new member, needs windshield for 86 300sl

[greg walsh]

Hi,Last week I became a proud owner of an 86 300SL. runs great with many new parts but needs work. It's got a cracked windshield,needs seats redone,turnsignals don't flash and that's it for now. I forgot it also needs a new soft top. I can't find much information on a 86 300SL. What windshields are interchangeable and where is my flasher relay located, if that's the problem? I also have a green brown and red wire on the right side of the firewall under the hood that aren't connected. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Greg.

[rowdie]

Do the emergency flashers work? Try cycling the switch in the console. The flasher unit is behind the instrument cluster. Kind of difficult to get to without removing the steering wheel..
Use the 560SL as a reference for the windshield when contacting suppliers/installers.

[greg walsh]

Thanks,No the emergency flashers don't work either. I tried moving the hazard switch back and forth with no luck. The car must've been in a small front end collision because a lot of the fender mounting hardware's missing,the hood been replaced and the wiring to the turn signals and driving lights were never reconnected. I've connected them all back up and thouroghly looked under the car and was pleased at how everything looked. It also has a new radiator which leads me to believe that it was hit in the front.It does drive nice though. Cruise control and oddometer also don't work but they don't work on my 81 300SD either no big deal.

[97 SL320]

I've bought glass only from this company before. ( Picked it up at the warehouse ) I have no idea what the quality of yours will be.

Auto Glass by Windshields To Go

Using a 86 560SL, you are looking at $ 127 glass only + 100 install. I'd have a real talk with the installer as they might not be familiar with these cars. Be sure any rust on the pinch weld is tended to. It would be a pretty good idea for you to remove the glass, then tend to any rust before the glass installer shows up as the installer isn't going to repair any rust.

Also, based on what others have said, get a new OEM Mercedes gasket.

[rowdie]

Unsure if air bag is standard on your model. II is on the post '85 US 560SL. Hardest part in repairing the odometer or replacing the flasher is removing the steering wheel to remove the cluster.
Odometer Repair: Tutorial - Benzworld.org - Mercedes-Benz Discussion Forum
The online service manual shows how to remove the windshield trim. Model 107
Use the 560SL for some things as it does not include Euro models.

[greg walsh]

Thanks for the information.First things first,the windshield. My wife asked me if that's what I wanted for Christmas and I said sure.

[Strife]

I have purchased two windshields, a Pilkington (under insurance) and a Safelite (out of my own pocket, which cost 60% as much). The pilkington (which is now or was recently a MB OE Supplier) was perfect; the Safelite has a BIT of distortion, but not much and IMO worth it for a driver, but move your head up and down sitting in both seats and look at something in the distance before you sign off on it.

On using the MB original seals; this may not be the best option. The original seal was butyl heated with a nichrome or resistance wire. The modern, and superior, method involves high tech self-drying/curing urethane. I believe that this is now the only way a professional glass installer will do this. Strength is critical, for two reasons: firstly, obviously, you don't want the glass to pop out in a crash (and the glass is an integral part of the strength of the roof/cowl, believe it or not). Worse, the glass must be in place in order for the airbags to be effective. This is definitely not stuff you can buy at a store, but I acquired some and used it on my hardtop window. It has very explicit surface prep treatment requirements and the stuff has very short expiration dates. When a glass installer installs glass, generally, they write the material used, lot # and expiration date on the work order, for liability reasons.

[Strife]

Originally Posted by 97 SL320

Using a 86 560SL, you are looking at $ 127 glass only + 100 install. I'd have a real talk with the installer as they might not be familiar with these cars. Be sure any rust on the pinch weld is tended to. It would be a pretty good idea for you to remove the glass, then tend to any rust before the glass installer shows up as the installer isn't going to repair any rust.

I'm in total agreement with the above. As it is, the best shop in town had only a few guys familiar with non-pop-in type windshields, and they would NOT do it "in the field" (that is, in a parking lot).

