Pop up sunroof leak...but where?

I have an '88 with a leaky sunroof...and I can't for the life of me figure out where the leak is.

I tried sealing the sunroof with sicaflex or w/e and it still leaked (literally sealed everything). Then I pulled the drain plugs, stuck the air compressor to them and put them back on (while also using sicaflex at the joints). It just started raining today since doing that...and I found I still have a leak somewhere.

I get tons of condensation on the roof under the headliner and it starts to drip on the drivers corner. I also know it's not the windshield because I just got a new window a few weeks ago, went back to them and told them about the leak and they proved pretty well that it isn't the window (I work next-door to them so they're pretty legit to me).

ANYONE have any tips? I'd seal it off again if I thought it'd do anything, but it doesn't seem to. It LOOKS like it's leaking at the sunroof frame mounts (torque-ish bolt heads).

~Scott

Not sure about the models with sunroof's but is it possible to pull the headliner out completely, then have a buddy soak it down with a bucket of water or a hose while you sit inside and watch? That might be the best way to find out where it's coming in at and then tracing it back from there. Also could it possibly be the roof rack rails where the bolts go through the roof that's leaking?

i would check all of your bolts on your roof rack to see if they are loose, that is the source on my 89

Ok I tightened up the bolts on the roof rack, they were a little loose...I guess we'll see how that works.

It is possible to pull the headliner...but it's just more work then I'm trying to do this time of year on my rig. Hopefully the roof rack will work. I can't believe I forgot those, thanks for mentioning it.

~Scott

watch out for the 2 screws holding the pain of glass in mine leaked i used some rtv and it sealed it up

This may not apply, but I had a leak in my 90 for years. Soaked the rear carpet in the storage area. It got wet right behind the spare. Did the whole RTV the window a couple of times then finally tore everthing out and used a hose.

There is a trim piece that covers the seam between the roof and the side panel. The seam was not completly sealed. The trim acted like a wick and sucked up the water in the gutter into the seam. Leaked down the inside of the body and then onto the inside of the body ending up on the carpet.

I thought for years it was either the fiberglass hatch seal (yes replaced that too) or the window!

Well it still leaks after tightening the roof rack bolts...

sjx40250, thanks for the tip...I'm having a hard time following what you mean, but it sounds like it's something that wouldn't affect a leak in the front.

~Scott

well where exactly does the water pool in the headliner

Well it's been raining pretty good today, I took that as an opportunity to pull the headliner down and seek out the leak. It's leaking off one of the bolts at the corner of the drivers side of the sun roof (front corner). I believe it's a "frame" bolt for the sunroof, so my guess is it's loose or the seal is bad. Trick is it's a weird bolt, it's like a torx but more like the torx screwdriver rather than a torx bolt head (so the impression goes out rather than in, if that makes sense).

Anyone know where I can get a tool for this? I'm going to try locking pliers on it...but I don't think that will work that well.

~Scott

That's an e-Torx head. Get a size 6 e-torx socket at any tool store.

I had to buy a whole set just to get that odd-ball size. Good thing it was only $12 for the set.

Get it in somewhere, out of the rain, and then dry everything with towels and blow dry with compressed air.

Once thoroughly dry, take some baby powder and "dust" all of the sealing surfaces. Close it tightly, and then use a spray bottle and wet it down. Follow the streaks in the powder.

joe_peters said:

Get it in somewhere, out of the rain, and then dry everything with towels and blow dry with compressed air.

Once thoroughly dry, take some baby powder and "dust" all of the sealing surfaces. Close it tightly, and then use a spray bottle and wet it down. Follow the streaks in the powder.

Click to expand...

Would this tell me where the water's coming from? I assume you mean to spray water on the outside and let it drip in?

My most recent idea is to pull the "frame" of the sunroof, and reseal it. I have the seal they use (Mopar) because I bought the kit awhile back (like $100!!!!) but was never sure what the sticky tape was until now.

~Scott

Muddy Beast said:

Would this tell me where the water's coming from? I assume you mean to spray water on the outside and let it drip in?

My most recent idea is to pull the "frame" of the sunroof, and reseal it. I have the seal they use (Mopar) because I bought the kit awhile back (like $100!!!!) but was never sure what the sticky tape was until now.

~Scott

Click to expand...

Yes, spray it on the outside.

Ok I figured it out. I pulled the bottom attachments for the sunroof frame, found the sunroof brackets had a nice gap from the sheet metal so I used sicaflex around the perimeter of the gap from the inside, bolted it all up and called it a day. The next day it rained and I noticed I still had water collecting, so I pulled the roof rack on the drivers side. Turns out no matter how tight the seal was for the roof rack mounts it still leaked, so I put sicaflex around all of the rubber boots for mounting the roof rack, then on the hardware I added some sicaflex. Now, no more leaks.

I can post pics later if someone wants of the gap I sealed.

~Scott