Another Roof Issue, Sorry!!

[Aero1971]

Hi Everyone,

Please help me - I have a left side knocking noise when the roof is up! I've done the felting; the cleaning of the rubber etc., but it's still there, I've looked at all the threads (wow there's a lot), I carefully adjusted the black panel along the back by turning the plastic bolts a tiny turn each, but still the 'knock' exists, my hopes lay with you guys and someone on here who knows how or where the noise is and can help me sort it with some guidance.

Apart from that; fantastic car.

Thanks so much in advance.

 

[Angie4m]

Are you sure the issue is with he roof and not somewhere else in the car? Is the knocking only when moving? Have you thought that it possibly might be suspension related or something loose on that side, even in the boot that's causing this and the roof is a red herring?

 

[Aero1971]

Hi Angie4m,

Thanks for the response and suggestions, I've managed to track it down to the roof, it only happens when the roof is up, the boots always empty and the underside is all clipped/bolted in. I have also checked the shock and the spring for damage, but all is fine. It seems that this noise is a well publicised issue, so I'm hoping someone on here has either had the fix or knows how or where to look. Apart from that, the cars fantastic

 

[jimbo1958]

Apart from that; fantastic car - let's not talk about the album artwork access, no idea why that's greyed out on the navigation screen, I have a feeling I need the Connect iPhone 5 adapter, not my current Basic version

Thanks so much in advance.

Can't help with the Roof but AFAIK the Album Artwork is only available from late 2010 cars.
My 10 plate doesn't support it either.

 

[Maniac]

Hi Angie4m,

Thanks for the response and suggestions, I've managed to track it down to the roof, it only happens when the roof is up, the boots always empty and the underside is all clipped/bolted in. I have also checked the shock and the spring for damage, but all is fine. It seems that this noise is a well publicised issue, so I'm hoping someone on here has either had the fix or knows how or where to look. Apart from that, the cars fantastic

Have you tried with the boot roof tray up and down, I found this to be a cause of noise after spending oodles of time faffing around with roof adjustments and padding. What sounds like roof noises can be from the boot as the plastic boot deck is very thin and transmits noise easily.

 

[flybobbie]

I've spent two years tracking down all my cabin noises.
My best friend has been a can of silicon spray applied to all joints and roof trim.
Roof, have you tried dropping all the windows half inch to see if that makes a difference.
Rear tray try resting on towels so that's it's neither up nor down.
The tray can be pulled off it's pivot points, but I did loosen the four torx screws first that holds onto the aluminium tubing not to break plastic.

 

[Aero1971]

Apart from that; fantastic car - let's not talk about the album artwork access, no idea why that's greyed out on the navigation screen, I have a feeling I need the Connect iPhone 5 adapter, not my current Basic version

Thanks so much in advance.

Can't help with the Roof but AFAIK the Album Artwork is only available from late 2010 cars.
My 10 plate doesn't support it either.

Hi,

After a few days reading up on the album artwork, I have come to the same outcome, however the BMW Dealership are trying to tell me that if I buy a new iPhone5 BMW 'Connect' Snap-In adaptor, and replace this with my current 'Basic' version, it'll add artwork and more phone control?! It's a rather large gamble at £186!

As for the roof; I'm going to try all the suggested ideas tomorrow, I'll try the towel test with the rear load cover up and down, then laid on a towel!

 

[Aero1971]

Hi Angie4m,

Thanks for the response and suggestions, I've managed to track it down to the roof, it only happens when the roof is up, the boots always empty and the underside is all clipped/bolted in. I have also checked the shock and the spring for damage, but all is fine. It seems that this noise is a well publicised issue, so I'm hoping someone on here has either had the fix or knows how or where to look. Apart from that, the cars fantastic

Have you tried with the boot roof tray up and down, I found this to be a cause of noise after spending oodles of time faffing around with roof adjustments and padding. What sounds like roof noises can be from the boot as the plastic boot deck is very thin and transmits noise easily.

Hi Maniac

You've been the greatest source of assistants so far, I was hoping you'd have the answers as reading your 'story and determination' to find the source of your rattles etc, felt endless and gave me hope, now I worry that after all that it wasn't the roof at all?

