Damp in w126

flatty · 05-12-2018 11:00am #1

Hi, apologies if this has been posted before, but I wonder if could ask some advice? I have fairly recently bought a w126 300se,which is in really lovely condition, no rust, chrome perfect etc. It is quite damp inside though. It transpires it was a Hong Kong import by a Mercedes benz club owner who got put off the road for a couple of years, and finally decided not to renew his license. In any case it apparently stood idle for 18 months until I bought if off a dealer in October. I've had it serviced etc, so I've not driven it much, but it remains damp. Is it something that with more regular use should pass, or should I be looking for anything else? I was particularly wondering whether to get the windscreen and rear window and boot seals replaced.
I'd be grateful for any thoughts.

Seweryn · 05-12-2018 11:17am

Did you lift the carpets? If not, do it and check which one is wet. These cars have usually hidden problems behind the engine bonnet hinges or leaking sunroof drain trays or pipes.

Dades · 05-12-2018 11:22am

Is it actually wet inside, or just suffering from foggy windows?

Foggy windows are my biggest gripe about old cars. I could do without having to carry a roll of kitchen paper in the car for those days when you can't see the end of your bonnet.

Good luck with sealing her up if you go down that route.

flatty · 05-12-2018 12:58pm

Dades wrote: »

Is it actually wet inside, or just suffering from foggy windows?

Foggy windows are my biggest gripe about old cars. I could do without having to carry a roll of kitchen paper in the car for those days when you can't see the end of your bonnet.

Good luck with sealing her up if you go down that route.

Mainly foggy windows, and, in fact, after a run last night it was OK this morning.
What causes this in old cars? Is it poor seals?

supervento · 05-12-2018 1:13pm

flatty wrote: »

Hi, apologies if this has been posted before, but I wonder if could ask some advice? I have fairly recently bought a w126 300se,which is in really lovely condition, no rust, chrome perfect etc. It is quite damp inside though. It transpires it was a Hong Kong import by a Mercedes benz club owner who got put off the road for a couple of years, and finally decided not to renew his license. In any case it apparently stood idle for 18 months until I bought if off a dealer in October. I've had it serviced etc, so I've not driven it much, but it remains damp. Is it something that with more regular use should pass, or should I be looking for anything else? I was particularly wondering whether to get the windscreen and rear window and boot seals replaced.
I'd be grateful for any thoughts.

Any dampness under boot door? Or under the panel below the rear window? Check pockets on left and right side inside boot

supervento · 05-12-2018 1:46pm

flatty wrote: »

Hi, apologies if this has been posted before, but I wonder if could ask some advice? I have fairly recently bought a w126 300se,which is in really lovely condition, no rust, chrome perfect etc. It is quite damp inside though. It transpires it was a Hong Kong import by a Mercedes benz club owner who got put off the road for a couple of years, and finally decided not to renew his license. In any case it apparently stood idle for 18 months until I bought if off a dealer in October. I've had it serviced etc, so I've not driven it much, but it remains damp. Is it something that with more regular use should pass, or should I be looking for anything else? I was particularly wondering whether to get the windscreen and rear window and boot seals replaced.
I'd be grateful for any thoughts.

Any dampness under boot door? Or under the panel below the rear window? Check pockets on left and right side inside boot

flatty · 05-12-2018 2:12pm

supervento wrote: »

Any dampness under boot door? Or under the panel below the rear window? Check pockets on left and right side inside boot

Will do.
Boot was damp alright when I picked it up. Not sure now.

fancy pigeon · 05-12-2018 3:06pm

Take out the carpets and give them a good clean, along with time to dry. Fathers was the same, carpets and mats were the culprit

Dades · 05-12-2018 3:19pm

flatty wrote: »

Mainly foggy windows, and, in fact, after a run last night it was OK this morning.

Yesterday was a bad day for foggy windows whereas today not a bother.

I concur the issue is probably carpets. There's a sneaky sunroof leak somewhere in my car.

unkel · 05-12-2018 11:01pm

Two of these for €1.50 in Dealz

They help. A lot.

hi5 · 06-12-2018 1:00am

Mercedes have fresh air vents which allow outside air directly inside, they also allow the damp Irish air in if they are not closed.
I had this same problem on my w201, the centre vents on the dash were the culprit, keep them closed.

