Need Advice On how to install Trunk weather seal in an 88 Gt after a repaint (maybe U Tube) . It was installed without adhesive and now leaks. Car is for Sale. TP

I replaced my trunk rubber seal with a new one from the Fiero Store. First I removed all the 33 year old sealant that was as hard as a brick, that would keep the new one from going on correctly. Next I installed the new seal without any glue. The new seal should fit on the lip/edge, it also is held on by the trunk lining material. To prevent leaks, ensure that the wing bolts were replaced (with a dab of silicone or sealant). My passenger side bolt/nut was rusted, and while I didn’t have a big leak, you couldn’t miss the rust.

If there is adhesive from the original seal and you scraped it off why would you install it with no adhesive now ?

My new rubber seal went on snug without any adhesive. I think Pontiac added the adhesive “Just in Case,” Or maybe to keep it from coming lose. My trunk has not leaked and the new seal has been on several months with a good number of car washes. I removed the original adhesive/sealer so the new trunk seal would fit snugly, they just slopped it on in a hurray - assembly line. You can add some adhesive like the 3M product for door gaskets if you chose. It was a pain to remove the old adhesive, and I used a good bit of Goo-Gone to get it soft and then scraped the stuff off with a plastic trim tool.

I have four vehicles (GT types and one Formula) that have been operating for as much as ten years without using a sealant under the rear trunk gasket and have had zero leakage issues. This type of installation also makes it easier to pull the trunk gasket to prevent damage when working on some portions of the engine.

Nelson

[This message has been edited by hnthomps (edited 07-01-2020).]

avidflyr...As hn says above, If you install them correctly, you don't need sealer. It's tough on the fingers, you have to tuck the groove on the rubber on to the lip around the trunk. If you use sealer, make sure you use a slow setting one. It's gonna take a while. I've done a few either way, and no leaks...