93 Legacy Sunroof Adjustment?

[lmdew]

I picked up a 93 Legacy Sedan and the sunroof is out of adjustment. It works and will open and close, but when I run it closed the right side on the rear is 1/2" down when the left side is flush with the roof line.

 

If I continue to run it further close the Left side is a 1/2" high when the right side is flush.

[Legacy777]

I don't have any info right in front of me on the adjustment procedures. Here's a blow up of the sunroof assembly. It may help to show you where the adjustment points are

 

http://main.experiencetherave.com/subaru_manual_scans/FSM_Scans/sunroofblowup.jpg

 

Also, I'd suggest checking out the Body & Chassis forum on the Legacycentral BBS. There's probably some info in there regarding the sunroof adjustment.

[gbhrps]

Imdew,

I've done a few of these in the past, my own 02 OBW LTD and several other makes of cars, and from what you describe, both sides of the sunroof are trying to do what is correct, but they are just out of sync. What I mean is that one side is raising up on the rear ahead of the other side, suggesting that somehow the motor drive gear has skipped on the drive track of one side for several teeth, but not on the other.

 

In these sunroof mechanisms a tube runs down each side of the sunrroof glass towards the rear of the car to where the back of the sunroof would be in its fully opened position, and then they turn towards each other, and pass each other in the middle of the roof by about one half inch apart. A toothed nylon whip is inside each tube and attached to the front of the sunroof. The motor drive gear sits in that half inch wide space between the 2 tubes, and as it spins in one direction or the other, it either is pushing both whips to close the sunroof, or pulling them to open it. If one of the whips has skipped two or more teeth on the drive gear you will get an uneven closing.

 

If this is your problem, simply pulling the motor out and then pushing both whips until the sunroof is properly closed, before reinstalling the motor again, should solve the problem.

 

I have also seen where the very rear most channel that the sunroof slides in had a cracked end plate. It allowed the whip on that side to move back about an inch farther than the other side, hence the same problem you experience.

 

Regardless, any fix can only be done with the headliner removed from the car. Only then will you be able to remove the motor and see what the problem really is. Getting the headliner out takes time, but is a DIYer if you have the patience. Any fix you do, you may find that buying an entire sunroof system from a wreck may be cheaper than buying new parts from the dealer. Good Luck!

[lmdew]

Thanks for the info.