Leaking noisy hood

[Andrew Fisher]

Am I alone in having leaks through the gaps between the rubber sausages that sit alongside the window with the hood folded down? And the hood makes a noise on the left hand side over bumps. If I push my hand up on the left hand side (ie put the hood at that end under tension) the noise stops.

Would I be right in thinking that if I could tighten the hood up not only would the noise stop but would the sausages be held closer together and it wouldn't leak? And if I was right, how do I toghten it up? It looks very well tightened down.

Am I really the only driver who has to arrange bin bags to catch drips when rain is forecast?

Any help much appreciated.

Andrew Fisher

[adrianp]

Hi Andrew,

I think that most owners have had the hood leak at some point...

I have found that you can stop most of the leaks quite easily though,

If you have the hood up and either open the door or put the window down then it is possible to adjust the seals slighty by gripping them and carefully sliding them together to close the gap that seems to appear now and again.

I have to do mine about every 3 months but that is probably because I use the car daily and unless it is raining then I normally have the hood down so they probably move a bit.....

As for the noise, If it disappears when you push on the roof then I would guess that one of the hooks is loose...

They have a collar on then that can be unscrewed to allow the hook to be turned to adjust how tight it holds the front edge. Once adjusted you just have to tighten the collar up again.

Hope this helps, any other questions then just ask.

Adrian.

[Paul w]

There are a few other things that help too.
I found that silicone spray or silicone gel helps keep the rubbers moist, i used to have a large can of the spray, it was labled as sewing machine table lubricant. It must be silicone thought, as any oil based products will degrade the rubber.
If the car has been left standing, then drain the seals before you set off. just grab them from the inside and pull the top lip down, catching the water in a tea towel or cup!

I have a small cover over my beat when its left out, and i get no water ingress at all.

PW

[adrianp]

Oops, forgot about that bit Paul...

Steve M has managed to obtain a small quantity of an AutoGlym product that is for protecting Vinyl and Plastic. (Normally available in 5L containers).

He gave me some and I must say that it has made my roof nice and supple again and once applied it also makes it look like new...

Now, when it rains, the water normally beads up untill it is large enough to run off the roof on it own...

Hope this helps

Adrian

[hotdog]

Hi,

Obviously a very old thread - does anyone have any pictures on how to solve the leaking hood?

What is the best lubricant for the rubber seals and to keep the hood in better condition?

Its really annoying breaking then finding a puddle on your knee!!!!

Thanks in advance :-)

[Steve_M]

For the actual roof itself (presuming you have an original - Made of vinyl)
Now available in Litre bottles - Autoglym Plastic conditioner. It helps the water bead off rather than soaking in and causing leaks.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B...VBGTFBTWBFDCVV

Check condition of the rubbers. if they are excessivly squashed then adding some foam strips into the void inside them will bulk them out to create a better seal.

Also water can build up behind the front corner, so check for any evidence of cracking in the vinyl near the front and along the seam that runs backwards.

[marcair]

A good product for extending the life of the neoprene/rubber about the soft top seals is "KRYTOX" performance lubricant. NASA applies it to rubber/neoprene/latex seals in aerospace applications. I apply it to all accessible seals about the tops and other systems (exterior light lens, door seals, etc.). Designed to protect at extreme temperatures (very cold to very hot) Although a little pricey, it only requires one application. First applied in mid-80s and none of the seals have any age-cracks or signs of brittleness. One tube per car will suffice.

[Andrew Fisher]

I've just realised, only getting on for eleven years too late, that I didn't thank Paul and Adrian for their sound advice.

I am sorry gentlemen. The tightening of the hook was very useful, but in the end, replacing the hood was the only thing that worked properly.

I was cautious about doing it, thinking it was like replacing the battery to solve electrical gremlins and it only masks an underlying problem, but in fact it's almost the inverse, it solves quite a few underlying problems too, holds the sausages in place better, prevents further ingress and deterioration.

Like Paul W, I've been Beatless for a long time now, but, three years in, my children still turn on the baleful stare and ask "WHY did you sell the little red car Daddy?", at least once a fortnight. I mean, what other car would allow you to hold on to the passenger side hood frame whilst driving over speed humps?

*sigh*