rustproofing

[demetris]

Can you please advise if I did more good than not by rustproofing my engine bay etc with WAXOYL, my mechanic went ballisitc when I visited him to get the oil change done recently. He says these cars (87 190 carb auto) are very delicate and you will screw up all the electronics etc by slapping this stuff on! things is I applied it in the battery bay/tray generously and sparingly in other parts of the engine...any truth in his opinion...thanks

 

[dieselman]

Your mechanic is a fool. The only thing waxoyl will do to electrical connections is to keep any water out and to stop the connections corroding.
Rust proofing is a good thing to do to any car, especially if its a late model MB.

 

[Andy]

Great,

Only problem is. That the rot will probably start from underneath. Where it gets a battering from day to day dirt,grime & English salt. The bain of many a motorist.

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[piestore]

waxoil

Would have to agree with dieselman and andy get a new tec

 

[kid-jensen]

demetris,

Waxoil is pretty good stuff but not in the state it comes out of the tin.

It is far too "thick" to offer good long-term rust protection. I have seen several places on my old cars where a beautiful coating of Waxoil has peeled off revealing worse rusting underneath.

After much time spent with dirt under my fingernails, my recommendation is to mix Waxoil 50:50 with used engine oil, this soakes into the rusty metal much better, and is generally still "wet" after a couple of years.

The engine compartmant is not where rust will give you a pain in the wallet though, it's underneath you need to spray. Underside of the floorpan, suspension mounting points, fluid lines, etc, etc.

I'm sure owners of older versions of your car can tell you where to spray the stuff on (by bitter experience).

MBs are generally well protected against rust, but the local Councils do their best to undo this by liberally splashing salt around, so anything you can do to improve the underside protection will repay you in the long term........

Your mechanic may curse you, but your bank manager won't. When he starts moaning, just adopt the same expression you normally reserve for Kwick-Fit when they say you need new tyres, shocks, brake pads etc.....

 

[jaques2k]

PaulG is right when he says it needs to be thinner to prove higher rust-protection. I use to spray our cars with just that type of blend, and we´ve made a pump that warms up the blend to about 60-70 degrees celsius, so it´s very easy to spread it like a spray underneath. Goes in easily everywhere in the small holes made for rust-prevention underneath! Has given a very good rust-proof even to cars which has a bit of beginning rust in it.

 

[p902]

Reading this with interest -and as someone who is not a 'car techie', at what age should one start applying this rustproofing to one's car and how often? Can it be done anywhere or does it have to be done by some sort of specialist??

 

[dieselman]

A bit like pensions, -- your'e never too young to start and regular contributions give the best overall effect.
In other words, apply when the car is new and keep applying every two years or so.

You can do the job yourself if you have some kind of sprayer or you can get it done. Messy but rewarding!

 

[kid-jensen]

All,

The person doing the rustproofing should be the person who stands to benefit from it.............which unfortunately means not a garage but the owner!

No-one else is likely to take as much care because slipshod application won't reveal itself for years.......

 

[Arnie]

I have found WAXOYL to be generally good and it's much better to apply it warm (heated) or wait 'til a hot summer's day to do the work. Thinning with white spirit also works. There are also some other products, which have come out better in some comparison tests, but some of them are dark brown compared to Waxoyl's almost colourless finish. I have not tried these, though, for that reason.

I have found however, that even with waxoyl, road-salt and dirt still seem to get through and once embedded in the wax, these deposits become hard to wash off. (Especially as the wax is softer when the engine is hot and running.) Anyway, I think it's better to apply it than not, but perhaps best to avoid areas of the engine bay that tend to accumulate dirt.

