Interior Rust Treatment

[vtgts300kw 90]

Pulled my carpet up ( E30 ) the other week to dry because of a leak. There is a line of rust running down the drivers footwell along a ridge of the floor. As well as around the base of the accelerator.

What the best way to treat this? Products etc.

Thanks!

[Eagle 1662]

Rust convertor

[Allanw 1071]

You need to fix the source though - where that line is coming from is where the rusty hole will be

[vtgts300kw 90]

You need to fix the source though - where that line is coming from is where the rusty hole will be

Doesn't seem to be a hole?

[dubman 39]

wire brush/wheel to bare metal, then etch > repaint for Best outcome. If it rusted through at any point, think about cut/weld solution, as that panel has a cavity. Moisture and oxygen will continue rusting it from behind.

edit: didn't see pic, on work computer

Edited July 16, 2013 by dubman

[jeffbebe 1559]

Doesn't seem to be a hole?

From the pic it looks like surface rust, rather than a hole. Paint's probably just worn from regular use. Would pay to check your door seals, vapour seal, etc to find out where the water's getting in and fix that.

Sand until all the rust is gone (you may need wire wool as William suggests) then repaint. Normal primer and car paint should suffice though you should do plenty of coats and a lacquer so it's tough and doesn't wear again. If the leak gets fixed it should be fine.

[vtgts300kw 90]

From the pic it looks like surface rust, rather than a hole. Paint's probably just worn from regular use. Would pay to check your door seals, vapour seal, etc to find out where the water's getting in and fix that.

Sand until all the rust is gone (you may need wire wool as William suggests) then repaint. Normal primer and car paint should suffice though you should do plenty of coats and a lacquer so it's tough and doesn't wear again. If the leak gets fixed it should be fine.

Yeah I think it's surface rust from when the carpet was soaking wet ( along with the accelerator pedal base ). I'll go get some CRC Rust Converter this weekend and treat it. Not too worried about how it looks ( finish ) as it's hidden by the carpet anyway.

[jeffbebe 1559]

Haven't used rust converter but whatever you use make sure you get rid of the rust before painting.

[Allanw 1071]

Ah - I thought you meant a stain, like it was running down from a rusty spot above.

That is just surface. I'd sand it back as best I could, rust convert, sand again when

its done then lightly aerosol etch prime and coat with epoxy primer or even epoxy enamel. no reason why you couldn't brush it on.

[hotwire 352]

To my knowledge rust converter should be applied to the rust for it to activate rather than applying to clean metal - there is nothing to convert

[Allanw 1071]

To my knowledge rust converter should be applied to the rust for it to activate rather than applying to clean metal - there is nothing to convert

That's true - it's not good to leave it on a surface that didn't have rust - It's good to remove the majority of rust first though. Once the converter has converted any remaining rust, you sand off the converter residue to get bare steel - the converter has converted the bits the sanding doesn't reach.

I don't like to leave the rust in there, because if the converter doesn't work ALL the way through the rust, it's still rusting underneath

[vtgts300kw 90]

So sand/ scrub it, then rust convert to get any remaining rust, then sand again, then coat in a primer?

What primer?