photo request

Post pictures of your car and discuss it here. One car per thread, and keep it on-topic, please!
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martyb
Joined: Thu 10 Jan, 2013 16:53
Posts: 308

  Z3 roadster 1.9

photo request

Post by martyb »

Hey fowks. I'm on to ask a favour.

Can someone, ideally a couple, take a picture of their car for me.

I'm talk about the rear of the roof where the rubber seal meets the bodywork panel between the roof and boot lid.

My issue is that since I've got my new roof on I've had water gather in the boot and the rubber has came out about an inch, exposing a hard plastic trim that seems to have a gap just enough which I'm guessing is letting in water.

Please can someone help pulling my hair out the now. It'll be going back to the fitters asap but I want to make sure I have evidence of what it should be like.

Cheers chaps.
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: photo request

Post by Southernboy »

.... If water is getting in there, it's nought to do with the rubber strip... that's just "trim"...
The hard plastic strip you mention is part of a dual strip - the other is a metal strip. These have a number of holes through which bolts pass with the roof fabric sandwhiched between them... They also should have been trimmed with a strips of Butyl.... the first strip of butyl is between the plastic and the body, the second strip is between the roof fabric and the plastic strip, and the metal strip then is fitted last and the whole lot is bolted up compressing the butyl and making the seal. The bolts are fitted and tightened from the center outwards left and right all the way round to the sides just aft of the door frame areas... :wink:
"Normal is overrated"
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martyb
Joined: Thu 10 Jan, 2013 16:53
Posts: 308

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: photo request

Post by martyb »

Would this let water run down the rear of the boot wall southernboy?

The amount of trim exposed is slightly worrying though as its tucked tight at the door edges but as it gets the rear it comes out exposing the trim and showing a lined gap between rubber seal and bodywork I'll take a pic tomorrow and put it on.
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: photo request

Post by Southernboy »

water should drain around to the sides and into 2 "catch trays" which then drain down and out... ie. the rubber seal shouldn't have any effect on water drainage.
It should be easy enough to remove and re-fit so that it is flush all the way round... The ends of that rubber trim are held by plastic clips which press into the gap aft of the door frame... Just inside of that position is where the "catch trays" are located... they should have drain holes at the bottom and those must be checked that they aren't blocked....
"Normal is overrated"
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Jonco
Joined: Sat 04 Jun, 2011 07:24
Posts: 402

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: photo request

Post by Jonco »

martyb wrote:.................
Can someone, ideally a couple, take a picture of their car for me. .
A few photos in here that may be of interest http://webspace.ringling.edu/~dplassma/ ... html#step4

HTH
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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: photo request

Post by Southernboy »

.... well done !! that should clarify the correct way to seal the rear window / roof ... :wink:
"Normal is overrated"
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martyb
Joined: Thu 10 Jan, 2013 16:53
Posts: 308

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: photo request

Post by martyb »

thanks for the requests guys. Im going to use that guide hopefully to show him.

This is the part im talking about. Could anyone confirm if this is where the leak could be coming from?

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I think it should be more like how it starts at the edges..Image
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Then this is the area (dry now in the pic) the water was leaking into.

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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: photo request

Post by Southernboy »

I understood you meant that part, but as I said, it's a trim not a seal.... the sealing is done in the roof to body fitment by use of the butyl... However, that rubber trim should be flush all the way around, with only the round top part above the body line...
"Normal is overrated"
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martyb
Joined: Thu 10 Jan, 2013 16:53
Posts: 308

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: photo request

Post by martyb »

Yeah I was just wanting to show you how it was sitting. I'm not overly fussed of that's not the leak mind you. He had another look at it and redone the seals. I'm going to wait and see how this goes over the next week or two. Because there was quite a significant amount of water. He said he cleared the channels of any blockage, I checked the third brake light gasket n it was ok.

So I'm kind of stumped how water got in! :roll:
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martyb
Joined: Thu 10 Jan, 2013 16:53
Posts: 308

  Z3 roadster 1.9

Re: photo request

Post by martyb »

Having some really confusing issues now with the leak.

On days where its been raining heavily I've found none to little and on small showers I find a decent puddle in the rear.

I have stripped out the boot and this is where the water is coming in from. You can see where it runs in from the dried line. I have had sealant put in which has brought the level of water gathering down alot but still getting a small amount in. I have ordered captain tolleys crack cure as recommended on this forum by a few. Does anyone have any idea how its got to here?

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Southernboy
Joined: Thu 07 Oct, 2010 12:39
Posts: 6436

  Z3 roadster 3.0i
Location: Johannesburg

Re: photo request

Post by Southernboy »

Never seen that before !! Suggest you dry it up, put a comfortable cushion in the boot you can lay your back on and get a large tube of silicone sealant and a squeezer / gun thing and pump the stuff in right across the join... Use a wet finger to smooth it afterwards and then also have a look see if you can approach those areas from the top...
"Normal is overrated"
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Robert T
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Joined: Mon 12 Jun, 2006 10:35
Posts: 10170

  Z3 roadster 1.9
Location: Cheshire

Re: photo request

Post by Robert T »

If I'm looking at that photo the right way up, the leak is right at the front of the boot, directly below the softtop box inside the car. Is the liner inside the car wet? If it is, the usual culprit is the rear windscreen.

Another possibility is that the drains for the roof are blocked - they are located immediately behind the B-pillars - when the car is parked on the level, the rear lip of the roof channels water forwards and it drains down through some tubing and out of the bottom of the car. If you park your car on an upslope, the water can't drain and sits on the roof for a long time and can soak through the roof, so always try to park your car facing downhill.

Cheers R.
Arctic Silver '99 Z3 1.9 & Black '59 Frogeye 1275cc
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