Yet another question R230 roof seals

[Scotti]

Hi Malcolm, I am in London and you are quite a distance from me. I will try and give it a go myself. A few questions in the meantime:

1) Have you ever used 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive Black 08011? I have got this and was thinking of applying this to seal the rubber.

2) My understanding is that you insert a piece of hose pipe to ensure the sealer sets to both rubber and metal surfaces tightly. What do you mean about cutting the hose pipe to 1/5"?

3) C Pillar Seal: Do you remove the c pillar seals completely from the vehicle or are you just sealing the edges whilst the seals are on? Is it just the top edge of the c pillars you are sealing?

Thanks.

 

[television]

I have never used the tape, it fails on the cars when nearly new.

They only purpose of the pipe was to relieve the strain on badly deformed rubbers that have leaked for a few years.

Re the C pillars I fill all the way round once the moss and other crud has been removed, and do the insides as well.

 

[Scotti]

Thanks for this. I have literally just opened my boot and it is extremely wet on the top left hand side more so than the right hand side. I put a towel down and it is drenched.

Is it worth replacing all the rubber seals for brand new ones and than sealing, or keeping the existing ones and cleaning/sealing them should do the trick in your opinion?

Finally, from experience, have all the cars you have done been 100% cured of the problem?

Thanks.

 

[television]

Thanks for this. I have literally just opened my boot and it is extremely wet on the top left hand side more so than the right hand side. I put a towel down and it is drenched.

Is it worth replacing all the rubber seals for brand new ones and than sealing, or keeping the existing ones and cleaning/sealing them should do the trick in your opinion?

Finally, from experience, have all the cars you have done been 100% cured of the problem?

Thanks.

If you have have £5k or more to spare fit new ones, and they will still leak.

There are many on here that have done my mod that have not had a drop in since doing the mod, no ones car has leaked as far as I know.

 

[Scotti]

Reassuring to hear! Thanks!

I have water in and behind the c-pillar seals. Do I need to somehow dry that out before applying the sealant or just go ahead and apply?

I am assuming I do not need to take the c pillar seals completely off, but rather just apply the sealant directly on to the edges as per your pics?

 

[television]

Reassuring to hear! Thanks!

I have water in and behind the c-pillar seals. Do I need to somehow dry that out before applying the sealant or just go ahead and apply?

I am assuming I do not need to take the c pillar seals completely off, but rather just apply the sealant directly on to the edges as per your pics?

Yes it must be dry and clean or the sealant will not stick at all. If green moss down there, just use a strong vinegar and cloth on a stick then leave to dry.


Do not try and take the C rubbers off, but do seal the inside edge all the way round, you get to this with the roof down and boot opened backwards.

The rear screen one lets the most water in, and easy enough to do.

 

[Scotti]

p.s I will be using the Loctite 5940 as the only sealant for everything.

 

[Scotti]

Apologies for the silly question, but how do you get the boot to open backwards? Newbie to Mercs!

 

[television]

Start opening the roof and the boot opens backwards, stop opening at that point, the car may gong a few times but just ignore it, turn off ignition.

 

[Scotti]

Malcolm, thank you so much! You are a true legend! I'll be giving this a go hopefully tomorrow once I get the Loctite 5940! I may pester you again i'm sure if I get stuck! Thanks again for all the help and advice.

 

[television]

No problem at all, just ask away. If you make it messy, just have some petrol in a can, put some on a cloth and the sealant wipes of, even when dry, but a little more rubbing.

 

[television]

I used some silicon sealant from my local garage, the same as Loctite and Halfords sell the same.

 

[Scotti]

Hi Malcolm, I noticed that the foam padding in the boot (on the left hand side), is very wet. The top 2 pieces of foam are fine and dry but the third right at the base of the boot is wet.

Any recommendations as to how to 'dry' this out and the base of the boot?

If it involves removing the foam, any thoughts as to how? Thanks.

 

[television]

Undo the 4 nuts holding the roof pump down, you can lift the pump as is over to the right on its side. you can now lift the PSE pump out and remove the 2 foam blocks, 1 top, 1 bottom and dry them.

 

[Scotti]

Fab! I'll give this a go! Thanks

 

[Scotti]

Hi Malcolm, right so I have completed sealing everything to the best of my knowledge as per your instructions.

I just want to confirm the sealing of the C pillars. So I have sealed all the way (as far as I can get) along the top side of the rubber. I simply, pulled it away from the metal, gave it a clean with some vinegar, let it dry, and then sealed it.

Is it only the top side I should be sealing or is there any other areas of the C pillars I should seal? If so, can you perhaps send me a couple of photos of the actual areas.

I found it difficult to tell which areas of the car body/rubber seal you are referring to in a few of the photos because they are close up shots and I cannot make out what part they actually show. (I'm a bit slow like that?!)

Thanks in advance!

 

[drmw]

Apart from the C pillars, the main culprit is the long seal attached to the rear window. Two nuts attach each end (on the underside) - remove them then pull off the seal, clean everything as described & apply silicone sealant along the entire length - don't stop where the studs are fixed as MB do - then reattach. Once you get in there it's all pretty obvious

 

[television]

Hi Malcolm, right so I have completed sealing everything to the best of my knowledge as per your instructions.

I just want to confirm the sealing of the C pillars. So I have sealed all the way (as far as I can get) along the top side of the rubber. I simply, pulled it away from the metal, gave it a clean with some vinegar, let it dry, and then sealed it.

Is it only the top side I should be sealing or is there any other areas of the C pillars I should seal? If so, can you perhaps send me a couple of photos of the actual areas.

I found it difficult to tell which areas of the car body/rubber seal you are referring to in a few of the photos because they are close up shots and I cannot make out what part they actually show. (I'm a bit slow like that?!)

Thanks in advance!

The C rubbers go all the way around into the inside, just start opening the roof, and when the boot lid is open,stop opening. the inside of the rubbers is facing you each side, do the same as you did on the outside, they should be quite clean, if not clean them and seal as far as you can go, you do not have to be as fussy as the outside as no one can see them, if you want to you can get to the end corners when the roof is up, you can do it by feel, just.

The inside should be done as any water that runs down the outside will go down and up and out on the other side

 

[Scotti]

Thanks Malcolm. I'm still a bit confused about the 'inside' of the c pillar. Are you referring to the underside which rolls underneath like a lip (the underside inside the boot)?

If you could attach a photo that would be most helpful.

Apologies for the confusion.

 

[television]

This is it, and when the roof is down the insides of the C pillars are facing you.

This one is in a bad way as someone tried using the wrong sealant.