 

[demetris]

totally amazied at replies

thanx to you all for the reply,and just to make a point yup waxoyl comes as a clear type fluid or a dark brown colour, and i carried it out during summer after leaving the tin container immersed in hot water for half hour to thin it well, looking backeveryoneis right he engine compartmentis less likely because most moisture that can get in and cause rust is evporated by the enine heat, but the battery bay is crap. I dont wanna knock MB and it is the best car i have had so far but, i had a 1978 audi and an e reg audi and they are far less prone to rust thanthe mercs which is a shame, anyway rust would be less of a worry if members of the public were less inclined to key my whole car! i am having all foor doors done and the bonnet....pain but gotta be done

thanks to you all

 

[jaques2k]

I just wanted to note that it´s not advisable to use used engine oil as rustproofing oil. The used engine oil contains sulphur and other stuff that is doing more damage by time to your bodywork. It gives some kind of chemical reaction, so do not use used engine oil. You can instead use used transmission oil if you have some of that stored in your garage. It doesn´t contain any harmful ingredients.

 

[p902]

Need clarification. I assumed rustprrofing entailed spraying just the UNDERSIDE of the car, but it seems -from what I am reading, that you spray the body also? Wont this waxoyl just wash off with the next wash?
Can someone please reply with "an idiot's guide to rustproofing?"

Thanks.

 

[kid-jensen]

P902,

Rust never starts from the exterior of clean painted body panels.

The kind of rust that sends cars to the scrapyard is the penetrative kind, that is the kind that starts sonewhere undrneath and then breaks-through to the surface. By then, you've got a LOT more rust than you can see.

The places to spray the Waxoil/oil mix are:

1. Inside the PVC wheel arch protectors, underneath the wings
2. The whole of the floorpan
3. Inside the boot, after removing the trim for access
4. All nuts, bolts and suspension components under the car
5. Inside the strengthening ribs on the bonnet.
6. Inside the doors after removing the trim
7. Lots of other places I've forgotten

As far as is practical, avoid spraying petrolium-based products on rubber components.

It's dirty, smelly work, but very rewarding in an "inner smugness" sort of way. You've done a good job protecting your investment and the guy at the lights next to you hasn't.....

 

[DWB!]

Rust Proofing Service

Living in London I havent got anywhere to really work on my car, let alone raise it up and get stuck in with Waxoyl, so I've had a look around and found this guy...

http://www.before-n-after.co.uk

... but £ 517 for Waxoyl strikes me a lot of cash.

I like the look of the service; steel guard to ensure is perfectly dry etc, but
is this the going rate ?


cheers,

 

[philharve]

Rustproofing M-Bs

Hi All

I have used Waxoyl successfully on previous cars I've owned and it can stop badly rusted panels from getting worse. The only thing I don't like about Waxoyl is that it's too thick straight from the can. I have found that standing a can on Waxoyl in a bucket of hot water for 30 minutes generally helps to make it more runny. Spraying onto cold surfaces is not recommended: best choose a warm day or use some form of heating. Don't forget to remove the cap from the can before dunking the can in its hot bath. Thinning is another option.

An alternative family of products I've used successfully with excellent results is made by Dinol in Sweden. Most car enthusiasts will have heard of Dinitrol which you shake and spray on rusted areas. It dries to a tacky feels and never hardens. It's a browny colour.

It's worth giving Frost Auto Restoration Techniques Ltd a look at http://www.frost.co.uk (0870 499 08 ) who sell Dinitrol ML, 'a super penetrating corrosion prevention' (quote) which is a rust inhibiting fluid. Frost also sell Dinitrol 3125, 'a penetrating cavity corrosion prevention' (quote) which is a heavier-bodied, waxy fluid similar to Waxoyl.

Frost can also provide other rust preventative substances which are worth a look. I bought my spray equipment from them to complement my collection of rust inhibiting treatments. I didn't buy my DC-powered (12-24V) Koala 2 air compressor, with reservoir, from them. That tool came care of ABC Ltd. A very handy portable tool if you haven't got access to a convenient mains supply.

Frost can supply a comprehensive catalogue and all their prices seem to be a multiples of 50p. Prices tend to be a little on the high side but you pays your money and takes your choice.

Whether the Dinol range of products is superior to Waxoyl is open to question. Dinol is more expensive but they offer a wider range.

REGARDS Phil

 

[LNM]

Presumably a good candidate to spray inside the wheel arches of any W124 then? once cleaned out with toothbrush + soapy water and a hairdrier and then meths.

 

[tom7035]

Adding to Paul G's list - steel brake pipes/fuel lines.