tremclad your plug-hole

[timandbim]

so my carpet has finally dried up from a previously blocked sunroof drain and i am using today, the last day of fall here methinks, to paint the floor underneath.
not a brilliant job, but i sanded most of the rust away (hard to reach down there!) and it won't get wet now so i'm hoping it makes it through a winter or two before i actually have to put in a new piece of floor.
considering the drain was probably blocked for years without the po doing anything about it i think i'm pretty lucky to get away with such little damage. i had no idea about this when i bought the car so i figure it could have been a lot worse.
the guy who's going to fix the front 1/4 damage you can see in one of the photos gave me a plug to use in the hole- said he pulled it off a ford somethingorother but it should fit... and it does. i thought that was strange but i'm not complaining. posting photos seperately incase you don't want the mbs...

[timandbim]

i know what you're thinking... a canadian with a cricket bat? well... my hockey stick didn't fit.

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5169&stc=1&d=1227998142

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5170&stc=1&d=1227998142

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5171&stc=1&d=1227998142

[timandbim]

...that's not my laundry...

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5172&stc=1&d=1227998897

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5173&stc=1&d=1227998897

http://www.bimmernut.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5174&stc=1&d=1227998897

[Dave M]

salut habitant,

Makes one want to double check their plug is still present and doing its job.

While the tremclad is better than nothing, there certainly are better products for the job. You've already painted so I wouldn't expect you to do it again, but for next time, get your hands on a good rust 'converter' and something like a POR-15 paint. Its a bit more expensive, but will last eons longer than tremclad.

Dave

[Ross]

That Tremclad isn't available in the USA. Anything with a skull and crossbones on the label has to be good. Who knows the US equivalent?

[Jehu]

wait a minute.... is blocked sunroof drains the only reason those drain plugs rust?

[Dave M]

That Tremclad isn't available in the USA. Anything with a skull and crossbones on the label has to be good. Who knows the US equivalent?

Dunno, but I'm in Canada and have tried Tremclad on other 'stuff'. Maybe we're obligated to display the sull and crossbones due to our WHMIS standards. From my experience, POR-15 is a better product.

Dave M

[timandbim]

i think that our safety standards are a little over the top here in canada sometimes. the skull and crossbones is only a poison warning (no, really?). the little tube of touch-up paint i got from the dealer (made in germany) is only labelled 'irritant'. i won't drink it just the same.
retailers here claim that these stringent safety standards contribute to retail costs not reflected by the exchange rate and duty alone.

[timandbim]

for next time, get your hands on a good rust 'converter' and something like a POR-15 paint. Its a bit more expensive, but will last eons longer than tremclad.


yeah, i would have done more research on a product but it was a quick-fix and it won't last that long no matter what i put on it i think. good to know for the next time though. just for the record...

[timandbim]

wait a minute.... is blocked sunroof drains the only reason those drain plugs rust?

i guess anything that would allow water down there... i also had some water leaking in under the step-tread-things in the bottom of the door frame. i sealed them up with silicone.

the cool thing about the plug is that you can check to see if your carpet is wet without pulling up the carpet. the replacement i have as i mentioned is from a ford but the factory plug must be somewhat similar. i don't have one on the other side.

[Jehu]

Mine was gone and badly rotted away on the passenger side. There is stiff foam insulation up in there. no access to the carpet. I had the body shop rehab the rust and they welded a plate over the opening.. If my sunroof drains aren['t draining i'd hope i;d notice my carpet wet inside ,no? What are there plugs there for anyway if the cavity above is filled with heavy sound damping foam insulation? Pulling the plug out isn't going to drain anything .Ws it just an opening to blow foam in?

[timandbim]

the insulation in mine was absolutely soaked until i unblocked the drain and pulled up the carpet (the insulation is attached to the underneath of the carpet in my car) and let it dry for seriously a week and a half. mine is like yours on the other side... there's a hole but the insulation is pretty hard there and there is no plug. i only checked to see if that side was wet (it isn't) by putting my hand down there, didn't get a look, but the carpet came up with the insulation like on my drivers side. i think actually someone might have drilled up through the insulation in mine to try and dry out the wet carpet and maybe there never was a plug... (?)
this car is full of mysteries. i hope i can find them all before winter hits. (like, tomorrow)