re: E30 boot/trunk leak

[Nick Brearley <nick@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, 31 Jul 1998 16:08:45 +0000  Michael St.Clair asks

>After washing my car, i opened the boot to dry underneath the edges of
>it and there was a mini swimming pool where my jack sits. I know where
>the water comes from but why is another question. It drips in from the
>top (rubber seal) BUT!, i cannot see why?? there are no cracks in the
>seal there and its still soft. Maybe they just deteriorate after 14yrs??
>Anyone else had similar experience?, could you email me please!
>I think im just gonna change the seal

Michael, 

Try pulling the seal off the metal lip around the boot opening. You might
find that the two halves of the lip have separated at the rear corner. The
water runs down the rear windscreen into the channel around the boot
opening, follows the underside of the seal and in theory runs harmlessly out
over the rear panel. If the metal upstand is split it allows the water to
run into the boot at the rear corner, the seal could be OK but the problem
lies underneath. I've just been down the same road with my 86 325i after
getting fed up with water flooding the battery tray. After renewing the
taillight seal with no improvement I found the likely cause as described.
Filled it with silicone sealant and all seems well, ideally a bead of weld
would be the answer, maybe sometime...

Hope this helps,

Nick Brearley
86 325i

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