How to re-attach the 2 grills in the louver

[john 05141]

Hello y’all,

I just had the louver painted.
I removed the 2 grills in the louver to paint those seperately.

I have been cautious to remove them, obviously they are in place with think double sided foam tape.
My question is how do I re-install them?

Glue? Silicone?

John

[Michael]

Hello y’all,

I just had the louver painted.
I removed the 2 grills in the louver to paint those seperately.

I have been cautious to remove them, obviously they are in place with think double sided foam tape.
My question is how do I re-install them?

Glue? Silicone?

John

I never had them off but I always thought they were installed with clips. Might look at the parts diagram.
Edit...According to the diagram, they appear to be glued in place.

[DMC-Ron]

John,
You might consider Goop. I've not used it for the rear engine cover louvers but it's my "go to" where I want something that bonds well and yet retains some flexibility.

https://www.illaminous.com/products/...clear-109-4-ml

(also available at most automotive outlets and Amazon)
Ron

[Rich]

Yes, the originals are bonded to the louver/sunshade with a black elastomeric foam tape along the two long edges. No glue is evident.

I'd reinstall them with a similar tape. Looks like it's ~1/8in thick x 1/2" wide like this tape. Verify it by looking at the foam tape you found during removal (I haven't had mine off).

Recommendation: Clean everything. Alcohol wipe old tape off all the faces. Remove one release liner and apply the tape to the front and rear of the grille. Keep the other release liner on both strips for a dry test fit while practicing the bonding method below. Adjust or re-apply the strips until they sit where you like them on the grille before final bonding into the louver.

Check the gaps on L and R sides when test-fitting the grille. If you want equal gap widths on L and R sides pay then attention to that during bonding. Removable shims might help.

Bonding: Pull the liners off both tapes. Tilt the grill forward a little as you drop the front edge in. Attach that edge of the grille to the louver first. Then drop the back edge onto the (inclined) rear face of the sunshade opening while forcing the grille forward to bond fully to front strip, then press it down in back. I'm guessing that's how the factory or DMC's sunshade vendor did it.

While thick glue like silicone or urethane goo will bond them getting a good-looking upper bond edge and an even thickness all along both edges won't be easy. And the glue might ooze out where you wish it didn't.

Anybody have a better idea or some experience?

[Drive Stainless]

Seven years ago, I used black silicone very sparingly. You don't even need a continuous bead - just a little 1" bead placed every few inches. After I installed the grills, you could not see any adhesive, so there was no re-tooling with your finger or the like.

One good thing about using silicone is that it will easily withstand the engine heat, unlike many glues that break down and become softer with heat.

[cdrusn]

I used black weatherstrip adhesive. I recommend that you put the glue on the sunshade and not the louver. This way when you push it in, the excess glue will be
inside the louver where it will be almost impossible to see it. Weatherstrip adhesive is made to hold up in any weather and hold like crazy.