Quote:
Originally Posted by funola
Floor pans only rust from the inside if it gets wet. Have you found where the water is getting in on yours? My 83 (sold) had persistent water on passenger floor when it rains. Most of that water came in from under the battery tray, where the sheet metal (about 3" diameter area) rusted through.
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Amongst other areas
, I had leaks through both side hinge pockets. Developed holes on both sides of foot wells, high up above handbrake on driver side and egr computer on passenger side (85 model). An area that should be inspected as well as hinge pockets them selves. Luckily I painted firewall with POR-15 early on in battery tray area and 15 years later it is still good - just gave it and tray a fresh coat!
My driver side floor pan rusted from bottom up. The frame rails on underside are hollow and have holes on the underside. My worst floorpan rust was directly above one of those frame rail holes. No doubt salt and water get up in there. As Stretch said, salt and water also get under undercoating and start rust especially where there are fasteners or other means of ingress.
It's hard to see how water gets to the metal on floorpans considering there is (was?) a thick layer of soundproofing stuck to it (especially in front). But I know it does, at least in those cable troughs on the rear floor pans.
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Graham
85 300D
,72 350SL, 98 E320, Outback 2.5