w123 Cowl Drain Grill Removal & Wiper Arm Linkage Quick Fix - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chad300tdt · #1 09-28-2008, 02:32 PM

Yesterday morning I was returning from the store in the rain and the driver side wiper arm made a pop sound and remained in the up position.

I figured the linkage must have come undone.

Here's what I did to fix it. This will also answer the questions about how to remove the cowl drain grills.

My wiper arm stuck in the up position:

Pry up the cap and remove the 1/2" nut. The plastic cap lifts up easily.

The wiper arm has a tapered hole in it that slides onto the wiper shaft. I used a channel locks to grip it and wiggle it to pull it off.

Remove the plastic shaft boot and then remove the 4 clips holding the grill in place. You just push the center pin all the way through with a small screwdriver or drift. They'll drop into the cowl recess and you need to pick them up before you forget about them.

Then you can lift the clip out of the grill. The grill comes out by lifting the clip side up first and pulling it toward the front of the car. The grill has "fingers" that slide on the windshield side of the cowl opening to hold it in place with the pin clips locking it in position.

Here's what the clips look like. When the pin is pushed flush with the top of the clip it pushes out the tabs and grips the body of the car to hold the grill in place.

The linkage on my wiper had popped off so I cleaned and lubed the ball and socket, popped it back on and used a zip tie loosely tightened to keep the joint from popping off again. I made sure to check the movement to ensure the zip tie wouldn't bind anything.

Then I put the grill back in place, put the clips in which only fit in with the tabs oriented so they open front to back, pushed the pins in flush and put the shaft cap back on.

I put the wiper arm back on without pushing it on completely so I could make sure I had the position correct for the full windshield wipe motion. Once I was sure it was positioned correctly I put the nut back on and closed the wiper arm cap.

Easy fix and the cowl drain grills are very easy to remove, even if just to clean under there which is a good idea.

Hope this helps someone.

coonerboy · #2 09-28-2008, 04:49 PM

Nice write up Chad. I always wondered how those clips came out.

JimmyL · #3 09-28-2008, 06:15 PM

Geez Chad, you're getting down right handy with these pictorials. Keep 'em coming. {Dave's been quiet lately}

Palangi · #4 09-28-2008, 08:27 PM

Timely info and good pictures.

I need to replace the driver side grill on mine. Summertime hailstorm punched some holes in it a few weeks ago.

toomany MBZ · #5 09-28-2008, 08:39 PM

Nice fix, I hope it holds.

Chad300tdt · #6 09-28-2008, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coonerboy

Nice write up Chad. I always wondered how those clips came out.

Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

Geez Chad, you're getting down right handy with these pictorials. Keep 'em coming. {Dave's been quiet lately}

Glad you liked it Jimmy. I'll keep photographing every repair I do.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palangi

Timely info and good pictures.

I need to replace the driver side grill on mine. Summertime hailstorm punched some holes in it a few weeks ago.

Wow ... that must have been some big hail!!!

I'm glad this will help.

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

Nice fix, I hope it holds.

I hope it lasts too. I lubed the back of the zip tie to hopefully keep friction from rubbing through it. If the zip tie snaps and the joint pops, I'll replace the necessary parts. It seems to be holding fine after one day.

Palangi · #7 09-28-2008, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

Wow ... that must have been some big hail!!!

I'm glad this will help.

EVERYTHING IS BIGGER IN TEXAS !!!!!

What's wild is, no dents in the sheet metal.

Are these things tanks, or what??

toomany MBZ · #8 09-28-2008, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

I hope it lasts too. I lubed the back of the zip tie to hopefully keep friction from rubbing through it. If the zip tie snaps and the joint pops, I'll replace the necessary parts. It seems to be holding fine after one day.

I had that on my 240, I replaced the entire linkage.

I also happen to have one I pulled from a TD, no less.

Chad300tdt · #9 09-28-2008, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toomany MBZ

I had that on my 240, I replaced the entire linkage.

I also happen to have one I pulled from a TD, no less.

You still have it? If so I may end up contacting you in the near future to try and take it off your hands.

I'll keep everyone posted on how the repair holds up.

Actually, I should get a linkage set before I HAVE to.

Please PM me if you're interested in selling it.

JimmyL · #10 09-29-2008, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

You still have it? If so I may end up contacting you in the near future to try and take it off your hands.

I'll keep everyone posted on how the repair holds up.

Actually, I should get a linkage set before I HAVE to.

Please PM me if you're interested in selling it.

If he doesn't want to sell it then we know who either has one already or can get it pretty quick. He could go pick it up with his own Cheap Wagon....

Chad300tdt · #11 09-29-2008, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyL

If he doesn't want to sell it then we know who either has one already or can get it pretty quick. He could go pick it up with his own Cheap Wagon....

I think daw will be stock piling TD parts for the Chameleon from now on.

I'd be happy to buy one from him if he's willing to pull one for me. I don't really get the opportunity to get to junk yards due to my kids and I can't take them with me.

bgkast · #12 11-08-2008, 02:21 PM

Thanks for the helpful write up chad, I have to do this today to clean my drains. The rainy season has started here in the NW and yesterday when I went to drive my car I found a puddle in the rear seat foot well. Then when I turned on the blower water sprayed out of the vents in to my face.

Guess I know where the leak is...

Chad300tdt · #13 11-08-2008, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bgkast

Thanks for the helpful write up chad, I have to do this today to clean my drains. The rainy season has started here in the NW and yesterday when I went to drive my car I found a puddle in the rear seat foot well. Then when I turned on the blower water sprayed out of the vents in to my face.

Guess I know where the leak is...

Sorry to hear about your leak Bryan ... I'm glad the write up was helpful though.

On a side note, the zip tie repair on my wiper linkage is still holding strong through quite a bit of rain and high speed wiper usage.

bgkast · #14 11-08-2008, 09:25 PM

All I can say is if you live in a wet climate you should pull the vents and motor cover off and clean in there. Man was mine nasty! I think my leak was from the drain tube for the low spot under the right wiper. I cleaned it all up and found some rust beginning to form that I am in the process of killing with some por-15 now.

Jez(UK) · #15 11-13-2008, 09:46 AM

bgkast,

Can you tell me what this drain tube looks like ??

I have EXACTLY this problem (water being spurted out from the middle air vents after a heavy rain) so I took the air-grille off but couldn't see any such drain tube. from where is it meant to collect water from ??

I believe my car has had a respray (I've not long had the car) and am wondering if the air grilles were removed before it was resprayed, maybe this drain tube that everyone is talking about was taken off and not put back !!

Thanks,

Jez