116 Rear Window Seal
 

The car is a 1979 300SD. The problem is the rear window is leaking. I purchased a new rear window seal but I am afraid to pull the window. If I find rust in there then what? Right now it looks like the window is glued in some how. There is rubber on the window side of the chrome (touching the glass) but there is no rubber on the metal side of the chrome (touching the body). I looked at a 126 body in my parking garage and it looks like the rubber seal is supposed to be on both sides. I don't have a 116 to look at and compare. I have heard from this board some people have sealed there windows with 3M 08606 Polysulfide Sealer. Does this stuff work? I would rather fix my car the right way but it is my daily driver and I drive to work everyday. If the decision is to pull the glass can anybody suggest a glass shop in the Tri State area. I live in New York City. Does pulling the window have any affect on the interior (headliner rear defrost etc...)??? Thanks all and applause to whoever started the thread about 116 ownership. It's about time we stepped up and made some noise!!! We can't let the 123 and 126 owners forget about us...

Where are you getting water? The tailights will also let in a surprising amount of water if the gaskets are bad, or there is a crack in the lens.

The trim on the W116 almost completely covers the gasket. You must pull the bottom trim off with a hooked tool (or it bends all to hell) -- clips are VERY tight, mostly evenly spaced. The two inner ones are a couple inches either side of the little cover at the center -- push that aside and you will see that the trim is in two pieces.

Look inside, and you will see the inside lip, goes over the body flange. Just pry it up and over the flange while pushing out on the glass, and it will lift right out UNLESS someone used hardening sealer in there. If that's the case, it gets much more complicated, as you will have to cut the gasket out without slicing up your fingers OR the trim -- it's very soft aluminum and gets bent and chewed up very easily.

DO NOT pry the trim out of the gasket with the window installed, you will ruin it.

The rear window defroster cables go through the seal at the lower corners. You must remove the wires form the connector blocks in the trunk before removing the window. Watch for the little seals for the wire holes, you will get water in the trunk if you leave them out.

If you find rust under the seal, you MUST repair it. Sand, prime, then use some feather fill to smooth out the surface, paint, allow paint to dry, then install new seal. Sorry, but if the surface is rough, it leaks. Worst case you will have to have some welding done to repair the flange -- on the W123 it can be amost completely missing on the bottom.

Peter

" on the W123 it can be amost completely missing on the bottom."
I think there is a tech bulletin for that very common 123 problem...