It looks like I have a leak in several places around my windshield; it may not have been properly installed. What can I apply around the edge to seal it? Will Pro Seal work?
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Technical Editor:
Yes, Pro Seal will work. So will a clear polyurethane “lifetime” caulk (no silicone content whatsoever). I think that Red Devil was one brand, but there are more. Take care not to buy the PolySeamSeal product in the small tubes that resemble large clear toothpaste tubes. It does not set up well enough to suit me; and it tends to sag out of places like the top seam and side seams. It is also easier to do a neat application job using a caulking gun, as compared to squeezing and rolling up a tube.
The problem you are going to face is that, without the window/windshield being properly bonded to the airframe around the entire perimeter, with the proper B1/2 or B2 tank sealant bonding agent in a seam width of 5/8″ to 3/4″, there will continue to be relative motion between the acrylic and the metal skin. It is also quite possible that you will face premature cracks as well.
The Pro Seal B1/2 or B2 bonds extremely well to scuffed acrylic and scuffed/Alodyned aluminum, as is the case with a new window installation and a wide bead application. It bonds less well to the glossy surface where a ‘repair bead’ of sealant is likely to be applied around an outer perimeter.
The clear poly caulks have a slight solvent content that improves their bond to a glossy acrylic surface. But that same solvent content means they the caulk is likely to permanently mar the acrylic surface if it is allowed to drip or smear someplace you didn’t want it. Be very careful; and have some 3M Adhesive Remover and Plastic Cleaner immediately at hand. You have to get the caulk off RIGHT NOW if some is misapplied; and even them there may still be a mark.
And again, I highly advise you not to use anything as a sealant that has any degree of silicone whatsoever in it.