Under Bonnet Rubber Seal Fix

[Arctic]

Today I was sorting through a load of rear car door seals I have in the shed, good ones from bad ones, a little time later I decided to check my plenums, it was then it dawned on me that the rear door seals would be ideal to replace a worn out or even short under bonnet seal.

The seal that resides on the fire wall and seals the scuttle panel to the front of the body under the bonnet.

Most of the cars either have a full length rubber seal or a short rubber seal with two foam ends that either perish or keep coming loose and stick to the under side of the bonnet when it is raised.

I therefore took of my full length seal to see if the rear door seal could replace a damage seal, or as above replace a short one with the foam ends, below are a few photo of how I went about doing it.

As you can see my seal is a full length one, and touches both inner wing ends Fig 1/2
1

2

Rubber seals that runs full length of the scuttle Fig 3
3

I removed the old seal from the car Fig 4/5
4

5

I then started to press on the rear car door seal which are a little thicker onto the car body a scuttle panel from the drivers side Fig 6
6

Once it was pressed all along to the passenger side inner wing, i marked it ready for cutting with some snips Fig 7
7

I cut the seal to length Fig 8
8

The rear car door seal fits perfect and because it is a little thicker it gives a better seal Fig 9
9

An added bonus is that one rear door seal is long enough for two lengths so if you have two cars you can do both or a friends car, here you can see the extra length of the door seal next to the original seal Fig 10
10

This photo shows the differing thickness of the door seal and the original seal, also the door seal fits tighter onto the scuttle and body. Fig 11
11

Finished product the rear door seal fitted in situ Fig 12
12

I have a bag full of these and over the week end I will be cutting them to length anyone wish to replace their under bonnet short seal, damaged seal for one of these rear door seals( FOC )they will be at the next nano meet cheers Arctic.
13

[Bogbrush82]

Looks great.

[AndyN01]

Hi Arctic.

Count me in as my drivers side foam has detached itself and is currently living in my boot .

See you in October.

Andy.

[Kennyeth]

Excellent use of another part of the car and being the rears they won`t be "moth eaten" like the fronts.
Good job once again Mr Arctic.
Ken.

[jonc3725]

Wow what a good idea. Like this a lot.Thsnks for showing us

[Arctic]

HI Andy.
My pleasure they will be in a big clear bag either by my car or in the events tent thank you to the other guys for liking the idea Arctic

[Nobby]

This is a really worthwhile mod. I did something similar on my car a few years back but used a bulkhead seal off a scrapper to run the full length of the wings and butting up against the bulkhead seal. One bonus of the sealed engine bay has been a reduction in driven rain and road dirt penetrating and mucking up the engine bay as the rain etc flows up the wing channel and away at the top of the wing. I also seem to get a reduction of leaves and bits in the drains. Maybe a placebo effect but it works for me!

[Arctic]

Hi Paul
Nice engine bay lovely and clean with some good chrome touches to the engine parts also Arctic

[gazcaz]

Originally Posted by Arctic

Today I was sorting through a load of rear car door seals I have in the shed, good ones from bad ones, a little time later I decided to check my plenums, it was then it dawned on me that the rear door seals would be ideal to replace a worn out or even short under bonnet seal.

The seal that resides on the fire wall and seals the scuttle panel to the front of the body under the bonnet.

Most of the cars either have a full length rubber seal or a short rubber seal with two foam ends that either perish or keep coming loose and stick to the under side of the bonnet when it is raised.

I therefore took of my full length seal to see if the rear door seal could replace a damage seal, or as above replace a short one with the foam ends, below are a few photo of how I went about doing it.

As you can see my seal is a full length one, and touches both inner wing ends Fig 1/2
1

2

Rubber seals that runs full length of the scuttle Fig 3
3

I removed the old seal from the car Fig 4/5
4

5

I then started to press on the rear car door seal which are a little thicker onto the car body a scuttle panel from the drivers side Fig 6
6

Once it was pressed all along to the passenger side inner wing, i marked it ready for cutting with some snips Fig 7
7

I cut the seal to length Fig 8
8

The rear car door seal fits perfect and because it is a little thicker it gives a better seal Fig 9
9

An added bonus is that one rear door seal is long enough for two lengths so if you have two cars you can do both or a friends car, here you can see the extra length of the door seal next to the original seal Fig 10
10

This photo shows the differing thickness of the door seal and the original seal, also the door seal fits tighter onto the scuttle and body. Fig 11
11

Finished product the rear door seal fitted in situ Fig 12
12

I have a bag full of these and over the week end I will be cutting them to length anyone wish to replace their under bonnet short seal, damaged seal for one of these rear door seals( FOC )they will be at the next nano meet cheers Arctic.
13

Some for me please and enough to go down either side edges as well. Always wonder why there is only a short bit fitted....

[Arctic]

Gary you are more than welcome to have one for your car, if you are attending then next nano meet 14th 15th October, you can then always use the one you take off for the side on the wings

I prepared them today cutting them in half so there were enough to do 22 cars, minus 7 for the nano crew excluding me leaves 15, they will be in the blue bag either in my car or in the events tent.

Fitted on to my sons car today when he came for his usual washing of the car, photo's below he had the short one with the foam edges that are always coming loose, he will no longer have that problem Arctic