problem with rust, and ?s on how to fix...

[Paragon]

alright, here's my issue. i just got a 1990 240, and the frame has rust. it's on the driver's side rear, right by the wheel. i NEED this car to pass inspection by next week. i'm thinking about filling the frame, covering it with aluminium tape, and putting a good spray of undercoating on it to cover it up. this is after removing the rust, of course. anybody have any better ideas?

[slipnfall]

Is the rust on the main frame rail which extends front to back? This sounds like more than surface rust - has the frame part begun to deteriate? I can't offer much advise in the way of structural integrity, but you should be careful with what you just 'cover up'.

As a general rule for *any* rust, you should first do your best to remove all of it in site. A grinder will help here. After reaching clean metal, use a chemical rust treatment. You can find this stuff at auto parts stores. It basically converts all the 'active' rust into in-active, and prevents further spreading(and prepares the surface for primering). Prime, Paint. Depending on how much material you had to remove to eliminate the inital rust, you may have to weld/have welded a cover/reinforcement. Like I said I'm not much on body integrity, so this might not be a wise idea(ie in the event of a wreck).

Is it really so bad that it could fail inspection??

[xxtrizz]

I have the same rust and mine is horrid but I fixed it pretty well... lets see what you want to do is use a sander and grinder to get all the huge stuff off then take that chemical to stop the rust from actively seeking new metal and then get stuff from like walmart called "quicksteel" put it on the spots that have open wounds and then sand it once it hardens it gets relaly hard like metal and is sandable and you can add teh undercoat to it afterwards

[yelnatsch517]

I have the same rust and mine is horrid but I fixed it pretty well... lets see what you want to do is use a sander and grinder to get all the huge stuff off then take that chemical to stop the rust from actively seeking new metal and then get stuff from like walmart called "quicksteel" put it on the spots that have open wounds and then sand it once it hardens it gets relaly hard like metal and is sandable and you can add teh undercoat to it afterwards

LOL you guys make it sound like its a bacterial infection.

[4felix20]

it is! it's a disease..

[Doomed2Walk]

Yep, rust is basically cancer for machines. Once it starts, it just keeps spreading. Rust needs to be contained and eliminated!

[gumby]

http://www.nicoclub.com/zerothread?id=88274

you're screwed