More sunroof fun...

[andy 0]

I've just replaced my sunroof mechanism for another (2nd hand one) and whilst the roof works perfectly without the panel (outer) on, when I bolt the panel on it will only tilt and slide back, not forwards, the motor just cuts out. I'm pretty familiar with these roofs, the roof is alligned perfectly, there are no broken parts but the whole mechaism seems stiff to me, especially the passenger side. Its got half a ton of white lithium grease in it but is simply too stiff for the motor to operate. I can wind it manually but don't really want to leave it like that. I've read all the guides/threads on here but can't really detrmine which parts I would need to replace to help free it all up a bit. Any ideas?

[andy 0]

Calling all sunroof experts...

[woody 0]

Right, I had this sound like the motor is out of sync with the position of the sunroof. manually tilt the sunroof which the key and then disconnect the motor from the sunroof run the sunroof through its range of motions, You should be able to work out where the Tilt stop is as this will be the smaller of the two motions that the motor will do.

i.e. Long motion Slide In/Out Short Motion Tilt Up/Down

 

Cheers

Woody

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I thought the synching needs to be done with the roof closed so that it can reference where to stop the motor when tilted?

 

Mine refused to slide when rebuilt too.... the cables were just too tight in the old subframe in my case and the motor can't hack it. Tilts fine though. Odd that your s/hand one won't slide back.... got to be a synching thing possibly? Might be worth trying the above?

 

I gave up on mine and just use the manual winder now as I can't be arsed with it anymore!

 

I think in my case it's partly due to the black glossy powder coating wearing off in the channels and the plastic guide feet dig into the alloy underneath and present a bigger load to the motor. I tested it and the cable guides move a lot easier on an unworn section of the subframe than they do on a worn section.

 

I think this is why VW just shoved a whole new subframe assembly up when customers took their rados to the dealers for sunroof repairs.

 

The motor might also be past it....it is 10 years old...I never tried a new one though as they're well over a tonne!

[VR6 South 0]

I had a similar problem with mine when I replaced the cables. I tried the sunroof motor from my other Corrado and it now works spot on. If the motor is on it's way out tou can hear it trip out when the load gets too much, and if you leave it for a couple of seconds it will move the sunroof a little further before tripping again.

[andy 0]

I could have a lazy motor I suppose, the roof isn't out of sync with the motor though, I can get it to slide forwards if I assist the motor by pushing the panel. Its just too stiff! It even feels like hard work winding it manually, I'm not surprised the motor complains to be honest. I think (as Kev says) that the powder coating wearing off is a major cause of extra friction. I just wondered whether any new bits would lessen the problem?

[VR6 South 0]

Have you tried to keep opening and closing it manually to see if it loosens up? Also try to operate it without the headling to the sunroof as that may be causing it to bind.

[andy 0]

Have you tried to keep opening and closing it manually to see if it loosens up? Also try to operate it without the headling to the sunroof as that may be causing it to bind.

 

Yeah it seems to have got worse if anything, I haven't got the headlining panel in yet, I don't think the motor would move at all with that in!

[VR6 South 0]

Did you replace the rollers? Mine were oval when I took them out. Failing that I'm stumpted :?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Good shout on the rollers.... they do indeed flatten off and the rockers stick in the channels rather than lifting out when the water plate guides slide back into them.

 

If you get the cable guide repair kit, they come with new rollers. The ones I got were black instead of chrome, so VW have obviously been fiddling with them.

 

I'd also replace the little pins that slide in the intricate water plate guides aswell as the plates themselves, but that's only applicable if you get the infamous roof gouging on the passenger side.

 

Part of my problem was the new parts were very tight in the old subframe. I've tried winding it in and out manually for nearly a year now, but still won't work with the motor....just the slide-stop-slide-stop-slide action as mentioned already.

 

I suspect my motor is fubar too!

[andy 0]

Cheers chaps, which parts exactly do you mean by the rollers though?

[Kevin Bacon 5]

You the know the rockers that tilt up as the roof slides back? They have little metal wheels on the base that roll along the subframe.

 

If you tilt the roof and then unclip and slide back the liner, you'll see them and what they do when you operate the roof. The wheels flatten off over the years and stop the roof sliding back at all in extreme cases of wear.

[andy 0]

I'll have a look then, I've had several roofs in maximum number of bits but never noticed these....they've probably all been flattened and not resembling rollers at all anymore!

[andy 0]

I've checked the rollers, I can see what you mean but mine are plastic, they are distinctly not round and do not rotate more than about 30 degrees in total. No metal rollers in sight.... the plot thickens!

[andy 0]

I've tried the setup from my old roof which has perfect rollers so I know there's no problems with rollers. Basically the problem is the same as before, the whole sliding part is stiff in the sunroof subframe. I have removed the roller part of the mechanism (ie the rear piece) and its still very stiff. The rear part slides really nicely but the front part which is the base of the water plate guide is stiff (too stiff). It's greased to death. Would new water plate guides help the situation? I'm thinking maybe new guide bases might slide easier.

[Kevin Bacon 5]

I thought that too but it made no difference. The new ones were even stiffer!

 

So it won't even slide with the rockers removed (the arms with the rollers in)?

 

Unusual that as mine will slide with the motor if I take those out completely.

 

I can't remember what they're for but it doesn't seem to affect the way it slides. Maybe they prevent the roof from dropping down too far?

[andy 0]

It will slide (just about) without the panel on. But it's close. Just having the whole thing on the bench makes me realise what an impossible job the motor has. Seems to me the whole system is stressed to b*ggery as standard and that any slight addition of friction screws the whole thing. :-(