Using oil to stop the spread of rust

[deides]

I've been up many a nights thinking of the dreaded seam rust coming out of the driver side of my westy. I really do no thave the time or space or determination to take the entire interior out and clear the rust from the inside...

So I read in a few forums that metal saturated with a nice layer of oil will not rust. Makes sense.

So here's what I did, I reached in behind the cabinets and drenched the entire inside-seam with engine oil. After a few days, the oil actually started slowly coming OUT of the side seams! So I really know that the entire hairline seam crack is saturated with oil now.

Now, i'm not worried about water making its way in. I am now considering saturating the other hairline seam cracks with oil from the outside... should provide a nice layer of protection from rain, no?

What do others think of this?

BTW i have no plans on fixing the rust from the inside by taking the cabinets out, so im not worried about cleanup.. i only want to stop or slow the rust monster.

[ThorAlex]

The problem with engine oil is it's to thin to last. There are special oils for that that turns thicker after a few days and therefore stays in a lot longer. I've also heard of people using hot saw chain oil, and terrace oil (which apparently does wonders to the paint too). The important thing is that it needs to be thin to go in to all the cracks, and then go thick (without drying up) so it won't wash away.
_________________
1990 syncro 1.6TD "Smily"

Ex-vans:
1990 Caravelle coach 1.6TD
1986 Transporter Double cab syncro 2.1 112hp

"I'm wrong so often... It's great!" - Adam Savage

[iceracer]

might help for a while but if oil is seeping out then water will seep in and rust rust rust. Only one way to fix it but it might slow it down.
_________________
86 Syncro Wolfsburg edition
63 Beetle (The Iceracer)

[ThorAlex]

yea, it needs to be redone every year to last. Lots of people use oils for under body protection around here, needs to be redone every fall before the salt comes.
_________________
1990 syncro 1.6TD "Smily"

Ex-vans:
1990 Caravelle coach 1.6TD
1986 Transporter Double cab syncro 2.1 112hp

"I'm wrong so often... It's great!" - Adam Savage

[deides]

how about sealing the seam crack from the outside with lithium grease? that stuff is really thick... might work?

[RCB]

[DAIZEE]

I can vaguely remember when there was big excitement about using oil as an undercoating but it didn't last or wasn't strong enough to resist our use of salt. Rarely hear of it now tho. Some people even used to use WD 40.
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[deides]

I'll try putting a nice wad of lithium grease on a knife and lathering the seam to see what happens. I imagine it would melt a bit in the sun and drip down, but it might not too. that stuff is like butter.

Won't make the seam look pretty (dust from driving would stick to it) but oh well!!

[funagon]

The old timers who use oil for rust prevention usually spray a mixture of oil and paraffin wax cut with solvent. Spray on and the solvent evaporates leaving a waxy thicker oil-based protective coating. There's probably some commercial version of this stuff, but one can experiment and mix up something in a garden sprayer, too.

I've seen this done on the underside of a vehicle to "winterize" it, then respray every fall.
_________________
1990 GL 7-passenger
2.2 liter WBX

[RCB]

Get one of those Lithium grease pencils at Auto Zone. They look like a big Kraola crayon.

[randywebb]

if you don't want to do it right then hose the area down with a rust reducer product (Loctite has one in a spray can now); then follow with Waxol or the 3M resin based product, 08892 Rust Fighter Internal Panel Coating
_________________
1986 2.1L Westy 2wd Auto Trans.

[jmranger]

Oil rusproofing is still a big business in Quebec.

I used to be skeptical and did some research years ago. I recall reading a study that basically said that the product doesn't matter much - what matters is the quality of the application. So oil, grease, wax, even tar, whatever suits you. I'd skip WD40 though, since it's not an oil-based product.

Oil seems to have a greater affinity to metal than water. Therefore, water on oiled metal doesn't matter much - until there's enough to wash the oil away. Abrasion is one of the reason while the product must be reapplied periodically. Shops say once a year, but will tell you every other year off the record.

