Hardtop sunroof leak and seal

[Chad]

Hello,  acquired very cheap a rustfree hardtop with Webasto sunroof from a lake erie parts car. It is rustfree but the headliner is stained and checking it for leaks it looks like the sunroof leaks somewhat into the channel between the metal panels of the hardtop.

Does anyone know if the Webasto sunroof installed on w113 hardtops is supposed to be absolutely water tight (the felt-like lining seems old) or is it supposed to not be watertight but drain through channel drains somewhere within the hardtop??  

Does a leaking sunroof hardtop mean that drains are gunked up/clogged or does it mean that a new seal is in order?? If so, are all Webasto sunroofs the same size?

Just looking for a cheap leakage fix before stripping it down to consider replacing headliner.
Also, Gernold's article basically mentions replacing all rubber, the rubber on this hardtop looks pretty darn nice to me. Has anyone done this and reused the rubber? Hardtop rubber is another item that is absurdly overpriced.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[Chad]

I tried posting pics but my MIT education was too, too long ago before the internet to afford me the technical skill to accomplish that feat on the forum. Maybe pics are too big.

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[Chad]

Checking it again just now I notice that the water quite comically collects in the CENTER-rear portion of the hardtop, which I guess is where you might expect gravity to drain it to, being a Pagoda-shaped surface with slight dip.  I never thought the inward curve was that pronounced before. It seems pretty funny to me.  I just don't understand why there is no rust inside it?

-CD-
1967 230SL, 113.042 10

[rwmastel]

quote:Originally posted by Chad

I tried posting pics ......

Maybe this helps?
http://index.php?topic=12

Rodd
Powell, Ohio, USA
1966 230SL, Euro, Auto, Leather, both  tops
1994 E420

[Tom]

These are all aftermarkert (hence - Webasto) and I think are designed to leak    .My sunroof has drain tubes that evacuate any water that collects from the sunroof.  Don't recall where they exit and don't have it close by (being restored).  The tubes are metal. Hope this helps explain where the water is going.

1971 280sl Tunis Beige Metallic (restored & enhanced)
1971 280sl Tobacco Brown (low mileage stock)
1970 280sl Deep Red (Project Car)

[Chad]

Tom, You are right. The problem must be that the drain tubes are plugged I assume and the H2O isn't draining. This scenario makes sense now. I will inquire with the shopforum to figure out how those guys clean their drains when clogged.

-CD-
1967 230SL

[Chad]

I believe that there are a total of four sunroof drain tubes on the Webasto sunroofs now.  Some advice from the w108 guys helped settle it. It appears that only two are needed, but there are four.  In my case, all four have nonfunctioning seals.  Have decided to completely dismanntle it, including the awful task of chromework. This may be a very longterm project.