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leaking high top

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mattm123 View Drop Down
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    Posted: 30 Dec 17 at 14:16
Hi all

I opened up the van today to discover that the mattress in the back is soaking! We have had a huge amount of rain over the last few days so perhaps not a complete shocker but still, it's really wet!!

The water is coming in from the rusty patch and seatbelt belt bolt above the rear shelf, the rust patch is fairly historic and I assume is caused by the same leak, that said I've not noticed any water coming in before (Last 12 months)

I don't think the water is not coming in from the tailgate seal because there is some nice gaffa tape from the high top to the boot (added by the previous owner, and i've been too chicken to look underneath) which stops water getting into the gully above the tail gate.

My guess would be the roof light seal? i the front one has been changed at some point but the rear one looks proper old!

Any advice/points/places to look much appreciated!

Here are some photos which might help







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Chops View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chops Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 30 Dec 17 at 22:15
Even if it is the rooflight seal I think you need the roof taking off to sort out the corrosion underneath.

There will be corrosion underneath the roof around the edges, i'm afraid.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 17 at 16:05
Roof is not coming off!!! That's a massive job
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chops Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 31 Dec 17 at 23:15
That's fine.  But given you've taken the trouble to take photos and ask questions:

Don't be too chicken to look under the bit of tape.  It's low risk and you can replace it afterwards if you need to.

I would drill those rivets out on the corroded panel and have a look underneath.

Or get a willing volunteer to turn the hosepipe on different bits of the roof as you watch and wait in the back for leaks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 01 Jan 18 at 16:51
thanks, i took the tape off and nothing really of any significance underneath

Having a proper look at the roof light today i can see that if i apply a bit of gentle pressure to the high top to flex the fibre glass around the frame of the rear roof light in some places I can create a gap between the roof light frame and the roof itself, i suspect this shouldn't be the case.

so i've gone around the rear roof light with some RTV silicone ........ probably need take the roof light out and re-seat it but will see if this makes any difference


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 18 at 21:47
Drip drip drip......Bother that cat!!

Well my quick attempt to seal around the edges of the roof light has done nothing!!!

So either the silicon didn't take (it's pretty cold and damp at the moment so this might be the case but not had a chance to get up on the roof and check) or I'm pissed about in the wrong place.

The gutter rails are lower than the point the water leaks in at so am ruling them out for now

The only other place I can think of is the two screw like things at the back of the high top?

Can anyone help diagnose? Also what sealant should I be using to reseat the roof light?

M

Edited by mattm123 - 02 Jan 18 at 21:51
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote fufflenarnia Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Jan 18 at 22:09
Tigerseal can stick anything to anything and is used to reseal/glue the hightop on if your brave enough to remove it.

Why not get someone with a hose to direct it as you look inside for the leak?

It can be scary under a high top, they can rust like bugger, you could try taking a look with an endoscope to see if there is water in there - you would need to make an access hole in the bed somewhere?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Jan 18 at 13:50
Water dripping is now dripping in thought the handel of the skylight, so i think i can sure at least one is leaking!!

will get some Tigerseal

Thanks

M
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 18 at 09:28
I've take the trim off both the roof lights from the inside and had a good poke around in the roof space, and can't see ANY signs of water ingress!!!!!!!

So if the roof lights aren't letting the water in what is!!!!!! 

Does anyone know what the two bolt looking things at the back of the high top are for /do? could water be getting in through these? can i take them out and have a look?

M
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote B4Tfink Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 18 at 14:46
You said it was dripping off the skylight handle have you cleaned up the seals for the skylights? 
Put some rubber friendly wproof grease or similar on them to make sure they seal properly .. rain bouncing off roof coming in through seal maybe.

I suspect though its coming in from round the skirt of the hitop ,try cleaning it up well and reseal with tigerseal or similar

Maybe even put poly sheets over the skylights and tape/seal them temporarily to rule them in or out of your problem finding. 

Put a pic up of the bolts your worried about and what it looks like under the tape you removed. 

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Edited by B4Tfink - 05 Jan 18 at 14:55
Best get on then ........
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chops Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 05 Jan 18 at 22:33
You could take those bolts off at the back of the high top but ensure you can access the inside.

But first I would still get that rusty riveted panel off behind the top inside tailgate and have a look.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 18 at 08:43
that panel is also spot welded so not that easy to remove


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jason k Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 18 at 09:26
I had a leak in my old westy in the same place.
My problem was the grommet tubes for the heated screen and rear wash wipe had rotted out on the top and were letting water in.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 06 Jan 18 at 12:55
Good point the washer (RHS) one of mine is looking pretty nasty will replace. Anyone know if the part is available or can I just use the LHS one sold on brickwerks? How do you get the wires/tube through?

Edited by mattm123 - 06 Jan 18 at 13:01
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mattm123 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 Jan 18 at 21:00
I've ordered the tailgate rubber grommet (tube) for the rear washer pipe.

Any ideas which end of the washer water tube is better to unplug? Looked at taking it of the pump in the tailgate and pulling it out before feeding it through the grommet and back down to the pump but not sure how easy it will be to get it back down the side of the tailgate.

Anyone done this?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jason k Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 Jan 18 at 19:09
I took mine out the hatchback end its a pita!
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RogerT View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote RogerT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Feb 18 at 20:07
Your leak sounds identical to mine. A temporary fix while on holiday was duct tape round the edge of the roof and over the gutter(not attractive!)

Took my roof off, as I pretty much knew what was underneath...

See here. http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=163051 halfway down my first post.

I’m sorry for your loss. http://forum.club8090.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=163051

Edited by RogerT - 23 Feb 18 at 20:17
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