Roof issues - what is going on here?

[sgruff]

Hoping someone knowledgeable can help me out here. Have been lurking on this forum for some time, lots of helpful info... was hoping first contribution would have been positive but no...

Gave the van a wash at the weekend - not been done much over the winter, sorry van I'm a bad dad. Anyway... at intervals all the way along the drivers side of the roof I found damaged spots and rust showing through! What horror. Only on the drivers side... it seems that there's some sort of gully/sealant which is decaying at intervals, exposing the metal underneath which is now rusting (and the van leaking presumably).

Does anyone know what this is, how to replace it, etc.? Or can offer words of condolence / commiseration

 

[roadtripper]

I don't think that's sealant I think that's the weld line where the roof panel is joined to the side panels. I would guess the raised bits that are rusting are the tack welds as they seem very regular.

How old is the van and do you have any warranty left on it? It looks awfully like the weld wasn't cleaned up well enough before painting prep - though I am far from an expert.

If it is what I think it is get it looked at pronto, in a monocoque chassis you don't want an important structural weld to be suspect.

 

[TallPaul_S]

Isn't the anti corrosion warranty 10 years? And even VW might struggle to use the 'stone chip' get out clause on that!

Do you know if anything has been fitted to the roof like a roof rack etc? Are the factory roof rack bolt plugs still in place?

 

[DXX]

Isn't the anti corrosion warranty 10 years? And even VW might struggle to use the 'stone chip' get out clause on that!

Do you know if anything has been fitted to the roof like a roof rack etc? Are the factory roof rack bolt plugs still in place?

It wouldn’t surprise me if VW require evidence of a full Inspection Service history to be able to claim.

 

[sgruff]

It’s an 18 plate, had it since late 19. No roof rack on it by me…

Im interested in the weld comment. What I should have added though that where the spots are there’s a sort of flaking paintwork/substrate thing going on - hence wondering if there was some sort of rubber “gasket”? If you put your fingers in the space and press it feels different to the ridge lines on the middle of the roof. I’m certain there something filling that gap that’s decaying…

VW warranty I didn’t think of. Perhaps worth a phone call. Obviously it’s not seen the stealer in years.

 

[roadtripper]

The ridge lines in the roof are from where that panel is pressed so they are pure metal plate.

Where the roof panel meets the side panels it should be a continuous weld not just spot welded, I don't believe it's spot welded and sealed as I don't think exterior paint would take to it but I don't know for absolute certain.

The way metal flows during welding it will likely look and feel a bit like sealant but should be solid. If there is movement there now it's probably where water has got under the paint layer and corrosion is starting to make it bubble up.

 

[DXX]

I thought these vans were mainly stuck together with a resin rather than welding?

 

[sgruff]

I got brave and peeled a bit. It’s clearly (a) bad and (b) rubber material - super flexible etc



What to do about it though… some
sort of silicon product? Filler?

 

[DXX]

I got brave and peeled a bit. It’s clearly (a) bad and (b) rubber material - super flexible etc

View attachment 245308

What to do about it though… some
sort of silicon product? Filler?

I’m no car body expert but in the marine world you won’t eliminate the risk of rust returning without localised sand blasting.

 

[TallPaul_S]

I got brave and peeled a bit. It’s clearly (a) bad and (b) rubber material - super flexible etc

View attachment 245308

What to do about it though… some
sort of silicon product? Filler?

Wow. I'd get straight onto VW with that under the corrosion warranty, that's not good at all!!

 

[B.different]

Has it done it on both sides or just one? Reason I ask is the sealer looks abit suspect on the second picture. Have a good look round the apertures and see if the sealer looks oem. Got a feeling it's had a 1/4 or a roof skin on it with the spacing of the rust scabs.

 

[roadtripper]

You may be on to something there @B.different - just been out to my van to check and I have no equivalent of those regular lumps in the channel - just some raised area around where the join is above the B pillar area.

 

[Paynewright]

Has it had any repairs previously?

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Has it done it on both sides or just one? Reason I ask is the sealer looks abit suspect on the second picture. Have a good look round the apertures and see if the sealer looks oem. Got a feeling it's had a 1/4 or a roof skin on it with the spacing of the rust scabs.

Exactly what I thought.
That seam doesn’t look factory and I suspect the roof has been repaired (badly) at some point

 

[Dellmassive]

looks like its had a new side skin on that van. . .and done very badly?

I've had a new side skin myself.

its mainly bonded on, but also spot welded in places.

thats going to need bodyshop attention and paintwork done - gutted for you, assuming your not the original owner.

take a look here:

A Sad Day - #gutted -

ITS A SAD DAY & therefore - #GUTTED - Its more than just a scratch this time. . . . . This happened @ 730am yesterday morning on Victoria embankment - London. Just sitting there stationary at a set of red lights when this guy who was turning right in the filter lane . . . . . massive crane...

www.t6forum.com

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[DXX]

Roof replacement from a donor to eliminate a bad pop top installation?

 

[Phil Blackburn]

looks to me like it's had either a roof or side panel repair with little or no prep prior to painting, i'm sure the side panel is only spot welded and panel glued on and they look like masking tap lines for the seam sealer under the paint.

Are we having a sweap on which get out clause VW use to reject a warranty claim.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

I got brave and peeled a bit. It’s clearly (a) bad and (b) rubber material - super flexible etc

View attachment 245308

What to do about it though… some
sort of silicon product? Filler?

I’m afraid it’s much more serious than just sealing over it.
It needs to go into a body shop to be repaired properly and it’s not a small job either.
All that rust along the whole seam needs to be removed before being repaired then painted.
It won’t be cheap but is essential or your van will just rot.

 

[B.different]

It will have been plug welded along the top as you can't spot weld without a robotic welder and that is where the rust will have started along with the absents of etch primer. It wouldn't have been cleaned on the inside and protected with sealer, paint and wax oil. Moisture in the cabin will have made it rot from inside out. Unfortunately the only way to sort this out is to remove which ever panel was fitted as it will be in between all 3 layers. Anything else is just a makeover and will come back.