Over the last weekend and during the week melbourne has been raining like nuts and I noticed i've got two rain leaks on the drivers side and one on the passenger. Water was dripping in from the chrome the window slides along.

Figured I'd better get under there and investigate and this is what underneath my driver window looks like .



From here, after i've got all the crumbly crap out, would it be best to put down some sealing silicon or something and then a few coats of anti rust (i've got a can of septone rust shield around somewhere) because i'm guessing the actual channel is fubared underneath all that crap too. I've got the rubber hoses on both sides and they seem to be in good nick.

Any suggestions on the best stuff to use to seal the channel so it doesn't leak through and onto my door trim?

Shard

Get rid of all loose crumbly stuff (and dust / dirt) that can hold moisture. The most important things to keep clear are the drain holes at the bottom of the doors. Water will always get in, you have to make sure it goes straight out again. On seams where you can get to, use a non hardening seam sealer (silicone won't do), and inside areas like you have use a rust converter (after cleaning / washing and drying) then fish oil. Make absolutely sure the drain holes are clear. After a year, another fish oil treatment which should then be it. I last fish oiled my doors 35 years ago still good.

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

hey, Ive found another product, rather than fish oil, its called lanox, been around for years, just a bit better on the nose, unless ur usuing odurless fish oil. Lanox is lanolin, the oil out of sheep, and wool etc... smells a bit like an old goat after your done, but ive found it to be really sticky and good aswell!


-Cam

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IS NOW BACK ONLINE AFTER SOMETIME..... SORRY TO ALL, FOR NOT REPLYING TO PM'S!!

Been cleaning it out slowly and seems most of the crumbly crap is the remains of some blue crap someone's put in a while ago to make a seal i'm guessing.

My drain holes at the bottom seem clean enough (will test after most of the crumble crap is out) at the top end though they are covered in crap so i'll attack them with a coathanger soon.

Bunnings will probably sell non hardening seam sealers yeah? and then I pour some fish oil into the rail and let it drip out the bottom?

Shard

Shard,
Don't be shy of using the garden hose or pressure cleaner to wash out the crap.
Don't know about Bunnings, but I got my seam sealer at an automotive paint supplier. Beware there are seam sealers and seam sealers, get the "good stuff". The stuff I have came in a tin and is wiped on with a finger. (It imitates the original factory seal, and can be painted over and works a treat for rego inspections - well NSW anyway) If you want a name I could get it later tonight as I am at work ATM.
When I did my panel beating course I was told the thing with fish oil is it will creep along a joint and actually penetraits and wicks uphill, so pouring the stuff along the bottom seam it will wick up both sides of the door (though you have to temporarily block the drain holes and let it pool for a while).
Oh and yea, use the deoderised version unless you like blow flies

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

Any idea how long you should leave new paint b4 fish oiling the inside of doors?
I'm guessing 3 months would be safe for Acrylic to harden off without affecting it.
Was going to do in mine and along the front valance!

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"Why mini? 'cause it's got the edge."

Can't remember exactly, but 9 months to a year comes to mind. That paint really takes a long time for the solvents to get fully out. Unlike 2 pack which hardens by cross linking polymers, Acrylic has to lose its solvent which can only get out by difusing through the bulk material.

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Over 1,000,000Km, but now my retirement restoration project

cleared the crap out and fish oiled it two covers yesterday. Will put it back together before heading to work this afternoon. The two drain holes are clear now so I shouldn't have any overflow problems. Thanks for your suggestions/help guys.

PS. odourless fish oil stinks .

Shard