Mk3 sunroof and other sunroof repair observations

[Red McGregor 10]

Pretty sure that they will not fit I'm afraid. If your sunroof is jammed up, the you should be able to lower it manually by removing he core around the switch mechanism and screwing the thread (clockwise I think) behind it while adjusting whatever is causing the jam manually. Its a fiddle but will keep you mobile until the parts are located

[tony_ack 0]

I'm rebuilding my roof at the moment, and have collected quite a few mechs. Every single Corrado roof I've come across has the same issue with one of the guides on the slider of the near side locking segment being broken, even when the cable itself hasn't yet sheared - and it is usually the same guide that has broken off. I got hold of a glass roof out of a late MK3 Golf VR6. The nearside locking segment slider on that has all the guides intact. Interestingly, the slider itself is exactly the same part number as the one in the Corrado (not the 1H0 number of the repair kit), and aside from the (removable) locking segment being black instead of chrome, looked identical to the Corrado one. The 1H0 repair kit looks slightly different - the same shape, but the guides look to be a different colour/material.

 

So if the sliders are the same, it would suggest that the MK3 Golf roof is less prone to breaking them - either due to the design of the MK3 Golf roof putting them under less stress, or possibly because the car had aircon (the roof doesn't get used as often?). It also suggests that the MK3 Golf slider, in the Corrado roof, may suffer the same fate eventually. Also note the 1H0 replacement slider is still available on factory order from VW, with an £80 price tag and 6 week waiting time.

 

I'd be interested in understanding what causes the slider guide to shear in the first place, in apparently the same place each time - is it just bad maintenance, or is there something else in the mech that weakens first?

 

Another interesting observation is that in every Corrado roof I've dismantled, one of the plastic feet guides on the forward slider is always slightly broken on the driver's side - I wonder if this is a factor too?

[Geeba 0]

 

I'd be interested in understanding what causes the slider guide to shear in the first place, in apparently the same place each time - is it just bad maintenance, or is there something else in the mech that weakens first?

 

 

I found the chrome hammers drop in to a small slot cut in the frame, as they wear they drop in further and further until they stick and the motor then shears the monkey metal slider... a small strip of plasic stuck directly under the slot stops it dropping in and sticking, worth doing as belt and braces I recon. ;)

[Mardecconor 10]

I've purchased 2 MK3 golf glass sunroofs both from late cars, P or R reg. Plan on doing what Red has done and mix and match components. I did come across an Audi 80 (G reg) in my local scrappy with a steel (manual) sunroof and wondered if this would fit

[spen 0]

Does anyone know if a MK2 Skoda Octavia sunroof fits?????? (I know a MK1 does) I'm not too good on my Skoda knowledge!

[GlosterOx 0]

I looked at one of these a while ago and the answer is no I'm afraid.

 

Ian.

[spen 0]

Ah bollox just bought one on the off chance.... cheers Ian ☹️

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Dazz_G60_Wales 0]

I must have been very lucky but I get no wind noise and no peak in the middle on my golf moonroof it does sit a little low in the corners but is not what I would call noticeable.

It has also been tested through a car wash a few times and no water ingress at all.

The best thing I find is how much smoother the mech is at sliding back and forward and a satisfying clunk when on full tilt.

I did do the stomping on the glass which will make a slight diff to the profile and I also bought a new outer seal for it.

Rest of my car is original and I do have the original panel and faulty mech but in no rush to repair and put back in..

[fla 9]

This is a useful link showing the likely faulty component

http://www.catcar.info/audivw/?lang=en&l=c3RzPT17IjEwIjoiQnJhbmQiLCIyMCI6IlZXIiwiNDAiOiJQYXNzYXQgc3luY3JvIEV1cm9wZSIsIjUwIjoiMTk5NSAoICAgICAgICAgICAgID4%2BIDNBLVYtMDE1IDAwMCkiLCI2MCI6IkJvZHkiLCI3MCI6Ijg3NzQwIn18fHN0PT03MHx8YnJhbmQ9PXZ3fHxtYXJrZXQ9PVJEV3x8bWRsPT1QQVNZIHx8RXBpcz09MTUxfHxFaW5zYXR6PT0xOTk1fHxNYWluR3JvdXA9PTh8fEJpbGR0YWZlbD09ODc3NDB8fEdyYWZpaz09MDg3NzQwMTQ3

 

I have just removed and carefully regreased the channels. There is still a fair amount of drag so i guess thats juat the way it it.  Manually the sunroof slides and tilts. But when closing from fully open the rear left side raises immediately in the guide channel (pt 34 in the diagram). Whilst part 29 can be held down whilst it is manually moved it seems that a retaining arm inside is not holding it in place. My guess is its likely to be part 23 (glide piece wind deflector).

So whilst ive now reinstalled my sunroof it will only be used tilted unfortunately until I've managed to get some of these parts made

[fla 9]

I'll post up some more pics of the movement of the roof in the channel whilst ill also put a thick piece of black felt inside the roof which cause the roof scratches...just in case!

Also there will be loads more felt and foam padding to reduce any rattles and noises 😁

[fla 9]

I've stuck two strips of neoprene about 8mm thick and put a piece of black felt across the top of them to try and force the left hand side of the sunroof to stay down when it tries to.lift on the return slide. Do excuse the different lengths if neoprene!

