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yellow cad plated or not

Started by rumb, 01 December 2015, 05:20 PM

rumb

Oil sump cap, gas cap and hydro fluid cap.

Oil sump I believe should be yellow cad, I found just a trace of it on mine.  Hydro cap I think not, it is made of aluminum.  Dont know on gas cap.

'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

daantjie

Only the fittings of the oil hoses have yellow cad on them.  Engine oil, hydro oil and gas cap are not plated.
Daniel
1977 450 SEL 6.9 - Astralsilber

rumb

#2
are you sure?  I think most of them the plating has worn off and it is rare to see what they were originally. I can see a tiny amount of cad on mine on top.  the underside has other stamping that are definitely plated.

Also what about the hood latch on the front cross member.  I see most painted but some plated.

'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

UTn_boy

All metal oil and fuel lids were plated.  Some were clear zinc plated, giving a bright silvery color, but most were yellow zinc plated.  If they weren't plated, they would start to rust away at an exponential rate. 

Just so there  is no confusion, Mercedes, and many other car makers, stopped using cadmium in the early 1960's due to the occupational hazard it created.  It's a poisonous substance to humans.  Every piece of metal, hardware, bracket, etc., on a W116 that isn't painted or that is not aluminum is to have a yellow or clear zinc dichromate coating. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone that does the dichromate process anymore for the same reasons cadmium was halted in use.  If any of you fellas know someone that does do the dichromate process, then do tell. I'd love to know. 

Regarding the hood latch, it's supposed to be chassis color.  The screws that hold it down are also to be chassis color.  From the factory, the hood latch was attached when there was nothing but primer on the vehicle.  Because of this, a lot of the W116 cars end up rusting underneath of the hood latch, and then the paint flakes off around it.  So when I do a restoration, be it on my car or a customers, I always paint the area under for good measure.  And no, doing so won't cost anybody any points at a concourse judging.  If it does, the judge should be disqualified.   
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

ptashek

Quote from: UTn_boy on 01 December 2015, 10:28 PMIf any of you fellas know someone that does do the dichromate process, then do tell. I'd love to know.

Like so? (those are from my car, some might not get re-used but it was cheaper to do a larger batch)
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

UTn_boy

Yes,  this is what I get when I go to any place now that does re-plating. A flat, dull yellow.  I just don't like it.  Without the chromate in the mix, there is no tri-color hue to the yellow zinc. I noticed you've plated several parts yellow that are supposed to be clear or black zinc plated.  Most places can do yellow, clear, black, etc.  You just have to separate everything and tell them which batches get yellow, clear, or black.   
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

s class

I will have to photograph the stuff I get done here, South Africa is somewhat less encumbered by environmental regulations. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

rumb

I have been using the Cadwell plating kit for Copy Cad -  from the title they have obviously found a alternate material than cad or zinc.  After plating it gets dipped in a yellow chromate. The resulting finish include the lovely red and green iridescence.  I will take some photos today and post later.


http://www.caswellplating.com/electroplating-anodizing/zinc-plating-kits.html
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

ptashek

Quote from: UTn_boy on 02 December 2015, 06:00 AM
I noticed you've plated several parts yellow that are supposed to be clear or black zinc plated.

Yes, but that's one of those details I am not even close to being bothered about. This car isn't being re-built to be sold, so it's irrelevant. Plus the kind of people who'd pay attention to the colour of bolt plating, are not the kind of people I'd ever sell a car (any car) to :)
1993 "Pearl Blue" W124 280TE
1988 "Arctic White" W124 200T
1979 "Icon Gold" W116 450SE

UTn_boy

If my customers and other enthusiast friends knew that I plated something the wrong color, I'd be placed in front of a firing squad to put me out of my misery. haha  I do understand though.  No offense.  :) 

RUMB and SCLASS, I do look forward to seeing what your results are.  Thank you so much.  :)
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

rumb

Here is a picture from today showing the iridessence.
'68 250S
'77 6.9 Euro
'91 300SE,
'98 SL500
'14 CLS550,
'16 AMG GTS
'21 E450 Cabrio

tcj

this was plated in germany:

112.021
113.042
116.028
116.036

marku

Plated a lot of the engine fittings myself yellow zinc in my recent rebuildand not difficult. The only problem was getting the current right slower rate  works better but very pleased with the result. Got some more to do  but used up the zinc anodes.
1974 450SE silver green/bamboo velour/green vinyl roof

UTn_boy

Yes!  TJC's parts have the correct color, trivalence, and sheen about them.  Take note fellas!
1966 250se coupe`,black/dark green leather
1970 600 midnight blue/parchment leather
1971 300sel 6.3,papyrus white/dark red leather
1975 450se, pine green metallic/green leather
1973 300sel 4.5,silver blue metallic/blue leather
1979 450sel 516 red/bamboo

carl888

Cadmium plating has been banned in the automotive industry for decades.  You'll find most plating processes for cars are now zinc passivation (Either blue or yellow).  Cad is still used, but mainly in aerospace.

Please make sure you know what you're doing when you plate items of a structural nature, especially suspension fasteners in relation to hydrogen embrittlement.

I find the brochure pertinent to you vehicle and year a reliable source of what should be plated in the engine bay.  Oil cap should be blue zinc however, my 300TD has a yellow zinc cap for the fuel filler and the W116 blue.  Most I see are so discoloured it's hard to tell!