How to Prevent Floor Pan Rust from Spreading?

[turbo nasty]

Get the leaks fixed and then POR15 get the PORpatch putty and some fiberglass mat and it will be good as new.

GET THE LEAKS FIXED FIRST though

 

[G NASTY]

Replace the pans. It will be a lasting repair not a temp fix like the por

 

[kTrainHurricane]

I went ahead and and patched it rather than replace the pans - I really just didnt have the money for new pans, nor the time to give it to a shop for however many days. I figure if it can last me 2 years I am happy.

I sprayed everything with Purple Power's "De-Ruster" chemical, filled in holes/cracks with Bondo Metal-Fill, etc. etc. and finished it with 3M Rubber Undercoating spray which I hope will not take in any future water.

I did notice that the trim bezel piece which is supposed to lay at the bottom of the windshield/under the cowl hood is not there. Its the piece that goes right along where the windshield wipers are. Could this missing part be the reason for my leak? And can someone please tell me what the correct name for it is so I can buy one...thanks!

 

[justin84]

I went ahead and and patched it rather than replace the pans - I really just didnt have the money for new pans, nor the time to give it to a shop for however many days. I figure if it can last me 2 years I am happy.

I sprayed everything with Purple Power's "De-Ruster" chemical, filled in holes/cracks with Bondo Metal-Fill, etc. etc. and finished it with 3M Rubber Undercoating spray which I hope will not take in any future water.

I did notice that the trim bezel piece which is supposed to lay at the bottom of the windshield/under the cowl hood is not there. Its the piece that goes right along where the windshield wipers are. Could this missing part be the reason for my leak? And can someone please tell me what the correct name for it is so I can buy one...thanks!

If you don't mind me asking...what did you give for the car. Is the interior for sale or trade And also, did the previous owner tell you about any of that?

 

[st1nger]

leaks

just replaced all my ttop frame work and floor pans T top were really bad floor pan had bad spot in rear seat foot pan about the size of a dime went to junk yard with drill and spot weld cutter removed whole pan from donor car complete and same with ttop frame work. removed my car panels insame manner spot welded them back in can not tell where old and new start or stop have pic if interested work was done on two sunday afternoon 1 for prep 1 for installation

 

[SloGN]

I hope that you treated the underside of the floor pans aswell.



hell those floor pans look great compared to mine in my 87 T. the car had sat for a few yrs with the drivers window down. I bought the car to restore.


Note. The pictures were taken after i had used a wire brush to remove all of the loose rust scale and then treated the floor with OSPHO rust treatment. Thats why the floors have a black shiny look to them. I have swiss cheese for floor pans. i'm gonna have to replace the entire floor area.

 

[kTrainHurricane]

I hope that you treated the underside of the floor pans aswell.

Yes, I did the WHOLE underside of the car the day after I put the carpet and stuff back in...ended up finding a bunch of other "hidden" rust, so I blasted everything with Rust Killer chemicals

hell those floor pans look great compared to mine in my 87 T. the car had sat for a few yrs with the drivers window down. I bought the car to restore.


Note. The pictures were taken after i had used a wire brush to remove all of the loose rust scale and then treated the floor with OSPHO rust treatment. Thats why the floors have a black shiny look to them. I have swiss cheese for floor pans. i'm gonna have to replace the entire floor area.

I was going to use OSPHO (found it at an auto body supply shop right by my house) but I read great reviews on Purple Power's De-Ruster which was half the price of OSPHO, so I went with that instead...figured it would be the same "bang" for less "buck"

 

[GullsGN]

Yes, I did the WHOLE underside of the car the day after I put the carpet and stuff back in...ended up finding a bunch of other "hidden" rust, so I blasted everything with Rust Killer chemicals




I was going to use OSPHO (found it at an auto body supply shop right by my house) but I read great reviews on Purple Power's De-Ruster which was half the price of OSPHO, so I went with that instead...figured it would be the same "bang" for less "buck"

Did you fix the leak from the heater box, as was advised earlier? That is where your water is coming from. There is also drain a drain hole in there which is no doubt plugged. This is where the problem began many, many years ago. Better check your ECM really good or you may find yourself stranded.

 

[kTrainHurricane]

Did you fix the leak from the heater box, as was advised earlier? That is where your water is coming from. There is also drain a drain hole in there which is no doubt plugged. This is where the problem began many, many years ago. Better check your ECM really good or you may find yourself stranded.

I have not yet been able to check the heaterbox, BUT most of the water is coming in from the driver's side...isn't the heater box on the passenger side? There was some rust on the passenger floors but nothing nearly as bad as the driver's. I did check the ECM (if you read my older posts you will find some about getting stranded due to a bad chip connection) and it seems fine. No water or signs of it anywhere...

 

[SloGN]

Be sure to check the seam where the firewall and floorpan meet. I have seen the seam sealer crack and fall off and thus there a leak has began!


The idoit i got my Tutbo T from just leaft the dang drivers window down for a few yrs

 

[kTrainHurricane]

Be sure to check the seam where the firewall and floorpan meet. I have seen the seam sealer crack and fall off and thus there a leak has began!


The idoit i got my Tutbo T from just leaft the dang drivers window down for a few yrs

This is definately one of the possibilities in my mind - BUT since the cowl trim piece is missing I want to start with that, as installing it may solve the problem without having to go too deep into it...

 

[asto-t]

Did you check the area in the pic I posted? I found out if the seam sealer is cracked it lets water in and rolls down into the floor. Under the seam sealer is a big hole were the sheet metal comes together. also the windshield seal was dried out and water was running behind glass! I be willing to bet the seam sealer is the problem . Its the same for both sides.

 

[highboostgn]

Por 15!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[GNRick]

This is definately one of the possibilities in my mind - BUT since the cowl trim piece is missing I want to start with that, as installing it may solve the problem without having to go too deep into it...

If you are referring to the flat black piece under the wipers, it just bolts on with about 4 screws. It won't stop any leaks. When my heater core failed, I let a mechanic fix it, as I was afraid I might not get all of the screws out of the box cover before I started prying on it. Maybe with the carpet out, you can run water down the front with a hose and see where it is coming in from. Let us know what you find.

 

[ttaowner]

A couple things here those pieces of fabric glued to firewall and floor were put there by the factory as i have seen them in a bunch of cars.


To answer another question i saw. I once got a car and kept it inside for 1 1/2 years never going outside or possibly getting wet and when the carpet was still wet in the padding from 1 1/2 years earlier !!!!!


I also have a hardtop car that leaks i believe it is coming from the heater box area or perhaps the top of dash area ?


I have another car here that is a 87 turbo t astroroof that needs a full floor pan because of a leaky roof and the carpet holding water.i got the floorpan just need a competent person to put it in

 

[syclonefast]

there are some great post on the montecarloss.com site about water leaks and restos. I have had too clean off all the old seam sealer on the entire car and put on 2k seam sealer on mine. but hey another 25 years will be worth every penny spent.

 

[Turbo1dr]

Here was my water leak on my 78 Malibu before I painted it yellow.

This is how I fixed it....

This was the donor car...

 

[Turbo1dr]

NOT all cars leak because of rust. My 87 Turbo Regal had no rust at all in the firewall area. The water was leaking in through the dryed up and cracked seam sealer the assembly line workers put on the all the panels.


This is a hard top car....

Before...

After....

I found about three spots where water was coming in through the cracked seam sealer. I removed all the seam sealer on the outside of the firewall area and put new stuff back on...even on the trunk areas.