Lubricate your hood hinge pivot pins !!!
 

This is important...
Lubricate your hood hinge pivot pins !!!

A few drops of oil will save you from a costly repair.


The W123 hood hinge generally corrodes/seizes on the bottom pivot wrecking the arm and/or ripping the pivot bushing from the body. :(
The W123 hood hinges are currently $300.00 each. :eek:

The W126 have multiple pivot points to seize = bend/twist/deform, and the fender must be removed to replace the hinge. :(
The W126 hood hinges are currently $368.00 each. :eek:




If you need NEW hinges, please call Phil with your VIN#..
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If you want some horror pictures of this have a look here:-

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/tech-help/287176-w123-hood-hinge-repair-nightmare.html

Great advice.

Thanks Roy. I will Lube all of my hinges this weekend.

Any recommendations on what to lubricate them with? I've got some White Lithium Grease and some Silicon spray lubricant somewhere.

holy crap! 300 bucks each? I guess I better pull those 2 perfect ones off my parts car and put them up.

Thanks for the reminder, I'll do that in a few minutes.

I wouldn't use silicone but that white grease sounds like a good start. I've gone off that silicone stuff - it seems to work quite well to start off with but it kind of dries out too quickly and causes more problems in the long run. I'm not really sure why it does that...

A regular dab of good old fashioned light machine oil will probably be just as good as anything else though - I don't think you have to go NASA on it.

Bear in mind that the spot welded structure around the hood hinges relies on seam sealant for its protection... that over many years (how many I don't know) could be compromised by excessive plastering of oil based products! Also if you make that area sticky the chances of those drains clogging up is greater - this could mean (in the decades to come) that you have pristine hinges attached to very rusty hood hinge pockets!

Answer
 

White Lithium Grease, transmission fluid, engine oil, etc, etc..

A squirt - few drops on each hinge point once every year (think oil change) is the critical factor.

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This is what I use:

DuPont™ Teflon™ Multi-Use Lubricant

DuPont? Teflon? Lubricants

I buy mine from the local Ace or TrueValue Hardware stores.

It works well, doesn't attract dirt or grime, and doesn't wash off easily with water. It stays where you spray it, and I think it works a lot better than any grease for applications like this.

I'm not affiliated with Dupont, I just think this is a useful tip.

Sincerely,

PE

Do not miss the very low pivot pin at the very back on 123s. When it seizes it tears out metal. They can be repaired as I have done. It is just a myserable job in my opinion.

You may have to remove the battery to get one side for lubrication. I cannot remember. A few drops of oil once a year should be preventative in nature. Many have not seen oil since they where originall installed.

I go about with an oil spout on my car, its a mix of 15W40 and plain ATF, one drop is enough (but I have a W124).. Once every 6 months is good.

I have found that a smallish drop of 00 grease is great for the door latches, it tends to get "into" it - unlike other greases that just sit where you left them.

ha! I was just telling a member to do this yesterday... VERY good maintenance tip.
them pins seize, and will make a holy mess of your hood...

Yup, my blue 240 had the mangled hinge with pivot ripped out of fenderwell. Got a great deal on used hinges from a lister and welded the pivot point back in.

...and the flexible sheet metal sides to those wonderfully designed (hood hinge pocket) gutters on a W123

Thanks for the refresh!