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 Keep Doors From Freezing Shut

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71stagegs
robotennis61
IFallsRon
LARRY70GS
albertj
Abaddon
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RidzRiv
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charlieRobinson
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Abaddon
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Abaddon


Name : Scott
Location : Macomb, Michigan
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Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 Empty
PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 11:34 am

Read the post right above yours. The giant weather strip is what freezes the door shut. Take some hot water outside and pour it down the rear of the side window. It'll open up no prob.....


Last edited by Abaddon on Tue Jan 07, 2014 12:02 pm; edited 1 time in total
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LARRY70GS
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LARRY70GS


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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 11:49 am

You can avoid the problem by getting some spray silicone at Autozone. Thoroughly dry the weather stripping and then wipe them down with the silicone. I have had success opening frozen doors by using a plastic blade and inserting it at the vertical edge of the door glass, and gently prying/twisting as you pull on the door handle. Any kind of flat plastic that is stiff enough will work. Be gentle.

_________________
98 Riviera SC3800  All stock except gutted air box.
1970 Buick GS455 Stage1, TSP built 470BBB, 602HP/589TQ
Best MPH, 116.06 MPH, Best ET, 11.54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHCda-t_Jls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfT2tEO4XcU
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charlieRobinson
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 12:30 pm

yahhhhh. I dont want to use hot water becuase im afraid it will get inbetween, freeze, and make it worse.

I tried plastic prying yesterday.. but didnt like it.

So the window and hte weather strip is the problem area?

Ok, im gonna go try again.


Im moving south for sure this fall.

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Abaddon
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Abaddon


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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 12:36 pm

I had to use hot water on mine yesterday, despite being wiped down with Silicone spray. Apparently -33* with the windchill is a bit too cold for even the "spray" method to work  confused 
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LARRY70GS
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LARRY70GS


Name : Larry
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 12:51 pm

Abaddon wrote:
despite being wiped down with Silicone spray. Apparently -33* with the windchill is a bit too cold for even the "spray" method to work  confused 


Me too, but gentle prying with the plastic tool worked great.  Opened right up.

_________________
98 Riviera SC3800  All stock except gutted air box.
1970 Buick GS455 Stage1, TSP built 470BBB, 602HP/589TQ
Best MPH, 116.06 MPH, Best ET, 11.54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHCda-t_Jls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfT2tEO4XcU
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charlieRobinson
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charlieRobinson


Name : Charlie
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 1:15 pm

I got the passenger side open. I busted the drivers side door handle tho.. like an idiot.

the handle seems fine, it just wont open the door from the outside. from inside it opens fine.
The lock and the door handle from inside seems a lil loose.

This will be an easy repair, right? Do we have a thread here that explains the door handle mechanics so I can take this b apart and fix it?

thank you. I have a car again, just cant get in from the drivers side.  dunce 
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LARRY70GS
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LARRY70GS


Name : Larry
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Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 Empty
PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 1:20 pm

charlieRobinson wrote:
I got the passenger side open. I busted the drivers side door handle tho.. like an idiot.

the handle seems fine, it just wont open the door from the outside. from inside it opens fine.
The lock and the door handle from inside seems a lil loose.

This will be an easy repair, right? Do we have a thread here that explains the door handle mechanics so I can take this b apart and fix it?

thank you. I have a car again, just cant get in from the drivers side.  dunce 



https://rivperformance.editboard.com/t1757p15-write-up-fixing-outside-door-handle

_________________
98 Riviera SC3800  All stock except gutted air box.
1970 Buick GS455 Stage1, TSP built 470BBB, 602HP/589TQ
Best MPH, 116.06 MPH, Best ET, 11.54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHCda-t_Jls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfT2tEO4XcU
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IFallsRon
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 5:15 pm

I was hoping to get some kind of tool (like a short nail puller) bent to use to pry the bottom of the door when it's frozen but didn't get it done. Screwdriver works. Haven't experimented, but I was thinking of something like an oversized door-ding protective strip to keep water from running down the door jamb and onto the bottom gasket where it freezes the hardest.
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robotennis61
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 5:17 pm

Ya guys dont know the real trick! Ya gotta use Pam cooking spray.Stuff is slicker that bird shit!
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71stagegs
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71stagegs


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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 7:40 pm

[quote="charlieRobinson"]yahhhhh. I dont want to use hot water becuase im afraid it will get inbetween, freeze, and make it worse.

I tried plastic prying yesterday.. but didnt like it.

So the window and hte weather strip is the problem area?

Ok, im gonna go try again.


Im moving south for sure this fall.

I used one of these worked good
http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Door-Handle-Outer-Exterior-Passenger-Right-Side-Front-Smooth-black-RH-Hand-/370775538760?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&fits=Year%3A1998%7CMake%3ABuick%7CModel%3ARiviera%7CSubmodel%3ABase%7CEngine+-+Liter_Display%3A3.8L&hash=item5653f1bc48&vxp=mtr
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th3fr4nchi5e
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th3fr4nchi5e


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Location : Cheektowaga, NY (Buffalo)
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 7:55 pm

What if you were to attach a flat piece of rope or something securely to the back of the door somehow? Like a backpack strap and left it dangling out on cold nights so you could pull on that instead of the door handle. Lift the handle, pull the rope. My car is away for the winter so Im not gonna be looking into this but Im sure someone could make it work and aesthetically acceptable. The winter I did drive the car, I found myself pulling on that handle alot and am thankful it didnt break!
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bigdave
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyTue Jan 07, 2014 8:47 pm

I recently heard that spraying a solution of vinegar and water (I don't know at what ratio) will unfreeze a car door. Might be worth a try for you guys that are having this problem. Maybe 75% vinegar to 25% water would be a good start.
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AA
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AA


Name : Aaron
Age : 46
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyWed Jan 08, 2014 9:05 am

Forgot to wipe my seals with silicone spray this time. Solution: a carefully aimed kerosene-powered torpedo heater, held like the giant machine gun Jesse Ventura carried in Predator. Door was dripping wet and warm to the touch in 10 minutes.

Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 Jesseventua2shootingpredator

_________________
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deekster_caddy
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyWed Jan 08, 2014 11:36 am

Extension cord and a hair dryer warming around the window seals and door edges should get it open.
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PostSubject: Re: Keep Doors From Freezing Shut   Keep Doors From Freezing Shut - Page 2 EmptyMon Sep 15, 2014 5:29 pm

I wanted to add my $0.02 for keeping the doors from freezing shut before winter rolls around. This is what I learned from the cold snap we had earlier this year (5*F temperatures) that confounded this poor warm-weather soul.

1. Silicone spray works wonders, but only if you do it plenty in advance. This seems to help keep the moisture from building in the seals in the first place.

2. Keep an eye on your weather sealing and stripping that goes down into the door. Water likes to find its way in and freeze all sorts of things inside our behemoth sized doors.

3. If it freezes, do not use hot water or you run the risk of breaking a window. Cold and lukewarm water will work just as well. Try to keep it away from the glass while alternating pushing and pulling on the door. Pulling on the door may not be enough to break it open. Pushing tends to be less damaging to the handles.

4. Silicone lubricant spread over/inside the door locks can help keep ice out and keep the key holes from freezing shut. While this isn't a problem, per-se, if your car battery is used to Alabama heat versus what-the-heck cold you may not be able to rely on the remote working.

5. As a random (unrelated) note you can buy hand warming packs (those little goo packs you squeeze to create a reaction to produce heat) and stick them around the battery under the back seat to get it just warm enough to crank. This year I'm debating putting some sound deadening / thermal insulation back there to help with both road noise and to help if I have to warm the battery up.
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