Our old 323 has been letting in a bit of water around the sunroof, in the very heavy rain we had this week. Although the roof has a rubber seal, I suspect that this isn't intended to be 100% and I assume any water that gets past is normally channelled off down the A-pillars. Would this be a plastic tube (can't feel one through the headlining) or designed into the metal work?
I would have put this in Technical, but I intend it as a general point, rather than for specific model advice (which would also be welcome, however!).
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I had this problem on my last car - also old which I solved by clearing out the drainage holes found in the seal by using some flexible curtain track - that white stuff with a tight wire spiral down it. I think the drains were out of the A pillars and under the rear edge of the bonnet.
Gently does it though!
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Thank you Nsar. That sounds about right - I'm just not sure exactly where they start or finish, but a gently poke about is certainly worth a try.
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Strimmer cord is made (under the misunderstanding it can only be used to cut back the jungle you call a garden) for clearing such as blocked drains holes on sun roofs!!!
Also good for routing cables when putting sound systems, alarms and the like in.
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Hmm thats a useful tip to bear in mind! - maybe we should have a dedicated "useful tips" thread as well! ;-)
Billy
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maybe we should have a dedicated "useful tips" thread as well! ;-)
There was one floating around somewhere.
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Thinking about it again I don't think it was curtain track, that would be too thick. Strimmer line is a top suggestion, I think I must have had something like that to hand
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i use a welding rod,2 welded together end to end if the going gets tough
whats a welding rod dad?
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These were the the 'trade secret' threads:
Vol 1: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=7058&m...e
Vol 2: www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=8381&m...e
Not had time to trawl through them again but there might be something on sunroofs.
HTH
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Can't be specific about BMs, but have had the problem on a couple of Cits (a BX and a Xantia).
Roof seals aren't waterproof - more for reducing wind noise - drains in corner of sunroof "tray" drain water away via thin rubber tubes.
Suggest following:-
1. Find which drain is blocked - unlikely that all are - by judicious use of parking on a kerb (or ramps) so that water will naturally drain to one corner.
2.Poor a little water into corner in turn - look under car to see where water tube drains out (thin rubber tube behnd arch liner behind front wheel or in front of rear wheel on Cits).
3. If water does not drain have a gentle (don't want to pierce tube or dislodge from the plastic grommet it is attached to) poke (I used plastic coated garden wire but strimmer stuff sounds better). Most likely that tube is blocked at one end than middle.
4. If water drains from sunroof but does not come out under car the tube probably has come off the grommet - may need to remove roof lining to get at it.
5. If water does not drain after poking, must be blocked in middle? Try attaching your footpump to bottom end of tube (one of those football or lilo inflation attachments usually fit)and blow GENTLY through tube (again, too much pressure may burst tube or detach from drain grommet thing).
6. Drain tube may be accessible from inside car - on Cits there is a little hatch at base of A pillar where it can be found and pulled up into car - but make sure it is possible to rethread it afterwards if you do this. May also be accessible behind plastic A pillar cover next to windscreen. I have been told that some people use these access points to cut through tube, clear with wire/air etc then rejoin tube with a connector but have not had to do that myself.
Of course - none of this might apply to a BMW - but it might give you an idea!
Good luck!
--
Phil
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Why did I assume it to be a BMW??
Sorry!
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Phil
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"BMW"
Eeek! No - just a humble Mazda. I'd forgotten that both make 323's... :-)
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Similar subject,
Its the right time of year to check the drains on soft tops.(Ultimate sunroof?)
Blocked ones on the MX5 lead to water draining into the car, and its probably not as obvious as a sun roof leak.
It only takes a couple of minutes to check.
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I finally found the exit holes in the sunroof 'tray' but they're very well hidden, so I doubt I'd have persevered without the encouragement here. Many thanks - Mrs JBJ's seat is now drying out nicely...
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