keeping leaves out of engine compartment
 

Anyone found a good way to keep leaves out of the engine compartment? Specifically in the hood hinges and under the battery tray area. How often do you clean those areas? I cleaned mine not long ago and did it again yesterday and it was packed with debris. That's how rust develops.

Can't imagine any good way other than a garage. When I notice the leaves, I scoop 'em out.

Just be thankful we live in New England with the beautiful fall colors. I lived for 18 years in a no leaf zone (Dallas)....now, even though I have to rake (and scoop), I wouldn't trade it for the world!

Leaves can hold moisture but the dust of the desert can cake in and also corrode the metal, I've found. My '78 300D came from New Mexico and had maybe 100+ lbs of compacted silt in various places in the car. In the engine bay, it turned to baked clay and I joke that it increased the structural integrity of the car.

Aside from garaging the car, weekly cleaning with a shop vac looks to be our only option.

Phil Forrest

If you don't have a garage option but want to park under trees for the shade (or can't avoid the trees in your area) a car cover works pretty good. Covers can be a hassle -- you have to put them on and take them off, they get wet and heavy when it rains, they get stolen, the sun rots them -- but they do keep the leaves off.

I sometimes park outside under a Pin Oak (an East Coast tree, another undocumented alien) for a few hours rather than bring a hot car into the cool garage; it's surprising how much accumulates in just that short time.

Jeremy

For years now I've always wanted to try taking some chicken wire or fine window screen mesh and make covers for that firewall area.. I think the hinges would be the toughest areas but covering the rest would eliminate a good amount of debris from entering.

I just get in there with the vacuum cleaner every time I wash/vac my car at the house.

Just blow it out with compress air. I have a 3 cars garage but I have too many cars so 2 are parked under a pine tree. I try to blow the pine needles out when I feel like it, which is not that often.

I thought that is what those electric leaf blowers were for. I'm waiting for an aftermarket version labeled with "MB". ;>)

Another alternative would be an extra-long draft dodger. Similar to what they use under doors in the winter.

Even in Dallas, I have to keep an eye on the leaves. I would love to hear of a creative and non-destructive way of keeping them away. More importantly away from the blower resistor. I'm glad I had a fire extinguisher that day!

Sorry, can't help you much...

Where I'm from, palm fronds are not typically a problem

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1378495383

And even our National Forests are mostly tree-less

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...1&d=1378495402





:)

The drain under the battery tray on my 85 was plugged solid with fine black silt, probably a mix of decomposed leaves and dirt. The opposite side also has a drain and is also plugged! It is hard to get access unless the ARV valve/ relay bracket is removed. I cleaned out both drains for now but a long term solution is needed. The problem is that everything drains into the hood hinge cavities (including the channel above the firewall, which then drains into a depression (with a drain) under the battery tray. The opposing drain on the driver's side can be easily inspected but the one under the battery cannot without taking the battery out, which is no small task.

The leaves come in via the gap between the hood and the fenders and hood /firewall channel. A seal of that gap above the fire wall (blocking the channel) and between fender and hood in the hood hinge areas would stop the leaves IMO.

Vinyl weatherstripping, the type with a hollow tube may work if it can be attached securely to the body. A mesh or screen would be difficult to implement due the the hinge arms.

As a test, I will tape the gaps in the areas mentioned, wait a week and check under the hood. I can afford to do this since the 300D is not my daily driver.

I haven't tried this yet but I think this will keep the leaves out when the car is parked. I don't know how it would affect engine cooling though.

Leaves season should be here in a few weeks so I'll be able to test it.

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...917_181021.jpg

http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c3...917_181814.jpg

Whilst leaves can be a pain their effect is nothing - nothing - compared with pine needles. It could be worse!

This should keep pine needles out too.

living under a cover here. I roll it up front to back and store in the trunk then roll forward to install. I clean leaves every chance I get and vacuum them whenever the interior gets attention.