Cable holders on oil pan

[66andBlue]

The cable from the battery (+) pole to the starter runs along the front perimeter of the oil pan where it is held in place by holders with rubber grommets bolted to the pan.
The grommets deteriorate over time, the rubber becoming hard and brittle and when parts brake away a sharp metal edge is exposed that can cut through the shield on the wire.  Since the holders (p/n 000 159 03 40 or 000 159 04 40) are no longer available from Mercedes - the last list price was about $59 each ! - one needs to refurbish the existing ones.  This can be done by scraping away the rubber that is vulcanized onto the metal part, polishing - or better Cadmium or Zinc chromating - the metal and inserting a new thick-walled grommet. Tom Colitt and Dave Gallon found a good replacement: p/n 110 997 0481 that sells for about $2.75/each and works very well. In addition to the four holders on the oil pan there is a similar one that clips to the battery holder (p/n 000 546 09 37; MB list price $42).  That one can also be restored in the same way.  It is the one on the right in the second photo below.

[hkollan]

Alfred,

That's a good tip using the thick-walled grommet. From what I've learned, at least on the 280sl, these parts were
painted black from the factory.  I also have these parts zinc plated, and then (reluctantly :-)) paint them satin black afterwards.

Hans

[knockmacool]

On the originals, does anyone know what size is the screw needed to bolt the grommet into the oil pan?

[Bernd]

My original ones were not painted, but rubberized. I went the same route as Alfred in that  I scraped off the old coating first, then had the holders freshly plated. In terms of the rubber, I was wondering if using PlastiDip would come close. Haven't tried that yet, but it ought to be very close?

BTW...thanks for the p/n's for the grommets!!!

[hkollan]

No doubt that the rubber is vulcanized onto the holders, but to me it clearly appeared that they had traces of black paint on them as well.
I bought a couple of new ones many years ago, they where not quite like the originals as the grommets where blue and not black rubber,
I can't remember if they where plated and/or painted.

[wwheeler]

I bought a new one that fit on the battery tray. It was blue and made of urethane unlike the originals which were black rubber (EPDM?). The new one was bonded to the metal like the originals.

For the oil pan brackets, I used grommet #111 997 01 81. I found it to be a little loose in the bracket hole and a little too tight around the wire. Other than that, they have worked perfectly. I am going to order the recommended grommets and see how they work.

Thanks for the info!

[66andBlue]

Hans and Wallace,
I believe that the holders were cadmium plated and then painted after the rubber was added. At least on mine the area covered by the rubber was still faintly yellow but they were also black. If that wasn't paint then it must have been baked on oil and dirt.  
SLS still sells the clip-on grommet in blue (€29,21) and a replica of the bolt-on grommet in black with yellow metal (€20,83). I believe they also use the #111 997 01 81 grommet and I agree that it is a little loose and too soft. It is certainly not as thick as the original.

[wwheeler]

Now that you mention it, I do remember seeing a gold-ish plated surface beneath the vulcanized rubber. When I redid mine, I plated the bracket yellow zinc. I thought the black coating was old crud. Maybe it was black paint afterall. The paint would hold up better than the plating alone.

I didn't know that they had started reproducing those. Good information.

[Bernd]

mine are definitely not cad plated under the rubber. The attached picture is of one of my original grommets. The metal actually looks much more like the original metal body did, i.e hot dipped galvanized rather than zinc plated or even cad plated. The rubber appears vulcanized to the grommet. I scraped off some of the original coating at the edge and see nothing yellow ANYWHERE in sight.

[66andBlue]

On the originals, does anyone know what size is the screw needed to bolt the grommet into the oil pan?

5mm Allen head, thread diameter = 6mm, and length about 30mm depending on location and what else is attached to it.
Perhaps these photos may help.

[280SE Guy]

Here is a picture of an original cable holder from my 108 M130 motor drivers side under the power steering pump:



280SE Guy

[66andBlue]

It looks like we are all in agreement that the holders should be painted black for "original" appearance.
That means what is underneath - galvanized, zinc or cadmium plated metal - doesn't matter as long as there is some rust prevention. 

[Bernd]

I would have to agree, Alfred

[ja17]

WOW, where did 280SE guy get those NOS green fabric transmission cooler hoses?  Now days they are supplied in black rubber.

[280SE Guy]

Joe,

Those green fabric transmission cooler hoses are original. I wanted to replace them last year and ordered a new set but turned them down when I saw what they were. I told my parts guy that the new ones just didn't cut it.

If you look close you can still see the "parrot poop" green torque seal on the fitting

Regards,

280SE Guy