When I had my Westy : (  [notice past tense] I redid the skylight with a
brand spanking new one.  On installation, I bought some nice rubber washers
from my friendly local Lowe's home supply store.  (Like Home Depot).  Also,
I used Permatex black silicone on all threaded fasteners and places where
water was likely to attempt to seep through.  Permatex was used to seal
just about every part that touched the plexi glass.  Rubber washers were
shock absorbers, and prevented fasteners from damaging plexi glass causing
cracking or premature failure.  I believe over time, various vibrations
transmitted to the plexi glass cause failure.

I can't remember the puddle area that David describes, nor did I address
that, but the I found the skylight never leaked a drop after the 'new'
installation and operated easier.  The rubber washers also served to dampen
shocks and buffeting, and you could even travel at low speeds with it open
without damage.

HK
aloha
maybe I will find another van someday

At 09:29 AM 5/29/00 -0400, David Beierl wrote:
>At 01:50 5/29/2000, Marc Perdue wrote:
>>it!  Be that as it may, is it typical, when the skylight itself has a
>>crack and leaks, for the water to drip through the knob that controls
>>the skylight?
>
>Well, yes.  But Westfalia in their wisdom forgot to put drain holes in that
>assembly, so there's a puddle sitting in there, too.  I suggest a small
>hole in four places around the bottom rim of the knob housing.
>
>d
>David Beierl - Providence, RI
>  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
>'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
>'85 GL "Poor Relation"