Biggest drawback is that it's messy - and smelly if you spread on the exhaust... Second drawback is that some rubber doesn't react well in contact with oil, and expand. In my experience, VW, Toyota seem fine, Subaru used not to like it. (seals stretch around hood, flashers, ...)

I've been a happy customer of Metropolitain http://www.rustproofing.com/ for years. Heard good things about Krown http://krown.com/ too.

I'd probably vote against sealing the seams, unless you know you're closing the only water entrance. I do prefer water to enter but then drain and dry rather than having puddles that I can't see.

Fun story: a car I sold had a bad luck, the new owner smashed a door. Lucky, he finds a replacement, same color. Two years later, the car is still rust-free... except for the new door, rusted through... I was sold.

YMMV, as usual.

[DAIZEE]

I had the Westy Krowned as soon as I bought it. They did extra diligence because it was Vintage and in good condition.

As soon as Scooby is on the road I will take it to the same Krown as they seem to appreciate the Vintage.

It is getting an all new exhaust system. What are the thoughts on getting that Krowned. I don't have a sense of smell so I wouldn't know re the smell factor. Opinions Ideas
_________________
'09 2.5L Jetta 5 cylinder, 5 spd, super turbo, see thread in H2O Cooled Jetta, etc...
83.5 Vanagon L Riviera Model with 98 1.9L TD AAZ 4 speed Daily Driver 3 out of 4 seasons (sold)
84 Vanagon GL Wolfsburg Westy WBX 4 speed (sold)

[stormforge]

I think there's an important distinction between oils and other types of coatings (such as rust-converting primers, etc...). Oil functions simply to block oxygen from getting to the the metal. This means that even if it's already exposed and rusty, it won't rust much more until the oil washes off. You can spray the oil over rusty areas without a lot of fear that you'll trap moisture and make things much worse...

Last fall I took an already rusty piece of sheet metal and sprayed it with 3 oil/wax protection products: boeshield, LPS-3, and procyon. I very unscientifically threw the piece of metal out in the driveway for 6 months. When I went back to check on it, the rust had progressed in the boeshield and procyon sections, but the LPS-3 section seemed unchanged. This surprised me some because LPS-3 is the least expensive of the three. I'm going to try it on some undercarriage & suspension spots this year and see how it does.

Cheers,
-Bill
'89 Syncro

[13thstreetgti]

I essentially did the same thing as the original poster, except I used a product called Fluid Film. Check out the website http://www.fluid-film.com/
It does not (allegedly) have any effect on the paint, and I havent found any ill effects in my usage.

It works very well, and creeps into every nook and cranny. While it certainly never sets up into a waxy consistency, it will not be rinsed away from the metal as soon as water touches it, for example, like WD-40.

I've sprayed it on a couple external areas of the van, and it does not rinse away from the rain, however, a substantial portion of it will be rinsed off if a hose with a "jet spray" nozzle is focused on it.

If you check out this forum, http://www.plowsite.com/forumdisplay.php?f=68 it is dedicated to snow plow equipment operators, and they seem to have a very favorable impression of the product.

[purplepeopleeater]

TK is going to be here soon, my spidey senses tell me that.

[ragnarhairybreeks]

"fluid film" is a lanolin based product, has a good rep. Australia and N. Zealand with their sheep industries, produce a few varieties of lanolin based rust preventatives. Don't see too much of it here in N. America. I found pure lanolin to be good at reducing the amount of seizing in galvanised shackles (moorings, marine environment).

The other old standby, alluded to, is Waxoyl type stuff. Terry Kay sells a version. Simply put, a mixture of paraffin wax and a solvent carrier.

In my van, there is still quite a bit of a yellow waxy film in engine compartment. I wonder if it was a dealer option or aftermarket. Either way it has done a fine job of rust proofing.

alistair
_________________
'86 7 passenger syncro, converted to westy pop top, project still in progress
'82 westy, diesel converted to gas in '94, now gone...
https://shufti.blog/
Old address still works...
http://shufti.wordpress.com

[uncommonvw]

[vw54john]

Man, there's more good stuff out there than I thought! I use this stuff ..
http://www.corrosionx.com/
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Regards, John
'54 Strato Silver Oval

[snowsyncro]