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Keeping it clean

Started by oversize, 21 February 2013, 06:05 AM

oversize

Yesterday I got out one of my industrial vacuum cleaners and attacked Moby and Arrow; OMG the crap that came out! I'd even steam cleaned Arrow recently....

So some suggestions on where you should focus your attention:

Fuse box (RHS),
Cruise control actuator (underneath),
Suspension front valve (or the same area on non-hydro cars),
Hood hinge cavities,
Areas below the hood hinges,
Brake booster (underneath),
Ballast resistors (below the suspension tank on a 6.9),
Plenum (under the grille at the base of the windscreen - you'll have to remove the wiper arms).

I'd then recommend steam cleaning these areas to make sure they're completely clean and free of debris. Keeping these areas clean and dry will prevent rust turning your car into a collection of parts, or creating a tragic fire!!   :o
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

atatexan

Very good ideas here. As a compliment to this vacuuming, I recently sprayed several areas underneath the hood (bonnet) with Purple Power, let it set for 15 minutes, then sprayed at the local car wash with "engine degreaser" setting. Aside from cleaning, I was then easily able to identify the few leaks I have.
1975 Euro 350SE
1992 Euro C124 300CE-24 Sportline 5-speed Getrag
2002 R170 SLK320 6-speed
1986 190E 2.3-16 - sold
1987 W126 300SDL -sold
1994 E420 - sold
1968 W108 250SE - sold
1962 W111 220Sb - sold
1969 Porsche 911T, 911S
1980 911SC
1974 Citroen DS23

oversize

What's Purple Power?  You have to be careful with engine degreaser from a carwash, as some mixtures are very concentrated and can even etch your paint if your don't wet it down first!
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Tony66_au

I use the motorcraft degreaser which is slightly caustic depending on how concentrated you mix it up and add hot water.

I rinse with my Gerni using either a bucket of 60 degree Celsius water or a 30m garden hose laid in the sun (Solar heating) and it strips 90% of any grunge.

Then I detail with solvent based degreaser in a spraypack and follow up with a half strength rinse of caustic degreaser and hose clean with a garden hose nozzle.

but any car new to me gets the plenum vacuumed and all drain plugs pulled BEFORE I get it wet.

oversize

#4
A few days ago I had a look at my new parts car and noticed something interesting.  On the LHS under the bonnet near the hinge there's a small oval shaped drain hole where the inner guard creates a water trap at the firewall.  The hole drains into the LF wheel arch and there's no evidence of rust.

On the RHS between the fuse box and the hinge there's no such hole visible.  A little digging into the body deadener in the RH wheel arch and I seem to have found the bottom end of the drain.  It was totally sealed with all the deadener and painted over (probably at the factory).  With no effective drain it appears the firewall has just rusted enough to create a hole into the passenger compartment.  And no-doubt this would cause interior damage if left unchecked.

I seem to remember someone else discovering this issue, but I can't find the thread.

My point is that I suspect the drains were always there, but sealed up by accident at the factory by an over-zealous application of deadener.  Leaving them blocked is a receipe for disaster and a guarantee that you'll be the proud owner of a German rustbucket!   :o

Pics when I get a chance....
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

oversize

OK here's the pics:

RHS (no open hole seen at the top)













1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

oversize

1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

oversize

Personally I'd be bead blasting the firewall area of the front wheel arches on EVERY W116 to make sure the drains are clear and there's no hidden rust...  The damn body deadener hides many problems.   >:(
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

oversize

Another place to check and keep clean is around the boot seal.  Particularly under the plastic trim just above the tail lights
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

karmann_20v

Very interesting!

Do you intend to use any rust inhibiting products on these rust prone areas (such as POR15)?

oversize

Not sure; I'll be speaking to the painter before I start the repairs
1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Rimas

#11
What a great thread. Thanks to oversize for a good reference point for us newbies as well as all the tips and tricks.

I'm sure to do the deep clean very soon. Hit the paint work on the weekend and I found a good cut and polish has really brought up a shine!



One nasty surprise after the rains was this though:



I've looked up all the threads regarding this issue and will attempt to resolve this asap with a window rubber seal replacement. Both the front and rear screens rubber has perished.



I really feel sorry for the car because I am daily driving it and it's going to see all kinds of weather. Inhibiting the rust is a big priority!

Today my mechanic had it up on the hoist and reported that all the critical points are clean underneath. Only rusting in common areas at the bottom of the doors etc.

How would you guys prioritise my w116 conservation effort? I'm thinking to apply some sort of rust protection to stop anything getting worse and then working through major items over time. Water in the car is horrible though, I'm scared I will kill the thing if I don't step in right now!

Cheers

Rimas

KenM

Hi Rimas, its a sad sight when you pull up the carpet and see all that water, lots of us have been there I think. You should check under the sound deadening mats under the front carpets if you haven't already, they hold huge amounts of water that will never dry out on its own and will rust out the floor pan. The screen seals are a major culprit, not the only one though. Looking good otherwise.

oversize

You have a lovely car there!  A sunroof that can be another source of water ingress (if fitted).  Thoroughly check the firewall and the plenum under the grille at the bottom of the windscreen.

With that much water getting in I'd leave the carpets out until fixed.  I'd even consider drilling a small hole to drain all the water!  Pick the lowest spot that can be easily repaired and where there's no wires, pipes, or hoses underneath....

I'd be pulling up all the factory deadener immediately; it's a huge water trap and will probably be crumbling anyway.  Consider replacing it with Dynamat, or something similar.

http://www.dynamat.com/

1979 6.9 #5541 (Red Bull)
1978 6.9 #4248 (Skye)
1979 6.9 #3686 (Moby Dick)
1978 6.9 #1776 (Dora)
1977 450SEL #7010 white -P
1975 450SEL #8414 gold -P

Rimas

Thanks Oversize,

for the most part it's pretty tidy thanks!  :D No sunroof, so I will have to look at all the common sources of moisture ingress that are pinpointed across all the forum's discussions.

Seeing as it's a public holiday I'm about to go do some inspecting. Got my bag strap caught under my drivers door this morning which was strange, turns out it was stuck on some jagged rust!  :o

Photos of what I find coming soon...

Cheers