I recently replaced both front side light/indicator lenses as they were both very old and had lost colour and some bits were cracked, they always let in water when on the odd occasion I drove in the rain.
At the start of the Z1 season this year I got caught in a short sharp shower, and the new ones let in rain just like the old ones.
When I came back from the Jurassic tour I cleaned the car using a hosepipe on a low sprinkle and yup they got wet inside again.
One lens side (the body part in the car) doesn't line up perfectly with the lens cover (didn't on the old one either) and I've cracked the insert on the inner side of the lens on the white screw side, (now glued back) through over tightening! at about £200 a side these things ain't cheap.
I've found this on 'tinternet and have translated it (badly) but I'm not quite sure where he suggests putting clear silicon, is this really the way forward??? I'm really not wanting to take the whole unit out both sides .
https://www.z1z1.de/technik/technik/blinker.html
My question is where does the water get in?
Is it through the White/orange screw holes? (doubtful) or through the rubber seal above the lens? or does it just sit in the lower groove of the front bumper below the lens where no lower seal is and slowly fill up.
Is it a case of TADTS (they all do that sir) anyone else have this problem?
I've used the BMW gummi pflege rubber treatment on the rubber seal above the lens to no avail and both lens covers are a tight fit in the base unit. I've also replaced the foam gaskets at the back of the units both sides and the white/orange screws - came with the new lenses.
Both sides are a tight fit to put the lens in and a struggle to get out, one worse than the other.
Side light/indicator water ingress
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Green Genie
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Re: Side light/indicator water ingress
Keith,
I have read Marco's article which suggests most leak. Also he says this is a result of plastic distortion of the lens caused by the distance between the two screws. He thinks the lens bows and the rubber gasket does not seal the lens to the body in the middle of the unit.
His solution using clear silicone to seal the lens to the lamp body without getting it on the sealing rubber sounds drastic and would be a real pain if you had bulb failure. For this reason he suggests replacing all the bulbs before sealing the unit.
Not sure I want to do this, but then mine do not leak badly. Possibly because I have always been cautious about tightening anything connected to plastic on the Z1!
Pat
I have read Marco's article which suggests most leak. Also he says this is a result of plastic distortion of the lens caused by the distance between the two screws. He thinks the lens bows and the rubber gasket does not seal the lens to the body in the middle of the unit.
His solution using clear silicone to seal the lens to the lamp body without getting it on the sealing rubber sounds drastic and would be a real pain if you had bulb failure. For this reason he suggests replacing all the bulbs before sealing the unit.
Not sure I want to do this, but then mine do not leak badly. Possibly because I have always been cautious about tightening anything connected to plastic on the Z1!
Pat
Re: Side light/indicator water ingress
You could use a sealant like RTV which removes easily.
Gazza
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster
, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
"Understeer is when you hit the wall with the front of the car, oversteer is when you hit the wall with the rear of the car. Horsepower is how fast you hit the wall and torque is how far you take the wall with you"
Z3 S54 M roadster
, BMW Z1, BMW M3 CSL, Z4M Coupe
Re: Side light/indicator water ingress
GG,
I would recommend you bite the bullet and remove those units, its easy to do (if you don't have the 10mm bolt directly underneath) then you can see where the issue is. In some cases the foam is either knackered or squished so far into the recess, the lens cover cant make a complete seal.
On mine the foam gasket had a pinch point, only noticeable when you remove the unit. New seals, job done. If you don't have seals, try and carefully prize out the old one and turn it around.
Lining up the headlight and indicators 1mm at a time is probably the biggest challenge.
I would recommend you bite the bullet and remove those units, its easy to do (if you don't have the 10mm bolt directly underneath) then you can see where the issue is. In some cases the foam is either knackered or squished so far into the recess, the lens cover cant make a complete seal.
On mine the foam gasket had a pinch point, only noticeable when you remove the unit. New seals, job done. If you don't have seals, try and carefully prize out the old one and turn it around.
Lining up the headlight and indicators 1mm at a time is probably the biggest challenge.
Re: Side light/indicator water ingress
I had a similar issue when recently fitting a new lens unit.
The supplied length of grey square rubber seal was slightly too small in terms of length when fitted leaving a 5 mm gap. I took the seal out, super glued the ends together and there was enough elasticity to insert the seal with the join positioned at the vertical side to minimise water seepage . The foam was lightly covered with clear silicone grease (vaseline also good) to assist seating the seal and to provide an element of water proofing.
The lens was gently fitted and tightened using a brass screw to seat the lens on the seal. When all looked and felt good the screw was replaced with the very fragile coloured plastic screws, hand tight with a dab of silicone grease.
If the seal is twisted or too short it may be easier to buy a metre length of round black extruded rubber / foam for pennies and make a new seal.
Good luck with getting perfect all round panel gaps on a Z1, especially around the light units / bonnet after they have been sitting in strong sun. !
The supplied length of grey square rubber seal was slightly too small in terms of length when fitted leaving a 5 mm gap. I took the seal out, super glued the ends together and there was enough elasticity to insert the seal with the join positioned at the vertical side to minimise water seepage . The foam was lightly covered with clear silicone grease (vaseline also good) to assist seating the seal and to provide an element of water proofing.
The lens was gently fitted and tightened using a brass screw to seat the lens on the seal. When all looked and felt good the screw was replaced with the very fragile coloured plastic screws, hand tight with a dab of silicone grease.
If the seal is twisted or too short it may be easier to buy a metre length of round black extruded rubber / foam for pennies and make a new seal.
Good luck with getting perfect all round panel gaps on a Z1, especially around the light units / bonnet after they have been sitting in strong sun. !
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Green Genie
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Re: Side light/indicator water ingress
TonyTJS wrote: ↑Mon 25 Jun, 2018 09:08 I had a similar issue when recently fitting a new lens unit.
The supplied length of grey square rubber seal was slightly too small in terms of length when fitted leaving a 5 mm gap. I took the seal out, super glued the ends together and there was enough elasticity to insert the seal with the join positioned at the vertical side to minimise water seepage . The foam was lightly covered with clear silicone grease (vaseline also good) to assist seating the seal and to provide an element of water proofing.
The lens was gently fitted and tightened using a brass screw to seat the lens on the seal. When all looked and felt good the screw was replaced with the very fragile coloured plastic screws, hand tight with a dab of silicone grease.
If the seal is twisted or too short it may be easier to buy a metre length of round black extruded rubber / foam for pennies and make a new seal.
Good luck with getting perfect all round panel gaps on a Z1, especially around the light units / bonnet after they have been sitting in strong sun. !
That sounds like a good idea, I'll see if I can get some silicon grease (or use Vaseline) and try what you've done. I can't remember which way the join in the gasket was but I'll be putting it in on the vertical side, as you say this should minimise leakage.
