[W126 Coupe] Rear window rust and window switches

[Dick Spellman]

Hi Barry:

It would seem very unlikely that water is entering through the coupe 
side rear seat windows if that's what you are thinking.  If in fact you 
want to stop water on those side coupe glass windows you can replace the 
rubber seal.  On the rear side windows it is a complete inside/outside 
seal.  This special seal wraps around the door strike pillar and is a 
one piece unit that costs a lot of money. You can not just buy the outer 
rubber seal as you can for the door.    I did successfully modify a set 
of outer rubber door seals to fit just the rear side coupe windows and 
this saved me several hundred dollars.  It's time consuming but, can be 
done and unlike the more expensive complete inside/outside seal does not 
require you remove the interior side wall and seat to do the job.

As for the rear glass window it is set in place from inside the car and 
is comprised of the glass, the outer aluminum edge trim, the rubber 
surround seal and a special putty that I've seen here in the US that is 
used to seal conduit and electrical service entrances and is called 
DucSeal compound.  On the several 126 chassis rear glass seal repairs 
I've made I determined that it was this DucSeal that cracks and drys out 
with age and that it was the cause of the leaks on all of the glass 
seals I've replaced.  Needless to say, the glass must be removed, the 
seal replaced and the trim reinstalled to permanently stop the leaking.  
As an alternative, you could try running a stiff wire up under the 
rubber seal with the glass in place and then follow the cavity made by 
the wire with a silicone sealant.  You really need to get down in there 
and lay the sealant bead up against the old gray colored DucSeal which 
you will be able to see with the rubber lifted.  I've done this once for 
a small area (maybe 5 inches) along the lower corner edge of the seal 
and body and then the seal and glass.  It worked for a year and then I 
had no choice but to pull the glass and so the whole job properly.  If 
others have a better method for sealing in place I am sure they will 
chime in.

Window switches are pretty much the same as far as i know from 83 to 
91.  They can be rebuilt if they are sticking.   If you have a broken 
plastic switch cover hinge they can be swapped out if need be.  Pull a 
switch apart in a bowl and you'll see it's usually just a bit of 
corrosion removal and grease added to renew.

Regards,

Dick

Barry Llewellyn wrote:

>
>
>
> I know you guys are try to help me with the rust problem in my 
> 380SEC rear window but I really would like to know how to STOP the 
> water getting in! The rust is not terminal at present and can be 
> treated without further repairs or glass removal. I believe it enters 
> at the left or right rear window areas and travels around to the rear 
> window? Also are the W126 window switches the same throughout the 
> model ranges? Or do the Euro and Aus delivered models differ from USA?
>
> Thanks.......Barry  (Australia)
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>The MB Coupes Website!
>W126 SEC Mailing List
>Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
>