Thread: Series 3 roof leaking - solutions?

Mine leaks, I just put up with it. I am currently driving around without the drivers door top, (nearly always do) sometimes I get a little wet, but it is just part of the thrill of driving a Series Land Rover.

Cheers, Mick.

Which is ok until the novelty of getting wet wears off, after a few days of rain like we've had in Brisbane this week. You know it's heavy when it starts coming in under the seam in the roof as pictured and under the roof-body capping seal at the back.

I sometimes think that I'd be drier on a motorbike.

those spray cans of leak sealer can be pretty handy for those sorts of leaks...

It is very difficult to leak-proof a series roof.

The main problem is water coming under the jointing between the gutter and aluminium roof skin. The only long term effective repair of this problem is to drill out the 6 million rivets, scrape off the dead sealant and replace with Sikaflex then re-rivet 6 million new rivets.

Without seam welding the joint between the roof skin and the nose panel (as depicted in your images) other solutions are only temporary. Sikaflex rarely penetrates the gap, so Inc's fix is likely one of the better ones or you can use some of the aluminium backed sealing strip, although it is designesd for an external application. Both repairs require the roof to be dust free and completely dry before application.

Make sure the alpine window is sealing and key-rubber intact, if not replace Key rubber and re-fit window, using winscreen sealant on both the glass and to the aluminium skin. (Wipe off excess)

You should also re-seal the fixings for the tropical roof, the spacers are prone to cracking and then water gets in and finds its way inside the cab. If you find any loose fixings, inspect the spacer for damage and replace the rubber seal under the washer then re-tighten.

Diana

As always Diana you are a great source of information. Thankfully I don't have the tropical roof or the alpine windows to worry about so that eliminates some of the trouble. My seal between the front of the roof and the windscreen frame is very crusty and on close examination there are a few gaps. I salvaged the seal from another vehicle so may be able to squeeze it in there with some sealant and get a good close seal.

I used to get a lot of water coming in between the roof and the gutter, some bright spark had used what looked like putty and it had cracked out on the outside. I chiseled all that away around the whole roof turret, sealed it from the outside and the inside with silicone sealer and haven't had a problem since.

My roof looks like someone or something has hit it causing a slight rut and probably poppint the seam letting the water in. The joys of preowned cars. Hopefully my new door tops, maybe some new door seals, a bit of silicone and some sheer dumb luck might give me a bit of relief.

Originally Posted by pfillery

As always Diana you are a great source of information. Thankfully I don't have the tropical roof or the alpine windows to worry about so that eliminates some of the trouble. My seal between the front of the roof and the windscreen frame is very crusty and on close examination there are a few gaps. I salvaged the seal from another vehicle so may be able to squeeze it in there with some sealant and get a good close seal.

I used to get a lot of water coming in between the roof and the gutter, some bright spark had used what looked like putty and it had cracked out on the outside. I chiseled all that away around the whole roof turret, sealed it from the outside and the inside with silicone sealer and haven't had a problem since.

My roof looks like someone or something has hit it causing a slight rut and probably poppint the seam letting the water in. The joys of preowned cars. Hopefully my new door tops, maybe some new door seals, a bit of silicone and some sheer dumb luck might give me a bit of relief.

It is a mongrel of a job to replace the windscreen assy (with new seals) without taking the roof off. I did it about a month or so ago. The problem I faced was, with the station wagon, the B pillars were 'difficult' to unbolt because of the 'tart it up' kit installed on/in my vehicle and the seatbelt mounts all causing grief. Removing the headlining surrounds and all those bits and bobs would have been a pain in the butt. Looking back, I would go for the pain in the butt. It would have allowed me some measure of lift at the front to get the new screen in.

As it was, I basically put the screen in the car and pushed it out into place.

No leaks there, now.

Also did the gutter sealing job, too. Down to one small leak now from the door seal (that is one of the next things to be replaced).

Originally Posted by pfillery

As always Diana you are a great source of information. Thankfully I don't have the tropical roof or the alpine windows to worry about so that eliminates some of the trouble. ...

I saw the image with a leak and a bolt sticking through the panel and merely assumed it was a wagon roof, which by definition would have an alpine window. Serves me right for not looking closely!

take the door tops off and open the front vents.

you wont notice the roof leaks anymore.