Sunroof still leaking...wtf am i missing?

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Well im doing my brakes today, at least i know those will be fixed. As for the windshield leaking i sincerly doubt it, i had my assistant spray the windscreen for minutes while watching for a leak and nothing. The second water comes down the headliner it comes down where you see rust starting to form.

ill probably take out he sunroof again and really inspect it, did silicon spray help?
 
If you've tried the wire and bicycle tube fix and they didn't work, your glass is going to have to be replaced. Take a look at the front corners of the glass gasket and you will see why. They get the most wear and eventually enough gasket is worn away and it won't seal. The tube fix worked for me, but I know it will only last a few years before more of the gasket is worn off and it will leak again, promtly a new replacement.
 
cool breeze said:
Well im doing my brakes today, at least i know those will be fixed. As for the windshield leaking i sincerly doubt it, i had my assistant spray the windscreen for minutes while watching for a leak and nothing. The second water comes down the headliner it comes down where you see rust starting to form.

ill probably take out he sunroof again and really inspect it, did silicon spray help?
Click to expand...

The silcone spray merely helped to spruce up an old, weather gasket. It looks great but still leaks!:doh:
 
UPDATE:
Bicycle tube installed all around sunroof seal so now I have a very snug fit and still leaking....at least its quiet though.

So the past month has been damn right wet here, we got almost 9" the other night AND my junk still is leaking. Beyond frustrated I went and sat in the truck during a good pouring out to see if i could better track down the point of entry.

With the headline sunroof trim pulled down to see in the sunroof tray, I can get a good look at the water slowly seeping past the sunroof seal and into the pan. Its not overflowing like i had originally thought. So there is a problem in the waters passage way from the tray and down the A pillar OR windshield. How can i tell if its the windshield?

Really the only way i see this being fixed is pulling off most of the dash to see where the water is coming in...
 
I cleared the drain tubes on my FJ80 by pushing a long and stiff 10 gauge wire down them. However, when I applied a good force-stream of water into the passenger side drain tube, I noticed a leak on the inside at the A-pillar.

I re-examined the spare sunroof which is removed.
At each corner of the sunroof the vinyl drain tubes are normally connected to the sunroof pan by small, metal, tension clamps.
There is the possibility - and I believe someone else has mentioned this - that the clamp may have worked loose. The sunroof pan drain-tube nipples are about one inch long.

Also, the sunroof pan drain nipples are not integral or one-piece with the pan. They appear to be plastic-welded or glued to the corners of the pan.
I'm thinking there is the added possibility the joint seam may have developed a crack which would allow water to seep down the outside of the tube. Hence, the wet spot I witnessed on the interior fabric of the A-frame about six inches down from the roof corner.

One of these days I will go in and report back.
 
voorland80 said:
I cleared the drain tubes on my FJ80 by pushing a long and stiff 10 gauge wire down them. However, when I applied a good force-stream of water into the passenger side drain tube, I noticed a leak on the inside at the A-pillar.

I re-examined the spare sunroof which is removed.
At each corner of the sunroof the vinyl drain tubes are normally connected to the sunroof pan by small, metal, tension clamps.
There is the possibility - and I believe someone else has mentioned this - that the clamp may have worked loose. The sunroof pan drain-tube nipples are about one inch long.

Also, the sunroof pan drain nipples are not integral or one-piece with the pan. They appear to be plastic-welded or glued to the corners of the pan.
I'm thinking there is the added possibility the joint seam may have developed a crack which would allow water to seep down the outside of the tube. Hence, the wet spot I witnessed on the interior fabric of the A-frame about six inches down from the roof corner.

One of these days I will go in and report back.
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Any report back? :) I have the same issue... leak near the top of the A-piller, likely where the plastic tube connects with the nipple.
 
asutherland said:
Any report back? :) I have the same issue... leak near the top of the A-piller, likely where the plastic tube connects with the nipple.
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I had all the same issues on my RHD "Drivers side" A-pillar and floor mats and thought it was the Sunroof leaking. I realized it was actually the windshield that was leaking, but only after I taped the sunroof shut as a test.

I have an aftermarket glass that is just shy of the original dimensions for the stock glass - this was the issue. Regardless, the seal on your windshield may be compromised and only a new one with new sealant installed by a knowledgeable Windshield company will solve the issue.

I'm still battling mine after 4 reseal attempts - I think I'm going to have to get a stock glass replacement after all...
 
HDJ81 said:
I had all the same issues on my RHD "Drivers side" A-pillar and floor mats and thought it was the Sunroof leaking. I realized it was actually the windshield that was leaking, but only after I taped the sunroof shut as a test.

I have an aftermarket glass that is just shy of the original dimensions for the stock glass - this was the issue. Regardless, the seal on your windshield may be compromised and only a new one with new sealant installed by a knowledgeable Windshield company will solve the issue.

I'm still battling mine after 4 reseal attempts - I think I'm going to have to get a stock glass replacement after all...
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I have factory glass, and have definitely confirmed it's not the window that's leaking... it's the sunroof. I carefully poured water into the sunroof (not getting any on the front window) and it leaks down the inside of the A-piller.
 
Easiest fix to buy a new sunroof. I think I paid around $300.
The install is about 15 min.

Enjoy a:beer: and a dry truck!

LandCrusher80
 
landcrusher80 said:
Easiest fix to buy a new sunroof. I think I paid around $300.
The install is about 15 min.

Enjoy a:beer: and a dry truck!

LandCrusher80
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What is the procedure for this? Is it really that easy to replace one?
 
Have you checked the little (white) roller wheels in the front for flat spots? Some people have used a wedge to push it up just as it closes the last 1" or two. It slides closed and then lifts to close the last inch or so to seal.
 
try the windshield seal

I also thought I had a leaky sunroof it ended up being the windshield(leaking at the very top of the DS a pillar). I replaced it and the problem went away. I think your looking in the wrong place. These old seals in the windshield suck and are known for leaking.
 
gtfour43 said:
What is the procedure for this? Is it really that easy to replace one?
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I replaced mine as well. I got a new one from CDan. It took me about an hour to swap out. It's as easy as removing the plastic trim around the glass, undoing the 3 nuts per side and lifting the old one out through the top. Swap over the little metal clippy things that the plastic trim bolts to and install the new one. You might need to shim it a little (I used some washers) so that when the glass closes, it is flush with the top of the roof. Knock on wood - I haven't had any leaks since.
 
You need to rig a hose on the roof and run it down each side of the windshield along each A pillar and across the windshield.
This is what I did and the leak showed up within a few minutes of running the hose.
I could not tell exactly where the windshield was leaking but I knew it was the windshield.
I then followed Firetruck's write up on how to reseal the windshield and all has been good so far.
The gasket on the windshield seemed good all the way around I thought, but it does not take much for it to leak.
 
So found the origin of entry for water this summer. Really a doosey!

Had to pull the drivers fender and cowl to find the body seam just left of the wiper motors. It must have come unsealed over the years. Silicon and no leak free.
 
Kernal said:
Got any photos of that area you could post up?
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Good call! Forgot i took a couple of pics.

This is looking into the cowl area with the fender removed.
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View from the top of cowl towards the fender
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Overall area in question
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maybe if you talented but i had to remove the fender skin. its only like 8 bolts holding it but you have to cut the sealant to separate the two fenders.
 
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