[dervy]

I've had it with the sunroof!!

I want to seal it up permanently, remove the fuse and forget it exists. (along with the annoying leaks)

So! How do I go about sealing it up permanently? Silicone or just Vaseline? And what's the best method?

Looking forward to joining the sealed-up-sunroof-club... ��

 

[daffy.dub]

With all the recent rainfall and leaving my car on the driveway for a week, I've discovered my Streetwise's sunroof is now leaking badly. I've checked the drainholes they seem ok, so I'm going to do the same as you, seal it until at least the summer. The metal around the glass is a bit rusty so the rubber doesn't seem to sit properly and all the headlining was wet (dried it out in the garage over Christmas). I've bought "No Nonsense Builders Silicone Sealant - Clear" to do the job, will let you know how I get on.

 

[dervy]

Where and how will you apply the sealant?

 

[daffy.dub]

I had this problem on an Escort years ago, I'll probably put a small bead all around the rubber where it meets the metal roof. I think the water is coming in through the back part of the sunroof. Will have a go over the weekend.

 

[Man in the Car]

If the metal frame that the glass panel is bonded to is badly rusted, you can seal it all you like, it is still likely to leak, or will start to leak again in the future when the rust further displaces the rubber seal.

The only long term solution is to repair it - you need to remove the panel (couple of screws at each end), and carefully remove the rubber seal. Then clean all the rust scale off the metal frame and treat it with rust killer and repaint, before reattaching the seal using a good quality auto glazing sealant (you can use ordinary silicone sealant, but the proper stuff will be more reliable in the long term.

If there is insufficient metal to refit the seal, or if the metal is rusted through in a hole, you may need to source a replacement complete panel from a breaker, but it is becoming less easy to find one in good enough condition to refurbish.

 

[161racer]

cant help with the OP question as when buying three ZR's now we have gone for cars that dont have a sunroof for the reason that it eliminates a future problem, I remember one car we looked at, it was lovely and like new, I didnt spot it but the mrs did, headlining was wet after a morning of rain, we pointed it out to the seller and left it, he was a trader and didnt know - think he was gutted and he apologised for not noticing it - and perhaps we would not have noticed if it wasnt for the rain! dread to think of the earache from the mrs that will have caused if we had bought it!!

I would like to know though, does the sunroof panel/glass/frame whatever, did rover fit the same part number to other models? if they did then that opens up more cars to search out possible spares.


ford used much the same sunroof in the 80's and 90's on most of their cars, that why I ask.

 

[snailpace85]

I had a sunroof leak a few years ago. There are guides in this forum and elsewhere but they don't say what to do if the metal lip in in such poor condition that it won't hold the new seal properly. At the time new sunroofs seemed to be in short supply and a bit expensive even if you could find one.

So I cleared the rust from the metal lip and fitted a new rubber seal using silicone sealant. I then closed the sunroof very carefully making sure that the rubber seal stayed in place and then removed the fuse.

It has now lasted several years with no leakage.

Scott

 

[Man in the Car]

I don'tknow of any other cars with the same shape/size/contour sunhatch. I think the hatch for the R3 is unique to cars of that range (bubble 200, 25, Streetwise and ZR).

 

[daffy.dub]

Sealed the sunroof yesterday, don't have time to take it all apart. I put a small bead of sealant all around the rubber seal where it contacts with the roof. Just waiting for more rain now! Couldn't work out from the useless Haynes manual which fuse to take out... God I wish I'd kept my mk2 scirocco!

 

[dervy]

I took my sunroof out over the weekend and re-worked it best I could. Treated the rust, painted over and fit the seal back with silicone in the ridge, which was still good on mine.

I've also used roof and gutter seal underneath the roof strips and around the boot hinges / rubber grommets.

Silicone sealed the rear lights and boot vent and seams on the boot floor for good measure!

Now awaiting down pour of rain tonight to hopefully confirm I've cured it!

 

[LeRich]

Good luck to both. Shouldn't have to wait too long for rain.

 

[Davemgfzr]

Sealed the sunroof yesterday, don't have time to take it all apart. I put a small bead of sealant all around the rubber seal where it contacts with the roof. Just waiting for more rain now! Couldn't work out from the useless Haynes manual which fuse to take out... God I wish I'd kept my mk2 scirocco!

I'd add some sealand to where the seal meets the glass too because that's the most common place for the leak. My ZR and my old 25 leaked through there.

 

[daffy.dub]

Oh s***t really? We got 3 days of rain coming, thanx for the tip

 

[gnu]

With all the recent rainfall and leaving my car on the driveway for a week, I've discovered my Streetwise's sunroof is now leaking badly. I've checked the drainholes they seem ok, so I'm going to do the same as you, seal it until at least the summer. The metal around the glass is a bit rusty so the rubber doesn't seem to sit properly and all the headlining was wet (dried it out in the garage over Christmas). I've bought "No Nonsense Builders Silicone Sealant - Clear" to do the job, will let you know how I get on.

Where exactly are the drain holes?

 

[Man in the Car]

The metal around the glass is a bit rusty so the rubber doesn't seem to sit properly

This will be where the water is getting in - the rust scale pushes the seal away from the glass and the scale between the remaining good metal of the frame and the rubber is porous, so it leaks past.

If the drain holes at front and rear are clear and the pipes not blocked or split/detached, any water that gets between the rubber and the main roof panel will go down the drains, and not into the car.

 

[dervy]

So today, I've had the roof lining out to find my source of the leak is water is finding it's way out of the correct drainage "troughs" and straight out the side of the frame. So I admit defeat and have sealed the sunroof up and pulled the fuse.

End of thread. (to everyone's relief lol)