dropped chewed gum on my belt - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#1 09-05-2002, 09:50 PM

Okay, today was not my day. It all started when I dropped a screw in the engine bay, near the belt by the fan. Good thing it was in an accesible place. I first tried using this device designed to reach into nooks and crannies. The little grapper hook didn't have the grip. Suddenly I remembered the good o' gum trick. I went to get a stick of Wrigleys, chewed it for about a minute, stuck the gum at the end of the grappling device...and when I reached in to fetch the screw, the gum falls off and lkands right on the inner belt (side that actually makes contact with pulleys and is grooved. The engine is still somewhat warm, and the gum softens and gets extremely mushy. ARGHHHH!!!!!!! Worse, it landed on a hard to reach place. I quickly got a long screw driver and tried to scrape as much off as I can. When I got the big chunks off, I stopped, leaving some really hard to reach and hard to remove residual gum. I sprayed some WD40.

My question. Am I in BIG TROUBLE? The belt runs through all the front pulleys, so it will spread the gummy crap to all of them! Will it cause any complications? The car is a 90 190E (W201). What a crappy day!

Benzwood · #2 09-05-2002, 10:12 PM

You should release a colony of fruit flys under your hood to eat the gum residue.

After that, a few small lizards to eat the fruit flys.

Then a snake to eat the lizards.

The fattened snake will curl up under your air filter until he's ready to shed his skin, at which time he'll crawl out, scrape his old skin off on your fan belt, and leave.

Then all you have to do is get the old snake skin off your fan belt. Maybe a stick with some gum on it would do the trick.

Benzwood · #3 09-05-2002, 11:25 PM

Alternatively, try Goo Gone.

It's a relatively mild goo remover (less caustic than the similarly named Goof Off).

I think it would take the gum off without harming your belts, and without leaving behind an oily residue like WD-40.

G-Benz · #4 09-06-2002, 10:12 AM

Before "Goo Gone" (which I also use religiously), kerosene was the solution for removing gum as well.

Consider that gum really doesn't have the adhesion properties that could really "gum" up the works :p...more than likely, it will just attract a ton of dirt, but with the forces everted against the pulleys by the belt, combined with engine heat, what you will be left with is a dark residue on a portion of one or more of the pulleys, nothing more.

haasman · #5 09-06-2002, 10:58 AM

Actually any kitchen oil will work: butter, margarine, cooking oil. Of course you could also use gourmet extra virgin olive oil .... but that's another story.

What GoofOff and Goo Gone. They are very strong and can hurt or damage a lot of materials commonly found in cars. If they can soften and remove years old paint, they can definately hurt certain plastics.

Ken300D · #6 09-06-2002, 12:15 PM

Cats and squirrels regularly get caught and ground up in belts - no harm done. So a little chewing gum is not going to cause any problem except cosmetic.

Am I being a little too insensitive and graphic in my explanation?
Sorry, I really do love cats and squirrels.

Ken300D

d2bernhard · #7 09-07-2002, 11:12 AM

In children's hair, one typically gets the gum cold to ease removal. Or use peanut butter, you could use a good organic peanut butter, but that's another story.

Benzwood · #8 09-07-2002, 11:28 AM

Goof-Off is very caustic, and will readily damage many plastics and paint. However, it is an object lesson in salvation. (Ever think sometimes the Internet is too big?)

Goo Gone is a completely different product, and I've never had any problems with it. Great for removing price stickers, etc., from just about any surface. It's the first thing I reach for before taking more drastic measures.

I've never tried it with gum, but I'm confident that at least it wouldn't cause any damage in your engine compartment.

Here's a handy "idiot proof" shopping list:

#9 09-07-2002, 12:02 PM

I have been trying to run over my neighbour's cats without much success. How can I bait them into the engine compartment?

Ken300D · #10 09-07-2002, 01:41 PM

Here is my suggested procedure for a Mercedes cat trap:

1) Remove the fan if you have metal blades.

2) Sharpen said blades to a finely ground cutting surface, like a Ginszu knife.

3) Put a pin in the fan clutch so it does not slip.

4) Replace sharpened fan, taking care not to get cut too many times.

5) Use catnip as a belt coating. An alternative bait is a small amount of cat food on top of the radiator housing shroud.

----------------

Starting Procedure:

Prerequisites: Power washer

1) Unlock and open door as quietly as possible.

2) Take your seat as gently as possible.

3) Start car with accelerator pedal a minimum of 1/2 way in, depressing pedal to the floor immediately as the car starts.

4) If any unusual noise is heard stop car and open hood.

5) Upon desired results, powerwash engine compartment.

-----------------

Does anyone know if PETA has a search engine? If so we're in trouble........

Ken 300D

william rogers · #11 09-08-2002, 03:31 AM

Lucky and Ken300D my cat in lap just said may an excaped tiger with a taste for monkey brain lurk in the rough on your next golf outing......
William and Pretty Girl Rogers......

Ken300D · #12 09-08-2002, 11:42 AM

No, really, I do love cats and squirrels.

I was just participating in an intellectual exercise / design challenge, that's all.

Ken300D

#13 09-08-2002, 04:45 PM

I love animals but not after what my neighbour's cat did to the garden!

Pilotx1 · #14 12-09-2002, 10:41 PM

a little gun isnt gonna hurt anything dont worry about it

400E · #15 12-10-2002, 07:28 AM

As someone who's dropped a lot of screws and nuts into inaccessible places, I bought one of those magnets on the end of a bendable arm. Really helps snare those small parts without the hearbreak of gum on the belt (though I think your solution was ingenious).