Drimmie

Hello all. I purchased this car about a month ago for a great price. It has a few problems here and there that I will tackle one-at-a-time.

Right now both of my tail lights leak like crazy whenever it rains or i take the car through a carwash. I figure there are some kind of gaskets or seals that go in between the mounting surfaces that are faulty. Can anyone provide more information on what I should do or what I would need to purchase so I can fix the leaks?



Thank you
Jason

Toiletbrush

It looks like whoever you bought the car from did a kouki taillight swap but didn't know how to seal them properly. The fix is easy, and permanent if it's done right.

Remove the tail lights by removing the 5 (8mm) nuts from inside the trunk where the light assembly mounts. Be sure to disconnect the lamp harness too.

After the nuts are removed, gently pull the taillight at both sides and eventually it will come free from the adhesive. Give it time and don't pull too hard.

My guess is, the original seal was reused, which obviously didn't work. Once the light is removed, use a plastic scraper to get the remaining adhesive off both the car side and the taillamp itself. Clean both areas with alcohol to get the residue off and to prep the surface for the new adhesive.

Since the lamps are removed, take time to inspect the assembly for cracks. Remove the bulbs and use a hair dryer to remove the trapped moisture. If the moisture is confined to one section of the lamp, check around that area for a crack or broken seal between the housing and the colored lens section. You can also put some petrolatum around the rubber seals of the bulb housing, just to be sure.

Apply a nice thick bead of black RTV silicone to the seal channel on the taillamp. Be sure to pile it somewhat high to be sure that it will fill the space between the lamp and the car when you mate them up.

Next, take the lamp assembly and reinstall it in the vehicle with all 5 studs going in evenly. Tighten the nuts back down in a "star" (more of an X) pattern. Check where the taillamp protrudes through the body... there should be sealant pressing through around the entire circumference. This should be a sign that your seal is good and ready to be left to cure. You can use your finger to smooth the bead and remove excess, if you so desire.

After about 6 to 12 hours, come back out with a pitcher of water, and a towel. Pour the water slowly around the outside of the taillamp (with the trunk open) and put the towel in the trunk under the taillight (Just in case there IS a leak, no sense in having to wet-vac your spare tire compartment!) Note any moisture or water drops under the lamp inside the trunk. No drops? Good to go!

I have had to change my taillamps out twice and have done the kouki lamp swap on my wife's and friend's car, and no problems to date. Good luck!

gijow

Toiletbrush, that was very detailed. I don't have this problem, but I personally want to thank you for giving Drimmie such great information. That's just great.

Drimmie

Yes Toiletbrush, thank you VERY much for that post! Never have I seen such a detailed reply to a thread on any automotive related forum. That is definitely a HUGE help!

Thanks again!
Jason

Drimmie

pardon my ignorance, but is kouki an aftermarket company? I looked them up on google and thats about all i could find out.

Also, my headlights have glass lenses, is this normal? This car is very strange. It has side skirts, RS model alloy rims, but it's a lowly Brighton model

Toiletbrush

"Zenki" and "Kouki" are japanese words meaning "first age" and "later age". It can apply to anything, but when you are talking about GC8's, it refers to the WRX models from 1993 to mid-1996 (Zenki) and the models from mid-1996 to 2000 (Kouki). The 1996 to 2000 WRXs incorporated a different style of taillamps which were only colored red and clear. The pre-96 models had red, clear and orange taillamps. Apparently, the color orange is not cool, as people spend hundreds of dollars for new light lenses in an attempt to eliminate any orange from their vehicles.

Imprezas (at least all the ones I have seen... not sure about over there) have glass headlights. I like it because they dont turn yellow over time and delaminate like they do on hondas. Only downside.... glass shatters.

I appreciate the kind words. I like details, and when I find a complete walkthrough for a job that will cut hours off the procedure by eliminating time that would normally be spent guessing, I feel a lot better about what I am getting into. Also, less time spent fixing the car means I can spend more time driving and the wife doesn't get pissed from feeling neglected.

Also, if you want to PM me with your other problems you need to fix, I will be happy to help with whatever I can.

Drimmie

Toiletbrush, that was an excellent how-to, it worked out great and stopped my tail lights from leaking. The only thing that I would change is the fact that you recommended black RTV which didn't seal very well so I went over everything again and used clear RTV silicone which is waterproof unlike the black stuff.

Also, my trunk seal is shot and leaks too. Do you guys know where I could find a replacement or what kind of universal seal I should purchase?