Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 I've just purchased another blooming sunroof. I cleaned and fitted it yesterday, but it suddenly wouldn't close properly and managed to scratch the opening hatch. Ahhhhhh. So today I've properly taken it apart and as the picture shows, a guide tab is broken. Question is are these really important, as one of the very front sliders that fits over the wind deflector is also broken on one tab... Also does anyone know of a decent lubricant/grease for all of this and what bits do I lube up??? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fendervg 32 Posted October 5, 2015 (edited) Do a search on here - it's been covered plenty of times. VW sell a special grease for sunroofs. I'd say any broken bit is going to cause problems. I had my whole mechanism rebuilt about a year ago. Edited October 5, 2015 by fendervg Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
robrado974 1 Posted October 5, 2015 As above . One thing though , one of the most important things to get right is the level of the sunroof . I think this is what has scratched it . It tells you how to set the height in the guide . Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fendervg 32 Posted October 5, 2015 The guide measurement is about the height of a credit card - 1-2 mm, below the hatch at the front, and above the hatch at the back. front --/--rear. apologies for crap ASCII art. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 Yeah I read that yesterday. For some strange reason it started to tilt one side on it's way to close. I need to check all is good b4 I fit it. I've even got another motor on the way... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 £29 for some grease!!! at vw. Wow, and there can't be much that needs greasing. Anybody use/do anything different? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted October 5, 2015 £29 for some grease!!! at vw. Wow, and there can't be much that needs greasing. Anybody use/do anything different? try this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Liqui-Moly-Silicone-Grease-100g-Tube-3312-Silicon-Fett-transparent-/231596928452?hash=item35ec40adc4 £6.99 :D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted October 5, 2015 Think I bought the Liquid Molly LM47 - wold be good to know if this was the correct one? If not then maybe this is why my sunroof motor is having problems ??? Lol Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 I've ordered some. I'll let you know Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 Do the cables need lubricating with anything? Also found that my left hand part which does the tilt part is really really tight as it tries to slide through its cut out guide area.... Hmmm Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fendervg 32 Posted October 5, 2015 It's always the left-hand passenger side cable guide that snaps. Just seems to be the way. not sure who to thank for the attached, but it's a very good doc and is floating about on here. If someone wants to PM me I may have a "German" version as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 5, 2015 My very first one snapped that way. The second one was a mk3 golf one which snapped at its wind deflector rod!!! I'll give this document a good looking at. Hopefully when clean, free and lubricated this one may be ok, even with a tab missing.. All I need now is to refurb the internal panel as it's in a bad way.. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
j_s14a 0 Posted October 5, 2015 Think I bought the Liquid Molly LM47 - wold be good to know if this was the correct one? If not then maybe this is why my sunroof motor is having problems ??? Lol Unfortunately, the whole Corrado sunroof setup, including the motor, is rubbish. I've stripped down 5 of these motors now, and every single one of them had a cracked point inside. I think a better long term fix would be for someone to start producing a sunroof switch that only had the tilt function on it. Problem solved :) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted October 6, 2015 Or someone to produce or locate a decent motor replacement lol. Where was the cracked point and was it repairable.... Any pictures. Arc there any direct replacement motors which are any good? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 6, 2015 The mk3 golf motor I had does fit on this panel. I have a later VR and so the connection plug is the same rectangular block which fits into the motor. Seems okay as a fitment Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted October 6, 2015 Ok may try and find one of those... Will buy some of the silicone Molly first just to make sure it's not a lubrication issue Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
g0ldf1ng3r 15 Posted October 6, 2015 Do the cables need lubricating with anything? Also found that my left hand part which does the tilt part is really really tight as it tries to slide through its cut out guide area.... Hmmm not sure on the cables though I would probably do them just in case IIRC part of the issue with the entire sunroof cartridge is the plastic type lining of the channels in which the sliders move back & forth I believe that surface wears thin & then this increases the amount of friction against said moving part & as such puts too much strain on the sunroof motor, which in turn has a cut out mechanism built in for when it becomes stressed at trying to move the mechanism thus I tried to lubricate the channels too Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
fendervg 32 Posted October 6, 2015 My controls - later type - have a tilt and a slide button. There's no real fix for these sunroofs - even if you rebuild them completely they will go again after a few years I'd say. And it's a full day's labour to take it out, repair and refit. If you can get a suitable moonroof that's probably the best option, but not original. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 6, 2015 I thought I'd solved the problem going for the Moonroof, fitting my steel panel and keeping the original interior panel. I managed to glue some fixings to make the interior panel slide forward and backwards but hadn't got round to sorting the tilt... Unfortunately that sunroof broke on the part which drops the wind deflector, so I'm starting again. I'm wary of lubricating the cables in case this causes it to drag on the wooly bits and increase friction. Damn things. It does look good now I've removed everything and degreased it all. Just waiting on the sunroof lube coming. I received a corrado motor today, but it doesn't look as substantial as the golf one I have (possible wear on the cog) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted October 6, 2015 Maybe this is the next job for one of our technical people of here who wants to make money - fabricate new sunroof fixing kits!!!! and new stronger motors! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 6, 2015 That would be nice. And if they could make VR front brake splash shields, life would be good. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted October 9, 2015 Well after dismantling my sunroof, degreasing everything I started from the beginning. I lubed the sliding parts and channels, but not the cables, just to see how it went. Sliding was good, but the nearside components weren't working together correctly. After lots of pictures and comparing to the other side, I noticed the rear spring mechanism want releasing correctly. It involved a lot of force from the cable pushing on the main slider to release the back part which drops and locks into the channel. ( I think I understand why it breaks now) Further investigation showed the spindle arm it sits on was slighty angled up, which stopped the two mechanisms coming together and easily releasing the lock so it could slide back. Also side on part of it was very slightly past the side channel due to the angle lifting it slightly.I took this side apart and with gentle heat and pliers managed to bend it a little. So another re assembly and an improvement, but not perfect. I was going to grind a better angle on the catching mechanisms to help it release, but decided to try one of the old carriage parts I had. Result, it only bloomin works. All I can think is there may be some slight profile difference from the shiny ones, to an original dark older one( 722 686 920) So the roof is in the car, working for now, lubed up, with a mk3 golf motor on. Time will tell. I'm not going to put everything Back yet as I was getting the internal panel re trimmed, so I can see how it is still working in a week whilst on my drive on bricks!! Just got to send this corrado sunroof motor back to who I bought it from as all it does is click!! Happy days...for NOW Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KARMANN 0 Posted January 22, 2016 Is this still working? I stripped my car today and have exactly the same problem as you had. Did you bend the edge of the channel to fix this or the spring mechanism? Cheers Fraser Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cressa 44 Posted January 22, 2016 Still working. The lubing was brilliant but only after I'd bent the spring mechanism. I had tried bending the channel but that causes other problems. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chuggs1 10 Posted January 22, 2016 Im pretty sure my motor is week. Is the mk3 a better replacement and is it a direct swap Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
