E60Sim

Good job!

I have never had any water in the trunk after washing the car or heavy rain, so something must have been changed with the LCI.

I got the seals changed thanks to the SIB on this forum the other week, and from being used to always driving with the "sun protecting screen" closed at 120 km/h + speeds, due to wind noise, it's now always open and dead quiet. = Lot's of light in the car !

mmitev

but why did you puut the ends (valves) back? they are the main culprits!

mmitev

i ve also got the new seal in my trunk, just waiting for a good opportunity to fit it

Lotus99

I think you're confusing two different issues, no? One is how to CLEAR the tubes of dirt, which it sounds like 1 and 3 in your list are for. The other is how to take the ends OFF the tubes - which have often been cited as the cause of the dirt backing up in the tube (and were removed in later model years - search for my post for more info) - that's when you can yank them off by pulling up the tubes from inside the car. That sounds like what you're describing in option 2, no?

I've also read that there's a way to clear the tubes by getting at the top of the tube that connects up top to the sunroof drain, but you have to remove the headliner and such. THAT'S what I was wondering if you had done...

CMJ

Agreed. The way I saw it was that my car had been fine for 6 years and 112,000 miles with the ends on so why not put them back as BMW had originally intended. I have had other cars (eg Audis) which have used similar valves for sunroof drains and guessed they must be fitted for a reason ?

Not the safest strategy but made me happy ;-)

Re the headlining - I can confirm I did not use this method and simply removed the rear bumper.

Colin

mmitev

mate, you're making it more complicated than its is...

in 99% of the cases, the drains block for 1 reason - the valves. by removing the valves, you can free up the dirt that has collected just above them, and other dirt up the drains can flow off with the next hard rain.

that's why most people go straight to removing the valves as the ultimate solution.

anything else - air pressure and accessing the drains from the top end etc, was just experiments before the valves were discovered by us DIY-ers. I know that as I was the first to post pics of the valve removal process back in May 2010 (after it was pioneered by a few other guys, I think yeewiz in particular)

Btw someone asked whats changed with LCI cars - AFAIK, the design of the valves has changed and they don't clog anymore. So if anyone wants to play the perfectionist, he can buy the new valves and install them

Lotus99

So when you remove the valve, if there's dirt backed up like 4 inches or more up the tube, all you have to do is pour water in the drain from the sunroof you mean, and gravity just washes out the dirt? I was sure I'd read people had to blow air thru the tube to free that accumulated dirt.

mmitev

4 inches is a lot! this a rather extreme case.

in most cases this dirt is only partially blocking the flow of water, lets say some small leaves and a bit of grit. water still flows out, but maybe to 50% capacity of the pipe. in this quite common case, while removing the valves, its only logical and natural to squeeze the rubber pipe so that you crush the dirt and then it indeed does flow out with the water.

I had circa 0.5 inch of dirt on both sides and just by crushing it came out (no flushing). In fact, it was the valve that was blocked and not the pipe! This 0.5 inch at the valve was enough for water to flow into my trunk after a heavy rain or a high-pressure wash. This is why I presume this is roughly the amount of dirt that people have when they get this problem.

Its a completely different story if someone parks constantly under a tree with tiny leaves and droppings that get into the sunroof channels and block the drains from the top. Then, its not the valve's fault and removing the valves can not solve the problem. I had zero gunk around the rails and at the entrance of the drains, as far as I can see with a torch.

Lotus99

Got it. Thanks. In the LCI cars (I presume - or at least for the 2010 MY) the valve isn't there, and the end of the tube is open, but has X shaped rubber slats in the end of it.

krayfish76

Hey Guys, I have read this ENTIRE thread and unless I am missing something I still don't understand how the water gets into the boot?

I get that the pipes clog up, and that these stupid flaps designed to keep dirt out actually allow dirt to build up BUT I still don't understand how the water gets into the boot??

I can't find out how this happens, I guess it builds up in the drain tray on the roof then runs along a sill or something??

Also sounds stupid but is it not worth drilling a 5 mm hole at the bottom of the spare wheel area maybe in 4 locations and adding a small piece of rubber pip maybe 5mm long to stop spray in bad weather flicking up into the boot area then sealing the bare metal with a rust protector, just incase water does start to pour in?
Could save your electrics if you do have a leak allowing you time then to then pull the ends off the drain tubes and get rid of the valves.

Also I am buying an E61 with a leaky roof that the dealer is saying they are fixing the deal is subject to the leak being sorted out, I have just spoken to the sunroof specialist who said it is very common in these panaramic roof's and he assures me a new seal will sort out the problem, is seems very confident, and says the rear drain tubes are clear and working, but the seal is original so 9-10 years old and the new seal will sort it out by letting less water in.

I have also read that the "new" better updated seal has a lip on it that covers a little bit of the roof and seals the water out much better.

I'm kind of worried as I put the deposit down before I read all these horror stories, the sunroof specialist.

I know this has been done to death but if anyone could take the time to comment on this post that would mean the world and let me sleep at night.

Or anyone who did have a leak and sorted it out just assure me and share with me what you did to ensure no water in the car.

Thanks

Kray