I bought a new under the hood pad 2 1/2 years ago when I bought this car, and it's already disintigrating. I got it at an OEM MB parts dealer if I'm not mistaken. How disappointing. I'm going to contact the parts place, see if I can get an exchange. I doubt they'll do it, but c'mon. Not even 3 years old and falling apart???

Cheap foam. Probably from China.

jeff

You found the problem.

Solution: Buy a quality hood pad or don't even bother if you can live with a tiny bit more noise. The hood pad is not for heat insulation.

if the hood pad isn't for heat insulation then why do so many hoods get paint / heat damage above the turbo without a hood pad?

They don't.

...must be those flashbacks again.

__________________
Bama1


2008 SLK 280, Firemist Red - "Hurricane"
2001 F150 Lariat 4x4, Black on Black - "Badboy"
1982 240D 4 speed survivor -"Pearl" - Donated to Vietnam Veterans
1962 Oldsmobile Dynamic 88 -"Gertrude"

1954 model original owner - ~2.5M
Gray softtop/solid exterior/modified chassis

Cars with peeling paint are usually the ones left out in the sun (not garaged). "So many" is a gross exaggeration.

I think I bought this at a MB parts place if I'm not mistaken, where they sell oem parts. I'll have to check.

And maybe they should MAKE them to withstand heat, seeing as how the engine gets HOT.

jeff

Most quality pads look like this:


The heat shield is for the Kalifornia models. Their turbo sits up high close to the hood and does not have the air cleaner in between.

Get a good hood pad. The ones sold online are junk, go call your friendly local MB dealer.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I think that one shown was from one of the main online parts places we all use. Will have to look through my receipts to see which one. It does seem a good one but time will tell. It was NOT an ebay one but it was one of our regular MB parts suppliers. Might even have been Phil here for all I can recall.

__________________
1983 300D-Turbo - Deep Blue w Palomino MB Tex (total loss in fire 1/5/09 RIP)
1995 E320 W124 Polar White/Grey Mushroom MB Tex
2005 F150 Supercrew - Arizona Beige - Lear topper
1985 Piaggio Vespa T5 - Black and Chrome

www.cphilip.com

My car has some paint issues above where the turbo / trap ox sat. You can only see it from an angle with glare though. The hood pad was in the trunk when I bought it.

__________________
Dan
2005 E320 CDI - 246k
1987 300SDL TD05-16g, Herlevi pump, Elbe manifold, 2.47 LSD - 213k
Past: 1987 300D - 264k

Mine looks just like that.

jeff

That one has not been on long enough to tell anything Jeff. Was put on about 8 months ago. Hard to say what will happen to it over time. The original had long crumbled and I removed only the remnants of it. And the Aluminum pad portion was most of that which still remained of the old one on there when I cleaned it up.

I suspect most of the ones made these days are not near as good as the originals where. They probably all are made in China I fear.

__________________
1983 300D-Turbo - Deep Blue w Palomino MB Tex (total loss in fire 1/5/09 RIP)
1995 E320 W124 Polar White/Grey Mushroom MB Tex
2005 F150 Supercrew - Arizona Beige - Lear topper
1985 Piaggio Vespa T5 - Black and Chrome

www.cphilip.com

God has spoken, end of discussion.

__________________
'85 300SD (formerly california emissions)
'08 Chevy Tahoe
'93 Ducati 900 SS
'79 Kawasaki KZ 650
'86 Kawasaki KX 250
'88 Kawasaki KDX200
'71 Hodaka Ace 100
'72 Triumph T100R

so utters the sheep...