E30 with sunroof in winter = FTL

[OLLIE 26]

f**k, f**k, f**k AGAIN!!!

so heres me thinking i've fixed my leaking problems and my misfiring problems and i can now get back to enjoying my car once more but NO! f**kIN NO WAY OLLIE YOU HAVE TO SUFFER ..... c**t f**k YOU!

anyway .... i get into my car this morning and lo and behold the back seat and footwell is full of water - very full! it's dripping out of the cabin light just behind my head, yippeee! so i ask myself, WTFIGO? and I came to the conclusion that god hates me.

I begin driving my car and it's not feeling too good, missing like crazy! i find myself asking the question again WTFBBQ?!?

and come to the conclusion that i want a toyota.

SAVE ME!!!

[kiwi535 538]

sunroof drains and new dizzie cap is my guess

[OLLIE 26]

sunroof drains and new dizzie cap is my guess

sunroof drains are sweet because i just repaired them and unblocked them which is why i'm a bit confused as to why it is leaking. i do park up hill on a pretty good incline, perhaps the drainage rail at the back of the sunroof is overflowing?

dizzy cap could be the prob - but surely rain doesn't get anywhere near it?

[bravo 34]

Are the front footwells wet at all?? If you are parking nose up hill and the drain in the front firewall is blocked the area where the wiper motor is fills up and overflows into the heater blower ducting and then leaks into the front footwell from where it can drain back to the rear ones.

Or replace seal around sunroof? On a wet day with the car parked outside if I open the sunroof, its almost bone dry in the tracks - almost no water gets through the seal. Stop the leak at the source.

[OLLIE 26]

Are the front footwells wet at all?? If you are parking nose up hill and the drain in the front firewall is blocked the area where the wiper motor is fills up and overflows into the heater blower ducting and then leaks into the front footwell from where it can drain back to the rear ones.

Or replace seal around sunroof? On a wet day with the car parked outside if I open the sunroof, its almost bone dry in the tracks - almost no water gets through the seal. Stop the leak at the source.

yeah was thinking a new seal would be the go, they are like 500 bucks though!!!!!!

[martyyn 2]

Ollie I have the exact same problem in the 7.

Although the drains are fine they cant drain the water fast enough and so it pools around the side and if left for long enough it starts dripping in through the mechanism. Very difficult to describe so Ill try and find a photo to help.

What I did with mine, was to open the roof and use an old drink bottle to squirt the water only where I wanted it to go, you need to remove the trim around the A, B and C pillars and the headlining probably, thankfully I could where mine was leaking without removing the headlining but I'll still need to do that to fix the drains.

Its my understanding that the seals around the roof are not designed to keep the water out but to provide a seal against wind noise, so replacing them may not make any difference.

[OLLIE 26]

Ollie I have the exact same problem in the 7.

Although the drains are fine they cant drain the water fast enough and so it pools around the side and if left for long enough it starts dripping in through the mechanism. Very difficult to describe so Ill try and find a photo to help.

What I did with mine, was to open the roof and use an old drink bottle to squirt the water only where I wanted it to go, you need to remove the trim around the A, B and C pillars and the headlining probably, thankfully I could where mine was leaking without removing the headlining but I'll still need to do that to fix the drains.

Its my understanding that the seals around the roof are not designed to keep the water out but to provide a seal against wind noise, so replacing them may not make any difference.

so did you solve your problem? or just conclude that there is nothing you can do about it?

[martyyn 2]

Sorry mate I shouldve mentioned that shouldnt I !

For me its the two front that leak inside the cabin. They are only pushed onto the drains on the sunroof panel, what Ill do is stick some clips on. Cant for the life of me remember the name of the screw but they get tighter as you screw them up !!

I also have the drains blocked off by two rubber 'floats' when there is no water they cover the hole to stopthe crap getting down them, the float on the water when it is there. Im going to clean those up and possibly replace them. They are only on a pivot thats screwed into the roof so Im sure they can seize after time.

Ive also put some fish tank sealant around the piece that sits over the mechanism. Thats unlikely to be needed when the rest is done but if it blocks again it might sort it.

I have some photos on the laptop but am a little busy today, when I get a quite spot Ill stick them on so you can see what I mean.....hold on Ill try and get the website that I picked them up from instead.

Try here fo a start Ollie

Follow the links about on e38.org is thats no good. Sorry its not an e30 but it should give you some help. The floater thing I have is in the bottom left corner under the front flap and its about 6 inches long....arf arf :-)

Edited March 29, 2007 by Penrod 'Penry' Pooch

[Guest Denny Crane]

You and be both bra, i parked at the missus' place last nite on a slight downward andgle, and left my car cover at home. Was expecting the rh drivers well to be wet due to the split in my door, but the boot seal had been overwhelmed and batter was soaked. Great start to the morning.

[ED1RTY 2]

Yuh graham is correct about the wells under windscreen wiper motors.... I have no heater and sh*t gets real wet.

Ollie, i may have a solution to our sunroof problems. Word is I may be able to get custom Clear sunroofs made from lexan that will use a different seal but still work badass. Also a good thing if your sunroof is rustored..

My sunroof will be heading to the guys shop when i get those lights off you, hes going to see how hard/pricing and let me know etc.

Ill keep you updated.

[OLLIE 26]

Yuh graham is correct about the wells under windscreen wiper motors.... I have no heater and sh*t gets real wet.

Ollie, i may have a solution to our sunroof problems. Word is I may be able to get custom Clear sunroofs made from lexan that will use a different seal but still work badass. Also a good thing if your sunroof is rustored..

My sunroof will be heading to the guys shop when i get those lights off you, hes going to see how hard/pricing and let me know etc.

Ill keep you updated.

sweet if it's cheaper than a tube of silicone and a roll of duct tape i'm keen

[martyyn 2]

Dont know if yoo got this sorted mate, but here's the website with all the pictures for mine.

e38 sunroof leak

[ducatiss 1]

I had a leak and it was coming in the boot but I see yours is dripping from the light. I take it you have blown out the drains with compressed air. Also check the bottom drains (where the water exits underneath the car) are not blocked or crimped shut.

Edited April 1, 2007 by ducatiss