Volvo 480 Club Europe

Yesterday was spent giving the car it's most thorough clean it's ever had, just as I was finishing though I discovered something disturbing


I have put some WD40 and some regular polishing wax onto it to protect it, but what should I do next? Thinking of mixing up a chalk solution to neutralise any salt, then sealing it up after using some rust converter. Anyone got any better ideas?

first, work out where it's coming from.

Is it from outside in, or inside OUT. if it's a rear arch it's likely to be the later.

From outside in, treat the rust with some neutraliser (I'm a fan of vactan) and then overpaint.

From inside out, Cavity waxing should halt it - It'd prevent air/moisture from reaching it - S50 for the win!

Hi Jeff thanks for your tips. The interior of the panels are cavity waxed already, plus this area seems to be on sheet metal with no negative space behind. Imagine a flat sheet of metal with the edges rusting, I think that is it. I will get some vactan ordered up as I have heard good things about it. I'm going out to take the wheel off and get a better look, watch this space...

MisterH wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 08, 2021 2:20 pm

I'm going out to take the wheel off and get a better look, watch this space...

be careful if 'looking' with a sharp pointed object, don't press too hard

Alan 480 wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 08, 2021 7:24 pm

MisterH wrote: ↑

Mon Feb 08, 2021 2:20 pm

I'm going out to take the wheel off and get a better look, watch this space...

be careful if 'looking' with a sharp pointed object, don't press too hard

I second that, be careful of the rubberised underseal as it hides rust well.

Good news is, Vactan has arrived. Bad news, it is too cold to use it (apparently can't be below 10 degrees)

Thinking of putting a chalk wash on the affected areas to neutralise any salt and stop it getting worse.

Anyone got any better ideas?

MisterH wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:42 pm

Good news is, Vactan has arrived. Bad news, it is too cold to use it (apparently can't be below 10 degrees)

Thinking of putting a chalk wash on the affected areas to neutralise any salt and stop it getting worse.

Anyone got any better ideas?

well that rules out Vactan for any outside use this far north except for maybe a few days in the year

rinse VERY well with LOTS of fresh water, can't do any harm!!

chalk will neutralise acid, but salt is already a mix of an acid & alkali

Alan 480 wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 12, 2021 6:01 pm

MisterH wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:42 pm

Good news is, Vactan has arrived. Bad news, it is too cold to use it (apparently can't be below 10 degrees)

Thinking of putting a chalk wash on the affected areas to neutralise any salt and stop it getting worse.

Anyone got any better ideas?

well that rules out Vactan for any outside use this far north except for maybe a few days in the year

rinse VERY well with LOTS of fresh water, can't do any harm!!

chalk will neutralise acid, but salt is already a mix of an acid & alkali

Bugger

Is there any other option I have? The car is my daily and at the moment I am only driving on Saturdays although the car is going in for MOT and oil change next week so may get them to give it a once over. wD40 won't do forever

I use some products from rust.co.uk and buzzweld.co.uk

Rust does a brush on product FE-123.

MisterH wrote: ↑

Fri Feb 12, 2021 3:42 pm

Good news is, Vactan has arrived. Bad news, it is too cold to use it (apparently can't be below 10 degrees)

Thinking of putting a chalk wash on the affected areas to neutralise any salt and stop it getting worse.

Anyone got any better ideas?

Warm area with hairdryer - Apply vactan - Problem solved

I did think about that, how long before it is safe for freezing? The car lives outside and therefore I have to ensure it is ok to work overnight, putting rainX on the glass led to a frozen silicone mush inside and out

So Vactan has been applied with hairdryer. I am not totally sure how well it would work, there was more dry dirt in the arches than I would have liked, and I am not sure if it will have much effect or how to know if it is working. What's more I don't know if it will be enough. When it goes in for the MOT and Service next week ill give them the bottle and tell them to apply it to any rust they see

MisterH wrote: ↑

Sat Feb 13, 2021 1:16 pm

So Vactan has been applied with hairdryer. I am not totally sure how well it would work, there was more dry dirt in the arches than I would have liked, and I am not sure if it will have much effect or how to know if it is working. What's more I don't know if it will be enough. When it goes in for the MOT and Service next week ill give them the bottle and tell them to apply it to any rust they see

remove dry dirt with a stiff brush, I use a deck brush, old fashioned fibre type with 1/2" long bristles

remove wet dirt with garden hose , I use a 'hanging basket' adaptor so that easier to get into the returns and up behind fuel filler area, still get wet

if access to pressure washer , then wheech the wheel off and repeat,

TBH you'll probably find nasty surprises under any of the factory applied 'sealant', cos it sticks like sh1t and might have more tensile strength than the remaining 'steel'