Condensation arrrggghhhh

[alan36]

Is it possible to stop this with the Z3. When I get in the car it takes ages to clear the windscreen. Also are the heaters not very clever or is it just mine.

[TitanTim]

Never had this problem, sometimes the rear screen inside will steam up a tad depending on the weather. If the condensation gets bad it could point to the inside of the car being damp, i.e. wet carpets, worth checking and behind the seats that the hood isnt leaking.

Tim.

[Del]

Mine has no internal leaks but I do get a bit of condensation develop overnight inside the rear screen in the very cold weather. Since I changed the thermostat in my Z3 I can roast chestnuts in front of the heater vents which soon warm up the inside and makes the condensation disappear.

[BladeRunner919]

A thin film of condensation on the back screen is to be expected. Heavy condensation is an indication of damp in the car.

[Southernboy]

If you have serious levels of condensation, it indicates excessive water inside the car...you can check for leaks, and take appropriate measures to seal them. As a simple but effective way of absorbing the excess moisture in the car once you close it up, place a small bowl of salt on the ledge in the roof well. Salt will absorb water readily, and it should extract piles of condensation effectively. Just remember to remove it before you hit the first corner at speed....

[Frank.A]

You can purchase containers of silica gel which is more efficient than salt.Put the container in a warm oven every few days to regenerate.
Using aircon in the winter is better for clearing and reducing steaming up as the air is dried.
If the heater increases steaming up,it could point to a leaking heater matrix.

[**Z3**]

Hi

I have this problem on my 52 z - mornings are always the worst especially now we are in the colder months! It takes literally ages to sit there waiting for the heaters to warm up! I've been told that the seals/rubbers that go around the top of the windscreen are getting worn, this caused a bit of wind noise when travelling at speed, had the hood adjusted to make a better fit but alas I was told this would only be a temp repair as the seals were obviously getting on in their years!

Not really sure if this is causing the condensation nor what the resolution is, all I can say is I share your pain in those cold mornings! Thank goodness for heated seats!

[domross]

try spraying or wiping the rubber with silicone lubricant....this causes the seals to expand slightly and may improve the seal

[Geoff H]

This is where air-con comes in to its own, despite the people who think air-con has no place in a convertible

[TitanTim]

Hi

I have this problem on my 52 z - mornings are always the worst especially now we are in the colder months! It takes literally ages to sit there waiting for the heaters to warm up! I've been told that the seals/rubbers that go around the top of the windscreen are getting worn, this caused a bit of wind noise when travelling at speed, had the hood adjusted to make a better fit but alas I was told this would only be a temp repair as the seals were obviously getting on in their years!

Not really sure if this is causing the condensation nor what the resolution is, all I can say is I share your pain in those cold mornings! Thank goodness for heated seats!

Might be worth checking the heating system as it shoudn't be taking ages for for the Zed to warm up. Mine will warm up literally in a few mins and hot around 5 mins. The Zed is one of the few cars I've known to warm up so quickly in freezing weather, been a boon recently.

Tim.

[Lewy]

Ahh so I'm not the only one then!

I've been having to de-ice the inside of the windscreen on occasions and I also have the issue with the heater not heating up, in fact it takes about 20 mins before it warms up so glad it's not normal.

I'll follow the tips posted up here and hopefully it'll solve the problem

[Southernboy]

I agree with Tim's assessment of the Z3 heater...it's quick to heat up...for those who find it taking as long as 10 minutes, it indicates a problem.
I also like the idea of using the gel to absorb moisture in the cockpit. Condensation isn't just a hassle, and it's not just on the glass, it's everywhere, under the dash, on the instruments, screws, and being a "gas" before it settles on a surface and "condenses"...it gets in everywhere and will cause faults, corrosion, etc in time. Needs to be minimised as much as possible to preserve the car, and save you expense.

[Ragtop]

This is where air-con comes in to its own, despite the people who think air-con has no place in a convertible

Agree with Geoff about air con. On my previous Zed which was left out in the elements I too used get lots of condensation, it was a real pain waiting for the demister to clear it all.

