Body Rust

[syrupninja]

I got my 240 hatchback last night (finally), and got a great deal on it, the motor, tranny, and brakes are strong, but there are small pebble sized rust spot scattered around the body. A large group on the passenger headlight cover and a few others in various nooks and crannies, I'm wondering how much of a problem it is, and if I sand down to metal what will happen. I've also noticed some coming from the spoiler, but that's common from what I've been able to gather. It's a 92 se with 120k.

[Muzzy]

great, good job...as far as the rust...my wing was rusted out when i got it.
as for the other rust..u could jus sand the rust and bondo it. or jus get new panels (i found out mine was in a wreck after i took it apart. i knocked on the panels and used a magnet to find bondo and saw some welding)

[FRpilot]

rust is like cancer in that if you dont get it all they will grow back.. with that being known. does anyone know how to get rid of rust completely? that's what i know about rust.. but i dont recall how you completely get rid of rust..

[transient]

Sand it all down and use rust converter to be on the safe side.

[twitchy]

whatever you decide to do have your car oilsprayed afterwards.

They dont do the paint obviously but they will do inside the panels and it stops rust dead anywhere. The stuff creeps too and will eventually get into everything (the oilspray)

go to krown, it cost like a hundred bucks CAD per year. Mines been done every year since new and it doesnt have a spec of rust anywhere

good luck

[TheTimanator]

I have never heard of oil spraying before. Is this something common where there are lots of snow or something? I guess I wouldn't have a need for it in florida.....but the beaches are murder on a car's under belly :D

[misnomer]

What about electrolysis? I don't know if I have the name right, but it involves sticking the metal in a electrolitic bath with some piece of junk metal and running a current between them. Read about it somewhere, s'posed to take the oxygen out of the rust, effectively turning it back into iron.

Anybody know anything more about it? It's not really feasable for a full car, but you may be able to do body panels. . .

[twitchy]

oilspray

yea if you live in fla you probably dont see much if any of it

where i live there is lots of snow and salt (in the winter)

what they do is:

Hose off the underside of the car (cleans away sand, salt, etc)

drill small holes into the bottoms and sides inside the doors, rocker panels, doorjambs, firewall, inner trunk, etc (everywhere!)

basically they spray a very high pressure mist of oil* into these holes

(*its not oil, but a gel that hardens like wax when it dries. it contains some oil, and other chemicals which basically stop the chemical reaction that causes rust, seals the metal from moisture, "wicks" the moistire out if the metal has any in it and lubricates moving parts. Its like a high-tech sticky WD40 and when its dry its clear and waxy)

that covers inside the body panels (anywhere your car has a hollow section inside the body, even the windshield pillars for example)

they have a database telling them the best place to drill and inject for each different car. The holes are then covered with little plastic plugs, which are removed when they reapply the year after. The holes are about as big around as a pencil.

This stops rust from the inside and does a damn good job, especially when you reapply every year. Thing is that this stufff can actually "pull" itself into and through metal. When they do inside your doors for example, it lubricates the locks and windows

They also spray it all over electrical connections, your firewall, the exhaust system, the back of the inside area near the brakelights, and they coat your cars entire underside with it

all in all it kills and prevents rust.

my 240 is now 10 years old and theyre isnt a spec of rust anywhere on it

but even if you dont get snow and salt its still a good idea, you may only need to apply it once in 2 or 3 years only

a great investment, helps the resale value too!!

[transient]

I've searched all over the net and haven't found anything on oilspraying... anyone else ever had this done?

[twitchy]

Transient, where is maine (where you live) I cant picture it on a map...Near an ocean I believe? Trying to think of the climate there

Anyhow you may consider looking up

Krown Rust Control
Corrosion Free Zone
Oilskin

I believe Canadian Tire (Pep Boys?) may do it. Check your yellow pages too


these are all companies that do it around where I live although I dont know whether its incredibly common down south.

if you can find a place to do it I would really reccommend it, even if you have some rust already.

[transient]

Maine's right next to canada. Surrounded by New Brunswick and Onterio.