specifically the back right floorboard. when it rains it floods. i can get the rubber seal around the windshield replaced for a tidy sum but unfortunately i don't even have any kind of sum. will drilling a small hole on the floorboard fix the problem or cause more problems later?

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Jennifer
90 350sdl

Sure it is the windshield? Had the battery and battery tray out of your car recently? If not, might not be a bad idea to take the time to do so. I bet you'll find your battery tray has rusted away and that your battery is resting on the firewall, AND that the firewall has a hole in it where the battery is touching it. That might be where your water is coming into the cabin.

Jay.

That water is probably coming in from underneath the rear window seal...the pinch weld may be rusted out. Water entering there on SWMBO's 300D runs into the back right floorboard but, it also runs into the trunk, unseen underneath the plastic liners on the left and right sides; I've already treated the beginnings of rust in those locations.

My solution for now is to drive the beater SDL when it rains. Someday, when I repaint that 300D, I'll fix the rust-out.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Even locating and sealing the offending area with silicone is probably a better ideal than having moisture in the car all the time. The fact there is enough water to consider drilling drain hole or holes means you should be able to locate source and and seal it. If hard to locate do not forget things like sunroof drains blocked up and water travelling. Garden hose sometimes helpful finding hard to locate leaks. Have seen rusted out or soft floors in 123 models caused by water infiltration into body. Plus the dampness can support mildew and/or create an odour as well.

JenTay - I think you are on the right path. On my higher mileage car in the trunk I remove the liners from the sides and remove the rubber "plug" and have about a 3/4" dia hole that is open. I then coat the area with POR15 to insure that the rust will not start and this seems to work great. If it were not pouring down rain I would post a pic of it. You will want to keep the area open (no carpet/mat) on it and you will want to insure that the hole stays open and does not get plugged with debris/trash, etc...

As long as the water will drain out rust will not start (with the protective coating on it). Have you checked your a/c condensate drain tubing to insure it is intact?

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Jim

No need to drill holes. There should be a removable rubber drain plug under the carpet pad. Stick a short length of a plastic straw in the nipple so the drain remains open all the time.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

i dont know about the battery thing but most leaks come from the windshield. the gasket is easily caulked with black silicone. you need to clean it really weil first with alcohol or such and make sure it is dry. i do it on all my old benzes... well, you know... all my benzes ARE old. i wouldnt drill a hole... it will let water in as well as out. IMO.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

A better alternative to silicone is self-leveling sealant. This sealant is a little more liquid and flows into those hard to reach crannies. Also it is much easier to remove when you have the cash available to replace the seal. It is available at most automotive stores and nearly every RV store.

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

the absolute worst thing you can use is silicone....it will actually cause rust...

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Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

i just popped off that little round rubber thing. now i can see the ground.

engatwork,
ahhh. i only wish i had a/c. it's been 10 years since the car has felt cold air.

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Jennifer
90 350sdl

I have the exact same problem with my 83 300cdt, and I was just today considering also going under the low point in the area under the passenger seat and drilling a hole to let the water out.

My leak has been very difficult to locate, and after having paid $400 to have front and back windshield seals replaced, the water still comes in at the same rate. So I wouldn't recommend replacing your seals unless you know they are the root of the problem. Here is a list of things which are free and fairly easy to try before investing the large sum to put in new seals:

Remove those grills just forward of your windshield wipers (press down on the center of those little plastic squares with a pick or screwdriver then pull out the rest of the square holding it in) and see if any of the area in there has rusted out. If so, patch it with a fiberglass patch kit ($12 or so at advance auto parts) and paint over with some rust-proofing paint. Silicone lets out slight amounts of acid over time and rusts metal, which will further your problem.

Also check the area under your battery and repair any corrosion down there. If your battery's overflow valve doesn't have a tube that runs the electrolyte overflow out your wheel well or someplace harmless, this is a tiny investment that will save you big bucks of rust repair.

Check your sunroof drains, or have a reputable shop do it. DEFINITELY check your hood pocket drains. The water that runs into your hood drains through a drain which ALWAYS gets gummed up with dirt/debris. Clear this out with a screwdriver. They are located at the low point in the area where your hood hinge mechanisms attach to your chasis. There is another one directly below it.

Of course, I don't think a small hole would hurt too much...I mean how much humidity can it allow in? BUT, keep in mind that the water is also running along your front seat floorboard to reach your backseat, so putting a hole there will only kill half your problem.

Hope this helps.

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"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brillaint blaze
than it should be stifled by dryrot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time."

-Jack London 1876-1916

1983 300CDT (running WVO since 12/05)
1981 300SD (parts car)

i caulk between the glass and the rubber.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

bonehead,
perhaps you would kindly explain how silicone causes rust. i have had quite a bit of experience with silicone and find that it is usually pretty inert. i am talking about 100% silicone, not siliconized ...other caulk.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Can someone please post pictures of the sunroof drains for a word challanged person :-). I'm not sure that I know where they are on my wagon.

Thanks,
Yossi

You can bet it will have something to do with the Clintons or liberals.

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Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.