engine bay : heat and rust...
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
engine bay : heat and rust...
ok I have my engine and related bay restored...
but everything is starting to rust again , I suppose because of the underhood hi temp.actually I have also a tiny leakage at cyl 1 head-exhaust gasket...
should I expect to redo the engine and bay detailing every year? this car is my first one in such nice conditions, I don't have previous experiences about.
I have started to apply a thin coat of oil on all the bare metal parts that I cleaned and that are rusting again.
the most disappointing thing is that is getting rusted also a brand new Flaming River steering box. what damn paint have they used? should I oil that too?
I have headers wraps and they work fine, but the engine bay is really filled with the BB and big headers
but everything is starting to rust again , I suppose because of the underhood hi temp.actually I have also a tiny leakage at cyl 1 head-exhaust gasket...
should I expect to redo the engine and bay detailing every year? this car is my first one in such nice conditions, I don't have previous experiences about.
I have started to apply a thin coat of oil on all the bare metal parts that I cleaned and that are rusting again.
the most disappointing thing is that is getting rusted also a brand new Flaming River steering box. what damn paint have they used? should I oil that too?
I have headers wraps and they work fine, but the engine bay is really filled with the BB and big headers
Last edited by elle88; Jun 14, 2009 at 08:56 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2004
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From: Kissimmee fl
Finalist 2021 C3 of the Year - Modified
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St. Jude Donor '07
the heat is not causing the rust problem. Moisture or water causes the rust. Even the moisture in the air is enough to start the oxidation process. If you are not going the NCRS judged route, you can paint the cast parts and others under the hood with a flat clear if you want to keep the natural look or use paints that have the cast color. I think Eastwood has a line of paints for that. 
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
Hmm not the heat?
could it be the headers wraps? with the heat they tend to put out chemicals...
or the small leakage at the headers flange? exhaust gases in the engine bay?
I would prefer to use an oil coat instead than clear paint, to protect the parts. any problem with the oil?
could it be the headers wraps? with the heat they tend to put out chemicals...
or the small leakage at the headers flange? exhaust gases in the engine bay?
I would prefer to use an oil coat instead than clear paint, to protect the parts. any problem with the oil?
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,165
Likes: 24
From: Boston MA
rust is oxidation steel rusts in Newfoundland just like it does in Ecuador. Now put that same steel in the Sahara desert, and it takes a lot longer to rust...but its really hot. Its pretty humid in Italy, Rome or Naples?...stuff is going to rust.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
Yes , not dry here.
the problem is that my car came already with all that rust ( that I cleaned) from New Jersey. and the PO kept the car always in the garage and never drove in bad weather.the car was frame off restored in 2001 and was like new
my car has been here sitting for 2 months for jobs and no rust going on. but as soon as I have started using it , then rust.
so what's the problem?
actually I see a very thin smooth reddish coat on bare metal parts.
the new flaming river steering box was grey , now is grey-reddish
the problem is that my car came already with all that rust ( that I cleaned) from New Jersey. and the PO kept the car always in the garage and never drove in bad weather.the car was frame off restored in 2001 and was like new
my car has been here sitting for 2 months for jobs and no rust going on. but as soon as I have started using it , then rust.
so what's the problem?
actually I see a very thin smooth reddish coat on bare metal parts.
the new flaming river steering box was grey , now is grey-reddish
Last edited by elle88; Jun 14, 2009 at 10:02 AM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 582
Likes: 1
From: Madison Wisconsin
I used to live in So Cal and worked at LAX, everybody's tool box in the hanger was rusted because the hanger was was about a 1/2 mile from Santa Monica Bay. And if you didn't use you tools for while or went on vacation they would get a coating of rust on them. 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 14,112
Likes: 28
From: Florida
Storing the car in the garage along with other chemicals can contribute to rusting. Then when you take it out into a more humid environment it seems to rust faster.
Bleach, pool chlorine, pool acid, house cleaning supplies etc will do this even when you think the lids are on tight.
Storing the known products outside such as in a big plastic "dock box" helps a lot.
This product is the best I've ever seen
Spectro XL-1
Spray it on, hose it off, dry it with a leaf blower and your engine compartment will look like it was detailed by a used car lot. Protects well too. Pricey but lasts a long time.
The guys around here do their chromes out Hogs with it too and not even any water spots and we are a mile from the ocean.
Bleach, pool chlorine, pool acid, house cleaning supplies etc will do this even when you think the lids are on tight.
Storing the known products outside such as in a big plastic "dock box" helps a lot.
This product is the best I've ever seen
Spectro XL-1
Spray it on, hose it off, dry it with a leaf blower and your engine compartment will look like it was detailed by a used car lot. Protects well too. Pricey but lasts a long time.
The guys around here do their chromes out Hogs with it too and not even any water spots and we are a mile from the ocean.
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Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 753
Likes: 0
the brake reservoir not yet , but I expect to do it. buy it new 5 months ago.
rusting : steering box. but just the main body. the top cap is rust free but it's painted same as the rest . I think the top cap is aluminum
rusting all the non painted bolts and nuts and all the other things that are not painted or where any zinc or other coating is gone.
please check my album , I think there's a pic of the engine bay when the car was delivered to me months ago. now everything is clean and new but what you see in pic is a car that was like new in 2001 , after 7 years of light use.
rusting : steering box. but just the main body. the top cap is rust free but it's painted same as the rest . I think the top cap is aluminum
rusting all the non painted bolts and nuts and all the other things that are not painted or where any zinc or other coating is gone.
please check my album , I think there's a pic of the engine bay when the car was delivered to me months ago. now everything is clean and new but what you see in pic is a car that was like new in 2001 , after 7 years of light use.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 37,637
Likes: 3,118
From: Crossville TN
Folks who just want their cars to look good {and appear as original/stock} should protect all exposed iron/steel parts with an appropriate paint or coating. The NCRS guys will tell you "..it came from the factory bare...". Yes, and new cars also rusted in the first week of life! Use Seymour 'cast iron' ceramic header paint on the exhaust manifolds, VHT hi-temp 'cast iron' paint on steering box and other cast iron parts in the engine compartment. You may also want to put VHT clear paint on bare aluminum/brass parts to keep them looking good too. Oh, just be aware that you will be 'docked' a few points for doing that if you get judged at an NCRS event....but you won't be cleaning your engine compartment every WEEK!!!!
