Sunroof leak

Left the car outside and unused and looking unloved for a few weeks before Christmas as too busy with work. The inevitable battery failure over Christmas but also the headlining was soaked!! Hoovered all the water out of it and started to investigate. Appears to leak both sides at the plastic part that's on the sunroof cassette going to the rear drain tubes. Checked and it appears these aren't available and I guess would have been glued in so for now I've put some silicone and will monitor. However, drivers side tube has a split so that explains that side!! Anyone had to replace one?? How easy is it to remove and retread the new one to the outside?? Been contemplating some sort of repair?! Like sleeving it somehow with tubing.

This sounds challenging to be honest .. best solution for a split tube i can think of is some sort of tape like this .. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Premium-Bl...kZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1&smid=A82TWSVY98E9Y Workshop manual is here but it doesn't say how to replace this tube that i can see .. http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=83491 Section 6 . water leaks via tubes and drop the headlining at the rear and stick an airline each way is all i can suggest . Unfortunately this is not a job i've done before so can be of little help .

Thanks demort. I've read that the tubes are installed early in production so not fancying going back to the start to install a new one!! I'll find a solution I'm sure! Lines are clear. Just the drip from the insert into the cassette end but the silicone should stop that. If not some plumbers cement may help

I had a similar issue a few years ago. My previous post may help - I removed the end caps, cleaned out the residual black mastic gunk & replaced with some fresh sealant. http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=140094 I've not tried replacing the tube, but if you remove the c pillar trim, you can access the top half of the tube. I'm not sure if the lower half is accessible behind the wheel arch trim, but if you pull the old one through with something flexible (like an electricians cable rods https://amzn.eu/d/0Yhew5X ) then you might be able to use this to feed in a new tube. I don't have the link to hand, but I'm certain someone else on the forum needed to replace the front passenger side tube a couple of years ago, & posted a thread about the challenges he faced.

Thanks sp1ke. As described I glued the ends back on with some silicone today and fingers crossed that seems to have sorted that part. I'm going to repair the split in the pipe with a puncture repair, wrap it and and then clip it so the slit is on top and I think we'll be ok with that. I was surprised how many drips came in when it was raining just a little bit so I think maybe the outer seal should be replaced?! At 20years old it's maybe done it's life

In happier news it sailed through the mot this morning with absolutely no issues!!!

Congrats on sailing through the MOT FWIW I did the outer seal that goes around the sunroof several years ago, but I don't think that is designed to prevent any significant water ingress. If your attempt at fixing the tube isn't enough & you don't want to replace the whole thing, you may be able to cut & join a section behind the c pillar

The only complication is the fact the pipe is ribbed. If it was a flat tube I think it would be far easier to patch up. I have some metal fuel hose straight connectors from some stuff I've done with motorbikes but I'm unsure if they're the correct diameter but they're relatively cheap and easy to come by if I have to get some. I'm sure I can make that water tight without renewing the whole pipe. Not trying to bodge something but I'm assuming it's routing may make it awkward from when it leaves the rear internally and passes to the connector behind the arch. I don't really fancy reverse building a 996!!!!!

FYI this is the other thread re: the front drainage tube, I was thinking of. http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=149300 FWIW I don't recall the rear drainage tube being ribbed on my car (see pic 2 from my thread which shows a small part of it). I've only ever stripped mine back to behind the C pillar, so I may be wrong but, from the diagram in that thread, I suspect the rear tube might be easier to work with as it doesn't seem to have the angled connection to the grommet like the front tubes.

Hmmmm, that is weird, all the pictures on line are of clear pipes. Both sides of mine are black, ribbed pipes?!?! How odd! I might try a straight connector, I've found a brass 8mm to 8mm one in my box of bits, taped and wrapped that would be a good repair.

996 and certain pipes are smooth .. 996 and into 997 and the pipes are ribbed .. i often see both on Targa drain tubes on the different models . I have had a split tube on a Targa which will be the same as yours i expect .. due to cost implications in this instance i had to do a repair .. I basically cut the pipe at the split and fitted one of the below items to join both sections .. i then taped over the repair . It did the job shall we say over a costly replacement . https://workshopping.co.uk/hardware...-assorted-plastic-pipe-joiners-box-70-pieces? Might be available individually here but i didnt search 32 pages lol .. https://uk.rs-online.com/web/c/plumbing-pipeline/hose-pipe-fittings/hose-connectors/

Thats it Demort!!! Thats exactly the thing i have but in brass. Think i used them for an drain outlet on a pressurized airbox I concocted on a motorcycle!!! They work well and then Ill just wrap it in tape. It looks like the trim has previously been off and a clip is missing to hold the pipe back to the frame so im guessing its either been an issue previously or been caused when the trims been removed for whatever reason! I cant stand sunroofs to be honest and really didnt want one but finding a turbo without one is like searching for a dodo riding a unicorn!!!

Brass or plastic and it will do the job .. you have to make sure you bind the pipe in a tape that's water impervious if possible over this repair . It's not the best solution obviously but it will do the job which at the end of the day is what we need . :thumb:

So some success but not total!!! Managed to glue and seal the outlets back into the sunroof cassette. They definitely are ok now. Got a 16mm to 8mm plastic straight connector to repair the split drain pipe work and that's fine. Whilst doing it all I thought I'd strip all the interior out and leave it out whilst I rain to see what's happening. Rear screen is wet now it's raining on the passenger side top and bottom so I reckon we've had a few different leaks. Does the outer seal do anything?? It looks to me like it's bonded in and I can see water in the corners but it'll just be tiger seal or sikabond stuff rather than a gasket I think. Does the outer seal prevent water ingress or is it just a seal between glass and metal and the issue is actually with the bonding in ?? I'm going to get a cover for it whilst it sits outside and the weather is awful but obviously it needs an actual repair rather than putting a cover on!

Front and rear screens are bonded in place .. ie glued so unless there is a gap the screens cant leak ... I have seen replacement screens leak after being replaced though . Headlining down or out .. then left in the wet or water test .. if water is getting into a car then with no panels in the way you will see where its coming from . I had a one off leak many years ago which i posted here but i have no idea how to find that post now .. basically it was the n/s/r roof rail support .. that little panel on the roof that folds up .. under that the connection had not been properly sealed from new . If someone could find that post it might help .. bear in mind though that was the first and only instance i've seen of that leak in 18 years . I remember GMG commented on it as i had a magnifying glass on it to spot the crack in the sealant .