Rainy season spread to inside

[sbeemish]

Recently purchased a 94 sl 500--first time poster and owner. The rainy season has started and the hardtop is leaking at the front two posts. I have read that some use vaseline on the rubber but I thought vaseline broke down the rubber GASKET. Any other suggestions? Can the top be adjusted? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[elau]

I think the only thing you can do is to replace the rubber seal (gasket). You may also want to check if it leaks with the soft top first. If that only happens with the hard top, than you know only the hard top seal to replace and not the one on top the windshield and A pillars.

Sorry to hear about the leak. That is one of the things we generally advise newbies to the used SL. Take it to a car wash and see if there is any sippage on the roofline to prevent hafty repair bill.

[kknudson]

While it may not help, you should use plain silicon spray to condition the gaskets. I generally go over all over the gaskets yearly ish on all the cars.

For this leak you might be able to pop the top, check for any debris, missalignment, or curlying of the gaskets, clean it good with silicon spray and then reseat the top.

[ctaylor738]

I am not making this up.

I read a letter in Sports Car Market that stated that, on a 129, the windows needed to be adjusted when he hardtop went on, otherwise there were huge leaks.

[tecqboy]

On my 1991 300SL 129 the hardtop and soft tops fit fine with no leaks. It has not been necessary to re-adjust the windows when putting the hard top on for the winter. But, I have heard that as the rubber ages and hardens, it can shrink down a bit. A fix I have seen for other convertable's is to glue a thin strip of black neoprene tape along the flat edge surface where the gap occurs. The tape is about 1/8 thick by 1 inch wide and very soft and rubbery. It is easy to cut into special shapes too. It is sold in hardware stores to be used as weather stripping insulation. You may even find it with self adhesive.

[abe g]

An easy fix on small leaks, is use glass sealer at joint of seal to windsheld, inexpensive, can remove easily, and usually fixes the problem. I have used it each time I put the hard top on with good results. Abe G

[jjrodger]

You do not need to adjust the windows, although the hardtop can only be fitted and removed with the windows down.

My car has a load of black sludge around the rubber seal at the top of the A-Pillar. I've no idea what it is, but maybe it prevents leaks.

I would try releasing the top and giving the rubber a clean and condition, remove any debris, make sure the top sits right, and then lower it again. No need to take it off the car.