Why's It Rotted?

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

Does anyone know why my B Pillar has rotted as shown?
...and therefore what measures to take to avoid a 'repeat'.

I'm in the midst of sorting it out and won't be pleased if the new steel has issues within a relatively short space of time.

All dry when cut out. I'm not sure of the purpose of the plug seen in the third pic but note that this (and others I've removed from Scrappers) don't have holes in.

Car's a Pug 405.

Thanks Guys

NB: at 22years old, is it just age... or would that be over-simplistic.
Pics are in reverse order, oops!

[CitroJim]

Is it double-skinned along there?

[lexi]

Wherever 2 pieces of bodywork are lapped together, it will rust. It helps if the 2 sections are bedded in sealant. Lots of places they aren't.
All these cars are rusting. It is not as noticeable with plastic wings and bumpers etc. If all the plastic trim is removed around subframes, chassis and sills, you will find rust, lest someone has done some real preventative work on them.

[white exec]

Good excuse to buy a Sealey SG-18

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

yes, double skinned Jim, to the rear of the pillar (access via the hole in which the seat belt sits is a real bonus).... and where it meets the top of the cill.

Wax Injector kit 'd be lovely Chris, but can't justify that sort of expense. Do plan to buy a tin brush on Seam Sealer: hoping that a Google in a min will tell me how to use it; in partic before or after welding.

Also.. what'd you do with that little bit of rust on the top of the cill, pretty much directly below the middle of the three drilled out plug welds?
I'm torn between....
'its a heck of a cutting that out for the sake of a 10mm x 20mm area of rust'
and
'I'm gonna be risking blow through and future problems if I don't'

Figures on the top pic by the way for anyone who's curious are Dims, eg 100mm.

NB: looks like one of our members has his 305 for sale, write up looks familiar, partic re safety & kids https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-305- ... 0011.m1850

[Stickyfinger]

I would say condensation and thus a mix of moisture and oxygen....it is waxes that protect the surface form this by protecting the zinc coating from oxidising and restricting moisture creep penetrating between the surfaces (no seam sealer) and reaching the edges of the welds where there is no zinc.

[CitroJim]

I would say condensation and thus a mix of moisture and oxygen....it is waxes that protect the surface form this by protecting the zinc coating from oxidising and restricting moisture creep penetrating between the surfaces (no seam sealer) and reaching the edges of the welds where there is no zinc.

Agreed...

Speaking of which, I want to wax up Sally to within an inch of her life

[Pug_XUD_KeenAmateur]

Thanks Guys, that saves me £15, a bunch of aggravation and valuable space in the shed (not buying Seam Sealer)

Thanks to Richard too for moving the pix around.

'tis an area that gets overlooked with the annual T-Cut & Polish, usually in Spring; maybe I'd be better performing it later / summer autumn as extra winter protection.

Do we have a pic of the lovely and mysterious "Sally"? She sounds like a bit of a looker

PS: I've overlooked to obtain a lower section of NS B Pillar, so will be on the lookout for one in the future

[CitroJim]

Do we have a pic of the lovely and mysterious "Sally"? She sounds like a bit of a looker

Not mysterious at all! Just take a look at my blog

Lots of pictures of her there...

viewtopic.php?p=556039#p556039

But here's one

Own Work

She really is a cracker!

Her role in my life is as my dedicated bike transporter...

[Peter.N.]

I have preserved cars for many years by squirting oil into vulnerable areas, especially the sills, this was a necessity 50 or so years ago before the bodies were galvanised but now, with Peugeot's anyway the galvanising will preserve the body for 15 years or more unless it has been damaged i.e. by repair work.

If you spray or squirt cheap engine oil into the cavities it will creep into the seams which is where most failures occur, it needs doing in warm dry weather. If you remove a screw from the sill tread plate you can squirt oil in with an oil can, you need to do it until it runs out, or at least is present along all the underside of the sill, doing this once a year should prevent further deterioration.

One of my 406s has a couple of cracks in the rear n/s wing where it has been repaired and the removal of the galvanising has resulted in the panel rusting.

Peter

[CitroJim]

I used to do the same with old oil Peter...

Used to make the interior of the car stink a bit for a while though...

[lexi]

I used to do the same with old oil Peter...

Used to make the interior of the car stink a bit for a while though...

The Aussies use fish oil for that..........stinky? Lanolin is another good oil for this. If you have a small compressor guys, you can make any kind of wax injector from a schutz gun. I even have one made for trailer tube sections that are 5metres long. 3 metre plastic hose, over schutz gun and jubileed on. End of hose plugged with a bolt and jubileed. Drill small holes 360deg round hose, near bolt end. Pressurise and move hose through the tube as you squeeze trigger. Drain surplus in hose back in to can. One litre cans of cavity wax from Brown Brothers is best stuff of all. http://www.brownbrothers.com/products/cavity-wax-0

[Peter.N.]

That's why I use cheap new oil Jim, people don't like it on their drives either.

Are Brown Brothers still going? I used to buy TV's from them in the '50s

Peter

[CitroJim]

That's why I use cheap new oil Jim, people don't like it on their drives either.

peter, that's a good thought as it's quite OK on the smell issue and it may be better for me as I know I'm rather allergic to the solvents in all of the usual mainstream rust protection waxes available...

I don't seem to be too allergic to new engine oil...

So new oil might be a better option for me...

[Peter.N.]

Certainly cheaper Jim.

Peter