Vapor Barrier - What's the specific/ideal adhesive for repair?

[PJB]

Thanks for the information Doru.

As far as posting pics, what most people do is sign up for an image hosting site like Photobucket and then link to them. Sites like Photobucket specialize in photo hosting so there's no limit to their size, and the forum will let you link most any size image since the hosting is offsite. PM me if you want I can post the pics for you.

[BlackSapphire]

Thanks for the information Doru.

As far as posting pics, what most people do is sign up for an image hosting site like Photobucket and then link to them. Sites like Photobucket specialize in photo hosting so there's no limit to their size, and the forum will let you link most any size image since the hosting is offsite. PM me if you want I can post the pics for you.

Correction - Photobucket limits pics to "no larger than 1024x768". However, that's plenty big enough.

[PJB]

Correction - Photobucket limits pics to "no larger than 1024x768". However, that's plenty big enough.

True, when I was typing I wanted to change it to "no realistic limit" but forgot.

[Doru]

Thanks for the information Doru.

As far as posting pics, what most people do is sign up for an image hosting site like Photobucket and then link to them. Sites like Photobucket specialize in photo hosting so there's no limit to their size, and the forum will let you link most any size image since the hosting is offsite. PM me if you want I can post the pics for you.

OK, thanks. I just got an account now, let's try.
So here's the box. You can see where it's manufactured:



Here's the open box with the content:



I hope you can see the profile of the tape (round)



The tape is very sticky, and very easy to deform. It will go in any nook or cranny if there's any:



And I will try it next weekend probably.
But at least I got the photos in. If any of you have bought the dealer butyl tape, now you can compare and chime in if by the looks it's similar or not.

[PJB]

Fixed.

ok, thanks. I just got an account now, let's try.
So here's the box. You can see where it's manufactured:



here's the open box with the content:



i hope you can see the profile of the tape (round)




the tape is very sticky, and very easy to deform. It will go in any nook or cranny if there's any:



and i will try it next weekend probably.
But at least i got the photos in. If any of you have bought the dealer butyl tape, now you can compare and chime in if by the looks it's similar or not.

[RICHIEBIMMER]

hey got a question ...can someone give step by step instructions on exactly how to do this ..cause im having the same problem !

[x13alle12x]

It must be real ez to do. No one ever posts a DIY w/ pics on this.

[bimmerfiver]

Very quietly, this is one of the top threads in the entire bmw interwebs, .orgs, .nets and .coms. Search your feelings, you know this to be true.

[gtxragtop]

Dammit, the drivers side rear door sill is wet again. Pulled off the door panel this AM. It has unsealed itself again in the same area that we all have problems with. It seems like the foam panel was installed too taut and the corner pulled away from the sealer. What a stupid ass design. Gotta go buy more Butyl tape as I ran out. Once I seal it with butyl, I'm going to caulk it with either silicon or Urethane so that it cannot pull away.

Fully dry now since the last fix with the new vapor barriers and new Butyl (that is available at NAPA) Does not matter how much rain or washing with hose. I'm happy once again. Please bear in mind that your floors may not be wet, but they may be getting slightly damp (not to the touch) which creates mildew and rust on floors. Interesting enough, the pass side right rear sill was slightly off color. A bit of brown tinge on the black plastic due to dampness over a long period of time before I bought the car.

[Mr Hyde]

The dealer reused the original adhesive on my car. That fix lasted weeks to a month or two. I redid it using black silicone, and it's still holding up fine years later. I just popped up the bottom door panel, saw where the barrier peeled up in the corner, cleaned the mating edges with alcohol, and then restuck them with silicone, and held them down until the silicone had set up for a few minutes.

The whole fix took less than 5 minutes, and worked on the other side which failed about a year ago

[gtxragtop]

I'm hoping this is it. Got 3M brand Butyl this time. put in 3 rows of 5/16" in the corner where it lifts. My guess is that the door panel presses on the foam panel and over time pressure on the butyl joint results in the adhesion giving up. Each time it pulled away from the door frame not the foam.

Dammit, the drivers side rear door sill is wet again. Pulled off the door panel this AM. It has unsealed itself again in the same area that we all have problems with. It seems like the foam panel was installed too taut and the corner pulled away from the sealer. What a stupid ass design. Gotta go buy more Butyl tape as I ran out. Once I seal it with butyl, I'm going to caulk it with either silicon or Urethane so that it cannot pull away.

[bimmerfiver]

Very quietly, this is one of the top threads in the entire bmw interwebs, .orgs, .nets and .coms. Search your feelings, you know this to be true.

Yes...yes...perhaps your sister's e39 has a leaking door...

