Door weather seals

[Kenny sy]

Hi Elanvers I was wondering if anyone could tell me the best source for new door window weather seals. I think there’s a few options but wouldn’t mind getting something that’s quick to fit or I am going to miss another Summer. Does Jamie do them. Also does anyone know a source for a replacement crankcase pulley. Any info would be appreciated and enjoy your weekend wish I could make it but hopefully we’ll get there yet.

[maz_r]

PNM Engineering do some if you are after a ready-made solution. I have never fitted these so can’t comment on the quality or ease of fitment. LINK

There are several DIY options written up on here, the latest being here. A search for ‘weatherstrips’ will turn up others.

[dapinky]

As Martin says, PNM do them - and I have used them so can add to the info.

They are very well made (reflected in the price, unfortunately), and the metal bits are stainless steel, so will not degrade like some others. They are 'straight' though, so need a bit of fettling to fit the contours of the door (and trimming to length if fitting to an SE/NA - the S2 uses slightly longer ones.

The biggest headache in fitting any door ruber weatherstrips is getting the old ones out - the screws will probably have rusted and be a bit of a bugger. Easiest way if that is the case is to remove the glass and get a dremmel in the gap from the top, and cut the heads off. Once the old metal strip is removed, the screw threaded bits will come out with a pair of pliers/pipe wrence etc as they screw into fibreglass.

Be careful with the new screws - there isn't a lot of material between the pointed end and the fresh air - if you over tighten them, it is possible to cut through the glassfibre and paint. Do them up gently, and at the first sight/feel of deformation of the doorskin outer, back it off and fit a washer between the screw and the metal strip.

[Kenny sy]

Thanks guys I have seen them but wasn’t sure which one to go for. I think I’ll give them a try.

[Jamie N]

Kenny, you can get a pair from a 3 door Honda HRV for about a fiver in a breakers yard, a 2001 Civic coupe also, and with a small
bit of fettling with the curvature you will then have probably the best alternative solution available.

They hold the glass a lot more firmly as it closes onto the seals, the surface finish is high quality and doesn't crack
in multiple places all along as the originals do, no messing about with sealant either, and the way the retaining tabs connect
to the weather strips and onto the door is second to none.

If you search 'Steve A' and 'Par' posts you will see some more details on how they done their ones, and here is a picture of mine, done
correctly you wont find anything neater.

There is an end cap which comes with the strips, removed in the picture to show the profile, they are constructed with stainless
steel so wont rust either. Fit these once and that's the weather strips sorted for good, and for how much!, less than the price
of a tube of black death Sikaflex, Its a no-brainer! .

[Jamie N]

Some close ups of the attachment clip and how they sit, these only need the holes drilled in them to correspond with
the ones on your door. I have looked at a whole heap of weather strips from other vehicles but never found any which
were as good for the Elan as these are.

The backs of them have the standard flocked velour / velvet type covering.

I doubt there will be many breakers yards up in your neck of the Machair Kenny , but if you want to go down the Honda
route I have 3 or 4 pairs of these sitting here all with the tabs and curvature done ready to fit.

[par]

Hi Kenny,

I can vouch for the Honda seals that Jamie has modified to fit the Elan, they really do transform the appearance of the door and window area. They also shouldnt deteriorate and perish like the originals do. The whole fitting procedure of these v OEM replacements is almost identical so no real extra work!

This should take you to pictures of mine before and after (although I did have to repair all the window arrangement in between):- Project Black

[Kenny sy]

Well guys what can I say . Thanks all so much for taking the time to reply to my cry for help.This site is amazing and makes owning one of them we beauty's even more of a pleasure knowing all you enthusiasts are there at a time of need. With all of life's commitments I've no been able to enjoy the Elan and this years going to be that busy I am no going to get a whole lot of time to spend with her but I am going to try to spend any spare time sorting it and testing it again. thanks again and enjoy your weekend.

[Tuga2112]

I have very recently (tuesday) replaced my strips using the guidance from the wiki, with the profile 682 (mostly guessing the number) from classic Vintage website.
3 years ago i also replaced the other car using PNM strips.

Never came across the ones Jamie refers, I have a high regard for Jamie's knowledge in seals in this community so, in your position i would look further into hes sugestion first.

from my experience.
as dave said. the hard bit is to take the old ones out.
sometimes the rust is soo bad that you are better off using a dremel to cut the head out, and just drill a new hole on the side, NOTE be very careful when doing this, if you put a lot of pressure, theres a chanse you will crack the fibreglass when you break through the "tab" area.

the area looks somehow like this.
.!___....__
.!........!..\
..........!..!
.!........!..!
.!........!..!

the red ! represents the place where the screw is in the fibreglass that part of the fibreglass is... im guessing 2-3mm thick, you then have a gap. dont quote me on this, but as a guess, its probably between 2-5mm of air and then the outer very thin layer of fibreglass that will crack easily if your not careful.
The air pocket area is perfectly enough to give you the time needed to stop putting pressure on the drill as you feel it "broke through" the "red layer"

to drill them. you will need a long drill bit. (i use the 100mm x 3.0 HSS ones.) and can tell you the normal dept ones will not reach where you need to drill... unless you want o take the door apart to a whole new level that i have no idea how to.

