Wetness

[BrassMonkey]

I've got an old rust bucket of a 240D. I guess the drains are/were plugged and it sat under a tree for a couple years before I drug it home late last week.

I've got it running pretty good - and I'm almost ready to start driving it regularly.

I want to find a good way to dehumidify the interior of the car.

It has foam insulation on the floor under the mats. I cant see much of the floor sheet metal, but what I can see is soaking wet and rusty.

I saw amazon has a small dehumidifier for about $60. Does anyone know of a good way to dry this thing out?

I dont mind plugging something in while its in the garage - but I don't want something thats going to catch fire either or burn the seats.

[Yak]

You should be able to remove the carpet from the floors like you'd remove a mat in an American car. The pad is glued to the back of the carpet and it just lifts out.

There is sound deadening material on the firewall section, if that's what you mean. But to get to the metal floor maybe a few snaps under the seat?

Take 'em out, lay 'em in the sun.

The sunroof drains may be a culprit, or the window seals.

[BrassMonkey]

I took out the mats/ carpet - & there is a thick matt attached to it, but there is also a white foamish material covering the floor that was under the carpet. Looks like insulation or more sound deadener.

1 of the matts is dry now - the other still has a way to go.

My sunroof does not open. so I can't get at the drains. I'd hate to pull down the head liner & not be able to get it back up.

[carnut]

So I assume you have cleaned the drains behind the hood hinges?

[meltedpanda]

under the doors are drain holes, they need to be clear as well, water going down the glass into the door will spill out inside if not open, drains in the engine area as well ( as mentioned)
Everthing that is under the carpets should come out, and needs to if you really want to dry out the car and inspect floor pans. While you are at it remove the seats and let them sit out for awhile as well.

[carnut]

Once everything is dry, baking soda on the underside of the carpet sections will help with the odor.

[BrassMonkey]

I haven't found the drains yet - Havent' looked that close just yet because I've been working on getting it running & its in the garage - so no new wet.

So there are drains in the door & under the hood hinges. I cant open the sunroof - i heard there are some there. What about at the back of the car?

[Stretch]

Front drains for the W123:-



It eventually comes out in the wheel arch just behind the front wheel on this bit:-





Sunroof drains from the front come out from behind the front wing / fender a little further back - if you remove that plastic panel shown above you can see a bit of rubber tube right at the top of the inside of the wing.

Sunroof drains from the back come out just behind the rear doors on a sedan on the pillar - just behind a thick bit of trim.

[BrassMonkey]

Awsome! Thanks for the pics that helps a ton.

I accident'y cleaned out the rear sunroof drains when I washed the car with the pressure washer. Those "vents" on the pillar by the rear window were FULL of junk from the tree it was parked under.

I'll run a wire through the rest of them tonight!

Has anyone ever used those chemical dehumidifiers? Like the small buckets you set in the closet etc? I was thinking one or two of those left in the car will help.

[JMURiz]

Are there drain holes on a W114?

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by BrassMonkey

Awsome! Thanks for the pics that helps a ton.

I accident'y cleaned out the rear sunroof drains when I washed the car with the pressure washer. Those "vents" on the pillar by the rear window were FULL of junk from the tree it was parked under.

I'll run a wire through the rest of them tonight!

Has anyone ever used those chemical dehumidifiers? Like the small buckets you set in the closet etc? I was thinking one or two of those left in the car will help.

Yes I have - I couldn't see any effect what so ever in the car whereas in my power tool cupboard in the garage they worked really well...

I conclude that I'm not storing my power tools in my garage in a good place - and that despite the wet floors in the car (before I fixed the leaks) it wasn't wet enough for these things to work.

In the end I decided to remove the sound deadening on the inside of the floor pan. Some of it was still nicely painted in the colour of the car but underneath water had found its way through and was pooling. It is a ***** to remove. A scraper is best - heat kind of works but I'm sure the fumes are lethal.

[rs899]

As Army did, if you have "dampness" problems, it is best to rip out all of that sound deadening material and get to the metal. That fantastic undercoating MB did to the underside keeps all the moisture in the car and also holds all the crumbly metal together. Best to check the floorpan to sill weld joint all along the sides.

[meltedpanda]

agree , only way to so it, get to the floor pans, you will be glad you did. I have resurectered a few and is the only way to go

[BrassMonkey]

How do you remove the sound barrier. I havn't looked too closely - but the stuff doesn't look like it was made to come out.

Plus I'm afraid this is the only thing left of the floor. I guess if it is its best to know so I can bolt down a stop sign or something for a new floor.

[Stretch]

Originally Posted by BrassMonkey

How do you remove the sound barrier. I havn't looked too closely - but the stuff doesn't look like it was made to come out.

Plus I'm afraid this is the only thing left of the floor. I guess if it is its best to know so I can bolt down a stop sign or something for a new floor.

You just need to try and scrape it off - like I said it isn't easy... but it is the only way to make sure the rest of the floors stay intact.