[mpo]

My guess is that the door panel presses on the foam panel and over time pressure on the butyl joint results in the adhesion giving up. Each time it pulled away from the door frame not the foam.

Could someone explain what this means? What is this foam panel and what does it mean "it pulled away from the door frame not the foam"?

Thanks

[f355spider]

I have sucessfully resealed my vapor barriers by using new factory sealant "rope" and a hairdryer. The key is to get it nice and warm after applying and press firmly with your thumbs. Rains a lot here in seattle, so they have to be sealed good. Had to redo a couple, a few weeks later, but have been fine since.

[cdb3113]

When you do this job, I recommend using heat. Have the door panel warm, the vapor barrier warm, and the tape warm. Let it stay in place until it cools a bit. Take your time.

I did this job 2 years ago, just using the existing sealant/sticky stuff, and making sure the surfaces were warm yielded great results. No leaks yet. I used a 1000w halogen work light and took my time.

[adam1979]

I realize PJB posted those pics a year ago, but since this thread has been resurrected I thought I would weigh in on them. I have the butyl tape from the dealer and it looks identical. I'm sure I was ripped off by buying it there, but I couldn't find it anywhere else. Struck out at a couple of autozones, advanced auto parts and my local hardware store. Most employees didn't even know what I was talking about when I asked for it.
I got sick of driving all over creation looking for it, so I settled for the dealer.

If anyone has good info on where to find it elsewhere it would be helpful, since the dealer wants something like $40/10m roll.

Could someone explain what this means? What is this foam panel and what does it mean "it pulled away from the door frame not the foam"?

Thanks

The foam panel is the vapor barrier that is glued to the door frame by the above mentioned butyl tape. It seals the inside of the door from dirt and dust while preventing water from leaking into the interior of the car. This foam has to be removed from the door frame to access the window regulators that commonly break. If the vapor barrier is removed often enough, or if it is not pushed back into place with care, leaks can develop and lead to damp carpets or worse.

I believe what gtxragtop meant by "it pulled away from the door frame and not the foam" is that when he removed the vapor barrier, the sticky stuff (again, butyl tape) was stuck to the backside of the vapor barrier rather than staying on the door frame when he pulled away the vapor barrier.

This is not ideal since it is a lot easier to scrape the old butyl tape off of the metal door frame, rather than removing it from the easily torn vapor barrier. I'm not sure it is necessary to remove the old tape to reseal the vapor barrier, but if you want to cross your Ts, dot your Is and do the job perfectly, you would remove the old stuff.

Hope that helps.

[Doru]

Adam, here is the site's web page

[amancuso]

This is the stuff I used.. It's a butyl tape as well but it's in a smaller form which makes it a little easier/more manageable to use on the vapor barrier.

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/3m-s...FVJB5godJWwL2A

[CSMBlack-540i]

The butyl tape looks look like the [ame="http://www.amazon.com/3M-Window-Weld-Ribbon-Sealer-Round/dp/B001Q5JIH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1253827807&sr=1-1"]3M Window Weld that I used[/ame]. Good stuff, stays tacky, waterproof and pliable.

[mpo]

The foam panel is the vapor barrier that is glued to the door frame by the above mentioned butyl tape.

OK. Thanks. I never saw foam ones before, always polyethelene sheeting (plastic). But I never did a bimmer before. So I will go search for the Butyl, otherwise might try the silicone since I have some. One person said they just pulled off the bottom of the panel and fixed it. That would be a lot faster. Did anyone else try it that way?

Thanks

[gtxragtop]

Still dry with 3 rows of butyl in the outside corner that always detaches itself

[mpo]

Still wondering if I can do it without removing the whole panel...

And...

One last question: How do I get all the water out of the floor? Do I have to pull the carpet up, and if so, how? I have a shop vac but I am afraid there is water under the carpet.

[adam1979]

Still wondering if I can do it without removing the whole panel...

I would expect it to me more difficult, if not impossible to do this without removing the door panel.

The door panel comes off very easily.

• There is a plastic cover over a screw behind the door handle. Take that screw out.
• Disconnect the puddle light in the bottom of the door.
• From there, it is just plastic rivets (nine IIRC). Put a sock over a panel-popping tool and go to town.
• Once the panel is free, reach behind it and disconnect the tweeter and window switch.

This is off the top of my head, so check out the rear window regulator DIYs to verify.

[CSMBlack-540i]

One last question: How do I get all the water out of the floor? Do I have to pull the carpet up, and if so, how? I have a shop vac but I am afraid there is water under the carpet.

Get a bunch of dry towels and soak/blot it out then air dry with windows open for 1 day.

[mpo]

Get a bunch of dry towels and soak/blot it out then air dry with windows open for 1 day.

I should use the SHAMWOW!!