
New User

Sep 19, 2013, 9:46 AM

Post #1 of 10 (9709 views)
1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

Hey- I am no auto body expert at all. Just someone with a leaking roof on my 1984 Ford E150 van.

There is rust on top of the roof, but the main issue is the gutter. It is rusted in a couple spots and leaks into the back corner of van. Bummer, since I live in the pacific northwest where it rains a good bit, and fall rains are on the way...

There is a hard, brittle material that used to seal the gutter. Is this Butal? It looks like a form of caulking. It is very brittle and hard, and one edge has lifted from the roof, allowing water to work underneath in the trough of the gutter and begin rusting. Lots of dirt ect. Has collected underneath.

Seems I need to strip this ancient mysterious caulking-like substance, then wire brush/ sand, prime, repaint. I just want to keep the water out. Seems like after I get that far I need to re seal the gutter trough with some serious caulk-like product. Is it Butal?

Thanks in advance!

jP


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 19, 2013, 9:56 AM

Post #2 of 10 (9706 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

It may be too far gone for sealer now. You may have to weld some metal in there now.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



jPzVan
New User

Sep 19, 2013, 10:07 AM

Post #3 of 10 (9698 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

Ok-- thanks for the prompt response!

Bummer if that's true, because I doubt I can afford that. I'm gonna wait and hope for another response. The gutter is still structurally sound- its not so rusted that it is crumbling or anything--

I still have the question regarding the caulking. Am I right about it being Butal? I may not have spelled that right, but I am pretty sure that might be what its called. I think it can still be found in some stores. If so, assuming it can be fixed, do I basicly have that process right? (Wirebrush/ sand, then prime, paint, and lastly caulk with that stuff,,whatever it is)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 19, 2013, 11:08 AM

Post #4 of 10 (9691 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

I believe that is just an ingredient in many epoxies.

You may find that when you start removing all the existing filler and rust, the hole will be too big and the metal too flimsy to fill the area. You can wait for as many opinions as you want. None of us are there to see what you have anyway. I'm just preparing you for what you might find.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



cgkdds
Novice

Sep 19, 2013, 1:12 PM

Post #5 of 10 (9687 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

That is called seam sealer and it comes in many forms. 3M makes a pretty good product and can be found at most auto part stores. it's used after the priming process and before paint. as to how much repair to the metal is needed you won't know till you get the rust and old sealer removed. you may be able to use some fiberglass reinforced body filler in small holes and not need to weld new metal in but it just depends on what you have left to work with.


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
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Sep 20, 2013, 12:21 AM

Post #6 of 10 (9675 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In


jPzVan:

What's your real objective? If this is rusted to the roof this van is in trouble probably in all sorts of ways and places. Not my trade to auto body repair but if you need to just stop it from leaking for now a product called Mortite removeable caulking would seal it and not prevent future work if needed.

It's a hardware store item, comes in a roll like a spaghetti that you just take as much as needed, roll and warm in hands much like a silly putty intended mostly to seal gaps in old household windows but wildly useful stuff. Tolerates very high heat and cold and a bit sticky but you can remove it - stuff doesn't harden but should stop the leaking indefinitely.


Endless uses - seal this or that. Hold something to your dash you don't want to glue, keep wires from rubbing, sticks the plastic back on for door insulation (automotive)


Neat stuff,

T





jPzVan
New User

Sep 21, 2013, 7:58 AM

Post #7 of 10 (9651 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

Great- thanks for all of your replys.

Its an old van w/ lots of miles. I was lucky to buy it really cheap and it's served me well. Its got other issues, but "Death by Rust" may end up being its epitaphe.

In the meantime, I just want to stave off the innevitable for a bit and try to keep the water out. Not the most affluent guy, otherwise I'd have repainted the whole body some time ago.

Again, thanks to all of you.
Tom Greenleaf- I'm gonna check that stuff out because I prepped a small area and I believe that product could work for awhile... Maybe I'll try it and get back to ya later.

Glad you guys are here.
Later
jP


Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 21, 2013, 8:29 AM

Post #8 of 10 (9647 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

I'm admittedly a bit off the wall but some products are just so dang handy for things like that one I have used for a wild bunch of things. Really off the wall - that stuff is holding wax candles that don't hold properly in antique candlesticks and can still take the heat and dig it out later.

Back to topic: If this is a rust issue you won't win - trust me it will cave in eventually with something so difficult, expensive or impossible it's over. Of my own personal vehicles (countless over the years) only about 4 lost it (if used in road salts) for any other reason than rust! Sent an aweful lot of perfectly running ones off to the scrap yard,

T



Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Sep 21, 2013, 8:46 AM

Post #9 of 10 (9641 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

I think the fiberglass cloth and resin idea would be the best way to go.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Tom Greenleaf profile image

Sep 21, 2013, 9:31 AM

Post #10 of 10 (9638 views)
Re: 1984 Ford Van Roof leaks (gutters) Sign In

Hard to say without seeing the extent of this. Seems like this is a last round for this van so whatever works. There's fiberglass hair product of like a Bondo.

Been there done that up to lower areas and vehicle still safe buying sheet metal and just riveting it after bending close enough. I doubt this is worth pro welding in metal but not there looking.

Last monster try of my own was an 84 S-10 all lower rust and still strong safe frame? Aftermarket "chips" I call them were cheap for all the known areas on common stuff. Chinese junk but you know you are at the end. Got over 6 years out of the sucker!

For this thread I worry about the overall integrity of the thing probably not pretty,

T







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