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| swt Member Since: 24 Aug 2018 Location: Cumbria Posts: 149   
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I am in a similar position at the moment. I'd completely re-done the (external) gutter, but it's still coming in at the rear-facing edge of the seam where the front (sloping) section of the roof meets the rear. The leak into the outer internal gutter is very slow, but when parked for a while in heavy rain, a fair amount gets in, especially if the front of the vehicle is higher. It pools at the rear, spilling over into the loadspace eventually, and when I pull off, dumps the lot into my lap at the first downhill.
I find dealing with roof leaks much easier with the headlining out - and this will reveal whether there is anything at the front. From what you say, the top of the windscreen frame seems the less likely culprit. |
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30th Dec 2023 8:38pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
I’ll suggest three things that might be an issue here.
The first, given the time of year, is condensation on the underside of the roof. If you’ve only the standard roof lining, then I think moisture can form on the underside and then run down into the internal guttering when moving. Second is cross-wise seam on the roof, where the flat, rear section meets the slope above the cab. Particularly where this curves down on each side, I’ve seen large gaps. Lastly, and most likely in my experience, are the alpine-light windows (if you have them fitted). I used to get the ‘shower on the knee’ until I put new seals in, and then a bead of arbomast sealant in between the seal and the roof, as well as in between the seal and the glass. I did also dig out and replace all the sealant in my external gutter (pics in my ‘tinkering’ thread) but I think that would have to be pretty bad to give an awful lot of leakage. You have my sympathy though - I’m trying to deal with the same issue again, though it’s the bottom of the windscreen corner…. again! Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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30th Dec 2023 10:01pm |
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| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 746 
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Thanks for the reply.
Any idea what the best way is to clean out and reseal the side to side joint on the roof. 1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper. Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS |
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31st Dec 2023 12:56pm |
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| donmacn Member Since: 07 Nov 2017 Location: Nth Scotland Posts: 1829 |
It is awkward. I have to say that I didn’t bother cleaning it out, access is really poor.
The first thing I tried was ‘Captain Tolley’s’ but of course that’s so liquid it just ended up running out the bottom, so I used a thin bead of white sikaflex. The same stuff I’d used to do the external guttering. If this seam was leaking, this probably did the job for a while. Because my car was an airport operations vehicle in its first life, there were various holes drilled for beacons etc. They’ve been well enough sealed, but it’s not pretty. I’m also very definitely someone who’d prefer function over looks, so I have occasionally pondered getting the roof cleaned, polished and then ‘wrapped’ with a clear vinyl, or whatever it is they use. That would eliminate any specific roof leaks, which would mean any ingress would be 100% restricted to the alpine-lights. Donald 1994 Defender 300Tdi 110 SW - owned since 2002 - 230k miles and going strong (The 'rolling restoration' or tinkering thread: http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic58538.html ) 2000 Range Rover P38 4.0L V8 in the past.. RR classic - fitted with 200Tdi 1984 RR classic - V8 with ZF auto box 1993 Discovery 300Tdi not to mention the minis and the Type 2 VW camper... |
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31st Dec 2023 1:09pm |
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| 300TDi CSW Phil Member Since: 03 Apr 2016 Location: Bracknell Posts: 746
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Mine is also very much functional rather than show pony so giving it a good clean and then plugging it up and oversealing with something is fine. It'll hardly be visible once the cargo bear rack and roof tent are back on anyway.
Of course if someone wanted to swap a van roof (without sunroof and alpines) for a csw roof (with sunroof and alpines) I'd be quite happy as they serve no purpose for me other than water ingress and I prefer a shower not in my defender  1995 300 Tdi Epsom Green - It's a keeper.
Wide Track Sankey- In bits- Gone to a new home M0XQS |
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31st Dec 2023 1:23pm |
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| Jabberwocky Member Since: 27 Oct 2021 Location: Luxembourg Posts: 195 
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Water ingress? They all do that Sir, perfectly normal.
Direct quote from Land Rover dealer in ‘83 when my dad complained he was getting wet feet. |
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2nd Jan 2024 6:05pm |
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| TexasRover Member Since: 24 Nov 2022 Location: Paris Posts: 794  
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I changed the windscreen and frame a few months ago. I had a good heated windscreen laying about. Since this is a southern car the corrosion is limited, but the seals let through water over time and the corners in particular are a bit tricky to seal up. New seals top and bottom and resecuring the screws on the roof front corner properly (they work loose) has resolved the dripping inside.
I noticed that the top of the bulkhead in the corners where the windscreen seal sits is not all that flat. Deformed at the manufacturing stage it seems so I used a little bit of filler to make it flat for the seal to sit on. |
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3rd Jan 2024 8:01am |
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