sheer lunar-see Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Hi and good morning friends, I have a problem with the roof of my Lunar Roadstar, it has developed several pitholes in the aluminium covering, and is now leaking. Any suggestions as to effect a repair, short of going to a repair shop, as funds are not quite what they were and I also live in France. Thanks for hearing me out, and for any replies. Regards, Nigel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Check carefully that any small holes are not coming from the inside, a leak starts elsewhere and the water makes a little battery with other materials and eats away at the aluminium. Once you are sure of how they got there you could attempt a repair. Short of reskinning any repair will be second best. I suggest small patches of aluminium stuck on with "Sikkaflex" and sprayed to match. H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will86 Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 The short term repair offered from Hallii above is about the best suggestion you will ever get (and it will probably work). The facts are that the alloy skin is corroding on the inside adjacent to the timber construction supports. It cannot ever be cured and will only get worse with multiple pin holes appearing as the condition worsens. If the vehicle were mine and I intended to keep it for many years I would search for a suitable material to cover the roof completely, such as a modern plastic roofing felt plus a cement to fix it down. No one sees the roof more than occasionally so why even try to maintain its originality. If selling is your preferred choice at this moment I cannot see any dealer or buyer wanting to take on a pepper pot of a roof. Last year at least one owner stripped the inside of his van to its bare shell and started to rectify all the problems, but unless you are gifted at a variety of trades or have very deep pockets I suggest taking the simplest route. Unfortunately a large number of vans will suffer exactly as yours has done and by the time pin holes are found the roof skin is ruined. Will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 Will86 - 2016-08-30 4:04 PM Last year at least one owner stripped the inside of his van to its bare shell and started to rectify all the problems, but unless you are gifted at a variety of trades or have very deep pockets I suggest taking the simplest route. That owner was Paul, aka 'Fiat Ducato', and he had a 1998 Fiat Ducato Eura Mobil Sport with a pin holed roof. Have a read through some of his posts found in this forum search... http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=&author=Fiat+Ducato&days=&Submit=Search Keith. Edit to add: The problem is actually that the rotting timber releases an acid that then attacks the aluminium resulting in pin holes (it is not an electrolytic action as suggested earlier). Have a look at this thread in particular... http://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Water-Ingress/40267/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted August 30, 2016 Share Posted August 30, 2016 This stuff may be useful. I used it to insulate my self build. http://www.harrisonstrimsupplies.co.uk/8m-x1m-foil-foam-van-insulation-with-pre-glued-soundproofing--thermoliner-simple-23174-p.asp It is not ordinary foam. Hold it underwater and squeeze it and it doesn't feel like sponge. It feels like a spring because it doesn't absorb any water at all. It also has very strong glue. If you stuck it under a pinholed sheet I am sure it would keep the water out and add insulation too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted August 30, 2016 Author Share Posted August 30, 2016 Thankyou to all who have replied, I think it is possibly an attack from outside rather than internal attack, whilst renovating my house here in France I was parked under a fir tree for quite a long time and think this was when the trouble started but thanks for the advice given. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I think if its external attack the pinholes would be in random places (where you could probably cure it with thermoliner), wheras internal attack the pinholes would be concentrated around the supporting timber frame.(and thermoliner may be too thick to stick between the skin and frame) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chello Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 I would have thought the easiest solution is to paint the roof with bitumen as used on domestic roofs, easy to do on a hot day, others may know reasons against this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John52 Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 chello - 2016-08-31 8:07 PM I would have thought the easiest solution is to paint the roof with bitumen as used on domestic roofs, easy to do on a hot day, others may know reasons against this. That might be the best solution. Looks a mess, and hard to remove, but if its only on the roof. Matt black is the worst colour for a roof too because it absorbs and dissipates heat much more readily than smooth white (Thats why you get white stone chippings on roofs) But could be quick, cheap, and effective waterproofing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tracker Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 My first inclination would be to drill out one of the pinholes to try and get some idea what is happening below and if nothing else removing the offending area might stop it spreading. After that some kind of waterproof filler could be used to refill and rub down and flush off the hole(s) followed by a paint that matches the original colour of the roof with extra layers on the bits that have caused problems. Whether or not you could work a patch of fibreglass matting into the hole(s) I don't know but that followed by some resin to harden it before filling and smoothing might be worth looking at? Before painting I would roughen up the roof to improve keying, followed by a primer before a topcoat and I would try using a roller to get a less amateurish looking finish on the roof? My intention would be that at least a semblance of originality is maintained for when selling time arrives and the cost is kept under control. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chello Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 Many years ago I cut the roof off a 12 seat Sherpa minibus and built a high top with marine ply, I had it sprayed with underseal then done white to match the van.With basic fitting out as a campervan it served me well for years and never leaked,a pal once had a steel water tank leaking with pinholes,painting with hammerite cured it, a simple solution and cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 sheer lunar-see - 2016-08-30 11:14 PM Thankyou to all who have replied, I think it is possibly an attack from outside rather than internal attack, whilst renovating my house here in France I was parked under a fir tree for quite a long time and think this was when the trouble started but thanks for the advice given. I think pin-holing due to attack from the timber framing would need there to have first been a leak into the roof. For the timber to begin to attack the aly skin requires the timber to be wet, or all van roofs would pin-hole within a few years. However, now it is pin-holed those frames will be getting wet, and will need thorough drying to prevent the resulting acid attack. If that is unlikely, it is possible that something external, as you suggest, has caused the problem. One thought that occurs is whether there are any exposed (uninsulated) cables above where the van stands? Copper attacks aluminium with a vengeance, and even water dripping from copper cables will corrode its way through the aly quite quickly. Overhead power lines, telephone cables, etc are the most likely culprits. Is this possible? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheer lunar-see Posted September 5, 2016 Author Share Posted September 5, 2016 Hi Brian, yes that is possible, we did have cables overhead where we were parked for a time but not now. I am no expert but it does seem to have happened from outside, but the result of non fast detection, ie, we didn't notice, it is now a problem inside. I have covered the areas with fibreglass matting and so far so good,I have left the inside area exposed as best I can, to dry out, so fingers crossed. Thanks again guys, and it wont stop us enjoying even if it isn't in pristine condition, I have seen worse vans still rockin and rolling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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