I Polished Gladys's Valve Cover Today - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Chad300tdt · #1 12-05-2008, 04:16 PM

I adjusted the valves on Gladys today and thought I'd polish the valve cover while it was off.

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

Before:

After:

It took about an hour to polish it. I used 0000 steel wool and SimiChrome Polish

I used a pad of steel wool to rub the polish in and a clean steel wool pad to buff it to a shine. It worked very well.

KarTek · #2 12-05-2008, 04:22 PM

Looks good! Hey, if you go after it with a polishing pad on a buffer, it'll look like chrome. Did you spray it with clear so it keeps it's shine?

Dee8go · #3 12-08-2008, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarTek

Looks good! Hey, if you go after it with a polishing pad on a buffer, it'll look like chrome. Did you spray it with clear so it keeps it's shine?

Yeah, I was going to say that looks pretty good, but you can make it gleam like chrome, as Evan said, with a buffing wheel or even just by hand with a soft rag. Mine just seems to run better, the cleaner and shinier it is.

Chad300tdt · #4 12-08-2008, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dee8go

Yeah, I was going to say that looks pretty good, but you can make it gleam like chrome, as Evan said, with a buffing wheel or even just by hand with a soft rag. Mine just seems to run better, the cleaner and shinier it is.

I agree.

Next time I do a valve adjustment, I'll buff it. Eventually, it will be so shiny, you won't be able to look at it without sunglasses.

79Mercy · #5 12-05-2008, 04:24 PM

Loos good, im going to do it to mine sometime soon.

Chad, that brake fluid is looking alittle black.

Chad300tdt · #6 12-05-2008, 04:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KarTek

Looks good! Hey, if you go after it with a polishing pad on a buffer, it'll look like chrome. Did you spray it with clear so it keeps it's shine?

Nope, I didn't clear coat it. If figured I'll just buff it out every time I do a valve adjustment. Now I have to polish the TD's valve cover, but I have like 12,000 more miles 'til then.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 79Mercy

Loos good, im going to do it to mine sometime soon.

Chad, that brake fluid is looking a little black.

Yeah, I'm making my rounds on baselining all the fluids.

Next up is PS flush and filter and brake flush. I already have all the stuff to do it. The power bleeder makes brake flushes a joy.

The coolant looks green in the pic, but I just flushed the system and replaced the thermostat last week. I used MB coolant when I refilled.

rrgrassi · #7 12-05-2008, 05:02 PM

Time to get rid of the Cali emmisions now to make that valve cover pop!

It looks good!

Jeremy5848 · #8 12-05-2008, 05:29 PM

Looks good. I would like to hear from those who have successfully clear-coated a valve cover after polishing. My recollection of Japanese motorcycle engines in the 1970s is that the clear-coat would start to flake off after awhile and the resulting patchwork looked terrible. Perhaps coating compounds are better? A local shop recommends powder coating but the process is fairly expensive.

Now that Gladys is shiny, you will find that a touch-up every time you do a valve adjust will keep her looking good while not taking anywhere near as much time as the original polish job just took you.

And it will look better if you remove EGR and all of its plumbing. And get rid of that ugly black oil cap.

Jeremy

pizzachef · #9 12-05-2008, 05:36 PM

Sweet

And I don't care what people say about the california setup, I like that you can see the turbo

56speedster · #10 12-05-2008, 05:45 PM

by the way, how is the cup holder project going?

Chad300tdt · #11 12-05-2008, 05:57 PM

Thanks everybody.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 56speedster

by the way, how is the cup holder project going?

Slowly but surely.

I'm still working on the original w123 orders. I'm doing 15 of those and I'm bringing them all along together on each step.

I currently have w115, w116, w126 (1st and 2nd generation), and w123 consoles to use for mockups and will be offering holders for all of them. I'm still waiting on a w124 console too.

71inka02 · #12 12-09-2008, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad300tdt

Thanks everybody.

Slowly but surely.

I'm still working on the original w123 orders. I'm doing 15 of those and I'm bringing them all along together on each step.

I currently have w115, w116, w126 (1st and 2nd generation), and w123 consoles to use for mockups and will be offering holders for all of them. I'm still waiting on a w124 console too.

Cupholders (CH)? --- In desperate need of CH for my W126...What's the scoop, as i just dumped my 3rd cup of Starbucks last Friday, on my right leg and console area.

Getting worried and not sure how much longer my window switches can take the high doses of caffeine!

kerry · #13 12-05-2008, 09:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pizzachef

sweet :d

and i don't care what people say about the california setup, i like that you can see the turbo

x2

::matthew · #14 12-05-2008, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kerry

x2

While Forced is on "vacation" we california folks can talk about how swell the california setup is.

I like my setup too, especially the air filter. but I'd just assume have the trap/ox out of the way for easier access to that side of the block. It's not worth it to me to do anything major though, at least until something needs to be replaced.

Chad300tdt · #15 12-05-2008, 09:58 PM

Thanks guys.

I guess I have just begun my polishing journey. I plan to eventually get to everything like Jeremy and maybe even beyond.

daw, I'd love a metal cap for both w123's and a w124 console would be awesome too. I think the w124 stuff would be the most popular. I need to come up with a console box design for each chassis too.

I must admit, the California setup is growing on me. With a trap bypass tube, I think it will be just right. I posted before that the trap can was hollowed out by the PO and seems to cause a delay off the line. As I've been doing different maintenance tasks, the car is getting quicker and better all around. I'd say it's at least equal to my Fed wagon now.