Hello guys,
Has everyone ever tried to remove and re-gasket the front windshield?
I have a 1987 635CSi and every time it rains the water leaks into the cabin.
The floor carpet is soggy.

The glass is fine just the seal is original.
What part(s) do I need and is this a job for the pros?

any other tips I need to know?

signed
soggy in Dallas!

Went through the same thing, take it to an old guy who has been doing windshields for a long time, the real problem is that the aluminum locking trim has to be in the new rubber seal while it is being installed and likes to pop out at the conners during the job.
Also, the locking trim can not be bent even a little bit. Put a new blade in your utility knife and cut the rubber seal so that the trim comes away with the rubber attached to ensure it doesn't get bent. Then clean it up carefully.
The windshield isn't the only place on these cars that leak, almost certainly there is water getting in at the rubber grommets where the electrical wire bundles enter the cab, they are directly underneath the vents on the hood on either side.
Gasket sealer or roofing patch both work well and look original .
The rear taillight seals are also notorious for leaks.
Good luck,
Chris

Soggy, I'd definately check the grommets first. If you want and have a few extra bucks you could get a new gasket and have a glass shop pop it in and out...There not hard to do, you need a helper to set it in place and help guide it in while you work the gasket. And the trim definately needs to be handled with care, and it needs to be in place before reinstalling it. If you decide to try it I can dig up the glass tool I use and send a photo.

Clean out the drains for the scuttle where the wire bundles under the vents mentioned above are located. If these are blocked, water can fill up and get in through the wire bundles even if they look Ok. These drains are boxed in square holes leading from the sides of the scuttle at each end.

The sunroof drains can also back up and the water can run down behind the panels and soak the carpet. Here is a link from the BCG Tech Library:

http://www.normgrills.net/bcg/Body_Interior.html#anchor8147303

Have you actually tracked down where the water is coming from?

I suspect the windshield is leaking.
Both front foot well side walls are wet.

There is evidence that it has leaked before
I owned the car. (stained carpet).

I tried to snake
some weed whacker trimmer line down the front sunroof
drain lines. It went in 3 feet or so and stopped. Both sides went in the same length. I did not see the trimmer line exit out the bottom . I don't know where they exit.

As for the non-requested swimming pool on the front floorboards. there is condensation on the glass on the inside in the corners. I looked at the well where the wires enter the car. ( where the blower fan is) There is NO evidence that that is my leak.
Looks dry and clean. I did NOT try reaming the holes with trimmer line yet.

I suspect its the window seal. I have ordered one from Steve Haygood.

Need to find a good man in Dallas that can swap it out for a fair price.

a good auto glass place will have it done in about 45 min.

Good call hiring a pro, theres a fair chance of breaking the glass when you remove it. I've used black silicone stuffed under the gasket before to seal a leak.

Hey Layne,
Know any window guys here in Dallas?

Also do you have a stick or auto?
I have a 1987 635CSi.
Been wanting to try a different Motronic io
see if mine is broken.

Hey, sorry I don't know anything in Dallas, but there should be plenty.

I have a stick, but its a euro M car and I don't have motronic anymore anyway. If you get me the last 3 digits off your motronic part # though, I can probably get you another one for cheap if its a common one (should be).

Went through the same thing, take it to an old guy who has been doing windshields for a long time, the real problem is that the aluminum locking trim has to be in the new rubber seal while it is being installed and likes to pop out at the conners during the job.
Also, the locking trim can not be bent even a little bit. Put a new blade in your utility knife and cut the rubber seal so that the trim comes away with the rubber attached to ensure it doesn't get bent. Then clean it up carefully.
The windshield isn't the only place on these cars that leak, almost certainly there is water getting in at the rubber grommets where the electrical wire bundles enter the cab, they are directly underneath the vents on the hood on either side.
Gasket sealer or roofing patch both work well and look original .
The rear taillight seals are also notorious for leaks.
Good luck,
Chris

Chris has it pretty much covered with his comments, there are just a few things I would like to add.

Some replacement windshields were produced with a wrong radius on the lower corners, almost impossible to get a decent seal without huge amounts of additional sealer. I ended up with a windshield like that, glad I checked the fit without the rubber seal. The insurance company agreed to replace the windshield with OEM glass due to these issues.

The problem on my '81 was of a different kind, I checked and resealed the electrical connectors, flushed the sun roof drains, checks the condensation line for the A/C and still had wet carpets and padding. Ultimately after removing all the glass it turned out that I had some rust holes underneath the seals in the bottom corners of the front windshield and some of the flange missing on the rear glass. I didn't take any pictures but here is a picture of some similar damage on an E12:
http://www.firstfives.org/faq/windshield/Corner_rust_thumb.jpg

Mine wasn't damaged quiet as bad, I ended up removing the dash to check from both sides and welded patches in, sealed and repainted.

Lately it's getting kind of hard to find glass techs that still know how to rope glass, best bet is to call around and find somebody that works on construction equipment and heavy trucks.
It's not very hard to do by yourself, in case you don't find anybody. Just make sure that the rubber and trim are installed around the glass first, a little bit of non-hardening sealer in the corners, then rope the glass in with some electrical wire or plastic covered rope. I usually use some dish washing soap as lubricant.

Klaus

Also check this thread if you have not already:

http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=871317&highlight=windshield+replacement