So, today I drove the car with the partition up and down, the knock on the left side is still there, it's not all the time, just on rough roads and small potholes (not that we have to many of those in the UK ). I tired with the roof down, knocking noise disappears, this gives me hope, but no clue as to 'where' the noise comes from, and my wife seems annoyed about the suggestion to travel in the boot for a mile or so :lol:

I also tried the windows down slightly, fronts, rears and altogether, this made no difference to the noise, so that rules the windows out at least.

Towel test tomorrow, but after that, no idea, so anyone out there who can help, you have no idea how much this will assist me, I love this car, I hate this light knocking noise.................

To everyone so far, thanks for all the help and direction.

 

[Maniac]

Is there any way you can record the sound/video/whatever the issue? Perhaps drive on the roads that reproduce it and have someone in the car that can record the noise and post it up on here via youtube or whatever.

It could be anything, suspension knocks, brakes, roof mech, things in the boot, battery not strapped down, or pump, or amps and such like that are against the rear bulkhead. I've owned this car for many years now and know it inside out, hence a recording of the sound might help me help you.

 

[Maniac]

Oh and on the music artwork thing... Did you say your car is an 09/59 (like mine)? If so, its probably not got the combox electronics that were introduced late 2010/early 2011. Without combox, artwork/bluetooth streaming and a few other bits are not available as they were introduced in the combox electronics update, even with a media adaptor AFAIK. The prior module to combox is called COP. Run the last 7 digits through an online VIN checker to find out. Can you post a pic of the screen where you say artwork/option is greyed out?

 

[flybobbie]

If the knocking sound is like someone tapping a plastic lunch box, I cured that by sticking some rubber on the boot where it touches just behind the roll hoops when it closes, outboard of the flappy bits.
Also the rear window as wedge shaped block that sits in a slot dead centre, try some rubber eithers side of that.
In fact BMW actually have already stuck some very thin black felt where you need to stick some rubber, but not the sides of the wedge, otherwise too tight.

Good source of sticky backed rubber is Wilko stores.
Hardware section, they stock sticky backed rubber pads feet for hifi, etc

 

[Aero1971]

Is there any way you can record the sound/video/whatever the issue? Perhaps drive on the roads that reproduce it and have someone in the car that can record the noise and post it up on here via youtube or whatever.

It could be anything, suspension knocks, brakes, roof mech, things in the boot, battery not strapped down, or pump, or amps and such like that are against the rear bulkhead. I've owned this car for many years now and know it inside out, hence a recording of the sound might help me help you.

Hi Maniac,

I'll see if a fried can join me for a drive and I'll record the noise as best as I can. The boots empty, but I'll also remove the boot floor (battery cover) and make sure the batteries bolted down correctly, as I'd not checked this.

At least the cars keeping me on my toes

 

[Aero1971]

If the knocking sound is like someone tapping a plastic lunch box, I cured that by sticking some rubber on the boot where it touches just behind the roll hoops when it closes, outboard of the flappy bits.
Also the rear window as wedge shaped block that sits in a slot dead centre, try some rubber eithers side of that.
In fact BMW actually have already stuck some very thin black felt where you need to stick some rubber, but not the sides of the wedge, otherwise too tight.

Good source of sticky backed rubber is Wilko stores.
Hardware section, they stock sticky backed rubber pads feet for hifi, etc

Hi Flybobbie,

That description is just about as perfect a description as you could give, it does sound just like that!! With this in mind, tell me more about what you did and where, photos would be hugely helpful. I think I know where you mean, I have felt there, when you say rubber, where did you get this magical answer to my issue - I'll buy it in bulk!! I'll check the rear window, do you mean the back window, rather than the rear side windows? God, I'm actually rather excited that this might be the cure, again, if you can attach some photos or even e-mail them I'd be so grateful, my e-mail address is [email protected].

Thank you so much, the description's fantastic

 

[flybobbie]

I will photograph and upload to the 'how to' section.

 

[Nictrix]

The Saint drives a Z4!!!

 

[Aero1971]

The Saint drives a Z4!!!

