E28 sunroof glue

E28 technical advice asked and given! Troubleshooting, modifications and more.
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der_radim
Posts: 6
Joined: Nov 22, 2018 10:34 AM
Location: Czech Republic

E28 sunroof glue

Post by der_radim »

Hi guys, I've found these bits of white glue under the rails of my sunroof. Is it meant to be there or can I just clean it off? If yes, what type of glue should I use?
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jdb
Posts: 140
Joined: Jan 01, 2007 6:56 PM
Location: Humboldt County, Ca.

Re: E28 sunroof glue

Post by jdb »

That would actually be a white non drying sealing compound. It should be kinda like Playdoh to the touch.
It is under the rails to prevent water ingress and would be found in and around the small sheet metal screws holding the sunroof tracks in place.

Jeff
vinceg101
Posts: 4802
Joined: Jun 20, 2007 2:40 AM
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: E28 sunroof glue

Post by vinceg101 »

Best replacement is this stuff from 3M.
Use it very sparingly as too much will force the tracks out of alignment and you sunroof/moonroof will not close. It's also extremely messy and damned near impossible to cleanly remove once it gets compressed into place (it has buytl in it which makes it excel in waterproofing applications), the only way to get it off is to scrape it off and use acetone. In short a little goes a long way.

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If I recall that second photo was my first attempt and was way too much; I had to remove it all and clean everything twice then apply roughly half that amount (they come in strips in the box, so slice each strip in half lengthwise).
And before you ask: yes you need to apply some kind of waterproofing on these tracks otherwise water will leak into the cabin and worse into the roof cavity.
Mike W.
Posts: 26872
Joined: Feb 12, 2006 12:00 PM
Location: California Whine Country

Re: E28 sunroof glue

Post by Mike W. »

I think I'd be more likely to use plumbers putty. It's not sticky, non hardening, and IMO similar to the original.
vinceg101
Posts: 4802
Joined: Jun 20, 2007 2:40 AM
Location: Los Angeles, CA

Re: E28 sunroof glue

Post by vinceg101 »

Mike W. wrote: Mar 06, 2023 3:57 PM I think I'd be more likely to use plumbers putty. It's not sticky, non hardening, and IMO similar to the original.
I've actually had plumbers putty harden over time; I've had to scrape and dig enough of it out to make me not recommend it for this application. You may have a had a different experience, I don't know.
There was another product that was actually supposed to be what BMW used (or the modern substitute): Hylomar HUBR02 Gasket Sealant
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007PBCZCI/?c ... _lig_dp_it
But it's a tad on the expensive side given the amount you get for the cost.
I've not had any experience with it though so I don't know how it will perform in this application.
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