Scratcher
Veteran Member
So I went the Fluid Film route. What I am wondering now is whether I should close up that open area or leave it open?
Rocker rust dilemma
- Thread starter Scratcher
- Start date
I'd leave it open so you can flush out accumulated road salt and gunk. Then when it's dry, hit it with the fluid film again.
If you close it up, you will trap all that in there, and it will be harder to retreat completely with FF. I've been spraying FF on the rusty ends of my rockers twice a year, just before winter and again in the spring after washing the areas. But I only have a few inches on each rocker.
If you close it up, you will trap all that in there, and it will be harder to retreat completely with FF. I've been spraying FF on the rusty ends of my rockers twice a year, just before winter and again in the spring after washing the areas. But I only have a few inches on each rocker.
Scratcher
Veteran Member
Can't seem to locate Permafilm in the US. Some outlets don't ship to the US either!!
Scratcher
Veteran Member
Yeah, I'm going to and fro in my head about it. I will leave it open this winter and check it again in April or May when it warms up
snakeye
Veteran Member
Some people here seem to think fluid film is some kind of miracle elixir for your car. I'm in the rust belt and can attest to the accuracy of the term car cancer; it's really what it is, and fluid film lies somewhere in-between polishing a turd and putting lipstick on a pig as a remedy. It's a good addition to an actual repair, but it's NOT a repair by itself.
I suggested panel adhesive and rivets earlier in the thread. Why not consider that? By avoiding welding, if you remove the rust and coat everything with an epoxy primer, inside and out, prior to closing up the hole, you'll ensure that you have the most rust proof solution since there won't be any burn through or imperfect welds. This would be an actual legit repair; joining panels this way is actually not that uncommon in car manufacturing today.
I suggested panel adhesive and rivets earlier in the thread. Why not consider that? By avoiding welding, if you remove the rust and coat everything with an epoxy primer, inside and out, prior to closing up the hole, you'll ensure that you have the most rust proof solution since there won't be any burn through or imperfect welds. This would be an actual legit repair; joining panels this way is actually not that uncommon in car manufacturing today.
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Scratcher
Veteran Member
In essence, I agree with you. I have a friend in the body work business and he said exactly the same thing. Nothing stops it. All you can do is delay the process. He did tell me that he found cheap engine oil, sprayed on, to be the most effective. He removes door and tailgate/trunk panels and sprays oil onto the metal.
I did not take the time to cut all the rot away. I just pulled off what I could and slathered rust treatment over it followed by fluid film. I think that will at least arrest the process until next spring. My plan is to get in there and do it as you suggested. It seems that covering it after extensive rot removal is going to at least arrest it for a few years because it will be at least dry. Of course we all know that humidity is no respecter of barriers. Nothing lasts in this world!!
Fluid Film certainly won't fix anything. But a good coating of it on bare rusty metal will slow down the rust. Looking at the pics again, all the metal up under the rockers is rusty-crusty. If that was all cut out, you'd need way more than a replacement rocker panel.
Scratcher
Veteran Member
50 years of used engine oil
Prairieview
Veteran Member
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- Jul 9, 2017
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- Too close to Sturgis 'ithole
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- Two 2000 Beetles, 2002 Jetta, 2002 gas avh Jetta, fleet of older 1.6 turbo and non's
"Progress" is not always logical.
Look at what is going on in our country. Just, of course, an example.
Look at what is going on in our country. Just, of course, an example.
jmodge
Top Post Dawg
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- 2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
Friend of mines dad used to do that. He’d pull on a dirt and spray it down. It would take a few weeks of cleaning windows. He got the idea from working at consumers power where they did that to their trucks. This was in the ‘60’s.
I tried that at work to the salt trucks and those paranoid fools flipped out about it.
I spray my trucks with a 80/20 mixture of used hydraulic oil and diesel fuel im spring and fall. I use an old fire extinguisher, the kind you can take the top off and has a schrader valve. I had to heat and bend the tip so it sprays a better pattern.
works awesome fill it up, put some psi to it and it sprays on like paint
works awesome fill it up, put some psi to it and it sprays on like paint
VINTAGE GENERAL WS800B WATER TYPE FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2.5 GALLONS | eBay
VINTAGE GENERAL WS800B WATER TYPE FIRE EXTINGUISHER 2.5 GALLONS
www.ebay.com
Just like this, except i got it at a garage sale for $10
wonneber
Top Post Dawg
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- Monroe, NY, USA
- TDI
- 2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
So you have a well preserved Cummins?? 
I suppose you could say that yesSo you have a well preserved Cummins??
I recently fixed the crank seal and pan gasket leaks though so now it will start rotting away lol
KrashDH
Top Post Dawg
Crank seal is pretty common one.I suppose you could say that yes
I recently fixed the crank seal and pan gasket leaks though so now it will start rotting away lol
Now what really sucks, is if you get a leak from between the gear housing and block...because in order to replace that $10 gasket, cam has to come out...which means radiator frame support has to be cut, lifters have to be held in place and not dropped into the oil pan...that job sucked.
ekincaid
Veteran Member
I read these threads and cringe... I grew up in the salt. Haven't dealt with it since. My Golf is rust free here in NC.
GP_RZ
Veteran Member
I use used motor oil on my 2008 Sierra rcsb for rust protection and body is pretty clean. I use mixture of wax and transmission oil for my 2017 f150 rcsb and seems to work well so far.