The tragic truth is I did indeed own a 2000 Volvo C70 T5 GT; purely because it was heavily featured and actually launched in a certain 1997 movie featuring a very awkward Simon Templar, played by Val Kilmer!! I am bit of a Leslie Charteris fan, thus the e-mail address ;-)

But; in my defense I also bought the old Z4si, just because Clive Owen made it look so cool in the BMW short movies! :roll:

 

[Aero1971]

I will photograph and upload to the 'how to' section.

Thank you so much, I'll keep you posted on the success of my weekend - clean it, then find and resolve that knocking noise!!

 

[flybobbie]

Place rubber where red arrows point. You can see the compression.
Since I did this, and this cured that particular noise, I have had off the roll bar covers and plastic underneath to get at the strip that runs just above the long arrow that the boot lid rests on.
My thought was that all the rubber was doing was push down the plastic trim it was attached to stop the noise rather than just the boot tapping on the trim, which may or maynot be the case.
Once off there are a number of ribs any which could cause a knocking noise.
I have placed a number of rubber pads where I think these ribs tap against the body work.




I have even removed the black roll bar plastic and black taped the metal roll bars so the plastic sits tighter, then greased up the black roll trim and reassembled. All in attempt to remove any possible noise from the roll hoop plastics.
The plastic marked A also if tapped sounds as though it could be a source of noise. If pulled off the plastic underneath also is loose fitting. I have silicon sealant in places to stop any movement.
Finally give all joints a good liberal spray of silicon bumper spray.

 

[E89_Gaz]

Be careful with the wedge, if you manage to prevent the wedge from passing through the slot you will damage the roof! One other area to check is where the rear clamshell sits above the black metallic strip on the boot lid, there should be a few millimetres between the roof and the boot.

 

[Aero1971]

Place rubber where red arrows point. You can see the compression.
Since I did this, and this cured that particular noise, I have had off the roll bar covers and plastic underneath to get at the strip that runs just above the long arrow that the boot lid rests on.
My thought was that all the rubber was doing was push down the plastic trim it was attached to stop the noise rather than just the boot tapping on the trim, which may or maynot be the case.
Once off there are a number of ribs any which could cause a knocking noise.
I have placed a number of rubber pads where I think these ribs tap against the body work.




I have even removed the black roll bar plastic and black taped the metal roll bars so the plastic sits tighter, then greased up the black roll trim and reassembled. All in attempt to remove any possible noise from the roll hoop plastics.
The plastic marked A also if tapped sounds as though it could be a source of noise. If pulled off the plastic underneath also is loose fitting. I have silicon sealant in places to stop any movement.
Finally give all joints a good liberal spray of silicon bumper spray.

Wow!!

You take this noise issue seriously, I like a challenge but that looks like a whole lot of possible risk that I might snap something ;-)

However; I took the time to review your original thread in detail, copied the imagery to my 'generic' tablet device thingy me bob and selected my tools and soft pads, and went to town on the car. First of all it got washed and waxed, then I added the 3M based Gummi Pflege rubber sealant cleaner/moisturizer, to every seal on the car with particular focus to the roof seals. Then the fun began, rather than adjust the v shaped pins that sit on the roof mechanism and slot into the v shaped grooves on the underside of the rear window/roof unit, I decided to start by adding small thin round felt pads (bought at BQ), on after another and slowly the noise stopped. I'm shocked how far out the roof was on the left side, but before actually adjusting the v shapped pin I decided to run the car for a few days to make sure its sorted, then I'll actually adjust the pins, leaving enough gap to add one small pad for extra quietness.

So to Flybobbie, and the rest of you guys that helped, a huge, huge thank you - today I drove the car, it was simply sublime, almost silent and how I had always hoped it would be. I do have a little movement but I expect this from a hard top convertible, so hopefully things wont revert over the next few days and I can adjust the V pins and all will be good.

I did notice that the hinges and rollers all lacked grease, does anyone know what BMW actually use and where I can purchase it, BMW Coopers said they 'don't' sell it, book if I book it in they'll grease all the points, you guessed it, it'll be about 1.5hrs charge!!! I'd rather buy it and do it myself and have some to ready for future application to keep the roof maintained ;-)

Again; thanks so much for all the advice and direction, I cannot tell you how pleased I am with the outcome.