Bodywork

I have a leak which shows itself by staining the roof lining underneath the side locker at the front of the overhead cab next to the drivers seat,hope that makes sense. It’s not coming from the front roof vent, I can only think that it’s coming in from the small tinted plastic/glass which is on the side near the front of the body. It is leaking only on the driver side.
     My question is, what are these tinted pieces and can they leak and if so how is it fixed. My van is a1996 T4 clubman. Hope someone can help thanks - Ian

Hi Ian
Welcome to the forum from Bridlington 
Boaby

Hi Burlington boaby
          Hello to you to,hope someone can help me with my leak problem on this forum. I have had my van for 6 years and have travelled all around uk and parts of Europe. Sorted out all its problems over the years, but I am pulling my hair out over this one, hope these help out there somewhere.
           Thanks Ian.

Surprised no one has responded yet, I'm sure one of the members will help you with advice shortly.keep your chin up Ian.
Boaby

Ikimber wrote:I have a leak which shows itself by staining the roof lining underneath the side locker at the front of the overhead cab next to the drivers seat,hope that makes sense. It’s not coming from the front roof vent, I can only think that it’s coming in from the small tinted plastic/glass which is on the side near the front of the body. It is leaking only on the driver side.
     My question is, what are these tinted pieces and can they leak and if so how is it fixed. My van is a1996 T4 clubman. Hope someone can help thanks - Ian

Welcome to the Forum.

I used to have a Clubman on a VW T4, for 17 years. As far as I know, those tinted strips (from memoty, about 3" high and about 15" long) are decorative only, and are glued to the GRP monocoque. They are therefore unlikely to be the source of the leak.

As I'm sure you know, water leaks often do not make themselves apparent near the source, but are often an improbably distance away. On the Clubman, the Luton has two front-facing marker lights. The holes in which they sit may well be the source. Likewise the joint between the Luton and the cab, above the windscreen. And of course there's the front overhead window. Finally, a well-known source is the seal around the chimney, where it comes through the roof. Don't be surprised if that's the source, albeit that the evidence seems a long way from it.

All need to be checked, I'm afraid. I'd start with the chimney, and the marker lights.

Good luck!

Cymro

I,m not absolutely sure, but my old Talisman had those slit-windows but they were 'dummies' just stuck on, as it was 2 berth only, no over-cab bed, but I always thought that if there WAS overhead beds, then the windows were 'actual' glazing that provided light into the over-cab area, & in which case, could well be a source of leakage.

Thanks very much for all your help on leak problem, there seems to be a split as to weather these little 15 by 3 tinted pieces of glass/plastic are just stuck on or are hiding an opening for a small window each side of the overhead cab should you have a bunk up there or not, mind is only a 2 berth. It’s not coming from where the body joins the cab, because the water is sitting higher up then that. The water sitting on a thick piece of plywood which is under the bottom cupboard on the drivers side. All points to this tinted  glass. 
       Thanks again for all your help, happy I have joined the forum, I will keep you informed on my progress lan

Hi everyone, 
             Here’s an update on the leak in my van, the water was coming in from the small tinted strips of glass (not plastic) fitted to the side of the overhead cab section. They are not for decoration, they are there to cover up a section of the bodywork which has been cut out for what ever reason, maybe as windows if there was a bunk in the overhead section as someone suggested 
             It was a comment made by someone on talking about their autosleeper on YouTube that convinced me that the strip was not just for decoration. So armed with a cheese cutter made from a guitar string I sliced the glass away from the body, all repairs done from outside the van
         Hope this may be helpful to any one who may have the same problem thanks for all your help Ian.

Well done Ian and thanks for coming back to let us know how you got the problem sorted   Stick around and enjoy the forum 

Askit wrote:Well done Ian and thanks for coming back to let us know how you got the problem sorted   Stick around and enjoy the forum 

Yes +1 to that.


Micky

As the person who confidently asserted "As far as I know, those tinted strips (from memoty, about 3" high and about 15" long) are decorative only, and are glued to the GRP monocoque " I'm truly embarrassed!!

"As far as I know..." must now mean "I don't know what I'm taking about but I guess..."

Relieved you've sorted it Ian, with no thanks to my misleading contribution. But all along I thought they were merely decorative!

Cymro

No need to be embarrassed Cymro,

 I too was under the impression that there were 2 versions, one 'dummy' where there was only cupboards, & 'real' ones for illumination of the overhead luton.

Thank you once again for your help, as I said the reason for saying where I found the leak was hopefully to help other people, I hope you all were not thinking that I was criticising what you said, all your help was appreciated and did allow me to eliminate where the water was not getting in, and who knows the body may have been destined to have a bunk above the cab who knows. The leaks been fixed so once again thank you all 
Ian.

this is a friendly site working.

Micky

Welcome to the Forum

We all live an learn, have been a fan of these vans since '96 the ones I have seen these 'windows' have all been dummies. One of the benefits of this forum

This is a "very" .......friendly site working.
well done Paul for finding this post.
Any help for you IanH ??

Yes thanks Ian, and had come to that conclusion but great to have it confirmed.
Still seems odd to have bothered in the first place though!!!
Thanks to all.

Although they seem very small it would make sense that they are indeed windows for the Luton bed space. It is quite surprising how little an opening will provide significant lighting in an otherwise dark area in daylight.

It is very useful indeed to know there may be an opening under that glass strip, I had assumed that the the fibreglass would be cut out to make an opening only when required so would not have thought to check there if a leak occurred.