Seems to work manually as can be seen by the track in the dust on the outside of the sunroof. You can also see a tell-tale scratch just below 😠

[fendervg 33]

One side shouldn’t lift when sliding closed - it means the cable end is not seated on the rails properly or one of the other catches is out of alignment.

 

On a side note, all of these slide and tilt roofs, whether mk3, b3/b4, seat etc have more or less the same design made by Rockwell and will all break eventually in the same way if not looked after (usually a snapped left cable guide). It’s just that there are a lot more of the other types around than there are Corrados, and they might be slighter younger - but regular use and special VW lube are your best bet.

 

Or don’t use it at all.

[Red McGregor 10]

fly it looks like you have greased the sunroof guides; if so this will be part of your problem, you ned to use the special vw lube, expensive but well worth it. In my experience it is best to set the roof mechanism up off the car so that you can see what is or is not working correctly. Time consuming but very worth it. I suspect that something on the left hand side is broken/stretched. Much earlier in this thread you will see that is outlined the use of  VW type 3 sunroof; what i did was common the various parts of my Corrado roof guides with parts from the Type 3 to create one working unit.

[fla 9]

I think the issue is the bottom portion of the foot on the sliding shoe (part 5, glide piece wind deflector).  There are two clasps and i suspect that one of those on mine has broken off so it doesn't lock into place when the sunroof is wound back to the closed position.

 

I'm looking into getting some new ones made from a broken sample part but need to get a 3D image made which we can then use and have made.  Problem is, most of the broken parts also have the broken clasp!

Edited April 14, 2020 by fla

[Red McGregor 10]

That seems feasible Fla - its been few years since I rebuilt mine and the mix & match approach between Corrado and Golf mk3 pieces allowed me to create one complete set ( iodide;t and don't have any 3D printing capability 🙂

[fendervg 33]

There's a web site or forum posting somewhere in the US where a guy compares three different sun roof mechanisms (Corrado, Passat and Golf) and breaks out the similarities and quirks on each one and shows how to combine parts from different mechs to make a working one - I'll see if I can find it in my history.

The mechanisms are all more or less the same and work on the same operating principle - the differences are to do with the wind deflector at the front, and the sliding/lifting mech for the interior trim - the glass roofs don't lift this, it just slides back by hand.

Sun rooves are just a PITA - I've never come across a 10+ year old car where they work properly because basically no-one ever does any maintenance and cleaning/lubrication on them.

[fendervg 33]

B5 and Mk4 are too late - I think they switched to a different design or manufacturer.

This wasn't the site I was looking for, but has some pretty good info - although some photos are missing - if you go up one level there is also a good how-to on headliner removal.

h**p://www.geocities.ws/corradomoonroof/a3.html Edited April 15, 2020 by fendervg

[_Matt_ 32]

Fla - I've got a dark blue tin panel you can have whilst testing to save yours getting damaged. You're Middlesex based right? I'm Potters Bar (formely Middlesex county in days gone by haha).

I've got this job to do (have all the bits to rebuild the corrado mech). I had fitted a B4 Passat moonroof and Mk3 Mech before hand. It worked well but there was too much gap between moonroof panel and the roof vs the original tin one for my liking. 

[stuarttaylor37 13]

Deleted hyperlink

Edited April 15, 2020 by stuarttaylor37

[fendervg 33]

Apologies - didn't happen to me - must be your lucky day! What browser were you using - I was using Firefox with the NoScript extension.

I've edited the link in the original post so it's not a hyperlink anymore, so visit with caution - Geocities has been abandoned for a long time now. Maybe you can edit your post to delete the link in the quote as well. 

Would it be better to delete entirely? Just thought it was a helpful site as it gives the whole procedure.

Edited April 15, 2020 by fendervg

[tony_ack 0]

I noticed the same the last time I refurbed the sunroof (the broken parts, not the "forward ladies") - most roofs I've dismantled seem to have a broken no 5. 

Part 29 has 4 small hooks on it - usually at least one of these is broken, as they are extremely brittle. Once one of them breaks, the slider misaligns under load and pushes everything out

 

[GrahamU 6]

I fitted a Skoda Octavia mk1 roof in mine, cartridge and glass fits fine but the motor was a problem, I have heard there are 2 types of mk1 octavia motor or roof and one does fit right but not 100% sure on that

[fla 9]

On 4/14/2020 at 5:13 PM, pfnsht said:

Fla - I've got a dark blue tin panel you can have whilst testing to save yours getting damaged. You're Middlesex based right? I'm Potters Bar (formely Middlesex county in days gone by haha).

I've got this job to do (have all the bits to rebuild the corrado mech). I had fitted a B4 Passat moonroof and Mk3 Mech before hand. It worked well but there was too much gap between moonroof panel and the roof vs the original tin one for my liking. 

Sorry i missed this - yes I'm in 'old' Middlesex! (Northwood) and many thanks for the offee.

Sunroof is back in but because of the clipped plastic clasp its still not working properly on the lhs...

 

Hasan

 

 

[_Matt_ 32]

I have got some sunroof spare parts here. I'm not sure which bits you're after - got a pic? I might have it. I've got 3 full mechs here - 2x corrado (actually 3 if i count the one in the green corrado), 1x mk3 golf and I have some spare parts in a bag.

I have rebuilt one of my Corrado mechs but not got it in the car yet - car is being delivered back to me this week. My corrado currently has the mk3 mech installed.