# Help, Serious Opinions Needed



## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

My MOT is due on Tuesday and I`ve given the car a once over, everything was alright until I looked underneath









OK I admit I`m a real mechanical numbskull, is the rust bad enough to make the car fail & if so is there any inexpensive, easy solution to the problem?

NB there`s another photo to posted


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Last photo, from the front...


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## Guest (Sep 1, 2007)

Depends Mach,if thats surface rust id wire brush it ,coat it with hamerite paint .If and looking at the rust bubbles they may be rotten in areas try poking with screw driver ,if its solid scrape back and paint .If its wrotten look for parts from decent scrap yard if you need to keep the car mate ,best of british  Tony


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

I'm no expert but a lot of that looks like surface rust in which case it's nothing to bother about, as Tony said you could just wire brush & hammerite it to stop it getting worse.

You really need to give it a gentle prod (if you do jack the car up to do this make sure the car's on axle stands etc & very well supported as it ain't worth dying over) & see if any cracking or flaking occurs & if there's any holes. If something like the suspension arms are rusted through then it's serious & should I would think fail an MOT on it.

That last pic' just looks like a skid plate under something, I wouldn't worry about that as it doesn't look structural or safety related so the MOT tester shouldn't bother about it.

Best of luck

Dave


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks guys, I`ve had a poke around and it does appear to be just surface rust









I`ll have ago with the wire brush & hammerite tomorrow


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## ETCHY (Aug 3, 2004)

No worries mach 

It might be worth leaving the hammerite etc until after the MOT, I remember a mechanic once telling me fresh paint makes MOT inspectors suspicious so they look harder etc.

If you do Hammerite don't get it on any brake components or rubber etc, I doubt it'll do 'em any good.

Good luck with the MOT

Dave


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

ETCHY said:


> No worries mach
> 
> It might be worth leaving the hammerite etc until after the MOT, I remember a mechanic once telling me fresh paint makes MOT inspectors suspicious so they look harder etc.


A good idea, thanks











> If you do Hammerite don't get it on any brake components or rubber etc, I doubt it'll do 'em any good.
> 
> Good luck with the MOT
> 
> Dave


I`ll be very careful & again thanks


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## Silver Hawk (Dec 2, 2003)

Why Hammerite?

I'd use Finnegan's Waxoyl ever time....


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Silver Hawk said:


> Why Hammerite?
> 
> I'd use Finnegan's Waxoyl ever time....


I`d forgot about Waxoyl


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## jasonm (Nov 22, 2003)

Silver Hawk said:


> Why Hammerite?
> 
> I'd use Finnegan's Waxoyl ever time....


Here we go, now were gonna get Mr Finnegan spamming the forum like your mate the anti wear additive bloke


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

I agree with the above mac, leave it as it is and see what the mot turns up, my guess is it's just surface rust, and yes an inspector will be highly suspicious of fresh paint. Nobody checks their car b4 an mot these days except the ones who have found a problem and are trying to hide it.

doesn't look like you do a high mileage, those tyres look new but IIRC you had them fitted for last years mot. I had a mate who would search the whole area looking for Hankook's for his dolomite sprint.


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## strange_too (Feb 19, 2007)

If you use Waxoyl, put the can in a hot water bath without the lid on, as it makes it easier to apply.

I've spent to many hours with a Rolls Bentley on a ramp spraying the chassis with it. Gets bloody everywhere....................


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Thanks guys, I`ll take on board your comments









Paul, the car has only done just over 15,000 miles and the tires are the original set


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## mach 0.0013137 (Jan 10, 2005)

Update, it got through the MOT without any problem









I`ll be out tomorrow with the wire brush


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## DavidH (Feb 24, 2003)

....I'd be more worried about those weeds


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## Ironpants (Jul 1, 2005)

I would agree that is probably surface rust, but more importantly it is on the axle and trailing arms which will be made of much heavier weight steel. If that is what the floor pan or other panels looked like then they would probably be holes in them already!

What is worrying is that the rest of the car looks so clean it assume it is no more than 5 years old, and as you say only 15k they must have had only the lightest protection on these bits.

As suggested heat the Waxoil in a bucket of hot water, and set up so that once the spray gun gets going you do not have to stop, it is a real pain having to dunk the spray head and feed in the water to try and get it going again.

I have heard people diluting it down by 20% with white spirit to keep it liquid during application, though I have not tried this technique.

I recommend a pair of Yellow tinted goggles because waxoil actually stings slightly and the yellow tint helps you see into the dark recesses under a car in daylight







.

Get messy mach!

Toby 

PS park your car on a sheet of polythene to protect your drive.


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## pg tips (May 16, 2003)

If he underseals it with "roundup" he can kill the weeds in the block pave at the same time


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## nursegladys (Aug 4, 2006)

DavidH said:


> ....I'd be more worried about those weeds


Hey Mac, you don't "do" weeds do ya?? not in your line of work surely


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Silver Hawk said:


> Why Hammerite?
> 
> I'd use Finnegan's Waxoyl ever time....


Aaaah, Waxoyl... excuse me while I have a nostalgia moment.

I didn't know it was still made; takes me back... and there was 'Naval Jelly', a rust treatment that I would never buy in Plymouth, in case of misunderstandings.


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## Zephod (Nov 15, 2006)

Wow Naval Jelly that takes me waaaayy back


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## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Naval Jelly


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## James (Jul 17, 2006)

Here in Canada the rust prevention of choice would be Rust Check thin and the gel stuff, never heard of these thing you speak









/http://www.rustcheck.com/


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