Waist Seals

[t-stag]

The waist seals are fitted at the bottom of the door windows and the rear quarter windows. They are aluminium strips with a rubber seal bonded on to them. Mine had started to deteriorate and become noticeable with the paint blistering and the rubber becoming deformed.

Two options then, replace or repair.

Replacement quote: GJA1711AJ-SEAL-WAIST £304.69; GJA1710AJ-SEAL-WAIST £364.63; HJA5755CC-WAIST-SEAL £153.02; HJA5754CC-WAIST-SEAL £155.95; all together £1K just for parts! Mmmm expensive!

Repair is possible if not too far gone. The waist seals are easy to remove, just carefully prise them up and they lift off. If the rubber has stuck to the paint just run a small screwdriver under the rubber. I scraped out any of the white aluminium oxide and then plenty of WD-40. Also WD-40 in the bodywork cavities. Rubbing down, aluminium primer, repainting, etc., as required. Luckily I found door replacements on eBay.

Suggest you lift off your waist seals and check their condition

Steve

[mike020150]

Too late today but I spotted a decent seal sitting on a stall at yesterday's Stoneleigh spares day so there are some around. Mike.

[FrankC]

This seems to be a re-occurring theme on here. These seals do go, bad design I feel.

This was my solution, hope it helps someone http://www.jaguarforum.com/showthread.p ... post989398

[t-stag]

Well done Frank, good photos and explanation.
One question: as the aluminium has oxidised on the inside it probably needs some treatment.
Anyone know what to use?

Steve

[J44EAG]

Ideally, aladine solution. I used to use it in the aircraft industry as a corrosion neutraliser. It is now incredibly hard to source in the UK. Something to do with H&S. A visit to an airfield aircraft maintenance business might turn you up a few millilitres.

The next best thing is chromic acid. That is a combination of hydrochloric acid and old style weed killer.....that isn`t so easy to find. You can get the acid on ebay but proper weed killer is almost non existent. I think it is now banned!

Never use a steel wire brush on ali. Carbon traced from the brush will go for the ali big time. There are some ali wire brushes around which would be more suitable.

I`ve used diluted hydrochloric acid alone as a neutraliser when I had to deal with corrosion on my alloy wheels. Washed off with water after ten minutes, dried and then primed with Upol#8 spray can primer from Halfords or ebay followed by spray top coat, a year on, there is no sign of corrosion returning.

Mike K

[FrankC]

My apologies for not replying sooner. I did tick the box to be notified but did not get the email, not even in the Junk box.

I do not know how you stop the ally turning to powder but I found that once cleaned out there was not that much really to stop as a lot of it had already turned to powder. I also found sealing it up again with super glue helped keep out the moisture and therefore slowed down further deterioration.

Once you get the courage to remove them its not too hard a job at all. Simply start at the end in the middle of the car and lift up. Once started work along the strip rather than just lifting at one end. You could bend the strip if your not careful.

Glad you found it of some use.