I made a deep cut in the middle, top of the thick rubber seal. The cut started in the center and was about 1/2 to 5/8 inch from the edge. After going six inches and making sure I had cut completely through the old seal I cut straight down until I reached the edge.

I pulled hard on the strip I had cut off and it began to tear lengthwise. I tore it until I got all the way across the top and down the side of the glass to the bottom corner.

I made another cut in the middle where I'd started the first cut and tore that section off across and to the bottom corner. The glass was easy to push out.

Some of the thick pasty gray putty was soft but most of it was hard. The car has been in the dry for a few days yet there was still water standing in the lower corners. From one side to the other across the bottom water stood where the putty was dry and cracked. Water was trapped by leaching into the seal or running down from the top, I couldn't say.

First I used a plastic scrapper and collected what I could. Then I scrubbed it all off with Scotchbrite. Some was stubborn but not as much as me. After getting the putty I washed the surface where the rubber contacted it with a solution of Ivory Liquid, ammonia and water. Fairly heavy on the soap and ammonia.

The car has sat dormant under SC and TN sun for 20+ years and there is zero rust. I found one reddish brown spot which turned out to be dirt.

I noticed a bit of the primer was exposed when I got the dirt off so I light sanded the lip and other surfaces where that the rubber contacts with 400g paper. I might have scrubbed the primer off myself.

I got one of my good Wooster brushes and a can of Por 15 and did a work of art on the area on the outside which makes contact with the rubber. I learned something about Por 15. If you use a good brush and know how to handle it Por 15 will go on as smooth and slick as any oil.

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A question for Electrical Engineers. I tested for continuity from wire to wire on the rear defroster and got nothing. Is one of these not positive and the other negative? What's up?

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic

First step is to test your test equipment.

Use the resistance function not diode / beep test.

You are testing at the tabs on the glass correct?

There is not any polarity since the element is a printed resistor on some cars and wire embedded in the glass on others. Shine a light through the glass at various angles to determine if the element is painted on the interior of glass or floating between layers.

The printed on elements tend to wear off over time but there are kits to repair small breaks.

Yes, I tested the wire leads which are on the side of the w126 layered glass in the photo. The wire that heats up is between the glass. I believe I had good contact but the ohm reading never changed from the 0.L reading.

Attached Thumbnails

 

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic

Oops, I just tested the resistance again and got a reading around 0.11 so what do you think?

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84 300SD
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95 318ic

What scale are you using?

I don't have a spec for this but 0.110 Ohms powered by 13.8 volts would give 125 amps, that is really high. ( 1730 Watts ! )

Some resistive elements increase resistance as they heat up so the current will drop but I would not expect heated glass to change temperature enough for this to occur.

If the reading is really 1.10 Ohms powered by 13.8 volts would give 12.5 amps, that would be more believable. ( 173 Watts )

OK, after the reading I took some pictures and reduced them to add to my reserve of photos of this project. I got a little distracted by the massive photo collection and a bit of confusion I'd created by filing some pics in the wrong folders so I spend some time sorting through then and moving some to their proper locations.

I misplaced the decimal point. Thank you for your help.

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic

I decided to stick with Whunter on the plan.

I cleaned and put fresh plumber's putty on the body's pinch mold. I probably used too much because I ended up with a number of small rolls after forming the putty. The diameter of those small rolls was closer to 3/16th inch rather than the 3 millimeters suggested by Mr Whunter.

All in all it was a PITb to do it because it was my first shot at an MB rear windshield assembly. Every part of the job was a fight except cleaning the old putty off the lip and actually pulling the seal over the pinch weld.

I removed the old glass by myself and threw it and another identical piece in over the fence into the bed of my truck for disposal. I was kinda hoping it would break and I could sweep it up for disposal. No luck. This glass is nearly impossible to break, imo.

Never-the-less, I was near nerve pills from concern about breaking the new(er) one. Here's some pictures of parts of the process and if anyone is considering this as a DYI feel free to ask questions.

Here's a pic of the lower pinchweld after cleaning and brushing on Por 15...



Here's the putty after smearing...



Here's a picture of the finished product minus the cleaning...

Attached Thumbnails

     

__________________
84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic