Rust Areas & Concerns

Subject: Re: Rust Areas & Concerns Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:45 pm

AA wrote:

I've noticed on my car the trunk tends to settle over time (closes lower), which means the gaskets are probably less elastic, and could indicate less of a seal. When it was new, I could let the trunk shut with gravity, and it would not latch. 6 years later, it latches every time.

Part of this is the trunk neoprene gasket setting and part is the gas springs losing their nitrogen charge. Only way to tell about trunk leak is with the dollar bill... or you can sprinkle some foot powder on the gasket with trunk open, close the trunk gently and press so it latches, then use a jet of compressed air to blow in around the trunk opening. Open the trunk back up gently so you don't make a breeze--and look for streaks where the trunk lid might have gapped away from the gasket.

If your gap is one side or the other chances are you can adjust the trunk hinges and/or the rear bumpers 9little runner chubs in the corners of the trunk opening) to get a better seal. Or, again, you can just replace the gasket.

Albertj

_________________
1998 with all fac. opts. (exc. CD changer and subwoofer); 209,000 miles. Mods: KYB front struts, extra noise barriers, fire extinguisher, Magnecor 8mm plug wires, 4-note horn, custom-made stainless exhaust.

Avatar is missing.

Subject: Re: Rust Areas & Concerns Thu Oct 22, 2009 3:54 pm

ibmoses wrote:

1998 Riv wrote:

I wonder if my trunk weatherstrip needs replacing also. I've discovered that I'm getting some water on TOP of the trunk carpet on rainy days, over on the right side directly under the lip. The rubber looks good, but I'll have to check and see just how tight the lid is sealing.

And here I thought my water issue was only from the hole in the wheel well... scratch

Our 99 Riv also gets some moisture in the trunk after a heavy rain. The guy we got the car from said he carried it back to the dealer and they tried to solve the problem by adjusting the hinge. No rust yet anywhere back there that I know of.

Reckon the "vent" that Jacks mice use for the front door into the "Hotel Riviera for Mice" is allowing moisture in somehow? Or maybe it comes in around the power antennae.
If I can remember this weekend I will get in there with a flashlight and get the wife to use a water hose to flood the area while I am in the trunk and see if I can tell how its getting in there.

Bert tavis

Bert - they probably tried adjusting the hing because replacing the gasket, while an easy job, is time consuming. I recently found out monsterparts can get new gaskets. Maybe you should check it out.

There is a chance you are getting water in the power antenna, check the drain hose and check that the grommet is sealing OK. You can use 3M Strip-Calk to seal that up it it is a problem.

As for the hotel riviera, the mice are not getting past that hardware cloth, it plays hob with their teeth. They only try it once... Rats are a different issue. For them it's more effective to use steel wool embedded in expanding foam. That does not stop them per se but the steel wool strands getting stuck in their teeth is what sends them away. They couldn't care less about the hardware cloth wires. They wont' challenge that steel wool/foam combination diligently and it's pretty easy to repair/refill if they do gnaw on/through it.

Albertj

_________________
1998 with all fac. opts. (exc. CD changer and subwoofer); 209,000 miles. Mods: KYB front struts, extra noise barriers, fire extinguisher, Magnecor 8mm plug wires, 4-note horn, custom-made stainless exhaust.

Avatar is missing.

Subject: Re: Rust Areas & Concerns Thu Oct 22, 2009 6:37 pm

I had a hideously sneaky leak in my car when I first got it!. It took me weeks and a whole tube of sealant before I found it...

The far left carpet got wet, and there was water in the well. After working my way up from the bottom, it turned out that the leak was a virtually invisible gap all the way at the top of the body.

The edges of the body above the taillights, where they meet each end of the trunk lid, have to curl very tightly from vertical to horizontal to match the contour of the lid. As such, there is a fold and a seam on the inner edge of this section, and that's where my water was sneaking in. It was very slow and only followed a tiny track downward that didn't wet the upper reaches of the trunk.

So, a half-CC smear of sealer on that seam took care of the problem...
evil

_________________
97 Riviera L67 - Desert Sandstone - Gutted AB Lid, Kool Blue AF, 180* SuperStat, Hogan 3" DP, ZZP 3.6" MPS; Sensa-Trac struts, Rockford-Fosgate 6x9's; Annoyance-Fixes: Express-Down delete, Full-time juice to Power Port, BRP-power to Glovebox lite, Brake-to-Shift delete, Console-compartment lite, Seat/Mirror Memory in any gear.

69 Wildcat Convertible, 430" QJet - Burgundy/Black - P/Win, P/Seat, P/Ant, Tilt, Cruise, Remote Trunk, Rallyes, AM/FM Mono!