How to preserve hood paint until I can replace hoodliner? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

MonsieurBon · #1 04-17-2006, 12:43 AM

Hi-

My hoodliner fell off last fall, and I've seen a definite drying and lightening of my hood paint since then. It's not bad, but I'd like to do something until it's warm enough to install a new hoodliner.

Is there some sort of product I can use on the hood to keep it from drying out quite so much?

Thanks!

Veloce300DT · #2 04-17-2006, 06:26 PM

I would coat the hood in tons of wax.... BUT there really isnt anything you can apply that will absorb the heat and act like a barrier in the same way a hood pad would. Its really not that hard to put in a new one... when i replaced mine it took a couple of hours... first I scraped the reminants of the old hood pad off, stripped the old adhesive off, then cleaned the surface with alcohol. Then i applied new adhesive, and then installed the new pad. All you need is a dry area to work in- sheltered from the elements, a scraper, adhesive remover, alcohol, new adhesive and a new pad.

MonsieurBon · #3 04-17-2006, 06:38 PM

I know it's not particularly hard, but everyone seems to say that it's best done on a day over 70F, and that's at least a month off. I really want to replace it, I just don't want it to fall off because I did it when it was too cold, ya know?

softconsult · #4 04-17-2006, 06:48 PM

I doubt the 70 degree thing means anything. Scrape it off. Get the 3M trim sdhesive. Spray it on, apply the new liner and be done with it.

If it takes heat to make the adhesive set, then the engine heat will do it for you.

Simple job.

Steve

MBeige · #5 04-18-2006, 03:47 AM

Prep the underside of the hood nicely, make sure no old padding is left (the most you can remove, the better--more solid panels for the new pad to grip on).

Others have advocated removing the hood to achieve that perfect fit, but setting it on the upright position for a few hours definitely helps too. I would even suggest buttressing the old pad with a large piece of plywood just so it remains flat and won't peel off while drying.

There isn't really anything much you can do, honestly, that will protect the paint from outside. You could park the car for now until you have the time to replace the hoodpad.

edit: As a last ditch, maybe you can put insulation pad on top of the engine bay just make sure it doesn't contact any moving parts like the belts. Make sure it's also cheap and disposable, chances are something might puncture it.

Veloce300DT · #6 04-18-2006, 04:39 AM

as stated above, the heat from the engine running will certainly bond and dry the hood pad securely... just make sure that the pad has bonded enough to hold onto the hood. I replaced mine last winter.. the temp was in the high 50's low 60's, and it was just fine.

A new hoodpad sure beats overly dried paint. and theres nothing you can do to keep the hood from baking w/o the hood pad.

catmandoo62 · #7 04-18-2006, 08:37 AM

i'll add that if you use the 3M trim adhesive in the spray can,spray it on the hood then stick the hood liner to it and hold for a few seconds then pull it apart for about 5-10 seconds and stick it down again,this helps it set up faster.

MonsieurBon · #8 04-18-2006, 02:34 PM

I'm having a helluva time getting the remnants of the old pad off. I've been using a scraper held at a low angle and some Sem-solve adhesive remover. I'd say I got about 97% of everything off, but that remaining 3% is spread all over in little clumps.

Does Goo Gone work better?

Re-reading older posts, sounds like the dude at the car parts store was wrong that I should use a metal scraper, but what's done is done...

The instructions on the 3M 8090 say to apply it to both surfaces, so I'll do that.