Rust problems!
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From: Isanti, MN
Rust problems!
Hi,
I just purchased a 2000 Ford Contour from a friend who lives in New York. The car spent most of it's life in upstate NY and as such has some rust issues.
Nothing serious yet, but if I don't get on it soon it will become that way this winter. The areas behind the front wheel wells are rusting pretty badly, as are the rear brake lines, bottom of the drivers side door, the entire exhaust system, as well as the rear subframe.
As a temporary fix I sprayed a liberal amount of Fluid Film on the affected areas, but I need to find a permanent fix before this winter! Any ideas? I'm thinking about doing it the hard way and sanding it down as much as possible and applying some rust-preventing primer and paint, but I can't do this to the brake lines!
I just purchased a 2000 Ford Contour from a friend who lives in New York. The car spent most of it's life in upstate NY and as such has some rust issues.
Nothing serious yet, but if I don't get on it soon it will become that way this winter. The areas behind the front wheel wells are rusting pretty badly, as are the rear brake lines, bottom of the drivers side door, the entire exhaust system, as well as the rear subframe.
As a temporary fix I sprayed a liberal amount of Fluid Film on the affected areas, but I need to find a permanent fix before this winter! Any ideas? I'm thinking about doing it the hard way and sanding it down as much as possible and applying some rust-preventing primer and paint, but I can't do this to the brake lines!
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Replace the brake lines, and get rid of it just after the drafts from the holes become too much but before it folds in two.
It's 10 years old and has been in the salt. You can't fix it. You can stall it off a bit, but you'll never get ahead of it.
According to KBB, this is a $500 car in fair condition. Don't spend a lot on it.
It's 10 years old and has been in the salt. You can't fix it. You can stall it off a bit, but you'll never get ahead of it.
According to KBB, this is a $500 car in fair condition. Don't spend a lot on it.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Isanti, MN
Thanks for the replies!
I'll be replacing those brake lines when I get around to it. None look bad enough to cause leaks yet but I'd rather not take chances. Never done steel brake lines before, do they come ready to install or would I have to bend them myself?
I'm hoping to find a good, cheap primer or undercoating that will stop rust to cover the rest. For the moment I have covered it all with Fluid Film as a stopgap until I can do something permanent.
It's not that bad yet, none is visible from the exterior at this point. Just trying to keep it that way!
I'll be replacing those brake lines when I get around to it. None look bad enough to cause leaks yet but I'd rather not take chances. Never done steel brake lines before, do they come ready to install or would I have to bend them myself?
I'm hoping to find a good, cheap primer or undercoating that will stop rust to cover the rest. For the moment I have covered it all with Fluid Film as a stopgap until I can do something permanent.
It's not that bad yet, none is visible from the exterior at this point. Just trying to keep it that way!
Postmaster
Joined: Nov 2006
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From: SE Wyoming
My Merc was from IL, that was my first and last car from anywhere back east. Has all the problems you listed. The brake lines can be bought in a roll and you form them yourself or have a shop do it, the fuel lines will not be far behind. You'll need a rust converter to really have any chance at it and they are not cheap at all. My Merc was about 12 years old when I got it and I still drive it daily but that rust is a mess, it has even attacked the oil pan.
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From: Isanti, MN
The amazing part is that it's not that bad yet. The vast majority of it's nothing but surface rust, and outside of the brake lines no major components have been affected.
The engine's all aluminum including the oil pan and so is the majority of the transmission. Considering how well it's running I really would like to keep it nice.
And 85e150six4mtod, in good condition KBB rates the private party value at $2,780. It's only 10 years old with 77,000 miles!
The engine's all aluminum including the oil pan and so is the majority of the transmission. Considering how well it's running I really would like to keep it nice.
And 85e150six4mtod, in good condition KBB rates the private party value at $2,780. It's only 10 years old with 77,000 miles!
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Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
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From: The Big, Oregon
I'd bet the rear strut towers are just about gone- Ten years seems to be the lifespan on those in the rust belt.
I remember working at an exhaust shop in CT in 2002, had a car come in with a complaint of exhaust smell while driving so I drove it in and got the lift all set up. When I picked the car up, it crunched and shifted a bit. In talking to the owner, they had bought the car new in 96 in the south, then got stationed up at New London. The car never got undercoated (they didn't know what that was), so after only 8years it was completely rotted out underneath. The car had to be towed out of there, the rear mounts of the front subframe were just gone.
I remember working at an exhaust shop in CT in 2002, had a car come in with a complaint of exhaust smell while driving so I drove it in and got the lift all set up. When I picked the car up, it crunched and shifted a bit. In talking to the owner, they had bought the car new in 96 in the south, then got stationed up at New London. The car never got undercoated (they didn't know what that was), so after only 8years it was completely rotted out underneath. The car had to be towed out of there, the rear mounts of the front subframe were just gone.
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The amazing part is that it's not that bad yet. The vast majority of it's nothing but surface rust, and outside of the brake lines no major components have been affected.
The engine's all aluminum including the oil pan and so is the majority of the transmission. Considering how well it's running I really would like to keep it nice.
And 85e150six4mtod, in good condition KBB rates the private party value at $2,780. It's only 10 years old with 77,000 miles!
The engine's all aluminum including the oil pan and so is the majority of the transmission. Considering how well it's running I really would like to keep it nice.
And 85e150six4mtod, in good condition KBB rates the private party value at $2,780. It's only 10 years old with 77,000 miles!
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From: Maine, Virginia
Thanks for the replies!
I'll be replacing those brake lines when I get around to it. None look bad enough to cause leaks yet but I'd rather not take chances. Never done steel brake lines before, do they come ready to install or would I have to bend them myself?
I'm hoping to find a good, cheap primer or undercoating that will stop rust to cover the rest. For the moment I have covered it all with Fluid Film as a stopgap until I can do something permanent.
It's not that bad yet, none is visible from the exterior at this point. Just trying to keep it that way!
I'll be replacing those brake lines when I get around to it. None look bad enough to cause leaks yet but I'd rather not take chances. Never done steel brake lines before, do they come ready to install or would I have to bend them myself?
I'm hoping to find a good, cheap primer or undercoating that will stop rust to cover the rest. For the moment I have covered it all with Fluid Film as a stopgap until I can do something permanent.
It's not that bad yet, none is visible from the exterior at this point. Just trying to keep it that way!
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