If you KNOW you have rust in windshield area, I would actually have the guy remove the windshield, you do the work, and have them come back and install it. BTW, no reputable/responsible shop will install a windshield with rust that they cannot grind off/paint with their special acid-based primer, because the urethane will not stick and neither will the windshield (see other post for safety issues)!

The most worrisome part of the glass replacement is the trim. 30-year old trim is extremely hard to remove without breaking/bending the trim or breaking the clips. My installer had to bend the "corners" while removing the trim, but he successfully did everything else. This trim is NOT cheap new.

[greg walsh]

Thanks,I'm kinda worried about removing the trim without damaging it. Mine is a grey market car so I don't have an airbag. I don't see any signs of rust at least on the outside.

[markg612]

Hey Greg,

Your car is very unique to the US for only it's engine. I've had my 86 12 years and you, like me and 45 other people in the US own a 86-89 560SL with a M103 6 cylinder engine straight out of a 300E.

No airbag, no thermometer in the center dash vent and no battering ram bumpers, REGULAR GAS! and Euro headlights, a European radio with HF band and german language owners manual should just about cover the differences. (I found an english copy for the 300SL from a guy in Japan)

Shop your parts and repair like you own a 86-89 560SL and you'll save yourself from more misinformation and out right ill-informed BS than you can imagine. THIS HAS BEEN THE CHEEPEST AND EASIEST MB TO MAINTAIN I'VE EVER OWNED!

Pay $12 bucks and get a Startek EPC access subscription (only because it's a european car, otherwise it's free), put your vin in the box and look up your part numbers VIN specific to your car. THEE only part in 12 years I've had to get from Germany was a sun visor!

PS, look at your spare tire, if it's original like mine, it says "made in west germany"

[markg612]

Originally Posted by greg walsh

Hi,Last week I became a proud owner of an 86 300SL. runs great with many new parts but needs work. It's got a cracked windshield,needs seats redone,turnsignals don't flash and that's it for now. I forgot it also needs a new soft top. I can't find much information on a 86 300SL. What windshields are interchangeable and where is my flasher relay located, if that's the problem? I also have a green brown and red wire on the right side of the firewall under the hood that aren't connected. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Greg.

Pictures would speak volumes. . .

The EPC will tell you the windshield part number, which you can back check for applicability.

[markg612]

Originally Posted by greg walsh

Thanks,No the emergency flashers don't work either. I tried moving the hazard switch back and forth with no luck. The car must've been in a small front end collision because a lot of the fender mounting hardware's missing,the hood been replaced and the wiring to the turn signals and driving lights were never reconnected. I've connected them all back up and thouroghly looked under the car and was pleased at how everything looked. It also has a new radiator which leads me to believe that it was hit in the front.It does drive nice though. Cruise control and oddometer also don't work but they don't work on my 81 300SD either no big deal.

Hummm--Your cruise and odometer failure could be related--If the odo is out, is the speedo out too? If the answer is yes, your cruise won't work, the speed signal comes from the hal sensor on the back of the speedo head.

The 107 manual sans the M103:
Model 107

The M103 from the W124 manual:
Model 124

[sokoloff]

Another "be careful with the windshield trim" warning. Use an installer who knows what the hell he's doing. I'm pretty sure your windshield and trim are like all the other Mercedes of that era. The trim comes out with the windshield and gasket. The trim is placed in the gasket and the gasket is then placed on the windshield and goes in with the windshield and not after the windshield is installed. I've heard of lots of trim pieces screwed up by installers who think they know more than the service manual.

[greg walsh]

Thanks for all the information! My speedometer does work fortunately. I noticed a bad rust area around the driver's side shock mount which kinda worries me but a neighbor with a welder can hopefully repair it as soon as I get my valve cover back from the powder coater's.I had the aircleaner done as well,it really looks good! It takes up so much room under the hood I thought I'd have it done.

[rowdie]

Windshield trim removal is covered in the 107 service manual linked above. On the 107 it is separate from the windshield and can be removed and installed separately. The rear window on the SLC is as Sokoloff described.