Rust Proofing in Canada
Geschrieben von Wolfhard Geile am 04. November 2003 22:15:59:
Als Antwort auf: Hilfe, mein Auto rostet oder auch Antworten auf FAQ's geschrieben von Thomas Döring am 03. August 2000 01:16:15:
Liebe Leute vom Rostschutz und Resto-Forum,
Eigentlich ist das hier kein Beitrag, der in Deutschland weiterhilft, denn ich sitze hier in Kanadas Hauptstadt und recherchiere fuer ein kanadisches Oldtimer-Magazin zum Thema Rostschutz im alten Europa. Aus diesem Grund wuerde ich mich auch ueber eine Ruckmeldung von Thomas Doering an meine e-mail Adresse (GeomaticsConsult@aol.com) freuen, um einige Erfahrungen auszutauschen und natuerlich um auf den neuesten Stand in Sachen Hohlraum und U-Bodenschutz in Deutschland zu kommen.
Im Voraus vielen Dank dafuer.
Und nun doch mein Resume in Sachen Rust Proofing in Ontario, das als Grundlage fuer meinen Beitrag im hiesigen Fachblatt dient, und diesen Textauszug natuerlich ganz besonders als Anregung fuer Kommentare aus Old Germany. Bevor sich jemand in den Englischen Text (nein, nicht aus Verzweiflung ueber so viel Fremdsprachenuebung in den Englischen Kanal) stuerzt, noch kurz die Anmerkung: Hier in Canada herrschen ''non-drip'' und ''dripping oil sprays'' allerlei Geheimmischungen vor, sofern die Leute ueberhaupt ueber die Konservierung der Karosse ihres Transportmittels nachdenken. Wir haben verschiedene davon ausprobiert, ein einziges Produkt hat von den Kriecheigenschaften her wirklich ueberzeugt, aber die Rundumkur braucht doch eigenhaendige Vorarbeit, die sich dann aber auch auszahlt. Aber lest selber:
To Rust Proof or Not To Rust Proof?
- A Short Summary of Personal Findings
(If you are just looking for the practical part, go to p. 2. For the essentials, check p. 5)When it comes to controlling or preventing corrosion, it seems to be quite a challenge to use the laws of chemistry in our favor preventing the elements from turning healthy metal into rust. Whether we are trying to preserve the inspiring results of our latest restoration project, make our winter-driver survive the slushy and salty season without additional signs of rotting metal on body and chassis parts, or get attracted by advertising campaigns by the industries announcing to preserve the beauty of our ''rust free'' new car for years to come, we have to deal with the issue of deciding on the right way - or product - to achieve proper ''rust proofing''.
Yes, I do, to some extent, agree with those critics calling the term ''rust proofing'' somewhat misleading since you probably won't be able to keep your car totally ''rust free'' by any means, unless you live in the Sahara. But then, there are a lot of ''secret oil mixtures'' traded across the classic car community, some intelligent entrepreneurs have developed some successful solutions to ''oil-spray'' the car's floor and inner panels, and the automotive sections of the chemical industries, with European companies often in a leading position, have been in business with high-quality body protection products for decades now.
Still questions remain, such as: what product would really be the best? Should you do it yourself or turn the car over to a professional shop? Do you have to spend a lot on ''the big job'' or does the yearly oil spray do the trick just as well?
From my personal experience, there is no straight answer to any of these questions. Any treatment has its place in rust proofing, it all depends on a variety of issues including the age and condition of the unrestored daily driver or fully refurbished classic - and, besides a regular car wash as basic protection, it all boils down to some simple findings:
„« The universal solution, meaning the one product that does it all, probably still has to be invented.
„« It does take two or more products sprayed onto different parts and into the numerous cavities of the body, in order to provide the best possible protection.
„« There is always a trade-off between different types of products, i.e. concerning penetration capability of a (usually oil and waxed-based) spray, in order to prevent further corrosion of welding seems and hidden pockets of the body structure, versus its abrasion resistance from icy snow and slush (or even saltwater).
„« If turning to a professional for rust proofing, quality of workmanship in applying (spraying) the product is equally important as a high quality of the product to be used - and, let's face it, with mostly a very limited time given for the whole application, the guys may overlook a spot then left uncovered.
„« Yes, you can have a professional shop do your ''rust proofing'', if you re-do it every year or two, but you gain a lot if you prepare the car yourself ahead of the spray.
„« And yes, you can even drive a classic through an Ottawa winter with no problem.
Now Let's Get Practical:For our own everyday (and winter) driver, my personal experience favors a combination of a do-it-yourself preparational job on a sunny Saturday afternoon, with a professional high-quality oil spray applied on top.
The products used by Canadian professionals:
The professional oil spray is a fairly simple measure, doesn't call for any personal involvement other then driving to a spray facility and watch the experts to their job. If you do and repeat the treatment regularly, it may even serve the purpose for quite some years, depending, however, on the quality of the product and of the workmanship offered by the shop. And I did observe considerable differences, both in the effort taken during the application, and in the protection capabilities of products applied throughout the region. ''Any oil just won't do it''. The three main product types offered are:
1. ''Dripping'' oil sprays, like those made of low-mineral, rather organic oils of copy-righted formula used by two of the market leaders, Crown and Metropolitan, which we have positively tested ourselves. These sprays are highly fluid oil products which reach every seem and pocket of the body structure by penetrating and creeping into them (Crown) or by being practically ''fogged'' onto and into the body (Metropolitan).
2. ''Non-drip'' oil sprays, as applied by Canadian Rust Proofing outlets, Nepean Oil Spray, Proshine, or Ziebart, to name some shops in Ottawa, are composed of gel-type petroleum distillates, and show a far lower fluidity even when pumped and sprayed with an ''airless'' technique at higher temperature. This means, their ability to travel across the metal surfaces and reach hidden spots and welding seems doesn't happen instantly but rather follows the laws of organic chemistry: it's a matter of time and temperature, which works best during hot and dry summer months. Then they create a strong layer even on the floor for at least one year.
3. You can also turn to your car-dealership and ask for the ''Super Gold'' water based (!) wax product distributed through the Canadian chemical company CBC (no, not your local TV-station). I found several GM and Ford-dealerships in the Ottawa area to offer a very thorough - though pricey but then long lasting - application of this product, which doesn't drip, creeps quite well before the solvent (water) evaporates, and covers all surfaces with a semi-transparent layer of protective wax, much like the off-the-factory treatment provided by major European auto makers.
Where to go and how to get a professional job done:Now the question: where should you go, and what product should you use (if you can't or don't want to do the do-it-yourself preparation ahead of the professional)? One simple answer is: as said before, the one product to do it all probably is still to be invented, and it thus takes a minimum of two products in combination to get the more lasting effect, if you consider winter driving. In that case my suggestion based on experience with our own two cars would be:
„« Have a thin, fluid, dripping oil spray applied first and throughout the whole car, and let it soak for a week or two. This will cost you about 80 to 120 $.
„« Then have a 60 to 99 $ non-drip oil spray applied on top of the first job. The combination effect of the two products is: the ''dripping'' oil will travel ahead into all the seems and cavities and lay the road for the heavier ''non-drip'' product to follow.
„« To save cost, you may have the second, more abrassive-resistant non-drip spray done on the exposed floor parts of the car only, if you can negotiate with the shop.
„« Alternatively, and especially if you car is brand new, you may want to use the water-based CBC-treatment through your dealer at about 350 plus $ (the price is justified), and have a thin, dripping spray applied on top after a few months. In this case, as somewhat proven with our own Audi, the thin oil of the second applications takes a slight fraction of the wax on board and, using capillary forces, carries it into areas and seems possibly still left uncovered or not reached by the wax-application.
If your car is a summer driver only, you may well go with an application of either of the products, with especially the dripping oil spray repeated every year or two.So once again, why two products for a winter-driver? It's the above trade-off to be aware of: the ''non-drip''-sprays are obviously quite resistant to road-wear during the winter, as mentioned above, but don't show to travel and penetrate as well as. The thinner ''dripping'' oil sprays are the exact opposite, protecting all seems but washing off within a radius of snow, salty slush and water-spray from the wheels, which means that some important parts of the floor of the car will be unprotected towards the end of the aggressive road-season in spring. Thus, two products seem to solve the problem.
The do-it-yourself preparation (ahead of the professional job):This method is not only for the enthusiasts doing everything to keep their rolling beauty in good shape for a long time or ensuring a lasting effect with the restoration of a classic. Doing it on your car for the first time, it mainly requires some initial patience with yourself while diving deep into the trunk or under the hood to make yourself familiar with the body structure, and where all the cavities within and seems between the components of the body are, which call for protection. The job could well be extended to a complete treatment of an empty body shell before re-integrating a restored car. For the time being, however, let's concentrate on what you can do to preserve your every-day driver.
The do-it-yourself part actually requires two afternoons for two applications of two (more and lesser fluid) mixtures of oil and wax, which will be sprayed and brushed two times onto various parts on (or under) and within the body, but not onto the exhaust (!!!).
The wax part of the mixture I used to import from Europe, the German Teroson semi-transparent "HV-300 Cavity Wax" or ''Light Undercoating Wax". Now I have turned to a similar product sold as ''Maxi Coat Heavy Duty Rust Proofing" by Loctite (available at Ottawa Fasteners). For the oil part, WD 40 has served very well as a thinner diluting the wax, and taking it along on its penetrating journey across the floor, inner body panels, and through all the seems and cavities of my car's body. As an application technology I use a simple garden sprayer and an artists paint brush. The better solution would be a power sprayer with proper cavity-spray (rust proofing) hoses and nozzles, but that is difficult to get hold of in North America. The whole procedure now looks like this:
1. Create a mixture of 15 % of the Loctite wax and 85 % WD 40, or 25 % of the Teroson product and 75 % WD 40 for the initial application, fill most of it into the garden sprayer, and keep about 1/2 l to 1 liter (depending on the car) in a jar for the paint brush to get into action after the first spray.
2. Spray this very fluid mixture onto well cleaned floor panels and wheel wells, between the floor and gas tank, and onto all frame and chassis parts of the undercarriage. This is a bit a messy part of the job but it's done in about 45 minutes. Now spray in behind all inner panels and cavities you can reach into, especially the inner rear wheel wells and side pockets in the trunk, both accessible through the trunk, all sections behind the front grill and head lamps, all hidden pockets in the engine compartment and cavities of the hood and trunk lids, and in behind the front fenders and bumpers. WD 40 cleans off the excess. If your car is still under restoration or if you are able to take off the inner door panels (watch out for power window and power door cables and switches!), spray all metal structures inside the doors as well.
3. Next, take the paint brush and apply the above mixture along all seems on the outside, in the trunk, or under the hood, which you had recorded during your initial ''tour through the body''. Also brush along the spacings between the taillights and the body, around side-marker lights, and all chrome and moldings. Go along the seems where the outer door skin fold around the inner frame of the doors, and do the same along hood and the trunk lid.
4. Now relax, take a refreshment for yourself, and let this application ''dry'' for 3 - 4 hours. The WD 40 will carry the dilluted wax of the mixture into every crevacy within its reach. Then, the WD 40 will evaporate for the better part as a solvent leaving behind a still slightly sticky but thin wax layer. This is your first but already powerful layer of protection. Even some surface rust deep in the seems and on inner panels will be penetrated and protected from rusting further for quite some time.
5. Meanwhile, prepare a mixture of either 20 - 30 % Loctite's Maxi Coat and 70 - 80 % WD or a mix of 50 to 60 % of the Teroson's wax and 40 to 50 % WD 40, and fill it into your garden sprayer.
6. Once more back to the messy part: use this heavier mixture and apply one or two thorough layers onto the whole floor, main chassis parts - careful: don't spray the exhaust system !!! (remember: wax burns easily !) - and into all wheel wells again. Let this application dry over night (better for several days) before driving the car.
7. You may now turn your car into any one of the above professional shops for a dripping or non-dripping oil-spray to complete a great job. Dripping oil sprays may work better on inner panels and pockets. The effect of this second 'pro-spray is the same as described above for the combination of the CBC-wax and oil spray procedures. And, even the dripping oil spray will now survive the winter without being washed off, using the wax you had applied as a base coat to hold on to.
