!! Be careful unscrewing the window angle adjustment screws !!

[mackinaugh]

Short version:
It is possible to unscrew these screws so that they fall out and into the door. I am referring to the 2 screws on the bottom of either door that adjust the window angle so that you get either a small or large amount of water flowing in from the top when you wash your car.



Long version / Sob story:
So I'm going to another car show tomorrow and wanted to wash and wax today. I had to run around a bit, and got home around 2. Weather guy says 40% chance of rain.

I pull it out of the garage around 3, but it looks like rain so I pull it back in. Toy with the idea of waking up early tomorrow to do it.
4 o'clock I look out the window and still no rain, so I pull it out again. Get the cleaning supplies ready. Hear the thunder. @#$!

Pull it back in.

So now it's 5 o'clock and still no rain. I'm going to get this done, I can hurry and wash it and just dry it in the garage if I have to. I'll just make this quick adjustment to the window angle to try to fix that small trickle that I get on the passenger side.

I screw the adjustment screw out and in, but can't see the window moving. I can't tell if I'm making it better or worse. I'm screwing it in as I'm watching the window and WHOOOPSY DAISY! It falls into the door.

Beautiful.

Thinking quick now - What do I do? Can't wash it like this (can i?). Can I even take it to the show like this? Should I call to tell my buddy that I can't make it?

No. Hurry up and fix this thing and wash it in the morning. I was planning that anyway, right? Right. Get the tiny allen wrench from the kit in the trunk so I can start pulling this door panel off. Sure hope I don't drop it in the engine area as I'm reaching for the trunk pole! HAH! Now I'm looking for something to fish this tiny allen wrench off the pan it's sitting on. I find a hacksaw and pull the blade off, and it serves it's new purpose well. I am now back on track.

I pull the door panel off (easy enough after my last endeavor ) and get to tugging at the moisture barrier (where can I get that rubber snot suff? Man it's good), but this time it looks like I've got to take off the door handle. Ugh. I unscrew the two real screws, and start on the plastic one (same as the one on the front of the door panel) but it doesn't want to give. Just as it seems that I'm making progress I find that I'm actually TWISTING THE HEAD OFF OF THE PLASTIC SCREW.

What now? Should I leave it? Try to get it out? If I do get it out, will the plastic thing stay in place with only 2 screws holding it?
Press on. I find the smallest drill bit I have and drill it out. Please keep in mind that I am no handyman, and have never performed a 'drilling out' before. I do it very slowly, and watch for the yellow to feed out from the drill bit (thank God it doesn't). I remove the screws holding the door handle in, waiting for the unseen spring loaded mechanism (all car doors have these, don't they?) to release pulling things in the door to places out of my reach, launching peices all over with no hope of reassembly and sending me into a fit of tears like a sobbing child.

Luckily, there is no unseen spring loaded mechanism and I am able to pull the handle off the door and forego the tears.
After I tie-wrap the rod for the door handle in a spot where it won't keep jagging me, I get the goofy screw back in. I adjust it as far as I feel is safe, and reassemble the door.

It is now roughly 7 o'clock, so with an hour of light left I begin washing. And notice the same tiny stream of water flowing in the top of my door.


I'll post photos of the door handle removal later.

[KuroiSport]

I did the same thing...

[Stormy320]

I don't have a Lotus yet and I'm bummed this didn't go smooth for you.

As you know, these cars are not Fords and GMs...Thank God. It may be a better solution to enjoy their quarks and just stick a towel on the spot where it leaks.

[KuroiSport]

Water dripping is distracting to me while driving. Thankfully, I think I did fix the problem. It hasn't rained too hard since I've done the adjustment though.

[Ridgemanron]

Originally Posted by mackinaugh

Short version:
It is possible to unscrew these screws so that they fall out and into the door. I am referring to the 2 screws on the bottom of either door that adjust the window angle so that you get either a small or large amount of water flowing in from the top when you wash your car.



Long version / Sob story:
So I'm going to another car show tomorrow and wanted to wash and wax today. I had to run around a bit, and got home around 2. Weather guy says 40% chance of rain.

I pull it out of the garage around 3, but it looks like rain so I pull it back in. Toy with the idea of waking up early tomorrow to do it.
4 o'clock I look out the window and still no rain, so I pull it out again. Get the cleaning supplies ready. Hear the thunder. @#$!

Pull it back in.

So now it's 5 o'clock and still no rain. I'm going to get this done, I can hurry and wash it and just dry it in the garage if I have to. I'll just make this quick adjustment to the window angle to try to fix that small trickle that I get on the passenger side.

I screw the adjustment screw out and in, but can't see the window moving. I can't tell if I'm making it better or worse. I'm screwing it in as I'm watching the window and WHOOOPSY DAISY! It falls into the door.

Beautiful.

Thinking quick now - What do I do? Can't wash it like this (can i?). Can I even take it to the show like this? Should I call to tell my buddy that I can't make it?

No. Hurry up and fix this thing and wash it in the morning. I was planning that anyway, right? Right. Get the tiny allen wrench from the kit in the trunk so I can start pulling this door panel off. Sure hope I don't drop it in the engine area as I'm reaching for the trunk pole! HAH! Now I'm looking for something to fish this tiny allen wrench off the pan it's sitting on. I find a hacksaw and pull the blade off, and it serves it's new purpose well. I am now back on track.

I pull the door panel off (easy enough after my last endeavor ) and get to tugging at the moisture barrier (where can I get that rubber snot suff? Man it's good), but this time it looks like I've got to take off the door handle. Ugh. I unscrew the two real screws, and start on the plastic one (same as the one on the front of the door panel) but it doesn't want to give. Just as it seems that I'm making progress I find that I'm actually TWISTING THE HEAD OFF OF THE PLASTIC SCREW.

What now? Should I leave it? Try to get it out? If I do get it out, will the plastic thing stay in place with only 2 screws holding it?
Press on. I find the smallest drill bit I have and drill it out. Please keep in mind that I am no handyman, and have never performed a 'drilling out' before. I do it very slowly, and watch for the yellow to feed out from the drill bit (thank God it doesn't). I remove the screws holding the door handle in, waiting for the unseen spring loaded mechanism (all car doors have these, don't they?) to release pulling things in the door to places out of my reach, launching peices all over with no hope of reassembly and sending me into a fit of tears like a sobbing child.

Luckily, there was no unseen spring loaded mechanism and I am able to pull the handle off the door and forego the tears.
After I tie-wrap the rod for the door handle in a spot where it won't keep jagging me, I get the goofy screw back in. I adjust it as far as I feel is safe, and reassemble the door.

It is now roughly 7 o'clock, so with an hour of light left I begin washing. And notice the same tiny stream of water flowing in the top of my door.


I'll post photos of the door handle removal later.

I assume that turning the screws clockwise will cause the glass to
push tighter against the weatherstripping.......or is it the other way
around?

[mackinaugh]

Ridgeman -

Would you believe that after all of that I don't remember?

I know this: As you turn the scew, if you are 'unscrewing' (it's going into the door) then you are tightening the window against the seal on top.

While it's backing out of the door nut it's also backing out of the window-rail nut (remember it's threaded on both sides), increasing the distance between the door and the window-rail (at the bottom).