roof motor working - move anyway

MKZ4000 · Post by **MKZ4000** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 12:29 pm

My roof works fine but has not been moved to the boot.

It is garaged and I only drive it in the dry. Is it recommended to move the motor to the boot or wait until it/if it fails?

Number5 · Post by **Number5** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:26 pm

It depends how well you know the history of the car.
Once the water gets in to the motor housing, it can't get out. If over the last few years its possible that the drains have been blocked and the water has built up (even with a previous owner) it will still be in there slowly rotting the motor, even if the drains are now clear.

My Alpina didnt go out in the rain for three years but then when it failed one Spring and I then relocated the motor, the housing still had water in it. Remember that even washing the car will cause water to run down into the channels. it doesn't have to be rain.

So, its up to you. It's a safeguard and preventative measure, so it depends if you fancy doing it yourself, or if you can afford to pay for it to be done. Most people on here who offer the service charge £150-£175 for the complete job.

There are about 4-5 people who do this so depending on your location, one of us will be nearest ?

ph001 · Post by **ph001** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:39 pm

Personally I just check the drains every time I wash the car (with the roof down, pour a little water down by the hinges). If the water doesn't immediately appear just in front of the rear wheels then the bungs are likely blocked. It's just about habit forming when you wash the car (assuming you wash it fairly regularly). BTW, the first thing you should do is remove the bungs (they just pull out).... they are more hassle than they are worth.

Crazy Harry · Post by **Crazy Harry** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:59 pm

Move it and forget about it.

It will rain; you will wash the car; you will forget to check the drains; it will get wet - just move it.

Darren Brockett · Post by **Darren Brockett** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 4:50 pm

Hi All,

I am Milton Keynes based and keen to have the roof motor repaired/replaced. I would be grateful if anyone on here can put me in touch with someone who could assist.

Many thanks
Darren

Double Zero · Post by **Double Zero** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 6:46 pm

I'm in Milton Keynes too, I would like to get the motor moved to the boot, if we could get a few of us together would it be worthwhile for one of the forum members to visit the land of the roundabouts?

Number5 · Post by **Number5** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 8:09 pm

I believe the members doing this are mainly :

Number5 (me) in Bristol
Bowser134 (Ross) in Hook, Hants
Tug - Loughborough (but may have stopped now)

Durham Dave - Cumbria
DLV - St Helens
(The latter two aren't on thisforum any more though)

Ross & I have spoken about doing a weekend jaunt somewhere together if we could get some numbers but would need a dry/covered location to work in.

colb · Post by **colb** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 9:41 pm

Moved mine a couple of months ago after getting the car and not knowing its history. As it happens when I got it out it looked like a replacement motor had been put in at sometime, suppliers seal on plastic case top was the giveaway. Motor looked pristine and worked ok so fettled the shelf support to run the cables and pipes in their new route and secured the motor behind the side wall carpet fixing the motor to a bracket behind the carpet using zip ties. Getting the plastic motor housing up and out of its well is by far the hardest part of this job, just have to give it a good tug so the zip ties holding it in there break and release it. A long lever will assist in forcing the unit upwards so the tie breaks.

Darren Brockett · Post by **Darren Brockett** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:42 pm

Thanks all for your help. Bowser has been in touch although frustratingly, my Newbie privileges won’t allow me to respond to the message.

Mr Tidy · Post by **Mr Tidy** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 10:52 pm

You should be OK now - Private Messages work after 3 posts.

buzyg · Post by **buzyg** » Mon Jan 20, 2020 11:16 pm

I can't argue with the logic of the move to the boot. Mine however is still in the wee immersion pit BMW placed it in and working perfectly. Like you I check the drains and very seldom drive it in the rain. I'm also careful to use as little water as possible when I clean the rear window. Plus I have known the car since it was new and owned it for most of that time.

Get it done though, better than paranoia.

Singapore stag · Post by **Singapore stag** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:39 am

ph001 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2020 1:39 pm Personally I just check the drains every time I wash the car (with the roof down, pour a little water down by the hinges). If the water doesn't immediately appear just in front of the rear wheels then the bungs are likely blocked. It's just about habit forming when you wash the car (assuming you wash it fairly regularly). BTW, the first thing you should do is remove the bungs (they just pull out).... they are more hassle than they are worth.

When I checked the drains on mine (nice and clear) I had a hard time putting the bungs back, on the left hand side I trimmed the bung so the aperture was larger, on the right side after several attempts I could not get it back on so left it off.

I believe the reason for having the bungs is that it prevents insects, dirt, and possibly mice making the drainage their home!

ph001 · Post by **ph001** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 8:16 am

Singapore stag wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:39 am I believe the reason for having the bungs is that it prevents insects, dirt, and possibly mice making the drainage their home!

I’d rather have a mouse in there than 10 litres of water! But seriously, just because people move the motor doesn’t mean you can just forget about keeping the bungs clear as when the bucket fills and starts to overflow it soaks the carpet and kills the modules that sit on the chassis. So if you have to keep the bungs clear anyway (or just remove them) there seems little sense in relocating the motor.

Singapore stag · Post by **Singapore stag** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:29 am

ph001 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 8:16 am
Singapore stag wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:39 am I believe the reason for having the bungs is that it prevents insects, dirt, and possibly mice making the drainage their home!
I’d rather have a mouse in there than 10 litres of water! But seriously, just because people move the motor doesn’t mean you can just forget about keeping the bungs clear as when the bucket fills and starts to overflow it soaks the carpet and kills the modules that sit on the chassis. So if you have to keep the bungs clear anyway (or just remove them) there seems little sense in relocating the motor.

Very true, when I bought the Zed I asked the previous owner about the operation of the roof and condition of the motor.
He said he did not understand why owners neglect inspecting and cleaning the bungs/drainage as a routine inspection, he went so far as to actually show me how to do it. Jacking the car took longer then the cleaning operation.
The drains and bungs were nice and clean, my confidence built up RE the rest of the car.

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