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Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
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Author:  thomas_hb [ Fri Mar 25, 2016 4:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Picked this wreckers-bound '74 Clubman up a week or two ago off a bloke in Glebe for $500:

Image

After market sunroof leaks water something fierce. Any suggestions?

Anyone ever removed a sunroof and reinstated the missing steel?

Or am I better off just stuffing the gaps with rubber and never opening it again?
Author:  Maelgwn [ Fri Mar 25, 2016 4:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Personally I hate sunroofs in Australia, the only thing they are good for is letting the heat out in mid summer. I got my local body shop to weld back in the roof section on my Jag after finding him a scrap roof to use for the right curve, it worked out cheaper that way that have him spend the hours rolling the rights curves back in. I also did it to a Triumph Dolly myself can't weld for crap and it buckled a bit but not too bad as the car was going to be for rallying.
So IMO get rid of it, put some good heat matting up there, the the new head liner.

Maelgwn

PS. Sweet buy, so jelly
Author:  thomas_hb [ Fri Mar 25, 2016 4:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Yep, I agree. They're stupid. Only thing they do is let water in, in my experience.

I'm also not keen on de-seaming. Just lets water in through the gap between the door and the body. Stupidest Mini fad I've ever seen.
Author:  drjbeam [ Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
That was on its way to the wreakers good save there looks to be not much wrong with it

Did you get it put on historic plates
Author:  M-JAY [ Fri Mar 25, 2016 6:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
I had a sunroof in a Mayfair back in England and it leaked where the seal met the glass. A mate was a windscreen fitter and told me to clean the seal and apply Vaseline to where it met the glass. It worked but you have to reapply every so often. Might be worth taking it out, if it isn't leaking from be between the seal and glass, and cleaning everything up and refitting it with some windscreen sealant in the seal where it goes onto the body and go from there. I wouldn't like to weld steel into a huge panel like a roof as the risk of the panel warping is huge.
Author:  drjbeam [ Sat Mar 26, 2016 5:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Even factory fitted sun roofs leak

We had a Honda accord with factory sunroof it leaked from when it left the showroom floor brand new
Author:  Goldbrocade_62 [ Sat Mar 26, 2016 6:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
I personally hate sunroofs to my cure for the sun is my moke or my bugeye sprite does a much better job
Author:  Maelgwn [ Sat Mar 26, 2016 3:25 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
That sunroof looks like a repco or aunger after market ones, they do suffer from the sun, in that the seal to the glass flattens and also hardens. you could try feeling the seals condition.
If it seems to leak from there have a look on to see what brand it is and try calling the distributor / factory if they still exist and see if they still have some NOS seals, other wise you could check ebay.
(I make no guarantee that these steps will fix the problem, it is just what I would do! ** try at your own risk **)
If it was mine I would probably take the sunroof out and check all the mating surfaces, check the conditions of all the sealing rubbers, cleaning all silastic off, clean the roof opening and refit, with proper windscreen sealer.
If it leaked after that at the glass to rubber seal I would look at trying to rehabilitate the rubber seal, some cream rubber Window/Tyre cleaner revitalizes can make old rubbers swell up again. there is also the hot water method to try and shock the rubber memory back to a less squished state.
(** be prepared, it could make it worse **)

Maelgwn
Author:  thomas_hb [ Sat Mar 26, 2016 4:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Thanks Maelgwn, good tips.

I've been scared off the welding proposal now, thanks guys.
Author:  MiniBrad [ Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:00 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
One of the boys at work was having a similar problem with his sunroof missing a part & therefore not sealing. He was able to buy a complete brand new sunroof about 2 months ago & fitted the whole thing & kept the old one for spares if needed.

Brad
Author:  Goldbrocade_62 [ Sun Mar 27, 2016 11:58 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
I don't know why in this day and age you can't get a old roof section put a joggle in it glue and single side or long arms and spot weld it in, a tiny wipe of filler and Bobs your aunty
Author:  drmini in aust [ Sun Mar 27, 2016 2:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Probably easier to cut all the pillars and weld a complete donor roof on.
Author:  Alexw [ Mon Mar 28, 2016 7:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
Yep, I removed a sunroof in a car once and replaced with a flat section. What a pain. Much easier to replace the whole roof.
Author:  thomas_hb [ Sat Apr 02, 2016 5:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
In the end I got some 3mm thick rubber seal from Clark Rubber and Sikaflexed it to the inside face of glass, right around the edges, and with the clamping force of the latch it keeps the water out. You can't see it from inside.
Author:  Maelgwn [ Sun Apr 03, 2016 1:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Leaking sunroof. Solutions?
thomas_hb wrote:
In the end I got some 3mm thick rubber seal from Clark Rubber and Sikaflexed it to the inside face of glass, right around the edges, and with the clamping force of the latch it keeps the water out. You can't see it from inside.


Well done, :) the old saying "necessity is the mother of invention" is so true when dealing with cars older than 15 years.

Maelgwn
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