Once the rust starts...
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 784
Likes: 26
The old timers had it right - keep it oily. A coating of oil will not trap moisture, but it will keep the oxygen away which greatly retards rust. A leaking front main seal is better rust protection than the best undercoating!
Tuned
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 282
Likes: 1
I've been using phosphoric acid based rust inhibitors.
I live in TX so rust is not a big issue here, but I go skiing to NM and CO. These rust inhibitors can be applied with a spray bottle. It leaves a white patina and I just touch it with black rattle can.
If you have ever cleaned a very rusted piece by leaving it inside a bucket with Coke, phosphoric Acid is what did the trick.
If you have ever cleaned a very rusted piece by leaving it inside a bucket with Coke, phosphoric Acid is what did the trick.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 784
Likes: 26
Phosphoric acid isn't a rust inhibitor, per se, but rather, a rust converter. It converts the iron oxide to iron phosphate, which doesn't further rust. However, it does not prevent new rust from forming on non-rusted steel.
There are paints which have phosphoric acid built in. If you are going to paint, I'd choose one of those.
I still prefer oil, though.
There are paints which have phosphoric acid built in. If you are going to paint, I'd choose one of those.
I still prefer oil, though.
Lead Driver
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 6,293
Likes: 47
From: South central, Minnesota
Phosphoric acid isn't a rust inhibitor, per se, but rather, a rust converter. It converts the iron oxide to iron phosphate, which doesn't further rust. However, it does not prevent new rust from forming on non-rusted steel.
There are paints which have phosphoric acid built in. If you are going to paint, I'd choose one of those.
I still prefer oil, though.
There are paints which have phosphoric acid built in. If you are going to paint, I'd choose one of those.
I still prefer oil, though.
Speaking of oil. Ford redesigned their oil pan gaskets in 87 on the 300/4.9L. Well the new designed worked too well and they started having issues with oil pans rusting thru. They didn't have that issue in the past because they'd leak enough oil to coat the pans. Which helped keep them from rusting as bad.
I heard this from a Ford employee.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 784
Likes: 26
Speaking of oil. Ford redesigned their oil pan gaskets in 87 on the 300/4.9L. Well the new designed worked too well and they started having issues with oil pans rusting thru. They didn't have that issue in the past because they'd leak enough oil to coat the pans. Which helped keep them from rusting as bad. I heard this from a Ford employee.
I heard this from a Ford employee.Old-timers used to just spray the underside with used engine oil. Step 2 is to drive down a dirt road. It made a nice coating that stayed in place for months.
Of course, none of us would ever do something so environmentally unfriendly, no matter how cheap it was and how well it worked. Right?
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
LARIAT 85
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
11
Jan 12, 2011 09:38 AM