PNM strips are very good, but require a small amount of work to cut on the edges. after fitting the handmade ones based on the wiki i can tell you if your not scared of messing around a bit, you can save quite a lot of money by going with the wiki approach, as far as quality of the rubber, i feel they are both very good.

When i did mine, i used the original strips from the car (if you reuse them and manage to remove all screws you get the advantage of lining up all existing holes perfectly.) but using the 682 strips, you will need to make a cut along the metal tabs in order to make a flush fit.

heres a few links to help you out
the wiki page.
my own take on it from my project thread. (at this very moment, the host of my pictures is down. im hoping its temporary and you will be able to see them when you get to the page)

[Tuga2112]

Kenny, you can get a pair from a 3 door Honda HRV for about a fiver in a breakers yard, a 2001 Civic coupe also, and with a small
bit of fettling with the curvature you will then have probably the best alternative solution available.

They hold the glass a lot more firmly as it closes onto the seals, the surface finish is high quality and doesn't crack
in multiple places all along as the originals do, no messing about with sealant either, and the way the retaining tabs connect
to the weather strips and onto the door is second to none.

If you search 'Steve A' and 'Par' posts you will see some more details on how they done their ones, and here is a picture of mine, done
correctly you wont find anything neater.

There is an end cap which comes with the strips, removed in the picture to show the profile, they are constructed with stainless
steel so wont rust either. Fit these once and that's the weather strips sorted for good, and for how much!, less than the price
of a tube of black death Sikaflex, Its a no-brainer! .

Jamie, any chanse to take a close up picture of this aganist the glass ? from the shape im confused how does it stop water from running into the door ?

[Jamie N]

The pressure of the strip against the glass, if you look at the open end you will see a rubber lip which points upwards,pretty much the norm for weather strips on modern cars, glass + rubber + a little pressure = watertight.

[dolmerob]

Looks like the Honda seals are a good solution. Need to replace mine also.

[Tuga2112]

The pressure of the strip against the glass, if you look at the open end you will see a rubber lip which points upwards,pretty much the norm for weather strips on modern cars, glass + rubber + a little pressure = watertight.

i understand the logic, (after all done weatherstrips in 2 cars now) its just that the shape itself doesnt looks like it would allow for a watertight connection in the areas of the door where the glass is further away from the strip, what im assuming is the uer lip looks too short?

[par]

The rubber lip is flexible. In Jamie's photo the lip is shown almost closed however with it being flexible it can be manipulated as required.

On mine towards the lock end it is almost closed however at the mirror end it flexes out by about 5mm to sit against the glass.

[Elanlover]

Ok, does anyone have an OEM part number for this (and perhaps a link to a parts diagram)? I've been looking on the web to no avail so I thought I'd ask here before I break something (again).

[Elanlover]

Grrrr……

The HR-V wasn't sold in North America until 2016 and only in 5 door versions. So no luck there. Also, it's looking like the Civic Coupe may be different here than in the UK as every parts diagram I have come across doesn't show the door trim piece as separate and distinct from the door itself and a call to my not-so-friendly local Honda dealership resulted in them trying to sell me window tape. They didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Anyone have any suggestions or alternate sources for this piece?

[Tuga2112]

Grrrr……

The HR-V wasn't sold in North America until 2016 and only in 5 door versions. So no luck there. Also, it's looking like the Civic Coupe may be different here than in the UK as every parts diagram I have come across doesn't show the door trim piece as separate and distinct from the door itself and a call to my not-so-friendly local Honda dealership resulted in them trying to sell me window tape. They didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Anyone have any suggestions or alternate sources for this piece?

im unsure if you just want to get weather strips sorted, or if you want them sorted Jamie's way ?
www.vintagecarparts.co.uk states prices in canadian dollars. I would assume they post to canada from that.
the solution in the wiki is very cost effective. and im perfectly happy with the results i got in the blue elan using those tips.
but if your conserned the wiki solution is a lower standard solution, i can assure you from installing both PMN and the wiki that after fitting them you cannot distinguish the 2.

[Elanlover]

I'm actually interested in following Jamie's method. My preference would be to source new ones from a dealer if possible.

[Jamie N]

I'm actually interested in following Jamie's method. My preference would be to source new ones from a dealer if possible.

As far as I can see the HRV ones are no longer listed as available, you could however use the Civic EM coupe ones, they are almost identical,
but you have to modify the clips, the part number for those.... 72410-S5P-A00 , Honda don't refer to them as Weatherstrips though, they
are called door moldings.

[muley]

Off topic; but I ran a Honda Civic EM coupe for 12 years. Never missed a beat - only replaced the exhaust and (2 sets) tyres.

Bit gutless, but the a/c would blow your hat off.

Great car.


Jim