Bigus · 06-12-2018 1:17am

Rubber seal on the rear windscreen would be a point of investigation , hard enough to replace without breaking the screen .
All the 4 carpets and the back seat base will clip out in about five minutes to help determine leak source.
Also make sure sunroof drains aren't blocked , they exit in the front wings/ wheel well .

flatty · 06-12-2018 6:17pm

Bigus wrote: »

Rubber seal on the rear windscreen would be a point of investigation , hard enough to replace without breaking the screen .
All the 4 carpets and the back seat base will clip out in about five minutes to help determine leak source.
Also make sure sunroof drains aren't blocked , they exit in the front wings/ wheel well .

Thanks very much. There's no sunroof, which I was assured was a good thing.

flatty · 06-12-2018 6:19pm

I'll close the front vents, and get the damp proof stuff, and take it from there. Don't like the sound of breaking the window trying to reseal it. :-0

hi5 · 06-12-2018 9:23pm

you may also have a cold air vent between the front seats for the rear passengers, that will need closing too.

w124man · 06-12-2018 9:29pm

flatty wrote: »

There's no sunroof, which I was assured was a good thing.

As regards your damp issues, yes not having a sunroof is a plus! The seal around the sunroof is not a weather seal but a noise seal and is inclined to let water in. It is most likely that your issue is from the boot area as these cars tend to sweat a lot. Carefully open the boot and check for dampness on the boot lid itself. If this is damp when you open it fully the water will run and settle in the frame and stay there. You will see two little rubber bungs at the very tip of the bootlid, one each side. Pull them out and drain all the water out.
Check out the rear window rubber and see if its gone hard or cracked. If so, this is another place for leaks so you also need to check the panel underneath as its a well known trouble spot. You need to cut the rubber to get the glass out as they are delicate. New rubbers are still available. The rubber seal around the boot aperture doesn't let in water but the vents in the rear wells can and they stick open letting in all the dampness.
Leaving these cars standing in the open kills them very quickly

flatty · 07-12-2018 1:02am

w124man wrote: »

As regards your damp issues, yes not having a sunroof is a plus! The seal around the sunroof is not a weather seal but a noise seal and is inclined to let water in. It is most likely that your issue is from the boot area as these cars tend to sweat a lot. Carefully open the boot and check for dampness on the boot lid itself. If this is damp when you open it fully the water will run and settle in the frame and stay there. You will see two little rubber bungs at the very tip of the bootlid, one each side. Pull them out and drain all the water out.
Check out the rear window rubber and see if its gone hard or cracked. If so, this is another place for leaks so you also need to check the panel underneath as its a well known trouble spot. You need to cut the rubber to get the glass out as they are delicate. New rubbers are still available. The rubber seal around the boot aperture doesn't let in water but the vents in the rear wells can and they stick open letting in all the dampness.
Leaving these cars standing in the open kills them very quickly

I'll get it covered ASAP. I'd really like to give it to an expert to sort out

flatty · 08-12-2018 1:31pm

w124man wrote: »

As regards your damp issues, yes not having a sunroof is a plus! The seal around the sunroof is not a weather seal but a noise seal and is inclined to let water in. It is most likely that your issue is from the boot area as these cars tend to sweat a lot. Carefully open the boot and check for dampness on the boot lid itself. If this is damp when you open it fully the water will run and settle in the frame and stay there. You will see two little rubber bungs at the very tip of the bootlid, one each side. Pull them out and drain all the water out.
Check out the rear window rubber and see if its gone hard or cracked. If so, this is another place for leaks so you also need to check the panel underneath as its a well known trouble spot. You need to cut the rubber to get the glass out as they are delicate. New rubbers are still available. The rubber seal around the boot aperture doesn't let in water but the vents in the rear wells can and they stick open letting in all the dampness.
Leaving these cars standing in the open kills them very quickly

I've had a look, and it's been very wet and I drove it this morning, but there is actually water pooling in the back mainly just behind the drivers seat.
Any ideas?

w124man · 08-12-2018 9:04pm

flatty wrote: »

I've had a look, and it's been very wet and I drove it this morning, but there is actually water pooling in the back mainly just behind the drivers seat.
Any ideas?

Rear window is the first place I would look. The bottom of the window panel can rust and you to can see if it has from underneath. You need to be a bit of a contortionist to see it but if its rotten that's where the leaks will come from

Are you in Wexford by any chance?

flatty · 08-12-2018 9:08pm

w124man wrote: »

Rear window is the first place I would look. The bottom of the window panel can rust and you to can see if it has from underneath. You need to be a bit of a contortionist to see it but if its rotten that's where the leaks will come from

Are you in Wexford by any chance?

No, I'm not. I have a lad coming to look at it on Saturday

flatty · 08-12-2018 9:11pm

flatty wrote: »

No, I'm not. I have a lad coming to look at it on Saturday

Thanks very much though

Damp in w126

Comments