Keep rust at bay

Chrisd346

Chrisd346

Well-known user
Apr 2, 2013
168
13
N. Ireland
I know all cars have specific areas where they will start to rust. Just wondering where the Cougar is most at risk. I have read the sills are liable to rust from either inside or out? What is the easiest way to check the inside? I saw it mentioned that dirt and moisture can build up behind the wheel arch linings, is this true if the mudflaps have been on the car all its life? How hard are they to remove and inspect and what is the best product to use to seal them up. I have read good things about Por-15.

Thanks in advanve guys!
 
this you will find useful:
https://forums.ukcougar.club/showthread.php?24604-Nasty-chassis-(Rust-worm)&p=434243#post434243

I've been going over mine recently, started at the back and am working my way forwards!
https://forums.ukcougar.club/showth...rime-to-Shine!&p=433854&viewfull=1#post433854

pull the rear interior panels and check inside the sills, pull the arch liners (especially the fronts) and clear out all the crap you'll no doubt find in there, the rear subframes are probably the most exposed and the ARB mounts have been known to rust off completely, I will be replacing mine next weekend

PAS pipes in the OSF wheel well get it bad too, as does the fuel filler pipe, brake lines are no worse than any old car, and the OS tank straps are known to rust through completely too! (mine did)

most of the above I have either dealt with or will be doing so soon, it amazes me that people will spend hundreds of pounds on spoilers and other Halfords tat only to have the car completely rust out from underneath them.

HTH, Steve
 
Don't be fooled by clean looking sills. Remove the rear cards/trims and the black access panel and have a look in there :eek:
IMAG0392_zps37ee3e7e.jpg
 
Thanks guys, alot of valuable info there! Tempted to take the car of the road for winter so a strip down could be in order. How do they manage to rust from the inside out? Sounds crazy! Where is the access panel and how hard are the rear cards to remove? I know my boot floor is spotless so thats a good start. Has anyone else had rust below their door mirrors? I have a bit and a mate has the same on his mk1 Focus.

Thanks again!
 
Chrisd346 said:
Thanks guys, alot of valuable info there! Tempted to take the car of the road for winter so a strip down could be in order. How do they manage to rust from the inside out? Sounds crazy! Where is the access panel and how hard are the rear cards to remove? I know my boot floor is spotless so thats a good start. Has anyone else had rust below their door mirrors? I have a bit and a mate has the same on his mk1 Focus.

Thanks again!
Click to expand...

The triangular opening has a black panel covering it. I have obviously removed it. Iirc there are "HOWTO's" in the relevent section. I have bruised fingers and it is affecting my typing volume :)
 
Mine has some small bubbles on the nearside rear wheel arch. They were there when I got the car over 2 years ago but luckily haven't got much worse since.
If you pull off the back bumper there is a patch where the rear wing joins the back panel, that is going rusty on both sides of mine. It's hidden by where the bumper joins the back wheel arch (behind the line that goes from the wheel arch up to the back lights).
Anyone else have problems here ?
 
An old friend of mine had a Morris Minor van that was like new, he put it down to the Waxoyl treatments, he'd already had it injected everywhere but he also warmed it up in a tin and painted most of the underbody with it, reckoned it was better than underseal...mind you, he was a bit of a perfectionist though...he used to change the crank bearing shells every few years...but I guess if the rust is already in there adding a load of wax won't help much...the only spot on mine that has rust is the front edge of the rear wheel arch where it meets the rear bumper...
 
Just thought i would show you how mine looked after i painted red lead from front to back and anywhere a paint brush would go!!
mro0n.jpg
 
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