I've discovered a leak recently and am trying to repair it. It looks like my main issue right now is whatever sealant was put in the bottom of my rain gutters. What is that stuff? Is it a specific product? I know all of my seals need to be re-done but for now I'm just trying to stop the leak I have and this seems to be the most likely cause considering it's right over where the leak is occurring.

It's the beige stripe I'm looking at. The one that's all wavy.

I'm having a similar problem. Haven't found where to get the weatherstripping yet, but I'm gonna use some silicone for the quickfix. If I find something I'll be sure to post it. Any advice that anyone else had would be much appreciated!

I'm also leaning towards the silicone as a quick fix. I'm also looking at my gutters and realizing I may be having a pooling issue on that same side since it seems like the gutters don't have any specific direction they are directing the water especially toward the back of the van.

Is that weather stripping in the bottom there? I really want to pull it out but right now I don't have the time to do that and am just in need of a quick fix to get me through the end of the month when I can do another long park to really work on it.

At this point I'm considering buying a 12' canopy for the van heh.

There is stuff called drip check that is like rtv made for sealing drip rails. That might not be the exact name. Any decent auto parts store with painting supplies should have it. Good luck

3M 5200 marine adhesive/sealant is an incredible product.

It is made for underwater through hull fittings on boats.

I have been fighting roof gutter rust for years, and after the last time I dug out the bondo from previous failed attempts, and treated the rust with Ospho, I used the 5200 as bondo.

Then painted over everything, and no rust has bled through in 2 years. It is the longest I have been able to go without re treating roof gutter rust in 11 years of Van ownership.

It is expensive, but available in home depot in the glue section for about 8$ for a 8 oz squeeze tube or about 12 dollars for a tube you put in a caulking gun.

It can only be removed by mechanical means, like a grinder and a flap sander or wire wheel, so consider it almost permanent.

If you do choose this product, buy the fast cure version. The slow cure can take days especially in low humidity, and neither product smoothes easily like most caulks, so tape off areas beforehand. Use gloves and have proper flexible, correctly sized/shaped spreaders handy before beginning, and remove the Scotch Blue painters tape within 2 hours. Do not use cheap masking tape as It's adhesives will not like the 5200 and will make for a nightmare in removal and cleanup

Do not use alcohol beforehand to prep the surface, but mineral spirits or laquer thinner or acetone. Dont let any solvent puddle, but put on a rag and wipe and let evaporate.

3m 5200 is very white, and does take paint well where as few silicone caulks will take paint.

Once the tube is punctured, you have less than 48 hours to use it all. But I have put it in the fridge and gotten 5 days from one tube after opening.

It remains flexible.

Nice tip there wrcsixeight

Not sure if our stuff is the same as yours over there but:

drip check (ours is a blue and white squeeze tube) sinks really bad and is not made to be applied thick

Silicone: there are 2 types, basically one that has a strong smell and one that doesn't, you want the one that doesn't have the strong smell as the (the strong smell one) actually attracts water.

RTV silicone (used for engine gaskets etc) is ok for temp fix but its made to be squashed, just sitting on an edge it will peel off after a while.

urathane is the better choice for gutters as it stays a bit flexible and doesn't sink, can be painted over ... is the same family of stuff used to glue screens in - don't use the screen stuff though

These self-leveling 2-part seam sealers are rather pricey, plus you'd need to buy the dual plunger gun, but they're specific to the job, and should last a very long time:


Lord Fusor:
http://autobodystore.net/Merchant2/merch...egory_Code=JASS

3M makes a similar product, at about the same price:

http://www.repaintsupply.com/pd-3m-08307-automix-self-leveling-seam-sealer.cfm

Evercoat offers a marginally less expensive version:

http://autobodystore.net/Merchant2/merch...;Category_Code=

I wouldn't hesitate to use a paintable Silicon as a temporary fix. You've got to keep water out of your van at all costs!

This info has been extremely helpful. Thanks everybody!

*Sooo glad I joined this site!*

For now I slapped a bunch of silicone all the way around the gutters, the side window and windshield. It worked though probably not a permanent fix but I just went through two solid days of rain with no leaking. Yay for not having a wet bed.

Thanks for all the info folks, when I do a more permanent fix it will come in handy.