Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

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Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Bumpa »

My Z3 has now been out of action for over a month while first the lateral acceleration sensor was replaced, then while I stripped the interior to try and dry it out, and now while I try to prevent the rain getting in again.
I have successfully sealed the rubber plug at the top of the screen post, and have made a new waterproof membrane for the door, which was sorely needed.

But I just can't prevent rain from coming in along the front edge of the quarter window. The rubber down the screen seems to be in excellent condition and I have treated it with Gummi Pflege as recommended here. The triangular glass presses on the seal in two places as shown on my photos. The rain gets past the first outer seal even though the glass is definitely pressing on it, but obviously not hard enough. From there the water tracks down and runs down the inner front edge of the door, spills over the bottom rubber, down the inner sill and forms a puddle on the floor.

I have no clue what to do. I have tried adjusting the angle of the glass so that it presses more firmly on the screen rubber and it is now at the maximum position. Still the water comes in. I can't put the interior back together again because the whole wretched scenario will just repeat and the foam underlay will become saturated eventually causing failure of the sensors.

I can't be the only person who has had this problem. It has completely ruined my enjoyment of this otherwise great car. Please help me fix it. I'm desperate!

I have tried to attach photos but I'm told that the board attachment quota has been reached ??????
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by mrscalex »

Have you loosened the quarter glass bolts, pulled the quarter glass in towards the car and tightened it under tension? That's how I solved my issue in that location.

Are you 100% sure it's coming from there?

Have you definitely sealed the door membrane correctly, with butyl tape?

Are there any holes in your lower door aperture seal?
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Bumpa »

Thanks for your reply.

Have you loosened the quarter glass bolts, pulled the quarter glass in towards the car and tightened it under tension? That's how I solved my issue in that location. WHERE ARE THE BOLTS YOU REFER TO?

Are you 100% sure it's coming from there? YES. I HAVE BEEN SPRAYING THE CAR WITH A GENTLE HOSEPIPE SPRINKLER AND I CAN SEE IT GETTING PAST THE SEAL.

Have you definitely sealed the door membrane correctly, with butyl tape? I HAVE USED A PLASTIC SHEET SEALED AT THE BOTTOM AND HALF WAY UPTHE SIDES WITH SILICON SEALER. AT THE TOP I HAVE USED A STRIP OF TAPE TO SUPPORT IT. NO WATER GETS PAST THERE NOW. CERTAINLY WATER POURED IN BEFORE, AS THE ORIGINAL FOAM SHEET WAS DAMAGED

Are there any holes in your lower door aperture seal? YES THERE ARE A FEW SMALL HOLES BUT IT'S HARD TO SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO. THE WATER IS ALREADY INSIDE THE DOOR AS IT IS COMING FROM THE TOP.

By the way, why can't I post a picture?
mrscalex
Joined: Fri 13 Mar, 2015 09:14
Posts: 910

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by mrscalex »

There are 3 bolts securing the quarter glass. 2 at the top and 1 at the bottom. Can’t remember which definitely need loosening so do them all, just slacken so theres movement then relighted while pulling in towards the car.

A split in the lower door aperture seal could let water in as it’s running off/out of the door. It was one of the issues I had to fix. Gaffer tape would do for now.
ImageImage
2001 Z3 2.2 Topaz Blue (Trudy) - Keeper rebuilt from a write-off
2002 Z3 2.2 Titan Silver (Cookies) - Keeper rebuilt having been bought with a seized engine
2002 Z3 3.0 Sapphire Black (Peanut) - Keeper awaiting rebuilding having been bought as an abandoned project
Plus Willy, Kodak & Maycee - All 2.2 Sport projects. Yes, 6 is a lot of Z3s :)
Always happy to try and help with spares :)
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Gazza »

Pictures need to be hosted off site, Flickr or Google pics etc.
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
ImageImage
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Emek
Joined: Sun 31 Dec, 2006 18:45
Posts: 389

  M roadster S50
Location: Wroclaw

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Emek »

Hi, Did you done all like on this link?
https://www.justanswer.com/bmw/29d1d-96 ... -seal.html
Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Bumpa »

Thanks for that Emek. I will check that window adjustment procedure. The rain definitely gets past the seal where the fixed glass meets the windscreen frame. So far nothing I have tried has cured it, but it is cold here now and the car has a top cover on to keep the rain out. Once the weather changes I will have another look at it. Here on the west Scottish coast the weather changes often!
ebor
Joined: Tue 10 Jul, 2012 20:26
Posts: 1

  Z3 coupe 2.8

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by ebor »

Hi did you cure your water problem ? I've got the same thing. Tried Gummi but no good. Gently sprayed water at it and can see it going over the lower sill.Seat out several times to dry out, eventually bought a Cabrio half cover from Germany to try and keep it dry. Bit like you Devon is very wet so if and when summer arrives I will dry it ouut and try again.
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BonBon
Joined: Tue 08 Jan, 2008 21:10
Posts: 1227

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by BonBon »

I'm not sure Gummi is hydrophobic.
I've had success on the top of the window by using a hydrophobic spray used for waterproofing canvas (roofs and/or tents). In small/tight areas I apply it with my finger after spraying into the can cap.
There are many vendors - just a couple of examples:
https://www.campingworld.co.uk/en/Kampa ... 18460.aspx
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikwax-Tent-So ... B001HRRZSK
Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Bumpa »

Yes, I seem to have stopped it getting in. I used a two-fold assault after much close inspection of what was happening when it rained.

Firstly I borrowed an idea from this or the Zroadster.org forum (can't remember which). The idea was to beef up the seal on the windscreen frame where the quarter glass meets it. I got a black bicycle inner tube and cut a strip long enough to go from the top of the seal to a couple of inches below the bottom of it and stuck the piece of inner tube to the seal with black RTV silicon. If you look closely you will notice it, but I don't see it at all now.

However, that didn't stop it running down the front vertical part of the seal on the door opening, tracking along the bottom and then spilling over the sill into the car. I have cured that by taking a length of soft rubber strip (https://www.woolies-trim.co.uk/product/ ... onge-strip) and sticking it with RTV silicone down the front edge of the door, butting up to the door trim, and I left it longer then the bottom of the door seal. This is compressed by the seal round the frame when the door is shut and has stopped the rain from finding a way past the seal. In my photo I have tried to ring it in green.

EDIT, I can't attach the photo because the board tells me the board attachment quota has been reached, whatever that means.

Being a belt and braces man, I have also bought a cabrio cover which the car wears a lot of the time, but I do seem to have stopped the floors getting wet.
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Gazza
Joined: Tue 04 Oct, 2005 20:58
Posts: 9521

  M roadster S54
Location: Romford Essex

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Gazza »

Bumpa wrote: Thu 05 Apr, 2018 16:01

EDIT, I can't attach the photo because the board tells me the board attachment quota has been reached, whatever that means.

We don't host pictures, you have to use imgur or similar and paste a link.
Gazza

"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"

Z3 S54 M roadster Image, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
ImageImage
Bumpa
Joined: Fri 23 Jun, 2017 20:31
Posts: 70

  Z3 roadster 2.2i

Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by Bumpa »

OK, here's the link to the photo.
https://imgur.com/a/6mMQ6
vzh7gk
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  Z3 roadster 1.9
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Re: Rain Water Ingress - I'm out of ideas

Post by vzh7gk »

Image

Hope that worked :)
Graham (G4FUJ)
Prescott marshal and Hill Controller
Found another Z3 so back here after a long break :) 1999 1.9, Palmetto Green
1 Morgan 4/4 (selling in Spring) and a Land Rover 90 (keeping forever)
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