E30 Zone

I thought I might make up some new tail light gaskets using an old dodgy on as a template. Any idea what BMW used to make them? I thought neoprene would be good.

xavier wrote: ↑

Sat Mar 21, 2020 11:38 am

I thought I might make up some new tail light gaskets using an old dodgy on as a template. Any idea what BMW used to make them? I thought neoprene would be good.

Neoprene is good stuff but good luck as many have failed.
Let`s know how you go on with this please , if this works then you could have a nice side line

Pic`s as well please

Mart.

I think they're just rubber. I got some recently from the cotsowld BMW people

Yep made one up in neoprene. I pinned an old one down onto card to make a template. The actual design of the original is not great though. Although all around the lens is sealed there seems to be a space above the light lens where water can be pulled by capillary action. The lens has evidence of a number of attempts to use silicon. Some clear and some black.

My original ones seem to be some sort of foam like gasket material iirc

The original material looks like foamed neoprene. This is neoprene with nitrogen bubbles in it. It’s what they use in wet suits. Now that you mention it, cutting a gasket out of an old wet suit might work. I might visit the second hand clothes Op shop.

Or chest waders. I used to have a set of neoprene chest waders for fishing which we used in the colder weather. Might be worth looking into them too?

I think you might even be able to buy patch repair kits for them too so might be worth a look too

Just my 5 cents.
Just after I got the car, at the first heavy rain had the trunk flooded. Found out a gasket was missing. They were 30€ on eBay but needed a fast solution.
Bought a D-shaped neoprene gasket for a couple €. No more leaks. Not a drop of water.