Comment:Yes, you can drive a car through many slush-intensive winters without experiencing major rust damage on the body and chassis, given that you commit to an initial investment of somewhere between 150 and 250 Dollars on body protection (and/or some of your time on a dry early fall-weekend) before exposing the car to the elements of winter for the first time, that you will touch up stone chips, give the body a minor refreshment spray once every year or two, and wash the car regularly.
Cars with twenty or more years on Alpine and Scandinavian roads are a rolling proof of concept. - And yes, although few people are likely to do so for other good reasons, you can even drive a classic in the winter, as we did with our own '72 Buick. Check those magazine reports about famous alpine winter rallyes for classics, and you know what I mean. Many smiling faces photographed along those events might make you wonder about ''... exploring the possibilities'', maybe taking your old Volvo or VW or Austin Mini, or even a big old yank-tank out into the snow on a Sunday afternoon next winter (?).
Corrosion Protection - The Essentials:The rust-danger-zones on a car: automobiles prefer to rust from the inside out. Inner body panels, welding seems, all cavities, and most floor panels are only covered by thin layers of several primers during production, not by a tough final paint coat. If not protected by additional oil or wax layers, wheel arches, rocker panels, front fenders and integrated frame parts will soon grow reddish-brown blisters (followed by rust holes). The same goes for outer edges along body panels, doors and hoods, and along holes for tail and signal lights, and trim, where the protective paint coat is thinning out.
Rust proofing - two products better than one: my personal experience teaches me that proper protection requires at least two types of (spray-) products. (1) Thin ''dripping'' oils have excellent penetration, and thus inner panel and seem protection capabilities. However, they tend to wash off soon within the splash radius of the wheels. (2) Heavier waxes and most non-drip oils are great for floor and chassis protection since they don't wash off easily, but do not creep fast into welding seems and cavities, unless thinned with some penetrating solvent. A combination of both products does the trick - and it's worth it. And remember: check for quality, concerning the product and workmanship of of the spray and the shop to do it. Choose a specialist with a reputation to loose.
Doing it yourself? Of course this is possible. It does help a lot insuring a subsequent professional spray to do its job even better, and it is most likely the way to begin or even to go with after a restoration of a classic. Certainly, spraying wax undercoating onto the - previously cleaned (!!!) - floor and wheel wells is something you can always do with a garden sprayer and an hour of your time. Brushing a thin oil-wax mixture around lights, trim parts, and along all edges can be another do-it-yourself action item. Then, however, turn the car over to a professional unless you own the proper spray equipment.
Undercoating - I don't like the black stuff: for decades, black asphalt undercoating has been used for undercarriage protection with good intentions. I go for two or three layers of semi-transparent wax-undercoating instead, or with a heavy non-drip oil spray if wax is not available. Asphalt-based products have a tendency to dry and crack, then trap water and salt within pockets between the undercoating and the metal, at that point promoting corrosion rather than inhibiting it. If you still have (rubberized) asphalt on your floor, spray it regularly with a thin rust proofing oil to keep the layer from cracking.
Corrosion protection off the production line: up until the late 1980s, off-the-line corrosion protection was not an issue for most auto makers. Today, galvanized steel is often used on lower body panels, and more corrosion resistant steel and better paint technologies have improved the situation. Still, current ''five-year-warranties against rust damage'' only means that your car should not develop any rust perforations (from the inside out!) during this time. Looking behind the panels you will find that only few makes and models sold in Canada are treated with protective waxes on the inside. So, after a few more years, it may be the same old rust story to be told. The same with undercoating: on some models you will find rubberized sprays within a narrow area behind the wheels, which is certainly not enough to protect the, mostly just primed floor.
Keeping a car ''rust-free": it's most like not possible on the long run. However, after giving the car a good protection early in its life, or right after restoring the body, and renewing these measures on a regular basis, your vehicle may still be on the road as a classic twenty or so years from now in its ''original shape''.
Best Regards,Wolfhard.
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Wolfhard Geile
Accredited Journalist
2765 Baseline Rd.
Ottawa, ON.
Canada K2H 7B5
Tel./Fax: (+1) (613) 721-0858
e-mail: geomaticsconsult@aol.com
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- Re: Rust Proofing in Canada Markus 06.11.2003 10:17 (0)