Door Rust Warning!

[tlorber]

Well I've finally gotten to installing the felt channel for my driver's side window, so I have the whole door apart. I just wanted to let you all know that the old felt that ends up in the bottom of the door crevice is the PERFECT medium for retaining moisture. I had my [garage kept] Z out in the rain 5 days ago and as I pulled the old felt pieces out from the bottom of the door I could literally wring water out of it. While the resultant rust has not made it through the door, it is the worst rust I've seen on my car by far.

I took a blow dryer and dried everything out, scraped and wirebrushed as best I could and vacuumed out whatever I could. I then rattlecanned the heck out of the inner door to coat everything. I also noticed the lower door as seen from under the car (where the weep holes drain to) was rusted as well, so I treated it the same way.

I just wanted to mention this to anyone that has their door panel off-you may as well deal with it at this time so that you're not surprised by cancer bubbing through your paint.

[Oiluj]

Good info.

[EScanlon]

Old felt pieces at the bottom of the door plenum speak of a detached window felt channel.

That says you should have heard or felt the window rattling when it was at it's lowest position for some time.

FWIW

E

[geezer]

There isn't any method of preventing the water retention, is there? I wonder if some type of water proofing treatment such as used on canvas tents would help?

[tlorber]

There isn't any method of preventing the water retention, is there? I wonder if some type of water proofing treatment such as used on canvas tents would help?

I think as long as its clean at the bottom of the door and the weep holes are clear, any water that gets in (no way to prevent this) will get out. The problem is not that the metal gets wet, but that it stays wet.

I've had the car for about a year. I knew that the window channels had to be replaced, but they took a back seat to the first 72 items I had to deal with.

[John Coffey]

Wurth Body Cavity Spray.

http://www.brooklyn300.com/node/56

[geezer]

Check out this product. It might be useful in the clean up of rust inside the doors before coating them for future protection. The videos are impressive to say the least, especially the ease in which the rust encrusted gas tank was cleaned. I haven't seen this product for sale here or tried it, but thought it was worthwhile sharing with you guys.

http://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?p=metal+rescue+rust+remover

Another product that seems to work well protecting aluminum from corrosion is called "Sharkhide". Sorry no link. I watched a demo on Speed Channel. It was just as impressive.

[Bonzi Lon]

I saw the 'Shark Hide' also. With an engine bay full of polished aluminum I will give it a try this spring.

Bonzi Lon

[CPierre]

Working on a door latch connection, I have found similar rust in my driver's side door (and a window roller at the bottom). Would POR15 be a good repair solution here? I've spent the past few days searching the POR15 posts (and Zero Rust posts on another site linked on the forum that champions that product) and ordered some of the former. Since no one mentioned POR15 this time, I'm worried :nervous:

[EScanlon]

POR would work well here also, although the biggest problem will be in getting it into the door plenum. Wear gloves, and if possible a double pair of long sleeves. Dishwashing gloves might have a long enough sleeve also.

Do a search for POR and you'll find numerous threads.

FWIW

E

[Rainman]

I had the inside of the doors powder coated after the car was stripped. My car is in the process of a total refresh, it's still on the rotisserie. Definitely not the average solution to the problem but it will prevent any further issues inside the door.

[zKars]

The real long term rust problem is in trapped moister in the crevices where you cannot clean. I had a really nice rust free 240 door once, that I decided was an excellent skin donor to a later 280 door. I carefully ground off the edge all around, the skin popped off nice as pie. (The skin is wrapped around the door frame, then spot welded on the inside surface). Guess what I found on my "rust free" door trapped between the skin and inner door frame surface, all the way around.. Significant, penetrating rust...... Enough that it was iffy if I could weld that back on without making a nasty mess....

Moral of the story? Best you can do is dry it, and try to get as much penetrating fluid like John C suggesting into every corner rather than trying to paint anything over it. Its a lost cause, only delaying the inevitable if anything.