what is the most likely way for moisture to enter rear light bar?

[Guest Richard D]

Hello all, I know this is the sunshine state but after a hard rain (everyday this time of year) I get water droplets inside the light bar. I pulled it loose and checked all the bulb sockets and the gasket looks good on all sockets. I let it sit in the sun with most of the bulb sock removed to allow air flow. The support straps kept it with the empty sockets facing up to encourage the moisture to evaporate up. When dry checked all plastic seams for splits or cracks, none I could see. I reinstalled all the sockets and reinstalled the light bar with the 14 plastic wimg nuts. Of course the next day when we got our 2:15 pm storm there was moisture inside. I turned on the parking lights and the 4-Ways to add some heat and after a while, 10-15 minutes there were water drops inside the bar near the top. Any and all ideas highly welcomed, except for replacing the light bar. A bit to$$$$for me right now.

Thanks to all,

Richard.

PS. I am going to sacrifice a cheap 3/4 inch socket by cutting two strips out of the side of the socket so it will fit over the 14 wing nuts to remove and reinstall them. 14 doesn't sound like many until you have to install and remove them a few times in a row. Or maybe I'm just getting lazy...NAH!!! M

[Guest Kitskaboodle]

I have seen MANY Reatta tail lights with water/moisture seepage inside, especially on the right side just before it curves around. (passenger side) I restored mine (took it all apart to clean & polish it) and it leaked soon afterwards. Only suggestion would be to apply LOTS of GE silicone (RTV) or something similar.

To answer your main question....you could speed up the internal drying process by unplugging the light sockets and pointing a blow dryer into the holes for a while. (low or medium setting only)

Kit

[drtidmore]

I concur with Kit on using a hair dryer. Short of pulling the assembly apart and drying it using towels, it is a pain to get all the moisture out. If you have a place and the time, removing it, removing all the bulbs and sitting it in the hot sun, face down, will also do the trick over a day or so. Rather than silicone, I used LEXEL as it is clearer, adheres better than silicone and remains more flexible over time. The downside is that it STICKS better meaning that opening up the lens later is MORE of a challenge!

As to where the leaks most often occur...the entire assembly is prone to allowing water into it. The outside curved part is where I had the most issue. Once I yanked out the GM original rubber seals in those areas and filled them with LEXEL, I have not had a single drop of moisture. The screws at the top are another area that you want to ensure are sealed. I just fill the holes with LEXEL and then install the screws.

[KDirk]

Problem is the sections of the lamp (innner reflector, middle red lens and outer clear lens) are press fit together and sealed with butyl rubber strip. At the ends (curved portion) it is hard to get a good seal.

There are also black rubber strips (gm called them close out baffles) that finish the outer edge where the ends of the lens meet the body panel. These snap onto the plastic outer lens and help prevent ingress of moisture but after so many years they have hardened up and are no longer pliable so do not seal as well as they once did.

I am at the point of just wanting to use clear RTV to seal the assembly to keep it dry inside. So far I've resisted doing so as it will make it very difficult to get the tail lamp assembly apart into it's constituent parts again if I should ever need to. When I redid the one on my nicer 88 I put all new butyl rubber strip caulk to re-seal it, and it still gets some moisture inside periodically.

KDirk

[Guest Richard D]

Once again I thank everyone for the help. At this point I have no reason to open the fixture so I am leaning to using RTV. I have said it before it was not for the great folks who visit and operate this site I would no longer own a Reatta.

All the best!

Richard.

[Guest Corvanti]

about the wing nuts - i'm going on memory (scary), but i think the middle part has a plastic "nut" that i used a long socket (10mm?) with an extension that fit a battery powered drill.

someone please check a wingnut and correct me if wrong!!!

[jonlabree]

The "Close out Baffles' can be made temporarily pliable again by heating them with a hot air gun and applying some butyl sealer to them. But reinstall them when they are warm.

[Ronnie]

I'm going to try some Flexseal spray on mine.