Christmas rust suprise - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

tompaah7503 · #1 12-26-2008, 06:23 PM

Poked around with a screwdriver today and guess what I found? A nice collection of rust.. rear right wheel arch and the panel behind had some massive holes. Great, as if I already didn't have enough work to do on this car (the w108 in my sig.)

Todd Miller · #2 12-26-2008, 07:57 PM

Cry me a river pal!
When you can stick your fist through your rust holes, then you can talk about how sad you are.

(Just kidding you with all the attitude.....it sucks to find any rust, let alone a big hole. If you saw the holes in my coupe you'd pass out.)

vwnate1 · #3 12-28-2008, 12:23 AM

That sux , sorry to hear it .

Sadly , here in Sunny So. Cal. rust free originals get crushed for scrap daily

No one wants the tatty ones and even the few remaining cherries are hard to sell .

Todd Miller · #4 12-28-2008, 02:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vwnate1

Sadly , here in Sunny So. Cal. rust free originals get crushed for scrap daily

No one wants the tatty ones and even the few remaining cherries are hard to sell .

Yep, just kills me.

flacollect · #5 12-28-2008, 09:37 AM

Go to wal mart and for 5 bucks get a can of ''rust converter" This stuff turns rust into primer. It keeps it from spreading too. I've sprayed it all over the bottom on the spots that need it. Turns the rust black, and holds it together. No more expansion of rot. I've heard a lot of good stories about this stuff. bad - it stains bad... keep it away from anything you don't want black.

Dave

thorsen · #6 12-28-2008, 11:08 AM

That looks a little bit past the Rust Converter stage, you are at the cut-out-the-rust-and-weld-new-metal-in stage.

My 114 had much the same problem in multiple areas - rockers, trunk, some spots on the floor board, rear quarter panel. Cut and weld is really the only way to fix holes like that. Rust converter works well for surface rust.

bob_98sr5 · #7 12-28-2008, 01:56 PM

yes, cut and replace w/ sheet metal.

vwnate1 · #8 12-29-2008, 01:28 AM

Another marketing triumph !

this is simply Phosphoric Acid Dilute Solution more expen$ive than buying it @ the hardware store and mixing it up your self....

Yes , it's GREAT because it only eats rust and _cannot_ damage good steel like Muriatic Acid some folks foolishly use .

Look for plastic quart bottles of " JASCO Metal Etch " in the flooring dept. of any big box Hwe. store . dilute it in one gallon of water , I use distilled water so it works better and I strain it through cheesecloth back into gallon jugs and re-use time and time again .

DO NOT let this stuff touch aluminum or pot metal !

It'll clean old copper or brass to a high shine tho'

bigo011 · #9 12-29-2008, 10:48 AM

I have surface rust on fender near headlite. Can this "cured rust" B sanded and painted?

vwnate1 · #10 12-29-2008, 11:13 AM

Yes ;

Just be sure to kill all the rust or it will come back .

tompaah7503 · #11 12-29-2008, 08:50 PM

Thanks guys especially thorsen, your pictorial is great. I intend to go this way, just bought some replacement sheet metal from german eBay.

Hey Todd I thought California cars were rust free, whats up with your coupé?

I read your story in another thread and it's just amazing the **** some people will pull off, thinking about the foam sculpted parts of your car.. Given enough time I'd still go for a complete rust repair on your car, those coupes are not losing value as days go by.

Thanks for the advice vwnate1, but around these latitudes rust always comes back, it's just a matter of time.. I saw a 2004 Ford Mondeo today at a friends repair shop, doors all rotted out completely and rusted out behind the plastic parts too.. yes a 4 year old car, in for some major rust repairs!