Then someone told me to switch the aircon on and it cleared very quickly, also dried any damp air in the car maybe caused by wet shoes on the carpets. Once I started using the air con the following mornings were never as bad.

[Del]

When I bought Z3, the inside of the actual hood felt slightly damp. I reckon that neglected hood maintenance can cause the damp to gradually get through the material. One of the first things I did was give the outside of the hood a good vacuum (get rid of abrasive grit & dirt), then a thorough clean and a good soaking of water-proofer. I also had water dripping in the two bottom corners of the rear window (a known leak area) which I fixed by re-gluing with clear, waterproof, flexible glue and tucking the seam back under the plastic edging strip. I have also glued the two stoppers as the top of the front window pillars similarly.

My roof is the original 1998 one except I think the rear window has been replaced. It has a few signs of slight wear but now keeps the car completely dry. A good care regime therefore seems to work wonders. When I gave it a good clean and re-proof this last August, I used the upholstery tools from a Rug Doctor cleaner we had hired for some house carpets. When used with the rough sponge from the Autoglym hood care kit, my roof cleaned up amazingly well with an as-new sheen to the black mohair.

The problem with heating up taking a long time is likely to be a faulty thermostat which also seems a common problem on 10+ year old Z3s. I have changed mine and it made a big difference.

[TitanTim]

I don't have air con

Tim,

[alan36]

I have now found a leak on the roof seal. Its just around head height on the drivers side where the seal splits. When it rains the water just drips in through this joint. Is there a fix for this.

[XVar]

Usually it's just a case of the triangle shaped plug in the seal shrinking and no longer being water tight. Had the same problem on mine and re-sealed it with black silicone sealant. Can't find the thread on here about it but here's one over on bimmerfest.com: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showth ... p?t=254611

If you've had this leak for a while there's a chance that your carpets are full of water too, are they damp to touch? Mine were completely sodden and I ended up removing the whole interior and completely removing them to dry them properly - there's a good 6 inches of foam underneath them. Not a job for the faint of heart - some people have had success drying the carpets out without removing them though.

[alan36]

Its not leaking from the front its around halfway along the top seal. I assume its a joint for when the roof is put down and this is where it splits.

[**Z3**]

Hmmm! This has got me thinking if I have an issue with my heating? If I get in z on a freezing morning and turn fans on full with heater knob full in the red - and without any revving of the engine it would take in excess of five mins, possibly ten mins to clear the windscreen! Is this not normal?

My heater knob feels a little slack - when I turn it from cold through to half way position it's quite loose - when it hits halfway it seems to bite and feels like its moving something, do others have this same issue?

Heating does eventually get to a hot heat so I've assumed it's just slow to get warm? Curious!!?

[chrisp_1]

Hmmm! This has got me thinking if I have an issue with my heating? If I get in z on a freezing morning and turn fans on full with heater knob full in the red - and without any revving of the engine it would take in excess of five mins, possibly ten mins to clear the windscreen! Is this not normal?

My heater knob feels a little slack - when I turn it from cold through to half way position it's quite loose - when it hits halfway it seems to bite and feels like its moving something, do others have this same issue?

Heating does eventually get to a hot heat so I've assumed it's just slow to get warm? Curious!!?

Cars always take longer to warm up when started and left to idle, 5-10mins sounds about right to get remotely hot air (even with thermostat shutting the radiator circuit down correctly so the heater circuit warms first). It's generally advised to avoid warming the car-up this way though TBH, take a cloth out (or better keep one in the car), clear the window and drive-off straight away - car should be warm within 5 mins!

The slackness of the temperature dial in the middle is also normal - friction increases toward the max/min as the flaps they move have rubber edges which mate with the ventilation tubes (in the mid point there is no friction).

From how you describe things everything seems pretty normal to me, if unsure visit your nearest dealer with one and compare.

[**Z3**]

Thanks Chrisp 1, that's really useful info - thanks for taking the time to write it. I did a small test today and drove about 1/2 mile before it started to blow hot air - which from the sounds of it is about right? New rag to be a new permanent feature in the old girl! Cheers!