Mercedes 230TE Estate (1986)

[bluebird]

I hope to complete the purchase of a 230te Estate within the next few days. Everything about the vehicle seems ok ie. service history, bodywork,mechanically sound.

However I found some water under the mats in the nearside rear passenger footwell, the seller states the door seal needs replacing and he will fix before collection.

reading some of the other posts on here is he correct or should I be looking somewhere else for the source of this water ingress.

All other areas of the floorpan are dry.

This will be my 1st MB and I would appreciate any advice you more experienced Mercedes owners could give me prior to completing this purchase.

Many Thanks


Martin

 

[Dexter]

Water leak woes

Martin

I bought my 124 estate in October and have spent many anxious hours trying to sort out the source of the numerous water leaks. Still to solve the main one as you can read from my recent posting '124 estate water leak'.

Your seller is naturally trying to over simplify the corrective course. Firstly if the car has been leaking for a while there could be pools of water sloshing around the entire floorplan when I removed the seats and rolled the carpet back I had to wring litres of water out of the foam backed carpets in the rear and the drying out process took days. Press down on the rear carpets and listed for the squelch ! Blocked water ducts at the top of the engine compartment were the cause on the passenger side with the water dripping down from the baulkhead. Put a funnell in the far right hand duct of the windscreen bottom corner and fill up with a hose. It it quite possible that it is blocked with debris and overflowing into engine compartment. I have also heard it said that they can leak into that area from where the windscreen joins the body requiring a replacement screen to be fitted. Check also the twin ducts in the centre of the windcreen. Sadly once I had dried her out problems persisted on the drivers side and she filled up again on one side. All the removing of trim and carpet which never quite go back in place the same way and hours of misery with a hair dryer simply aren't worth it.

Check elsewhere for signs of water ingress boot sides, side boot windows. Personally my view is that there are cars that leak and those that don't so leave well alone there are plenty of examples of this model around so take your time. If you are really struck on this one then I would ask your seller to replace door seal and prove to you that the problem has been solved. But be warned quick hose pipe tests are often inconclusive. If it turns out to be the sunroof drains which everyone keeps suggesting (but not in my case) then you could be in for an entire new sunroof cassette at about £250. Either way you could save yourself a lot of frustration and leave well alone. Water and oil leaks are the two worst problems and I have both be sure to check under the car for dripping oil - these cars generally need a head gasket and valve job done on them after a certain age then they will run and run however if you are the one to pick up the tab for it (£1200 +) then the whole bargain isn't worth it.

So that's bone dry with a reciept for a head gasket or timing case seal job and renewed wiring harness (£500) will be the one to buy.

Sorry for the pessimissm, would hate a hear of another victim !

 

[turnipsock]

I should of mentioned (in the other thread) that I also fitted a new rear door seal.

Because of the shape of an estate, there is a large low pressure area around the exterior of the rear door, therefore any water around the rear door will get drawn into the car in this area.

Is the well for the rear facing seats getting wet as well?

 

[bluebird]

I should of mentioned (in the other thread) that I also fitted a new rear door seal.

Because of the shape of an estate, there is a large low pressure area around the exterior of the rear door, therefore any water around the rear door will get drawn into the car in this area.

Is the well for the rear facing seats getting wet as well?

Thanks for the response.

No the well for the rear facing seats was dry.

 

[Dexter]

Door seal

Hi Turnipsock

(Apologies to Bluebird for gate crashing his thread hope he found my comments were useful)

I am about to put your theory to the test but would help to know if your previous door seal was showing any outward signs of wear/ splitting or was it simply the case that the rubber was slightly perished ? Also wondered if you had seen any evidence of how the water was entering the car, can't see how even with a dodgy door seal how it could get over the lip at the bottom. There is no wetness on inner door edge beading or edges of carpet around sill.

Was seal easy to fit ? I guess sealant all the way around will assist in getting into place.

Grateful

 

[bluebird]

Dexter,

Many thanks for taking time to reply, yes your comments were usefull.The car I have seen is on Ebay item 4550338593. The price has now gone above what i was prepared to pay.


Thanks again

Martin

 

[turnipsock]

The seal was a two minute job to fit. It's obvious how it fits when you see the new one. I seem to remember putting in a little adhesive but nothing else.

 

[Dexter]

Rear door seal 124 estate

Hi Turnipsock

Shocking to find that new replacement seal will be a whopping £67 !!! Did you really go to those lengths ?

Quite by chance I found a scrap TE which despite being laid up is not wet internally. I picked up the seal for nowt and after a clean up it looks near perfect and no worse than the one that is on there at present.

This could be a trial an error job. It would help to know if the new seal was noticibly better than the one you took off and wether you applied sealant as a precaution on new seal or if the sealant was a failed attempt to revive the original one.

Sorry to rumble on but nothing worse than a wet car !

Grateful

 

[turnipsock]

The new seal was about £30-£40 from my dealer. The door seal didn't have any other sealant on it. After I fitted the new seal there was a different feel to the door closing, as in being more solid.

The door seal wasn't the source of my problem however, it turned out to be the rear window seal.

(Dexter, if you send me an e-mail, I can send you some stuff on leaks)

 

[RGubbioli]

Dexter,

Many thanks for taking time to reply, yes your comments were usefull.The car I have seen is on Ebay item 4550338593. The price has now gone above what i was prepared to pay.


Thanks again

Martin

I had my eye on that car as well. I assumed it would be perfect and was ready to buy without even viewing it (well, maybe). Just as well I didn't if it has leaks in it!

Will you be buying a different one?

 

[bluebird]

I had my eye on that car as well. I assumed it would be perfect and was ready to buy without even viewing it (well, maybe). Just as well I didn't if it has leaks in it!

Will you be buying a different one?

Yes still looking but think I will stay clear of e-bay, the car I was Interested in went for £3600.