Surface rust under car

[Tom_M]

Hello everyone

Just asking for some advice on how to treat the underneath of my recently acquired Fiesta Zetec.
Most of the top paintwork is in good condition - apart from a front wing - it's just the underneath that looks a bit worse for ware. I was going to spray old engine oil on but found out the oil rots rubber bushes, so went off that idea. Now I guess I'm going to have to use a power tool with a wire brush, but what do I cover the surface with once finished? Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,
Tom

 

[the snooper]

if it cleans up well use a metal primer on it if there are any seams that had seam sealer on them but has failed clean off and replace then if you have a compressor use Underbody Schultz" (underseal) which is sprayed failing that its the old underseal and paint brush time

 

[Tom_M]

Thanks for the reply. I have a 25 litre compressor and a spray gun that came with it, would that be up to spraying the Schultz underseal?

Thanks,
Tom

 

[the snooper]

Thanks for the reply. I have a 25 litre compressor and a spray gun that came with it, would that be up to spraying the Schultz underseal?

Thanks,
Tom

the compressor should do it and your spray gun to apply the primer but you would need Schultz gun they arnt expensive at all.
and will save you having to apply by brush also saving vast amounts of time some even come with a tube to attatch so that you can treat the inside of your sills and other inaccessible place through small existing holes

 

[reno]

Hi Tom,

A 25 litre compressor will be able to spray underseal without too much difficulty you will need to stop to let the compressor catch up though. You will also need to get a specific underseal gun - which will screw onto the can and away you go.

I would suggest leaving the schultz tin standing in some warm water to improve its viscosity before trying to spray it.

HTH

cheers, reno

 

[the snooper]

ive never had any problems spraying it and i use loads of the stuff quite regular just give it a good shake before hand

 

[reno]

It wasn't something that I used to do until I read it in one of Malcolm's tutorials and it seemed to help. Depends what the temperature is when you do it.

 

[Justme]

I'll bet that no matter what you do to it that you will be welding the underside up come next year.

 

[mart]

I'll bet that no matter what you do to it that you will be welding the underside up come next year.

Hello Tom. It is sad how some people are not bothered about looking after things. If the Fiesta had been undersealed previously you would no doubt not be facing such a task now.

I would say do what you can with the preparation but don`t go overboard, as from your pics i feel it is more than surface rust. I tend to agree with "Justme" about welding in the near future.

Personally i have always used Finnegans waxoyl which is sprayable, but other members may know of better products. Good luck (don`t forget the dust mask when preparing)

http://www.waxoyl.com/en/

 

[steveo3002]

id go with a good wire wheeling and some zinc primer /rust primer ...then a couple of coats of something gloss...i like rustoleum

that way when it starts to fester again you can see it and get onto it again

shutz covers it up so well there will be holes before the surface breaks through

also no reason why you cant brush engine oil /grease on the scabby bits , keep away from the bushes

how old that car btw?

 

[Coo]

If you're keeping the car for a bit, it would be better to try some rust convertors...

Then zinc prime / paint over to tidy it up.

 

[Bigjoe]

After welding up my mate's mini's in the past, we used to clean the floorpan etc with grinder and cup brush,then rust converter then red oxide then use household gloss (normally black) after it was recommended to me by an old coachbuilder as it stays slightly flexible.....im not saying that modern rustolem etc isnt better but it was a budget option when we were nowt but students

Joe

 

[Tom_M]

Thanks everyone for the great advice. It's a neat little car apart from the bits of rust and a wing that needs replacing. So hopefully with if a bit of work and luck I might get a few years out of it. Thanks again for the excellent advice.

Best wishes,
Tom

 

[chap]

Depends how much time you have. In the past i've wire brushed (in the angle grinder), wiped clean, rust treatment, red oxide, underseal.

Have a poke around.. looks like you've got rust around the seams, joins etc. imposible to iradicate. If it's solid, just sort it like mentioned.. will be good for years

 

[steveo3002]

Depends how much time you have. In the past i've wire brushed (in the angle grinder), wiped clean, rust treatment, red oxide, underseal.

ive often wondered about that ...is there any point in putting red oxide /rust primer over rust treatment? surely its only gona be effective paint straight on the metal no?

 

[chap]

ive often wondered about that ...is there any point in putting red oxide /rust primer over rust treatment? surely its only gona be effective paint straight on the metal no?

The treatment i used (Granville Rust Converter) actually said not to use zink based paint over the top, however i used red oxide with no reaction.
To be fair, i think your right.. i havn't bothered with the treatment on the more recent stuff i've done. Wire brush straight to red oxide.

I think the rust converter actually produces a coating that is most likely impervious to the next layer of paint, so the zink in the red oxide probably isn't doing much.. well see which side of the mini rusts through first!