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Thread: How to remove complete sunroof cassette

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 Mercedes 300SD

    How to remove complete sunroof cassette

    Hey folks,
    So the sunroof in my 83 733i was broken when I got it. After breaking the nutt off of the manual close shaft inside (I have another sunroof motor luckily) I have discovered that one of the lift arms in the mechanism has broken. This causes the sunroof to pop open and whistle at speed. I also have a sneaking suspicion it's the source of my water leak in my driver side rear footwell.

    There is a fellow parting out an 85 733i near me which I would assume has the same subroof assembly in it. I'd like to take the entire thing so hopefully I can make a good assembly between mine and his.

    So my questions are:
    1) do all these cars use the same assembly

    2) is there a way to remove the entire shebang easily? I know some of my previous cars your could remove the entire thing as an assembly.

    Thanks all.
    Last edited by dude99; 02-11-2019 at 03:39 PM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Somewhere,USA
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 BMW 735i
    As far as I know, the only way to remove the "complete sunroof cassette" would be cutting it out and welding a replacement back in. basically welding on a new roof.

    Have you looked at RealOEM.com? that will show you all the parts for the sunroof and which models / year ranges use the same parts.

    If you have access to a Bentley repair manual for an e28, it gives you the steps for removal.

    If you don't post back and I'll try to help you out.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 Mercedes 300SD
    I don't have the Bentley manual, although I'm beginning to get the feeling it might be a good investment. I managed to strip basically an entire assembly out of a parts car someone was junking, but I had to cut the cables at the sliders as I couldn't figure out how to A) remove the cables as an assembly, or B) detach them from the sliders.

    I'll have to find out how to detach the cables in my current car to swap in the good assembly I now have, I also need to find out how to remove and replace the motor without damaging the headliner or trim.
    1983 BMW 733i My current project (or at least one of them)
    2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed Current Daily Driver
    1993 300TE 4Matic Project wagon -sold
    1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above, an amazingly comfortable car to drive, great drivetrain, but the rust, oh my god the rust

    1992 BMW 525i -traded in
    1990 Silver 300TE -Sold Loved the wagon, hated the M103
    1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
    1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 Mercedes 300SD
    Wish I'd looked at that fiche earlier.... I may have to get creative now as it looks like the cable I cut and the slider are sold as one piece.... *sigh*
    1983 BMW 733i My current project (or at least one of them)
    2003 Volvo V70 5 Speed Current Daily Driver
    1993 300TE 4Matic Project wagon -sold
    1997 E290 Turbo Diesel Wagon -traded for above, an amazingly comfortable car to drive, great drivetrain, but the rust, oh my god the rust

    1992 BMW 525i -traded in
    1990 Silver 300TE -Sold Loved the wagon, hated the M103
    1985 Grey 380SE Diesel Conversion, 2.47 rear end, ABS -Sold, really should have kept this one
    1979 Silver 300D "The Silver Slug" -Sold

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Somewhere,USA
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 BMW 735i
    Once you follow the directions in the Bentley to remove the sunroof panel, you can remove the sunroof motor / crank assembly and the cables just pull out of the tubes.
    It was once possible to buy the cables separate from the sliders and they would press fit into the sliders. BUT if the sliders are old and brittle, most times they just cracked. So it would be better to get the whole slider/cable assembly. Not sure if the whole assembly are NLA yet or not.

    a Bentley is definitely a good investment. many of the repair procedures are the same for both the e28 and e23.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 Mercedes 300SD
    I probably will end up buying it, it's just hard to swallow the $100 for a book.... especially a used one that's been out of print for years.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Somewhere,USA
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 BMW 735i
    Amazon has them new for $70.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Vancouver, BC Canada
    Posts
    94
    My Cars
    1985 Mercedes 300SD
    Except I’m in Canada, and the Canadian peso doesn’t go so far....

    Amazon.ca is $100+

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