kathg1 Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Hello, I am starting to work on my '88 Dolphin again. I noticed that some of the caulk along the seams and windows is dried and cracked; some of it is silicone and mushy; and some of it seems to be the correct butyl caulk. Can anyone please give me some advice on what to do? I was planning to cut out all the caulk and then recaulk. Is there a better way to do this? I have some leakage around a few windows. At the same time, I want to recaulk the vents on the roof. I don't have any leaks from roof vents so far. The roof itself is in good shape but could use a paint or seal. It's aluminum, right? Anything recommended? I get a fair amount of leakage around the front of the motorhome near the front over-cab window and I suspect from the side seam that is along the top. Any hints or suggestions would be welcome or directions to an earlier post. Looking forward to getting on the road in August. Thanks, Kathleen in CA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 best way to fix is to remove the windows and reseal with new butyl tape. I did mine by myself. Not as hard as it sounds. Your in Northern Cal right? PM me. maybe I can help Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 Seems to be a general consensus (hold the dissenting opinions) that RV exteriors and silicone is a bad pairing. I've spent a bit of time restoring my RV, roof and chasing leaks. The biggest problem for me with silicone is that it makes it difficult to get anything else to stick to the surface once it has been applied and failed. Elbow grease is the best tool but to supplement that, a couple of homemade tools such as a 1" wide piece of plexiglass sharpened to work as a stiff scraper will help remove all sorts of sealant without scratching the paint all up (all credit due to another member who suggested it). I also used some plastic razor blades in a holder and a sharpened old credit card. All of those worked and saved me from picking away at it with my fingernails. A search for silicone caulk remover will net you two main products. Mechanica is a gel that comes in a caulking tube. It is slow to work. You apply it and wait. Then scrape. If you use this you are better off removing as much as possible and then applying to the thin remaining film. The important thing is to get it off the RV so that what you replace it with will bond correctly. The other product you can find is Motsenbocker's. This product will eat the paint right off so do not use it where this will be an issue. Stuff works great however. The good news is you say the roof is tight. The bad news is the front is leaking. Not familiar with how the construction of the Dolphin is but my Itasca has a seam between the front berth and roof panel and was a big part of my problems. The clearance lights is another common area where water can get in. As it comes down from above and collects at the window, it can seem like the window is what is leaking. I removed and replace the butyl sealant on mine and it turned out not to be the issue. Here is a picture of the seam and the sealant repair using Dicor. I hate to sound like an ad for the product but a search for RV lap sealant doesn't come up with much else. Stuff works great though. My suggestion is to first clean the roof very thoroughly and inspect it carefully. Look for good paint with no pitting to the finish. If the roof is solid, there are a number of product others have recommended and liked. My only issue with them is longevity and commitment to that type of product. Like coating your driveway every year or so but not as often. I would avoid any type of asphalt based product as the nature of the materials is such that it will dry out, crack and fail. Dicor has a metal RV roof coating I looked at but reviews were not favorable. Cost was between $40 to $50 a gallon and would cover 100 sq ft per gallon using two coats (required). I decided for that kind of money and effort it wasn't worth it and wanted a more permanent roof covering. Youtube has a ton of videos on so many topics that I found helpful. The basic one on lap sealant is where I'd start but search both RV roof and lap sealant. My cleaner of choice for the top is simple green and a medium to soft brush. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 I'll second that silicone caulk is always the wrong thing to use on an RV. The silicone will likely fail and will be a breeding ground for mold. Removing the windows/door and resealing with butyl rubber tape is almost bullet proof. Removing and replacing windows is only hard if you have never done it before. After the first one you are an expert. My opinion formed by haveing to fix silicone caulk job's on RV's Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kathg1 Posted July 24, 2015 Author Share Posted July 24, 2015 Thanks everyone for your feedback. I will try a small window first. I will also inspect the roof seams and try to figure out if it is an issue. Question about the seams along the edge of the Dolphin, between the roof and the sides of the RV == do you seal that also with the butyl tape? And how would I do that since there is that metal strip that holds the rubber cover? I appreciate all your help and encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fred heath Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Good old fashion mineral spirits does a great job when trying to remove silicone caulking. Put some in a spray bottle and apply liberally. Get some plastic scrapers, take your time it's a slow process. Clean everything up with a TSP/bleach solution. Your ready to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 Kathleen, That metal strip with the rubber cover, is removeable. If you have to. The cover can be pulled out by hand. Just get it started by inserting a screwdriver in somewhere and get enough pulled out so that you can get a hold of it with your hands, then pull. It'll come right out. The stuff is on there to cover up the screws that hold that metal strip on. If you decide to go this route, use an eletric screw gun or drill motor with a little 1/4" socket in it. (I think its 1/4") Back out all the screws and CAREFULLY pry the metal strip off without bending it. Clean all the old gunk off it, stick some new butyl caulk to the strip and reinstall the strip back on the RV. Use new screws. You can get them at Lowe's or H. Depot. They're 1" x #8. If the screw cover stuff is in good shape, just re-use it. If not you can find it at most RV supply stores. Be sure and get the "Heavy Duty" stuff. It lasts longer and doesn't shrink up. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted July 24, 2015 Share Posted July 24, 2015 The windows seem a lot more intimidating than they are. First one would be best to have a helper, just in case. Once the inside trim ring is off the outside part depending on what it was put on with will likely need to be pried off, slow and easy don't bend anything. Mineral spirits does a quick job of cleaning up any left over residue. Unless you have silicone caulk all over the place, regular caulk should come off easy. Have a container handy to put the screws in as you remove them so they don't get scattered. When reinstalling window, brute force on screws is not needed, the aluminum is easy to strip so easy does it. Set container of screws on sink, so when you knock it over the screws will go down the drain : ) I have no experience with side trim or roof, so will let those more qualified than me comment. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted July 25, 2015 Share Posted July 25, 2015 Thanks everyone for your feedback. I will try a small window first. I will also inspect the roof seams and try to figure out if it is an issue. Question about the seams along the edge of the Dolphin, between the roof and the sides of the RV == do you seal that also with the butyl tape? And how would I do that since there is that metal strip that holds the rubber cover? I appreciate all your help and encouragement! A simple explanation for when to use butyl tape. Any time you remove something such as a window, vent and sometimes the trim when re-installing you clean the old off and replace with the tape. This is the base seal but it is a two step process. After you screw the part back down/in you seal the edges and any external fasteners with lap sealant. So if you are leaving the trim in place only lap sealant would be used if needed to seal any parts that have cracked or separated. If loose and easily removed, then remove the lap sealant. If tight then clean with a good cleaner then with a cloth dampened with alcohol. After it dries then touch up over the existing. This is where careful inspection of each seam is important. If everything is tight with no cracks in the old sealant that would let water in nothing needs to be done. If in doubt, a good cleaning then light touch up with lap sealant is good insurance. Same goes for the side seams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdfrost64 Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 pro-flex is a little better than dicor. pro- flex goes down better just use self leveling. mineral spirit is the only thing that is compatible with dicor or most any rv sealant Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Is the 88 a smooth side or corrugated? Is corrugated the right word? Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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