Engine Bay Restore

[Markbhai]

First of all apologies for posting a similar post in two places, but I wasnt sure where it fit best.

This coming winter I will need to get my engine bay re-sprayed as it is rusting in places, so this got me considering what I can do on my engine before then to save some costs on this cosmetic restoration.  So I have a list of questions if anyone can help:

1. The engine is very dirty, what is the best way to clean this to take it back to its original finish? - I know some have polished thiers but I believe the original is not polished.
2. The brake servo cylinder has some surface rust, what is the best paint to repaint with given its location close to possible heat sources?
3. Can I remove the brake servo cylinder without having to re-bleed the brakes?
4. All of the original linkages are starting to show surface rust, is there a product to restore these? - Do I just repaint?  These appear to be originally a silver grey colour.

My knowledge on engines is not great, so I would only really attempt jobs where I dont need to re-build things again afterwards, mainly as I want to keep the car running over summer.

Thanks

Mark.

[franjo_66]

Hi Mark

I am in the middle of doing a full detail on the engine bay and all its various peripherals (eg brackets, clamps, hoses, lines, etc)

I have had great success with the POR products. I have used Marine Clean to clean up the engine and all the various bits. All my fuel injection lines, brackets, linkages, rods, etc have been sent off to a local outfit in Australia to get yellow cadmium plating done as this was the original factory finish.

A lot of the various brackets, hoses, fittings, etc are all available from the MB Classic Centre, SLS, etc. Some of them are very cheap and saves you time and money as opposed to cleaning, re-finishing, etc.

For the exhaust manifolds, cyclinder block, cyclinder head cover, etc go to www.por-15.com and you will see that there is great range of suitable products to restore and recoat these areas. I am using their engine enamel and exhaust paint to do the block & exhaust manifolds. For the cyclinder head cover and throttle body/intake I will removed these, clean them with Marine Clean, sand blast or similar and then coat with Glisten (clear coat finish that doesn't yellow or stain and forms a hard protective surface finish)

Best of luck !

Regards
Franjo

I used the various engine bay photos for reference (just do a search on the forums and you will get many threads to look at)

NB engine block should be finished in a satin/semi-gloss black

[marios]

Hi Mark,
I am also going through the same process.
If you have the time and money, take the engine out of the car, put in an engine mount and take a lot of pictures. Then you can start removing parts to have them cleaned.
In the case of the radiator overflow and brake containers, I had them sand blasted and powder coated in black. I sand blasted pretty much every part that could be removed and safely blasted. The engine cover was blasted and powder coated with clear. I also had all of the parts that were originally cadmium plated, I had zinc plated for about 100 bucks.
The manifold and the engine I am having ceramic coated and the exhaust will be powder coated with high temp stuff.

I am really really enjoying this process, specially after seeing the results.

All in all, excluding the labor to remove and reinstall the engine and parts, I think I am going to spend about $ 1,500. Not too bad.

[Markbhai]

Thanks for the replies.

I have since found someone who will do it all for me, the quote was:

• Remove All parts off the block
• prepare and respray engine bay
• replace all hoses & clips to original spec (or as close as possible)
• powder coat all black items
• service radiator (recore)
• check and clean starter/alternator

Quoted about 4 weeks work for around £1,000 to £1,200.  As this is arround what I expected to pay just for the respray, I am going to leave the job to the experts.  I have seen the mans work on 250 SL which was at the UK Classic Car show last November so I am comfortable with the standard.

Regards

Mark.

[J. Huber]

Sounds like a deal to me. I'd get the fuel injection lines re-plated (whatever way you can get original golden color (Cad or zinc-chromate or something like that?) and throw in a new firewall pad if needed. Be sure to have the underside of the bonnet resprayed body color when you do the bay....

[Garry]

Interesting that several are going through this process . I am about to do an engine rebuild on my 230SL and plan doing a complete engine bay restoration and expect a bill around $10k for it all. Wouldn't mind a complete list of work to be done. Car goes in in a week or so.

[gerster]

The underside of my bonnet is in black although the body color is 050 White, the man that sold me the 280 SL assured me that it was factory original???

[Markbhai]

Hi Gerster.

The original colour for the underside of the bonnet is body coloured, so it has been painted over at some time.  By contrast the original colour for the boot is black.

If you are american... 

The original color for the underside of the hood is body coloured, so it has been painted over at some time.  By contrast the original color for the trunk is black.

J. Huber - thanks for the tip I will get the understide done, its not bad but if the bay is sprayed, no doubt it will look bad against the new paint.

M

[Garry]

Actually this "black" has been discussed over a number of times, it is actually a dark grey and quoting from the Tech Manual:

"The trunk of M-B´s in the 60's (like W113) is actually not black, but a very dark gray. It can be ordered via Mercedes dealerships. Ordering code is 000 986 67 33 - 7164. The "000 986 67 33" is the part number of a one component (not catalized) paint sold by MBAG, and the "7164" is the color code for this deep dark gray. It is semi-gloss."

Same as the under door sills.

Garry

[J. Huber]

There is strong evidence that most Pagodas have body-colored undersides of the hood (bonnet). In my years of gawking, I have seen a few black ones, as well as an occasional black engine bay (on a non-black car!)... But the vast majority are as I portray (and yes the trunks are always a dark dark grey). So Mark yours may simply be original. Good luck.