Hello all
Restoring a 1985 W123 300TD
Just put on the road for the first time in 8 years so progressing nicely.
Currently working on the sunroof and the rear door so that the car will be water tight.
Waiting on seals for the sunroof and rebuilding the felt strips so while waiting for shipping I have been trying to adjust the rear hatch with no luck.
Loosening the 4 bolt at the hinges and moving slightly and have had luck in getting the door to move to the right but the gap at the top is way too wide and the gasket is not sealing.
Is this a two man job?
Any advice is welcome.

Never tried adjusting the hatch.
The seals for the sunroof are wind/dust seals. There is no water seal on the sunroof. The water is supposed to get in so the drain pan can direct it to the four corners and out through the drain tubes. Open the sunroof all the way and pour a little water in each corner and make sure it runs out under the car. If it doesn't, figure out why.

was the hatch off the car? i know the hinges bolt to the inside roof rail under the headliner (where the hatch struts live)....you could try adjusting them, but i've never seen a hatch become misaligned unless it was taken off.
i never have any help so i've become adept at making a two man job into a one man job with only a few minor catastrophes!

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0o==o0

James 4:8

"...let us put aside the blindness of mind of those who can conceive of nothing higher than what is known through the senses"
-Saint Gregory Palamas, ---Discourse on the Holy Transfiguration of Our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ


Centrally located in North East Central Pa.

There is rotting damage in the sunroof behind the wind defector that I am rebuilding with Miracle Paint and glass mat. Also a great amount of wind blowing through that was inflating the head liner like a balloon.
The drain holes I blow water through a tube to clear out. They were blocked when I got the car and it caused some internal problems with leaking.

Only luck I have had with the rear hatch is literally one or two bolts at a time. For up and down loosen both on one side just till it slides, for in and out loosen one on one side and lift or pull down till it does what you want, tighten that one and do the same to the other one.
I have adjusted my 85 several time to try to stop a small leak that started after I replaced a broken hinge. I hope someone chimes in with a better process cause my hatch still drips.

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1985 300 TD 448K
1984 300 TD 278K

1983 240D euro 240k
1994 f-250 idi turbo 330K
1986 f-350 IDI
1987 F-350 IDI

1985 JD 1050 4wd
1965 IH 3660

Tried using the wife sitting on the top of the door to get the gasket to make contact with the door and seal. I could still push the door down and it would make contact but would rebound when I let up.
Conclusion; need a heavier wife.

I tried the one bolt at a time and it worked well but I could still see a gap at the top.
I feel like I need to start fresh and start from square one.
The Service Manual only talks about loosening everything but not the proper practice to get the job done.
The gap at the top is too wide so I will attempt to push the door all the way up in order to make the gap equal to the sides as a starting point.

Subscribed in case I ever need to do this on my 300TD....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Started yesterday with trying to push the door all the way up.
left side will move up all the way but the right side will not.
Switched from using a 13mm socket with a ratchet to a pneumatic ratchet and that made all the difference.
I was able to hold the door with one hand and make small adjustments working from one bolt to another.
Wound up with the gasket at the top making contact but the door is still off to the left and none of the gaps are equal.
Will take a break and give it one more shot by marking the bolts.
And take pictures after each go around.
Cheers

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Thanx for the photos ! .

? Is there any chance the car was hit at one point ? .

I was replacing the broken hatch latch in my '84 TD and noticed some repair work not visible from out side .

If the leaking has stopped I'd quit now .

Amazing that you'd have a black car in TEXAS ! . I hope the AC works well .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

I took off all of the panels on the hatch and it looks great inside. No rust and has the factory spray inside.
When the car is totally roadworthy it will get Huper Optic tint even on the windshield.

Okay..tried again.
Marked the bolts so that I would not over achieve.
Ended up worse than before but about where I started.
For some reason the door will not move all the way up for a clean starting point.
The book says to shim the left and right striker plates to correct lateral movement but that seems unclean and that it would make contact and therefor noise when closing.
May need to bring it to a friends shop to have a second set of eyes on the problem.
It could be body damage or hinge damage.

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"To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle."

-- George Orwell

Where the hatch top meets the roof looks pretty good to me. The left right adjustment probably did (and can again) happen with slight bending of the hinges. They will bend pretty easily with the hatch off, but I think I might try a couple of good pushes with the hatch on and hinges tight to see if you can change anything.
You may have to be on a step ladder or something, or alternately park next to a tree and wrap a ratchet strap around the hatch and pull to the tree for more controlled pressure.

__________________
1985 300 TD 448K
1984 300 TD 278K

1983 240D euro 240k
1994 f-250 idi turbo 330K
1986 f-350 IDI
1987 F-350 IDI

1985 JD 1050 4wd
1965 IH 3660

A mechanic friend stopped by and we got the door all the way up.

The combination of 2 of us pushing and the bolts were unscrewed and inch and the door is up all the way now.

Good to be at the starting point. The hatch is still visually out of alignment so I will continue.

Can not find a real seal. May be out of luck there.